1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14 / Luke 6:39-42
To read a book from cover to cover, or to watch a movie from beginning to end, does not necessarily mean that we know what the book is really saying or what the movie is really all about.
Similarly in life, we see and hear a lot of things, but it does not mean that we understand everything.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul humbly and sincerely admitted that he used to be a blasphemer and persecuted Christians.
But he was awakened and enlightened from his ignorance by the mercy of God.
Indeed it is only through the mercy of God that we can understand what life is all about, and we will also be enlightened to live a life of love.
Indeed it is through the mercy of God that we will see first, our own ignorance and the splinters in our own eyes.
Only when we first understand ourselves and see ourselves clearly, then we will be able to understand others and see them for who they really are.
I once saw a poster of a blind-folded boy trying to catch the others in a game of catching.
The caption read: Playing blind is funny for those who can see.
But for us, life and love is not a game. Playing blind is not going to be funny.
May the mercy of God help us to see clearly, so that we will love tenderly, and walk humbly with our God.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Nativity of the BVM, Thursday, 08-09-11
Micah 5:1-4 / Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23
If we have to think of a gospel passage or a bible passage to dedicate to someone on his/her birthday, we would certainly think of a profound passage that might include God blessings on that person and how wonderfully God has made that person.
But in celebrating the birthday of the BVM, the passage that is chosen from the gospel of Matthew talks about Joseph intending to call off the marriage with Mary, and the angel of the Lord had to intervene.
Somehow the gospel passage for this liturgical seems a bit inappropriate, maybe even a bit too profane.
Yes, Mary's fears came true in that Joseph wanted to call off the marriage, and that might leave her to face an uncertain and even dangerous future.
Yet, the humanity, the humanness, of Mary and Joseph are highlighted to show us that they too had to face their fears and worries and anxieties, when it comes to doing God's will.
In fact, fear has that ability and that potential to paralyze us from doing God's will and to walk in His ways.
Yet, let us remember that as in the Annunciation, Mary was told "Do not fear"; in today's gospel, Joseph was also told "Do not fear".
As we gather for the Eucharist, we are also told "Do not fear", because God is with us.
Yes we need not fear, because we also have a heavenly Mother who is always praying for us.
Yes, Mary knows the power of fear, but she also knows the power of prayer.
Let us always ask her to pray for us and to pray with us, and what better way to do it than to pray the Rosary. Today and everyday.
If we have to think of a gospel passage or a bible passage to dedicate to someone on his/her birthday, we would certainly think of a profound passage that might include God blessings on that person and how wonderfully God has made that person.
But in celebrating the birthday of the BVM, the passage that is chosen from the gospel of Matthew talks about Joseph intending to call off the marriage with Mary, and the angel of the Lord had to intervene.
Somehow the gospel passage for this liturgical seems a bit inappropriate, maybe even a bit too profane.
Yes, Mary's fears came true in that Joseph wanted to call off the marriage, and that might leave her to face an uncertain and even dangerous future.
Yet, the humanity, the humanness, of Mary and Joseph are highlighted to show us that they too had to face their fears and worries and anxieties, when it comes to doing God's will.
In fact, fear has that ability and that potential to paralyze us from doing God's will and to walk in His ways.
Yet, let us remember that as in the Annunciation, Mary was told "Do not fear"; in today's gospel, Joseph was also told "Do not fear".
As we gather for the Eucharist, we are also told "Do not fear", because God is with us.
Yes we need not fear, because we also have a heavenly Mother who is always praying for us.
Yes, Mary knows the power of fear, but she also knows the power of prayer.
Let us always ask her to pray for us and to pray with us, and what better way to do it than to pray the Rosary. Today and everyday.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 07-09-11
Colossians 3:1-11 / Luke 6:20-26 (2019)
Being Catholics, we can't pretend and we also don't want to pretend that we don't want the material things of this world, especially the luxury goods of this world, e.g. a nice big house, a big car, a big bank account, etc.
There is a materialistic streak in us, and we also want to have the things that will give us some creature comfort.
We certainly don't want to think that in believing in God, we will have to face poverty and hunger, or sorrow and distress.
On the contrary, we would want God to eliminate all sorrow and distress, and pain and suffering from our lives.
In the gospel, what Jesus is highlighting is the truth of life, and that is, over and above everything else, we must long for God and trust and depend on Him alone.
That is also what St. Paul was telling the Colossians in the 1st reading - that they have been brought back to the true life in Christ, and hence they must look for the things above and not be stuck with the things of earth.
He even used the word "kill" with reference to the evil desires and sinfulness of this world.
Yes, of all the people in this world, we Christians must put to death the things that imprisons us to this world and rise in order to live the life of Christ in us.
For in Christ we have everything; without Christ then all that we might have is as good as nothing.
Being Catholics, we can't pretend and we also don't want to pretend that we don't want the material things of this world, especially the luxury goods of this world, e.g. a nice big house, a big car, a big bank account, etc.
There is a materialistic streak in us, and we also want to have the things that will give us some creature comfort.
We certainly don't want to think that in believing in God, we will have to face poverty and hunger, or sorrow and distress.
On the contrary, we would want God to eliminate all sorrow and distress, and pain and suffering from our lives.
In the gospel, what Jesus is highlighting is the truth of life, and that is, over and above everything else, we must long for God and trust and depend on Him alone.
That is also what St. Paul was telling the Colossians in the 1st reading - that they have been brought back to the true life in Christ, and hence they must look for the things above and not be stuck with the things of earth.
He even used the word "kill" with reference to the evil desires and sinfulness of this world.
Yes, of all the people in this world, we Christians must put to death the things that imprisons us to this world and rise in order to live the life of Christ in us.
For in Christ we have everything; without Christ then all that we might have is as good as nothing.
Monday, September 5, 2011
23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 06-09-11
Colossians 2:6-15 / Luke 6:12-19 (2019)
Living in a fast-paced and high-stressed society like Singapore, it is inevitable that we will experience worry and anxiety.
Hence one of the resulting afflictions could be that we will have sleepless nights even as we lie in bed at night.
Weighing heavily on our minds might be those difficult decisions to make, or bugging problems that don't seem to have any solutions.
So although we might be lying in bed, yet our minds are running and racing all over the place.
In our minds we might be running through all the options that we take on for an action plan.
But in situations like these, we may miss the obvious and necessary first option.
Very often we may just miss out God as the first option. In fact we often put God as the last option, and that's because everything else has failed.
In the gospel, we see that Jesus did not spend the whole night thinking; rather He spent the whole night praying.
For Jesus, God was always the first option and also the only option.
Like Jesus, we should also ask God for His blessings before we begin any task and ask for His continued blessings on the work we are doing.
For us, God must always be the first and only option. Any other options will result in sleepless nights.
Living in a fast-paced and high-stressed society like Singapore, it is inevitable that we will experience worry and anxiety.
Hence one of the resulting afflictions could be that we will have sleepless nights even as we lie in bed at night.
Weighing heavily on our minds might be those difficult decisions to make, or bugging problems that don't seem to have any solutions.
So although we might be lying in bed, yet our minds are running and racing all over the place.
In our minds we might be running through all the options that we take on for an action plan.
But in situations like these, we may miss the obvious and necessary first option.
Very often we may just miss out God as the first option. In fact we often put God as the last option, and that's because everything else has failed.
In the gospel, we see that Jesus did not spend the whole night thinking; rather He spent the whole night praying.
For Jesus, God was always the first option and also the only option.
Like Jesus, we should also ask God for His blessings before we begin any task and ask for His continued blessings on the work we are doing.
For us, God must always be the first and only option. Any other options will result in sleepless nights.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, 05-09-11
Colossians 1:24 - 2:3 / Luke 6:6-11 (2019)
It would be strange to hear people say that they like to suffer. We might think that they are a bit masochistic or something.
Because suffering is synonymous with pain, and whether it is suffering or pain, it is a physical evil that afflicts the beauty of humanity.
Yet in the 1st reading, St. Paul makes an astonishing statement: It makes me happy to suffer for you.
And he gives the reason for this - in his sufferings, he makes up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of His body, the Church.
But St. Paul struggled on, even though wearily, because he was helped by the power of Christ which drives him irresistibly.
In other words, it was the power of Christ's love that made St. Paul accept suffering gladly and loving for the sake the Church.
Even for Jesus, when He did the good and right deed, what He got in return was indifference to say the least, and on the extreme end, a murderous plot against Him.
Yet Jesus accepted that persecution and suffering because He came to do good and to save what was lost.
Today's readings remind us that when we do the good and right thing, not only may we not be thanked and rewarded, we may even find ourselves being criticized and ridiculed.
Yet we must keep doing the good and right thing, even when we face opposition and suffering, because the power of Christ's love will drive us on, just as it was for St. Paul.
We must remember that suffering and pain, and even evil, is not going to be eternal.
What is eternal is the power of Christ's love that will drive us to do the good and right thing on earth, so as to reach the glory that is waiting for us above.
It would be strange to hear people say that they like to suffer. We might think that they are a bit masochistic or something.
Because suffering is synonymous with pain, and whether it is suffering or pain, it is a physical evil that afflicts the beauty of humanity.
Yet in the 1st reading, St. Paul makes an astonishing statement: It makes me happy to suffer for you.
And he gives the reason for this - in his sufferings, he makes up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of His body, the Church.
But St. Paul struggled on, even though wearily, because he was helped by the power of Christ which drives him irresistibly.
In other words, it was the power of Christ's love that made St. Paul accept suffering gladly and loving for the sake the Church.
Even for Jesus, when He did the good and right deed, what He got in return was indifference to say the least, and on the extreme end, a murderous plot against Him.
Yet Jesus accepted that persecution and suffering because He came to do good and to save what was lost.
Today's readings remind us that when we do the good and right thing, not only may we not be thanked and rewarded, we may even find ourselves being criticized and ridiculed.
Yet we must keep doing the good and right thing, even when we face opposition and suffering, because the power of Christ's love will drive us on, just as it was for St. Paul.
We must remember that suffering and pain, and even evil, is not going to be eternal.
What is eternal is the power of Christ's love that will drive us to do the good and right thing on earth, so as to reach the glory that is waiting for us above.
Friday, September 2, 2011
22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday, 03-09-11
Colossians 1:21-23 / Luke 6:1-5
Let us say that this morning, or later in the morning, we meet someone and wished that person "Good morning".
But what we get was a sullen silence or a cold stare, or some unwarranted reply like: What's so good about the morning?
There will be two things that we might want to do; either we get into a tangle of heated words with that person, or we just let it be and walk away from that sticky situation and be at peace with ourselves.
So in almost every situation, there can be a reaction or a response.
A reaction can be quite scorching, much like a volatile chemical reaction; a response would be more gentle and sublime.
In the gospel, the Pharisees reacted to what the disciples of Jesus did.
But Jesus responded to their reaction; He made them think and reflect about what they said.
So in all kinds of situations, we have a choice : we can either react scorchingly, or we can respond sublimely.
In the 1st reading, even St. Paul would urge the Colossians to have a new way of thinking and acting because of their faith in Christ.
A reaction to a situation would only result in tension.
But we can only give a Christian response when we stand firm on the solid rock of faith and not drifting from the hope promised by the Good News.
Jesus is the master of the Sabbath. Let us let Him also be the Master of every situation. That is our best Christian response.
Let us say that this morning, or later in the morning, we meet someone and wished that person "Good morning".
But what we get was a sullen silence or a cold stare, or some unwarranted reply like: What's so good about the morning?
There will be two things that we might want to do; either we get into a tangle of heated words with that person, or we just let it be and walk away from that sticky situation and be at peace with ourselves.
So in almost every situation, there can be a reaction or a response.
A reaction can be quite scorching, much like a volatile chemical reaction; a response would be more gentle and sublime.
In the gospel, the Pharisees reacted to what the disciples of Jesus did.
But Jesus responded to their reaction; He made them think and reflect about what they said.
So in all kinds of situations, we have a choice : we can either react scorchingly, or we can respond sublimely.
In the 1st reading, even St. Paul would urge the Colossians to have a new way of thinking and acting because of their faith in Christ.
A reaction to a situation would only result in tension.
But we can only give a Christian response when we stand firm on the solid rock of faith and not drifting from the hope promised by the Good News.
Jesus is the master of the Sabbath. Let us let Him also be the Master of every situation. That is our best Christian response.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, 02-09-11
Colossians 1:15-20 / Luke 5:33-39 (2019)
One of the things in life that is not that easy to accept is change.
Maybe because we have our reservations about change. We wonder if it will be for the better or for the worse?
For e.g., when we change our electronic gadgets like our handphones or computer. There is a whole lot of relearning to do and we spend quite a bit of unproductive time getting used to it. And we may end up not liking the change at all!
Even Jesus acknowledged that change is not all that easy to accept when He said in the gospel that "The old is good".
But yet Jesus did not say that the new would not be good.
Hence the example of the new wine in new wineskins is indeed a good illustration.
The new wine, over time, would be just as good, and maybe even better than the old wine.
Jesus came to renew all creation. He came to renew all humanity so that mankind can now have a deeper life and existence.
In the beginning, man was made in the image and likeness of God. But sin distorted that image.
But now because of Jesus, mankind is recreated in the image of God again.
For that reason, St. Paul says in the 1st reading that Jesus is the first-born of all creation.
So it all simply comes down to this - God became man, so that man can go back to God. That indeed is a wonderful change
One of the things in life that is not that easy to accept is change.
Maybe because we have our reservations about change. We wonder if it will be for the better or for the worse?
For e.g., when we change our electronic gadgets like our handphones or computer. There is a whole lot of relearning to do and we spend quite a bit of unproductive time getting used to it. And we may end up not liking the change at all!
Even Jesus acknowledged that change is not all that easy to accept when He said in the gospel that "The old is good".
But yet Jesus did not say that the new would not be good.
Hence the example of the new wine in new wineskins is indeed a good illustration.
The new wine, over time, would be just as good, and maybe even better than the old wine.
Jesus came to renew all creation. He came to renew all humanity so that mankind can now have a deeper life and existence.
In the beginning, man was made in the image and likeness of God. But sin distorted that image.
But now because of Jesus, mankind is recreated in the image of God again.
For that reason, St. Paul says in the 1st reading that Jesus is the first-born of all creation.
So it all simply comes down to this - God became man, so that man can go back to God. That indeed is a wonderful change
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