2 John 4-9 / Luke 17:26-37
To be on "stand-by" can be quite taxing and draining in that we are like on our toes but not going anywhere yet and may not even need to go anywhere at all.
It's just like the tv or the hi-fi set that has the stand-by light that is on - pressing the button on the remote control will kick it into action immediately.
But for human beings, that stand-by mode is certainly an anxious and even a stressful time.
We are to be prepared to do something and yet there is also that uncertainty whether we will actually have to do it at all.
In the meantime, standing on our toes is not really that exciting and we want to relax and even get lax and we may even start to switch off.
The 1st reading talks about the life of love and also a plea to be always loving and to be ready to love at all times.
Yet it also warns of a deception that comes in the form of enjoyment and pleasures of the world and the commandment of love and the readiness to love can be forgotten.
Yes, evil does not attack love head on but employs deception and distraction and even disappointment to erode the readiness to love and to forget the commandment of love.
Hence we have to be on stand-by to love always and to keep focused on the commandment of love.
It is in carrying out the commandment and putting love into action that God's love is revealed.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 15-11-12
Philemon 7-20 / Luke 17:20-25
Letter-writing can take many forms, from the legal and the formal to the casual and the personal.
In whatever form it takes, letter-writing requires some skill as it is an art to convey ideas and feelings through carefully chosen words and constructed sentences.
And the written word can remain for a long time as in the case of St. Paul's letter to Philemon.
It is a very short letter, just verses and no chapter even, and yet it is a skillfully written letter.
St. Paul began by affirming the goodness of Philemon and how he had put new heart into the members of the Christian community.
Then St. Paul steered the focus on Onesimus, who was a slave of Philemon. The name "Onesimus" means useful, and St. Paul told Philemon that he was sending Onesimus back to Philemon.
Onesimus was useful to him and he hoped that Onesimus will be useful to Philemon too, and urged him to take Onesimus back as a brother-in-Christ, and he pleaded with Philemon to forgive Onesimus for whatever wrong he had done before.
If we were Philemon, how could we not be moved by the plea of St. Paul and accept Onesimus back?
And if Philemon was moved to accepting Onesimus back, then we can indeed see how the kingdom of God was made present by that letter of St. Paul.
Indeed, the kingdom of God is right among us and in us, and it is our mission to make it present.
So before we put anything into writing, be it a card, or a letter, or an email, let us ask ourselves if we are making the kingdom of God present with our written word.
Just like St. Paul's letter to Philemon was useful for making the kingdom of God present, our written word also has to power to build the kingdom of God.
Letter-writing can take many forms, from the legal and the formal to the casual and the personal.
In whatever form it takes, letter-writing requires some skill as it is an art to convey ideas and feelings through carefully chosen words and constructed sentences.
And the written word can remain for a long time as in the case of St. Paul's letter to Philemon.
It is a very short letter, just verses and no chapter even, and yet it is a skillfully written letter.
St. Paul began by affirming the goodness of Philemon and how he had put new heart into the members of the Christian community.
Then St. Paul steered the focus on Onesimus, who was a slave of Philemon. The name "Onesimus" means useful, and St. Paul told Philemon that he was sending Onesimus back to Philemon.
Onesimus was useful to him and he hoped that Onesimus will be useful to Philemon too, and urged him to take Onesimus back as a brother-in-Christ, and he pleaded with Philemon to forgive Onesimus for whatever wrong he had done before.
If we were Philemon, how could we not be moved by the plea of St. Paul and accept Onesimus back?
And if Philemon was moved to accepting Onesimus back, then we can indeed see how the kingdom of God was made present by that letter of St. Paul.
Indeed, the kingdom of God is right among us and in us, and it is our mission to make it present.
So before we put anything into writing, be it a card, or a letter, or an email, let us ask ourselves if we are making the kingdom of God present with our written word.
Just like St. Paul's letter to Philemon was useful for making the kingdom of God present, our written word also has to power to build the kingdom of God.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 14-11-12
Titus 3:1-7 / Luke 17:11-19
Of all living creatures, human beings take the longest time to become independent.
From the time we were babies till we become really independent, which can vary from person to person, we are actually dependent on our parents and the people around us.
And during that period of time, we are also absorbing and learning about the ways of life that will eventually form our character and our principles and views about life and about those around us.
Those who are Christians will certainly have a formation in the faith. Yet Christians or otherwise, we will all be exposed to the worldly formation, e.g., to be selfish, to be greedy, to hoard, to be materialistic, etc.
That was why in the 1st reading, St. Paul urged Titus to remind his people to be obedient to authorities and to do good at every opportunity, and also not to slander and quarrel but to be courteous and polite to all.
Because it is so easy to forget the precepts of our faith and slide sinfully into the ways of the world and be disobedient to God and be misled and enslaved by different passions and luxuries, as well as wickedness and ill-will, as we heard in the 1st reading.
But when the kindness and love of God was revealed in Jesus Christ, it is not because of any merit of ours but by the grace of God.
And as we heard of the healing of the ten lepers in the gospel, they were healed not because they deserved it but because of God's compassion.
Yet of the ten lepers who were healed, only one came back to give to give thanks. So as we can see it is so easy to take God's grace for granted, even miraculous healing graces for granted.
So today we are reminded that we are totally dependent on God and on His mercy and graces.
Our obedience is the sign of our dependence on Him. There is no need to say what disobedience will lead to.
Of all living creatures, human beings take the longest time to become independent.
From the time we were babies till we become really independent, which can vary from person to person, we are actually dependent on our parents and the people around us.
And during that period of time, we are also absorbing and learning about the ways of life that will eventually form our character and our principles and views about life and about those around us.
Those who are Christians will certainly have a formation in the faith. Yet Christians or otherwise, we will all be exposed to the worldly formation, e.g., to be selfish, to be greedy, to hoard, to be materialistic, etc.
That was why in the 1st reading, St. Paul urged Titus to remind his people to be obedient to authorities and to do good at every opportunity, and also not to slander and quarrel but to be courteous and polite to all.
Because it is so easy to forget the precepts of our faith and slide sinfully into the ways of the world and be disobedient to God and be misled and enslaved by different passions and luxuries, as well as wickedness and ill-will, as we heard in the 1st reading.
But when the kindness and love of God was revealed in Jesus Christ, it is not because of any merit of ours but by the grace of God.
And as we heard of the healing of the ten lepers in the gospel, they were healed not because they deserved it but because of God's compassion.
Yet of the ten lepers who were healed, only one came back to give to give thanks. So as we can see it is so easy to take God's grace for granted, even miraculous healing graces for granted.
So today we are reminded that we are totally dependent on God and on His mercy and graces.
Our obedience is the sign of our dependence on Him. There is no need to say what disobedience will lead to.
32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 13-11-12
Titus 2:1-8, 11-14 / Luke 17:7-10
Whenever we talk about a matured person, we are also talking with some assumptions as well as even presumptions.
For example, we may say that a mature person isn't defined by age as much by action and the way that person handles life's challenges.
Besides that, there are also other perspectives of maturity, like psychological maturity and legal maturity.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul was obviously talking about spiritual maturity. And he linked spiritual maturity with the advancement in age and seniority.
In short, he was saying that the older men and women of the community should be models of holiness and spiritual maturity to the younger generation.
At the basis of it all, they must not be the cause of scandal and hence disgrace the message of God.
When we work for the good and lead religious lives, then nobody can ever make any real objections to us or have any accusations to make against us.
Yet the motive for living a matured spiritual life is not just for our good but as witnesses of the Good News it is essentially our duty.
We, like our forefathers of the faith, are servants of the Good News that brings salvation to all.
And as servants of the Lord, we work for no reward on earth other than the eternal reward that is awaiting us. That is the first step in the growth of spiritual maturity.
Whenever we talk about a matured person, we are also talking with some assumptions as well as even presumptions.
For example, we may say that a mature person isn't defined by age as much by action and the way that person handles life's challenges.
Besides that, there are also other perspectives of maturity, like psychological maturity and legal maturity.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul was obviously talking about spiritual maturity. And he linked spiritual maturity with the advancement in age and seniority.
In short, he was saying that the older men and women of the community should be models of holiness and spiritual maturity to the younger generation.
At the basis of it all, they must not be the cause of scandal and hence disgrace the message of God.
When we work for the good and lead religious lives, then nobody can ever make any real objections to us or have any accusations to make against us.
Yet the motive for living a matured spiritual life is not just for our good but as witnesses of the Good News it is essentially our duty.
We, like our forefathers of the faith, are servants of the Good News that brings salvation to all.
And as servants of the Lord, we work for no reward on earth other than the eternal reward that is awaiting us. That is the first step in the growth of spiritual maturity.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
32nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 12-11-12
Titus 1:1-9 / Luke 17:1-6
People who are given responsibilities have a heavy task on their shoulders. The least that is expected of them is to have honesty and integrity.
More so for parents, teachers, clerics and political leaders, they will have to practise what they preach and their words and actions will be observed and noted by the people around them.
Because those who are tasked with the teaching and formation of others, like those mentioned above, are certainly very influential, for better or for worse.
For this reason, we hear in the 1st reading that when St. Paul instructed Titus to appoint elders for the community, the one overriding criterion is that they should be of irreproachable character.
That is certainly a very tall order but certainly a necessary one especially when it comes to appointing elders and cleric in the Church.
Because they are to lead the community by word and by example. And that is certainly crucial when it comes to teaching and instructing others.
Yet, as we know, in every age the Church has seen heresies and schisms. And the warning that Jesus gave to those who caused obstacles to the faith is that it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck.
That is the punishment for those who would lead others astray, especially the simply and the little ones.
Let us remember to pray for parents, teachers, priests and political leaders that they will not only have honesty and integrity and be truthful.
May they also have the faith to know that they are accountable to the responsibilities that God has given them.
People who are given responsibilities have a heavy task on their shoulders. The least that is expected of them is to have honesty and integrity.
More so for parents, teachers, clerics and political leaders, they will have to practise what they preach and their words and actions will be observed and noted by the people around them.
Because those who are tasked with the teaching and formation of others, like those mentioned above, are certainly very influential, for better or for worse.
For this reason, we hear in the 1st reading that when St. Paul instructed Titus to appoint elders for the community, the one overriding criterion is that they should be of irreproachable character.
That is certainly a very tall order but certainly a necessary one especially when it comes to appointing elders and cleric in the Church.
Because they are to lead the community by word and by example. And that is certainly crucial when it comes to teaching and instructing others.
Yet, as we know, in every age the Church has seen heresies and schisms. And the warning that Jesus gave to those who caused obstacles to the faith is that it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck.
That is the punishment for those who would lead others astray, especially the simply and the little ones.
Let us remember to pray for parents, teachers, priests and political leaders that they will not only have honesty and integrity and be truthful.
May they also have the faith to know that they are accountable to the responsibilities that God has given them.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
32nd Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 11.11.12
1 Kings 17:10-16/ Hebrews 9:24-28/ Mark 12:38-44
We have an attitude when it comes to how we look at our possessions and our wealth.
When no one wants to borrow or take our things, we do not worry much about it.
But the moment someone wants to borrow something from us, or when we are asked to share something with others, or even to give it away, then something strange happens.
Suddenly our things become very precious to us and we hold on to it with both our hands and maybe even with all our strength!
For example, for those of us who have a car, just how do we feel if someone wants to borrow our car?
Somehow we instantly become very possessive of our car, and for someone to borrow it and use it, it's like taking a part of our flesh away.
In fact, this attitude can be seen in little children too. Just ask a child to share his toys with other children and he will immediately grab his toys with both hands and he would guard it with his life.
It is strange to see how important our things seemed to us even though they are not critical for our survival.
And it seems even more important when someone wants to borrow it and use it.
If things seem so important to us, then what about things that are critical for our survival, like for example, food?
In the 1st reading, we heard about the prophet Elijah asking for food and water from a widow.
We must remember it was a time of famine, there was a severe food shortage because there was a severe drought for 7 years. So there was no rain, no crops and no food.
As for the widow, she was going to prepare the last meagre meal for herself and her son and after that there will be nothing left to eat. They will just wait to die of hunger.
Yet when Elijah asked for food, that widow, despite her desperate hopeless situation, shared the last of what she had to eat.
For her generosity in that kind of extreme situation, she was rewarded with the miracle of a jar of meal and a jar of oil that would allow her and her son to survive the famine.
Yes, miracles happen in extreme circumstances, but only when people are willing to make the sacrifice.
In the gospel, we heard of yet another widow who gave all she had to God; just two small coins, two small coins of the smallest denomination.
Jesus acknowledged her generosity, saying that from the little she had , she gave it all, even what she had to live on.
We do not know what happened to that poor widow as the gospel made no further mention of her.
But what do we think? Will God bless her for her generosity? Will God provide for her needs now that she has nothing left?
We might be thinking, that poor widow should have kept at least one coin for herself in order to buy some food, isn't it?
Whatever we might be thinking, the widow in the 1st reading and the poor widow in the gospel certainly gave us an example of radical generosity.
What the two widows gave was hardly anything of value - just a bit of food and two small coins that were hardly with anything.
But what was given was desperately needed by the two widows. It was a sacrifice because they had to let go of it.
Very often, we who have much more, believe very little in God's promise of providence. Because letting go is so hard to do.
There is a story that is simply titled "The Rope". It begins with a mountain climber who wanted to climb the highest mountain.
Since he wanted the glory just for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.
So he climbed and climbed, and even right into the night he climbed, even though he couldn't see much in that pitch darkness.
As he hastened his climb to the summit, he suddenly slipped and fell into thin air.
Great fear seized him as his life flashed before him.
As he kept falling into certain death, suddenly he felt the rope that was tied to his waist pulled him very hard.
His body was hanging in the air with only the rope holding him, and in desperation he screamed "Help me, O God, help me!"
Suddenly in that pitch darkness, a deep voice came from the skies "How do you want me to help you?"
The man was surprised but he quickly answered "Save me, O God, save me!"
The voice said "Do you really believe that I can save you?" The man answered, "Yes, yes, I believe, I believe!"
The voice said, "Then do as I tell you. Cut away the rope that is tied to your waist."
There was a moment of silence. The man decided to hold on to the rope with all his might.
The next day, the rescue team saw an intriguing sight. The climber was found dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope with his hands holding it tight. His body was only 10 feet from the ground.
Indeed, letting go is hard to do. But it is in letting go that we live and become alive.
Jesus had said that he who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who gives up his life for Jesus will save it.
The widow of Sidon in the 1st reading tells us this truth. We can also say the same of the widow in the gospel that God will provide for her.
And we can also say that God will provide for us. Yet like the two widows, we have to learn to let go.
We have to learn to let go of ourselves and give ourselves to others - our life, our love, our time, our energy.
Every little sacrifice is appreciated by Jesus, just like how He commended that poor widow on her offering.
So let us not say that God does not see, or that he has forgotten what we have let go of and offered to Him.
The prophet Isaiah would say this : Don't ever think that the Lord does not take care of you. He is always holding you with His right hand (Isaiah 41:17-20)
Yes, almighty God holds us with His powerful right hand.
We just have to let go of our little rope and hold on to His right hand.
We have an attitude when it comes to how we look at our possessions and our wealth.
When no one wants to borrow or take our things, we do not worry much about it.
But the moment someone wants to borrow something from us, or when we are asked to share something with others, or even to give it away, then something strange happens.
Suddenly our things become very precious to us and we hold on to it with both our hands and maybe even with all our strength!
For example, for those of us who have a car, just how do we feel if someone wants to borrow our car?
Somehow we instantly become very possessive of our car, and for someone to borrow it and use it, it's like taking a part of our flesh away.
In fact, this attitude can be seen in little children too. Just ask a child to share his toys with other children and he will immediately grab his toys with both hands and he would guard it with his life.
It is strange to see how important our things seemed to us even though they are not critical for our survival.
And it seems even more important when someone wants to borrow it and use it.
If things seem so important to us, then what about things that are critical for our survival, like for example, food?
In the 1st reading, we heard about the prophet Elijah asking for food and water from a widow.
We must remember it was a time of famine, there was a severe food shortage because there was a severe drought for 7 years. So there was no rain, no crops and no food.
As for the widow, she was going to prepare the last meagre meal for herself and her son and after that there will be nothing left to eat. They will just wait to die of hunger.
Yet when Elijah asked for food, that widow, despite her desperate hopeless situation, shared the last of what she had to eat.
For her generosity in that kind of extreme situation, she was rewarded with the miracle of a jar of meal and a jar of oil that would allow her and her son to survive the famine.
Yes, miracles happen in extreme circumstances, but only when people are willing to make the sacrifice.
In the gospel, we heard of yet another widow who gave all she had to God; just two small coins, two small coins of the smallest denomination.
Jesus acknowledged her generosity, saying that from the little she had , she gave it all, even what she had to live on.
We do not know what happened to that poor widow as the gospel made no further mention of her.
But what do we think? Will God bless her for her generosity? Will God provide for her needs now that she has nothing left?
We might be thinking, that poor widow should have kept at least one coin for herself in order to buy some food, isn't it?
Whatever we might be thinking, the widow in the 1st reading and the poor widow in the gospel certainly gave us an example of radical generosity.
What the two widows gave was hardly anything of value - just a bit of food and two small coins that were hardly with anything.
But what was given was desperately needed by the two widows. It was a sacrifice because they had to let go of it.
Very often, we who have much more, believe very little in God's promise of providence. Because letting go is so hard to do.
There is a story that is simply titled "The Rope". It begins with a mountain climber who wanted to climb the highest mountain.
Since he wanted the glory just for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.
So he climbed and climbed, and even right into the night he climbed, even though he couldn't see much in that pitch darkness.
As he hastened his climb to the summit, he suddenly slipped and fell into thin air.
Great fear seized him as his life flashed before him.
As he kept falling into certain death, suddenly he felt the rope that was tied to his waist pulled him very hard.
His body was hanging in the air with only the rope holding him, and in desperation he screamed "Help me, O God, help me!"
Suddenly in that pitch darkness, a deep voice came from the skies "How do you want me to help you?"
The man was surprised but he quickly answered "Save me, O God, save me!"
The voice said "Do you really believe that I can save you?" The man answered, "Yes, yes, I believe, I believe!"
The voice said, "Then do as I tell you. Cut away the rope that is tied to your waist."
There was a moment of silence. The man decided to hold on to the rope with all his might.
The next day, the rescue team saw an intriguing sight. The climber was found dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope with his hands holding it tight. His body was only 10 feet from the ground.
Indeed, letting go is hard to do. But it is in letting go that we live and become alive.
Jesus had said that he who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who gives up his life for Jesus will save it.
The widow of Sidon in the 1st reading tells us this truth. We can also say the same of the widow in the gospel that God will provide for her.
And we can also say that God will provide for us. Yet like the two widows, we have to learn to let go.
We have to learn to let go of ourselves and give ourselves to others - our life, our love, our time, our energy.
Every little sacrifice is appreciated by Jesus, just like how He commended that poor widow on her offering.
So let us not say that God does not see, or that he has forgotten what we have let go of and offered to Him.
The prophet Isaiah would say this : Don't ever think that the Lord does not take care of you. He is always holding you with His right hand (Isaiah 41:17-20)
Yes, almighty God holds us with His powerful right hand.
We just have to let go of our little rope and hold on to His right hand.
Friday, November 9, 2012
31st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 10-11-12
Philippians 4:10-19 / Luke 16:9-15
We know that money can wield power and exert influence and no one can be spared of the temptation and the lure of money and the luxuries of life it can buy.
Hence the love for money and the greed for it is the root of all evils imaginable.
Over the topic of money there can be prolonged discussions on it as well as endless worries over it.
Even in today's readings, the topic seems to be on money. St. Paul talked about money but it was not about his worry over it; rather it was to be used for service and for how he managed with whatever he had.
He had been through his initiation (his experience of Jesus) and he was ready for anything, whether full stomach or empty, whether in poverty or in plenty.
There was nothing he cannot master with the help of the One who gives his strength.
Indeed, when we understand the teaching of Jesus about money, we will be able to manage money and not let it manage us.
And if we cannot be trusted with money which is not ours, then how can we be sure we won't lose what belongs to us?
When we give in to greed, we will be the losers; but when we live by honesty and integrity, then we show who is our Master.
We serve Jesus our Master when we can be trusted even in small things.
We know that money can wield power and exert influence and no one can be spared of the temptation and the lure of money and the luxuries of life it can buy.
Hence the love for money and the greed for it is the root of all evils imaginable.
Over the topic of money there can be prolonged discussions on it as well as endless worries over it.
Even in today's readings, the topic seems to be on money. St. Paul talked about money but it was not about his worry over it; rather it was to be used for service and for how he managed with whatever he had.
He had been through his initiation (his experience of Jesus) and he was ready for anything, whether full stomach or empty, whether in poverty or in plenty.
There was nothing he cannot master with the help of the One who gives his strength.
Indeed, when we understand the teaching of Jesus about money, we will be able to manage money and not let it manage us.
And if we cannot be trusted with money which is not ours, then how can we be sure we won't lose what belongs to us?
When we give in to greed, we will be the losers; but when we live by honesty and integrity, then we show who is our Master.
We serve Jesus our Master when we can be trusted even in small things.
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