1 John 5:14-21 / John 3:22-30
There is no doubt that God hears our prayers. In fact, He always answers our prayers.
The question is in the way God answers our prayers.
The 1st reading gives an indication of how we should pray when it says: we are quite confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything, and it is in accordance with His will, He will hear us.
Yet, it is so easy for our prayer to be laced with self-interests and self-centered desires.
As we come to the end of the Christmas season, the figure of John the Baptist comes up again.
He did not say anything about prayer but what he said in the gospel showed that he was a person of prayer and who understands what God's will is.
With Jesus beginning His public ministry, John the Baptist sensed that it was time to do handing-over.
And he also had some words of wisdom for us when he said: A man can lay claim only to what is given him from heaven.
He knew who Jesus is and he knew who he was.
So as he gracefully steps aside, he had this to say: He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.
Let our prayer be that Jesus will grow greater in our lives and that we give thanks to God for all that has been given to us. That's all that we need.
Friday, January 8, 2016
Friday after Epiphany, 08-01-16
1 John 5:5-13 / Luke 5:12-16
If looks are only skin deep, then it is obvious that judgement cannot be based on appearance.
Nonetheless appearance rules the world and hence looks are important in order to impress.
Even when we are sick, we still would want to look at least presentable.
But what if the sickness is the affliction of the skin? So much so that others think it is contagious and repulsive or even think that it is the result of some kind of curse.
That would be situation of the leper in today's gospel, as well as the situation of the lepers of that time.
Faced with rejection and laden with dejection, Jesus was his last hope and even then he wasn't very hopeful.
Hence his rather feeble request: If you want to, you can cure me.
And here is where Jesus makes an astounding reply: "Of course I want to! Be cured!" And He even stretched out His hand to touch the leper to heal him.
This profound act goes to show that God pays attention not so much to our appearance as to our hearts' disposition.
Furthermore, appearance is not the essence. Jesus took on flesh and became like one of us.
He was fully human and also fully divine. But it was His essence that defined His appearance.
May our appearance also be an exposition of our essence of who we really are.
If looks are only skin deep, then it is obvious that judgement cannot be based on appearance.
Nonetheless appearance rules the world and hence looks are important in order to impress.
Even when we are sick, we still would want to look at least presentable.
But what if the sickness is the affliction of the skin? So much so that others think it is contagious and repulsive or even think that it is the result of some kind of curse.
That would be situation of the leper in today's gospel, as well as the situation of the lepers of that time.
Faced with rejection and laden with dejection, Jesus was his last hope and even then he wasn't very hopeful.
Hence his rather feeble request: If you want to, you can cure me.
And here is where Jesus makes an astounding reply: "Of course I want to! Be cured!" And He even stretched out His hand to touch the leper to heal him.
This profound act goes to show that God pays attention not so much to our appearance as to our hearts' disposition.
Furthermore, appearance is not the essence. Jesus took on flesh and became like one of us.
He was fully human and also fully divine. But it was His essence that defined His appearance.
May our appearance also be an exposition of our essence of who we really are.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Thursday after Epiphany, 07-01-16
1 John 4:19 - 5:4 / Luke 4:14-22
To have all eyes looking at you intently is really something that can be quite unnerving.
In the first place, it is never that easy to capture people's attention. Even when we are engrossed in a movie, we still can get distracted somehow.
So was it something you said, or something you did that made all the people in the room fix their eyes on you?
When Jesus took the scroll on that day in the synagogue, and read from the prophet Isaiah, and then rolled back the scroll and sat down, all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
What Jesus read was not something new. The people had heard it before, many times even. But why were they looking intently at Him as if they heard it for the first time and seemed so engaged by it?
Because Jesus read with conviction, He was speaking about Himself, and what He read He will go about accomplishing.
When we read the Bible, what kind of conviction do we have? Do we read the Word of God with reference to ourselves?
Like in the 1st reading when it says: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten by God. And anyone who has been begotten by God has already overcome the world.
Just as the Scriptures speak about Jesus Christ, so too the same Scriptures speak about us if we believe in Jesus, and we too must do what He did.
The world will look at us and wonder who we are. But by our faith we will overcome the world by following Jesus to do what He did.
To have all eyes looking at you intently is really something that can be quite unnerving.
In the first place, it is never that easy to capture people's attention. Even when we are engrossed in a movie, we still can get distracted somehow.
So was it something you said, or something you did that made all the people in the room fix their eyes on you?
When Jesus took the scroll on that day in the synagogue, and read from the prophet Isaiah, and then rolled back the scroll and sat down, all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
What Jesus read was not something new. The people had heard it before, many times even. But why were they looking intently at Him as if they heard it for the first time and seemed so engaged by it?
Because Jesus read with conviction, He was speaking about Himself, and what He read He will go about accomplishing.
When we read the Bible, what kind of conviction do we have? Do we read the Word of God with reference to ourselves?
Like in the 1st reading when it says: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten by God. And anyone who has been begotten by God has already overcome the world.
Just as the Scriptures speak about Jesus Christ, so too the same Scriptures speak about us if we believe in Jesus, and we too must do what He did.
The world will look at us and wonder who we are. But by our faith we will overcome the world by following Jesus to do what He did.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Wednesday after Epiphany, 06-01-16
1 John 4:11-18 / Mark 6:45-52
There are two ways that we can look at life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle (Albert Einstein)
But why is it that some see nothing as a miracle while others see everything as a miracle?
The 1st reading will give us some indication of where the difference lies.
"No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and His love will be complete in us".
Now isn't that a great miracle? As long as we love one another God will live in us! It is certainly a miracle that God would want to make His dwelling in weak and mortal humanity.
But that's the miracle of love. Love makes all things possible and love sees everything as a miracle and love would also see where God is.
In the gospel, we heard that when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought it was a ghost and they cried out and they were terrified.
As the last line of the gospel puts it - because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
In other words, the disciples had not understood the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves was an expression of the love of God.
Probably up till then, they were still not loving one another and hence there is fear instead of love.
In the Eucharist, we receive God's love in Holy Communion. May we love one another, then we will see that everything is a miracle.
There are two ways that we can look at life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle (Albert Einstein)
But why is it that some see nothing as a miracle while others see everything as a miracle?
The 1st reading will give us some indication of where the difference lies.
"No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and His love will be complete in us".
Now isn't that a great miracle? As long as we love one another God will live in us! It is certainly a miracle that God would want to make His dwelling in weak and mortal humanity.
But that's the miracle of love. Love makes all things possible and love sees everything as a miracle and love would also see where God is.
In the gospel, we heard that when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought it was a ghost and they cried out and they were terrified.
As the last line of the gospel puts it - because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
In other words, the disciples had not understood the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves was an expression of the love of God.
Probably up till then, they were still not loving one another and hence there is fear instead of love.
In the Eucharist, we receive God's love in Holy Communion. May we love one another, then we will see that everything is a miracle.
Monday, January 4, 2016
Tuesday after Epiphany, 05-01-16
1 John 9:7-10 / Mark 6:33-44
We eat to live, though there are some who live to eat.
But whichever way it is, there is like a fine line to it.
As we eat to live, how much do we need to eat and when is that enough?
There are some buffet spreads that tout the slogan "Eat as much as you want!"
So from eating in order to live, we somehow can just slide into eating as though there is no next meal.
So the question is about contentment. When will we be satisfied? When will we say that enough is enough?
The question is not just about food. It spreads across all aspects of our lives and cuts into our desires and needs.
The gospel passage noted that the five thousand men ate as much as they wanted.
But were they contented? Were they satisfied? They filled their stomachs but were their hearts filled?
Jesus came to fill not just our stomachs but our hearts with light in order to see that man does not live on bread alone but on the Word that will be made flesh in us.
In this Eucharist, may we be filled and be contented so that we will know that it is only Jesus that we will ever need in order to live.
We eat to live, though there are some who live to eat.
But whichever way it is, there is like a fine line to it.
As we eat to live, how much do we need to eat and when is that enough?
There are some buffet spreads that tout the slogan "Eat as much as you want!"
So from eating in order to live, we somehow can just slide into eating as though there is no next meal.
So the question is about contentment. When will we be satisfied? When will we say that enough is enough?
The question is not just about food. It spreads across all aspects of our lives and cuts into our desires and needs.
The gospel passage noted that the five thousand men ate as much as they wanted.
But were they contented? Were they satisfied? They filled their stomachs but were their hearts filled?
Jesus came to fill not just our stomachs but our hearts with light in order to see that man does not live on bread alone but on the Word that will be made flesh in us.
In this Eucharist, may we be filled and be contented so that we will know that it is only Jesus that we will ever need in order to live.
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Monday after the Epiphany, 04-01-16
1 John 3:22 - 4:6 / Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
Whenever a leader gives an inaugural speech, the opening lines are important.
Because the opening lines of a speech of a leader or someone in authority, will indicate his conviction, his rapport with the people, his vision, and in a way who he is.
The opening lines of Jesus as He begins his ministry may not sound very impressive.
As much as it may not sound very impressive, nonetheless it is very important.
Its importance lies in the fact that it is the truth.
Having celebrated the birth of Jesus and His revelation to the world, we must now live in the light of His saving love.
Hence, we have to turn away from lies and deceit, anger and revenge and gossip and slandering.
More than that, we must repent our lives and live in love and forgiveness, mercy and compassion, understanding and charity.
That is what repentance is all about. That is what the kingdom of God is all about.
That is why Jesus came for us and that is what we are all about.
Whenever a leader gives an inaugural speech, the opening lines are important.
Because the opening lines of a speech of a leader or someone in authority, will indicate his conviction, his rapport with the people, his vision, and in a way who he is.
The opening lines of Jesus as He begins his ministry may not sound very impressive.
As much as it may not sound very impressive, nonetheless it is very important.
Its importance lies in the fact that it is the truth.
Having celebrated the birth of Jesus and His revelation to the world, we must now live in the light of His saving love.
Hence, we have to turn away from lies and deceit, anger and revenge and gossip and slandering.
More than that, we must repent our lives and live in love and forgiveness, mercy and compassion, understanding and charity.
That is what repentance is all about. That is what the kingdom of God is all about.
That is why Jesus came for us and that is what we are all about.
Epiphany, 03-01-2016
Isaiah 60:1-6 / Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 / Matthew 2:1-12
One of the often asked questions when it comes to our faith is that “How does God speak to me?”
Or when our lives are overcome with darkness, we will ask in frustration “Why does God not speak to me?”
Oh yes, we have heard it said that God speaks to us when we read the scriptures or when we hear a good homily by a priest.
But God also speaks to us when we pray by giving us emotions and promptings to feel what He wants us to do.
God can also speak to us through others when what they say suddenly enlightens us with so much clarity.
Or that what they do moves us so much that we in turn want to emulate them in their good deeds.
These are just a few ways that God speaks to us and how He gives us signs.
Now as we come to church today, did we “see” how God is speaking to us?
As we walked through the main doors of the church, were we aware that we were walking through the “Holy Doors of Mercy”?
Or as we were coming to church, did we see the shrine of Our Lady?
Yes, God speaks to us in various ways and in many signs, but were we able to “see” how God speaks to us?
Today’s gospel passage is certainly packed with instances of how God spoke and how people responded or reacted.
The first was when a star appeared. Probably many people saw it but only some wise men from the east saw it as a special star that announced the birth of the king of the Jews.
God spoke to king Herod through the wise men but he was perturbed.
God spoke to the chief priests and scribes when Herod enquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They had the answer from the prophecies, but they did nothing about it.
So God did speak but there were different responses and reactions.
The wise men followed the star and they were filled with joy when it led them to the infant king and they did Him homage with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
On the other hand, the perturbed king Herod reacted with trickery and an evil plot to use the wise men to find out the whereabouts of the infant king so as to do away with him.
The chief priests and scribes were indifferent to what the prophecies were telling them and they were like “couldn’t be bothered” kind of attitude.
And finally God spoke to the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. They listened and went back to their country by a different way.
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany, which means “revelation”. The birth of Christ was revealed to the whole world, and the wise men from the east, who were non-Jews, received the revelation and they are represented by the three figures in royal robes in the Nativity scene.
If God had spoken and revealed His signs to the world, then it surely means that God had spoken and revealed His signs to His people.
So what has God spoken to us, and what signs did He reveal to us?
For our parish, God has certainly spoken to us when we were designated as one of the pilgrimage churches with the Holy Doors of Mercy for the Year of Mercy.
Already pilgrims are coming to our parish and walking through the Door of Mercy to obtain an indulgence.
They are like the “wise men” from other parishes coming here to experience the mercy of God and to be healed from the wounds of their sins and to make reparation.
And what about us? Let us not be like the chief priests and scribes who knew what the prophecies were saying but did not do anything about it.
Let us go for the talk about the Year of Mercy on the 15th January to find out what it is all so that we will experience the mercy of God and to help others with our experience.
Also we have blessed the shrine of Our Lady on the 1st January and we prayed the Rosary and also prayed for the intentions offered on that day.
But that is only just the beginning. The shrine would be just a marble piece if it is not supported by prayer.
It is by prayers at the shrine that God’s grace and blessing will flow out from the parish and reveal God’s presence to the world.
So it is a call to prayer and devotion to Our Lady and it is up to us to come as a family or in groups to offer prayer and petitions and to experience the merciful love of God that brings forgiveness and healing.
So as in the past God has spoken, so now God is speaking and speaking to us.
Like the wise men, let us see and respond to the signs that God is giving us.
Let us response be: Speak Lord your servant is listening. You have the message of eternal life.
One of the often asked questions when it comes to our faith is that “How does God speak to me?”
Or when our lives are overcome with darkness, we will ask in frustration “Why does God not speak to me?”
Oh yes, we have heard it said that God speaks to us when we read the scriptures or when we hear a good homily by a priest.
But God also speaks to us when we pray by giving us emotions and promptings to feel what He wants us to do.
God can also speak to us through others when what they say suddenly enlightens us with so much clarity.
Or that what they do moves us so much that we in turn want to emulate them in their good deeds.
These are just a few ways that God speaks to us and how He gives us signs.
Now as we come to church today, did we “see” how God is speaking to us?
As we walked through the main doors of the church, were we aware that we were walking through the “Holy Doors of Mercy”?
Or as we were coming to church, did we see the shrine of Our Lady?
Yes, God speaks to us in various ways and in many signs, but were we able to “see” how God speaks to us?
Today’s gospel passage is certainly packed with instances of how God spoke and how people responded or reacted.
The first was when a star appeared. Probably many people saw it but only some wise men from the east saw it as a special star that announced the birth of the king of the Jews.
God spoke to king Herod through the wise men but he was perturbed.
God spoke to the chief priests and scribes when Herod enquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They had the answer from the prophecies, but they did nothing about it.
So God did speak but there were different responses and reactions.
The wise men followed the star and they were filled with joy when it led them to the infant king and they did Him homage with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
On the other hand, the perturbed king Herod reacted with trickery and an evil plot to use the wise men to find out the whereabouts of the infant king so as to do away with him.
The chief priests and scribes were indifferent to what the prophecies were telling them and they were like “couldn’t be bothered” kind of attitude.
And finally God spoke to the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. They listened and went back to their country by a different way.
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany, which means “revelation”. The birth of Christ was revealed to the whole world, and the wise men from the east, who were non-Jews, received the revelation and they are represented by the three figures in royal robes in the Nativity scene.
If God had spoken and revealed His signs to the world, then it surely means that God had spoken and revealed His signs to His people.
So what has God spoken to us, and what signs did He reveal to us?
For our parish, God has certainly spoken to us when we were designated as one of the pilgrimage churches with the Holy Doors of Mercy for the Year of Mercy.
Already pilgrims are coming to our parish and walking through the Door of Mercy to obtain an indulgence.
They are like the “wise men” from other parishes coming here to experience the mercy of God and to be healed from the wounds of their sins and to make reparation.
And what about us? Let us not be like the chief priests and scribes who knew what the prophecies were saying but did not do anything about it.
Let us go for the talk about the Year of Mercy on the 15th January to find out what it is all so that we will experience the mercy of God and to help others with our experience.
Also we have blessed the shrine of Our Lady on the 1st January and we prayed the Rosary and also prayed for the intentions offered on that day.
But that is only just the beginning. The shrine would be just a marble piece if it is not supported by prayer.
It is by prayers at the shrine that God’s grace and blessing will flow out from the parish and reveal God’s presence to the world.
So it is a call to prayer and devotion to Our Lady and it is up to us to come as a family or in groups to offer prayer and petitions and to experience the merciful love of God that brings forgiveness and healing.
So as in the past God has spoken, so now God is speaking and speaking to us.
Like the wise men, let us see and respond to the signs that God is giving us.
Let us response be: Speak Lord your servant is listening. You have the message of eternal life.
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