Galatians 1:6-12 / Luke 10:25-37
So very often we hear of this word "miscommunication". And that word kicks in whenever something is not done or done wrongly.
Miscommunication essentially means a lack of clear or adequate communication. The problem may lie in the words being used or maybe a mistake somewhere in the line of communication.
Yet miscommunication do not happen by intention. It is just that something is spoken wrongly, or written wrongly, or heard wrongly. We may call miscommunication an honest mistake.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul emphasized that what he preached was the Good News of Christ. And there cannot be more than one version of the Good News.
He warned that if anyone preached another version of the Good News, then that person is to be condemned.
Because that is not miscommunication. That is distortion and even deception. That kind of distortion and deception of the Good News is certainly aimed at what people would like to hear. It would certainly win people's approval.
What St. Paul is saying is that in preaching the Good News, one must not look for the approval of man but rather the approval from God.
Similarly living out the Good News and keeping the Commandments of God is not justifying ourselves or chalking up points with God.
Rather it is about loving God and showing that love to our neighbour in thought, word and deed.
Anything else would be a distortion and even a deception.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
27th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 07.10.2012
Genesis 2:18-24/ Hebrew 2:9-11/ Mark 10:2-16
Today is the 7th October. If the 7th October is not a Sunday then the Church would be commemorating a special feast. And that is the feast of “Our Lady of the Rosary”.
This feast was instituted by Pope Pius V in honour of Our Lady for her intercession for the naval victory at Lepanto in 1571.
Lepanto is a place on the coast of western Greece. So what was so significant about the Battle of Lepanto that became a feast for the Church?
A great naval battle took place on the 7th October 1571. A hastily gathered coalition Christian fleet from European Catholic states set sail to face the mighty main fleet of the Ottoman Empire which was sailing in from the east.
The Christian fleet was outnumbered by the Ottoman armada. The Pope at that time, Pope Pius V, called on the Church to be united in a Rosary crusade to help the Christian soldiers in that battle.
Because defeat for the Christian fleet would mean that Christian Europe would be overrun by the Ottomans and that would mean the end of Christianity in Europe.
Furthermore the unity of the Catholic Church was severely weakened by the Protestant Reformation which began in 1517.
So by 1571, the Pope could only call upon a handful of loyal Catholic states to unite and fight the invading Ottomans.
Also the Ottomans took advantage of a disunited and weakened Christian Europe to launch an attack and was confident of a victory.
So the two forces clashed at the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea. And after 5 hours of intense fighting, the Ottomans were decisively defeated, and the Ottoman advance was halted and the Mediterranean Sea was freed of Ottoman occupation.
But before the Christian fleet set sail, all the soldiers were given rosaries and it was said that the Christian soldiers fought with swords in one hand and rosaries in the other.
The victory was credited to the Virgin Mary’s intercession, and even Pope Pius V, who was hundre
ds of miles away from the battle scene, had a foreknowledge of the victory when he gave thanks for victory even before the battle ended.
Though the victory was termed “miraculous” yet it does not mean that no lives were lost or that no blood was shed.
About 7500 Christian soldiers died, and on the Ottoman side there were about 20,000 dead, or wounded or captured.
The Christian fleet lost 17 ships, but the Ottomans lost 50 ships, and 137 ships were captured and about 10,000 Christian slaves rowing the Ottoman ships were freed.
Certainly a major defeat for the Ottoman Empire from which they never recovered and it was indeed a miraculous and religious victory for the Church.
Yet having said all that, the fact remains that war, in any form, and whether religious or otherwise, does not determine who is right. War only determines who is left.
And in a war, there are no unwounded soldiers. In other words, in every war, there will be casualties.
In the gospel, the Pharisees approached Jesus and asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. They asked this only to test Jesus.
Yet, they don’t seem to know the severe implications of that question.
Because it was almost like asking if it was lawful for a man to declare war on his wife? Or even vice versa.
And just as in a war, so it is in a divorce – there will be casualties. And the first casualty in a divorce is love – God’s love.
Because logically speaking, a man and a woman won’t get married unless they are in love.
And that was why Jesus revamped the question of divorce by stating what it was in the beginning.
Jesus said that in the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. And what God has united, man must not divide.
In other words, marriage did not evolve in society nor was it instituted by secular practice. Marriage is God’s creation.
God intended marriage to reflect His own love for His people, a love which is faithful and a love which does not fail.
And that is where lies the difficulty in marriage. Because marriage is the challenge to be like God, to love as God loves.
Yet there are problems and difficulties in marriage, and I admit that I don’t have all the solutions.
Married couples wish to live happily ever after, but in some cases it can be like happily never after.
And at times, some marriages are like a war in which enemies sleep together.
But the original plan of God in marriage is not to force married couples to conform to some kind of idealistic concept of marriage.
Because things can go wrong. People make mistakes. Pain and hurt are inflicted. Anger and resentment strain the marriage.
But the call of Jesus for married couples is to reclaim their first love, the love that was planted in them by God that brought them together in marriage.
One direction (or solution) is that married couples pray for that healing love in their troubled marriage.
But perseverance and persistence is necessary. Well, talking about perseverance and persistence, St. Monica prayed for 30 years for the conversion of her son St. Augustine.
I really hope it won’t take that long to pray for the conversion of a wayward or abusive spouse.
Nevertheless, I must state that married couples have God on their side, simply because it was God who instituted marriage.
If God can grant a miraculous victory at the Battle of Lepanto, then God will surely grant a miracle in a troubled marriage.
And just like Pope Pius V who initiated a Rosary crusade to petition for victory, married couples must also invite Our Lady of the Rosary to come into their marriage and to make it loving.
May Our Lady who was there at the marriage in Cana pray for married couples that the stagnant waters of their marriage be turned into rich sweet wine that brings joy.
And just as the Christian soldiers at the Battle of Lepanto had rosaries in their hands, may married couples also pray the Rosary together.
And may Our Lady of the Rosary intercede for married couples that they will find love and peace in their marriage.
And may we the Church join Our Lady in this Rosary Crusade.
Today is the 7th October. If the 7th October is not a Sunday then the Church would be commemorating a special feast. And that is the feast of “Our Lady of the Rosary”.
This feast was instituted by Pope Pius V in honour of Our Lady for her intercession for the naval victory at Lepanto in 1571.
Lepanto is a place on the coast of western Greece. So what was so significant about the Battle of Lepanto that became a feast for the Church?
A great naval battle took place on the 7th October 1571. A hastily gathered coalition Christian fleet from European Catholic states set sail to face the mighty main fleet of the Ottoman Empire which was sailing in from the east.
The Christian fleet was outnumbered by the Ottoman armada. The Pope at that time, Pope Pius V, called on the Church to be united in a Rosary crusade to help the Christian soldiers in that battle.
Because defeat for the Christian fleet would mean that Christian Europe would be overrun by the Ottomans and that would mean the end of Christianity in Europe.
Furthermore the unity of the Catholic Church was severely weakened by the Protestant Reformation which began in 1517.
So by 1571, the Pope could only call upon a handful of loyal Catholic states to unite and fight the invading Ottomans.
Also the Ottomans took advantage of a disunited and weakened Christian Europe to launch an attack and was confident of a victory.
So the two forces clashed at the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea. And after 5 hours of intense fighting, the Ottomans were decisively defeated, and the Ottoman advance was halted and the Mediterranean Sea was freed of Ottoman occupation.
But before the Christian fleet set sail, all the soldiers were given rosaries and it was said that the Christian soldiers fought with swords in one hand and rosaries in the other.
The victory was credited to the Virgin Mary’s intercession, and even Pope Pius V, who was hundre
ds of miles away from the battle scene, had a foreknowledge of the victory when he gave thanks for victory even before the battle ended.
Though the victory was termed “miraculous” yet it does not mean that no lives were lost or that no blood was shed.
About 7500 Christian soldiers died, and on the Ottoman side there were about 20,000 dead, or wounded or captured.
The Christian fleet lost 17 ships, but the Ottomans lost 50 ships, and 137 ships were captured and about 10,000 Christian slaves rowing the Ottoman ships were freed.
Certainly a major defeat for the Ottoman Empire from which they never recovered and it was indeed a miraculous and religious victory for the Church.
Yet having said all that, the fact remains that war, in any form, and whether religious or otherwise, does not determine who is right. War only determines who is left.
And in a war, there are no unwounded soldiers. In other words, in every war, there will be casualties.
In the gospel, the Pharisees approached Jesus and asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. They asked this only to test Jesus.
Yet, they don’t seem to know the severe implications of that question.
Because it was almost like asking if it was lawful for a man to declare war on his wife? Or even vice versa.
And just as in a war, so it is in a divorce – there will be casualties. And the first casualty in a divorce is love – God’s love.
Because logically speaking, a man and a woman won’t get married unless they are in love.
And that was why Jesus revamped the question of divorce by stating what it was in the beginning.
Jesus said that in the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. And what God has united, man must not divide.
In other words, marriage did not evolve in society nor was it instituted by secular practice. Marriage is God’s creation.
God intended marriage to reflect His own love for His people, a love which is faithful and a love which does not fail.
And that is where lies the difficulty in marriage. Because marriage is the challenge to be like God, to love as God loves.
Yet there are problems and difficulties in marriage, and I admit that I don’t have all the solutions.
Married couples wish to live happily ever after, but in some cases it can be like happily never after.
And at times, some marriages are like a war in which enemies sleep together.
But the original plan of God in marriage is not to force married couples to conform to some kind of idealistic concept of marriage.
Because things can go wrong. People make mistakes. Pain and hurt are inflicted. Anger and resentment strain the marriage.
But the call of Jesus for married couples is to reclaim their first love, the love that was planted in them by God that brought them together in marriage.
One direction (or solution) is that married couples pray for that healing love in their troubled marriage.
But perseverance and persistence is necessary. Well, talking about perseverance and persistence, St. Monica prayed for 30 years for the conversion of her son St. Augustine.
I really hope it won’t take that long to pray for the conversion of a wayward or abusive spouse.
Nevertheless, I must state that married couples have God on their side, simply because it was God who instituted marriage.
If God can grant a miraculous victory at the Battle of Lepanto, then God will surely grant a miracle in a troubled marriage.
And just like Pope Pius V who initiated a Rosary crusade to petition for victory, married couples must also invite Our Lady of the Rosary to come into their marriage and to make it loving.
May Our Lady who was there at the marriage in Cana pray for married couples that the stagnant waters of their marriage be turned into rich sweet wine that brings joy.
And just as the Christian soldiers at the Battle of Lepanto had rosaries in their hands, may married couples also pray the Rosary together.
And may Our Lady of the Rosary intercede for married couples that they will find love and peace in their marriage.
And may we the Church join Our Lady in this Rosary Crusade.
Friday, October 5, 2012
26th Week, Ordinary time, Saturday, 06-10-12
Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 / Luke 10:17-24 (2020 / 2024)
We like things to have a happy ending. If it is a story book or a movie, a happy ending will earn our approval.
Even in life, whatever we undertake, be it projects or assignments or whatever tasks, we would like it to have a happy ending, so that we would earn the approval of others.
In the 1st reading, we have finally come to the last chapter of the book of Job. The book of Job has often been the assigned reading for those who have questions about innocent suffering.
Well, the book of Job closes with a happy ending with the fortunes of Job restored and he lived to a ripe old age and full of days.
Yet Job did not find the answers as to why he had been afflicted with sufferings and tragedies. His consolation, besides his restoration, was his realization of who God is (but now I have seen You with my own eye ...)
He realized that everything happens under the watchful eyes of God, and God's plan for us is always for our good and not otherwise.
In the gospel the 72 disciples came back to Jesus rejoicing that even devils submit to them when they use the authoritative name of Jesus.
But the time will come when the whole strength of the enemy will come at them, and they will be persecuted and they will even have to face death.
It may not be that kind of happy ending that people wish for, yet for whatever ending it will be, they will accept it willingly.
Because the true happy ending will be that their names are written in heaven. May we willingly accept our difficulties and sufferings in life and realize who God is, so that our names will also be written in heaven.
We like things to have a happy ending. If it is a story book or a movie, a happy ending will earn our approval.
Even in life, whatever we undertake, be it projects or assignments or whatever tasks, we would like it to have a happy ending, so that we would earn the approval of others.
In the 1st reading, we have finally come to the last chapter of the book of Job. The book of Job has often been the assigned reading for those who have questions about innocent suffering.
Well, the book of Job closes with a happy ending with the fortunes of Job restored and he lived to a ripe old age and full of days.
Yet Job did not find the answers as to why he had been afflicted with sufferings and tragedies. His consolation, besides his restoration, was his realization of who God is (but now I have seen You with my own eye ...)
He realized that everything happens under the watchful eyes of God, and God's plan for us is always for our good and not otherwise.
In the gospel the 72 disciples came back to Jesus rejoicing that even devils submit to them when they use the authoritative name of Jesus.
But the time will come when the whole strength of the enemy will come at them, and they will be persecuted and they will even have to face death.
It may not be that kind of happy ending that people wish for, yet for whatever ending it will be, they will accept it willingly.
Because the true happy ending will be that their names are written in heaven. May we willingly accept our difficulties and sufferings in life and realize who God is, so that our names will also be written in heaven.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
26th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 05-10-12
Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5 / Luke 10:13-16
If nothing happens by coincidence, then it is only natural that we want to know what is the link between the various events and experiences of our lives.
We would want to know why such an event happened in our lives and why we had certain experiences.
Although we know that everything that has happened has a meaning and a purpose, yet we can be rather impatient to know the answers immediately.
Especially so when misfortune and tragedy happens. We won't be just asking for answers; we will be demanding for answers and demanding it furiously too.
For the character of Job in the 1st reading, he too was demanding for answers from God as misfortune and tragedy befell upon him one upon another, although he had insisted that he had not done anything wrong.
And this time God spoke. From the heart of the tempest, the Lord gave Job his answer. Yet the answer was a series of question that began with "Have you ... ".
In the end, Job realized who he was and in his own words "I had better lay my finger on my lips. I will not speak again."
When we can realize what Job had realized, that God had a perfect plan for everything in our lives and that His ways are above our ways and His thoughts are above our thoughts, then we too in humility would lay our finger on our lips.
If we ever open our lips, then it will be to praise and thank the Lord. And may those who hear us glorify the Lord, be edified and do the same too.
If nothing happens by coincidence, then it is only natural that we want to know what is the link between the various events and experiences of our lives.
We would want to know why such an event happened in our lives and why we had certain experiences.
Although we know that everything that has happened has a meaning and a purpose, yet we can be rather impatient to know the answers immediately.
Especially so when misfortune and tragedy happens. We won't be just asking for answers; we will be demanding for answers and demanding it furiously too.
For the character of Job in the 1st reading, he too was demanding for answers from God as misfortune and tragedy befell upon him one upon another, although he had insisted that he had not done anything wrong.
And this time God spoke. From the heart of the tempest, the Lord gave Job his answer. Yet the answer was a series of question that began with "Have you ... ".
In the end, Job realized who he was and in his own words "I had better lay my finger on my lips. I will not speak again."
When we can realize what Job had realized, that God had a perfect plan for everything in our lives and that His ways are above our ways and His thoughts are above our thoughts, then we too in humility would lay our finger on our lips.
If we ever open our lips, then it will be to praise and thank the Lord. And may those who hear us glorify the Lord, be edified and do the same too.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
26th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 04-10-12
Job 19:21-27 / Luke 10:1-12
As we may have already known by now, there is a mixture of black and white in almost everything.
Where there is darkness, there is some light, and where there is light there are some shadows.
A wise man may succumb to some foolishness at time, and a fool may have his moments of wisdom.
In the 1st reading, Job initially portrays God as his tormentor, and yet a bit further down the passage he calls on God as his Avenger.
A few chapters before this, Job was calling on God to be his judge and defending his innocence against his three friends who were accusing him of some hidden faults that resulted in his misfortune.
At Chapter 19, Job is only beginning to discover the reality of the mystery of God. From being a judge, God is now at times a tormentor and yet at times his Avenger.
Job will discover more and more about the God in the chapters to come.
Even in the gospel, the reality of the mission seems to have a mixture of adventure and danger.
On the one hand, the disciples are sent like labourers into the rich harvest, yet on the other hand they are being sent like lambs among wolves.
And just like Job who will discover slowly the mystery of God, so too will we as we experience the adventure and the danger in living out our faith in an unpredictable world.
And through it all, may we keep the hope that one day our eyes will look on God and then we will truly know the mystery of life.
As we may have already known by now, there is a mixture of black and white in almost everything.
Where there is darkness, there is some light, and where there is light there are some shadows.
A wise man may succumb to some foolishness at time, and a fool may have his moments of wisdom.
In the 1st reading, Job initially portrays God as his tormentor, and yet a bit further down the passage he calls on God as his Avenger.
A few chapters before this, Job was calling on God to be his judge and defending his innocence against his three friends who were accusing him of some hidden faults that resulted in his misfortune.
At Chapter 19, Job is only beginning to discover the reality of the mystery of God. From being a judge, God is now at times a tormentor and yet at times his Avenger.
Job will discover more and more about the God in the chapters to come.
Even in the gospel, the reality of the mission seems to have a mixture of adventure and danger.
On the one hand, the disciples are sent like labourers into the rich harvest, yet on the other hand they are being sent like lambs among wolves.
And just like Job who will discover slowly the mystery of God, so too will we as we experience the adventure and the danger in living out our faith in an unpredictable world.
And through it all, may we keep the hope that one day our eyes will look on God and then we will truly know the mystery of life.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
26th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 03-10-12
Job 9:1-13, 14-16 / Luke 9:57-62 (2020 / 2026)
To believe in God and to trust in Him is never an easy thing to do.
In fact, we tend to blame God when bad things happen to us and we get angry with Him when things don't go our way.
We treat God our way, and very often it is not a very nice way.
But what if God were to treat us the way we treat Him? Certainly we would shudder and tremble if God were to really do that.
That is what Job was saying in the 1st reading. He asked questions like "How can a man be in the right against God?" "Can anyone be so rash as to challenge Him for reasons?"
Job was suffering and afflicted even though he knew he had done nothing wrong. Yet he knew who he was and who God is, and hence he was almost resigned to the fact that he would have to suffer innocently.
And yet when God became man in Jesus, He did not force people to believe in Him and to trust Him unconditionally.
In fact, Jesus had to reason out with people and put across the reality of facing hardship in following Him.
Yes, believing in Jesus and trusting in Him is never an easy thing to do. We will surely get tired, disappointed, discouraged and grumble against Him and even get angry with Him.
Yet may we also persevere and persist, and keep our hand on the plough and keep going forward with Jesus. To look back may mean going nowhere.
To believe in God and to trust in Him is never an easy thing to do.
In fact, we tend to blame God when bad things happen to us and we get angry with Him when things don't go our way.
We treat God our way, and very often it is not a very nice way.
But what if God were to treat us the way we treat Him? Certainly we would shudder and tremble if God were to really do that.
That is what Job was saying in the 1st reading. He asked questions like "How can a man be in the right against God?" "Can anyone be so rash as to challenge Him for reasons?"
Job was suffering and afflicted even though he knew he had done nothing wrong. Yet he knew who he was and who God is, and hence he was almost resigned to the fact that he would have to suffer innocently.
And yet when God became man in Jesus, He did not force people to believe in Him and to trust Him unconditionally.
In fact, Jesus had to reason out with people and put across the reality of facing hardship in following Him.
Yes, believing in Jesus and trusting in Him is never an easy thing to do. We will surely get tired, disappointed, discouraged and grumble against Him and even get angry with Him.
Yet may we also persevere and persist, and keep our hand on the plough and keep going forward with Jesus. To look back may mean going nowhere.
Monday, October 1, 2012
The Holy Guardian Angels, Tuesday, 02-10-12
Exodus 23:20-23 / Matthew 18:1-5, 10
Today the Church celebrates a very intimate and enduring dimension of our spiritual lives and it involves us directly.
Today we are reminded that there are invisible spiritual beings around us and the closest to us is our Guardian Angel.
We believe that each of us, Christian or not, has a Guardian Angel, and that is an ancient belief and it has long been accepted by the Church.
The 1st reading attested to this when God said to Israel that He will send an angel before them to guard them as they go and bring them to the place He had prepared for them.
If that sounded too general, then what Jesus said in the gospel is certainly more than obvious and more specific.
Jesus said that the angels of the little ones are continually in the presence of God the Father in heaven.
And we are, no doubt, those "little ones" of the kingdom, as long as we are humble enough to accept the presence of our Guardian Angels around us and to say a short little prayer to him always.
As God said in the 1st reading about the angel He is sending - Give him reverence and listen to all that he says. Offer him no defiance ... listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say. My angel will go before you.
In order to feel the promptings of our Guardian Angel, let us pray to him first and the Church has a prayer for the Guardian Angel.
And in the end, may we hear the voice of our Guardian Angels and may they lead us into paradise of God's presence in heaven.
Today the Church celebrates a very intimate and enduring dimension of our spiritual lives and it involves us directly.
Today we are reminded that there are invisible spiritual beings around us and the closest to us is our Guardian Angel.
We believe that each of us, Christian or not, has a Guardian Angel, and that is an ancient belief and it has long been accepted by the Church.
The 1st reading attested to this when God said to Israel that He will send an angel before them to guard them as they go and bring them to the place He had prepared for them.
If that sounded too general, then what Jesus said in the gospel is certainly more than obvious and more specific.
Jesus said that the angels of the little ones are continually in the presence of God the Father in heaven.
And we are, no doubt, those "little ones" of the kingdom, as long as we are humble enough to accept the presence of our Guardian Angels around us and to say a short little prayer to him always.
As God said in the 1st reading about the angel He is sending - Give him reverence and listen to all that he says. Offer him no defiance ... listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say. My angel will go before you.
In order to feel the promptings of our Guardian Angel, let us pray to him first and the Church has a prayer for the Guardian Angel.
And in the end, may we hear the voice of our Guardian Angels and may they lead us into paradise of God's presence in heaven.
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