Tobit 3:1-11, 16-17 / Mark 12:18-27
At times we may wonder if it is that good to respond to a fool.
Because when we try to answer a fool's question, then he will come up with another question, and then we might end up arguing with a fool.
In the end we might end up as bigger fools than the one we are arguing with.
In the gospel, the question that the Sadducees asked is in essence a foolish question - "when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?"
But Jesus bothered to answer that question, and the answer that He gave so astounded the Sadducees that they might be wondering if that was a foolish answer or was it a confusing answer or what.
The Sadducees might have looked at each other and walked away, while glancing at Jesus and wondering what He was talking about.
Yet, that is also like our relationship with, God isn't it. All too often we ask God questions (which are usually quite foolish on hindsight).
And God will still give us an answer. But it is usually an answer that we do not understand, or not prepared for, or not willing to accept.
Yes, God will give an answer to any question we throw at Him, whether it is foolish or otherwise.
He will give us an answer because He is our Father and we are His children, and He is God, not of the dead, but of the living.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
9th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 04-06-13
Tobit 2:9-14 / Mark 12:13-17
Meaningful conversations are usually very enriching. Because it is a heart-to-heart talk that brings about an understanding and communion.
Such conversations motivate and inspire us and renew our faith in people and even deepen our experiences of God.
On the other hand, if we have to watch our words because some others want to find fault with us and pick on our words, then talking becomes stressful and we would rather remain silent.
In the gospel, the Pharisees and Herodians were sent by the chief priests and scribes and elders to catch Jesus out in what He said.
But the words that they used before Jesus were oozing with slime as they said to Jesus: You are not afraid of anyone, because a man's rank means nothing to You.
An egoistic person may think that it is some kind of praise and tribute given him for his courage and bravery, but those are actually very slippery words.
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and His response of using a coin in effect told them that He acknowledged who had the political authority and what was due to him.
But Jesus did not stop there. With the same breath, He also said that what is due to God must also be given to Him.
We are given intellect and free will, as well as the faculty of speech.
May we pray for the wisdom to use our words with honesty and sincerity so that we will enrich others in our conversations and by our words we bring about understanding and communion.
Meaningful conversations are usually very enriching. Because it is a heart-to-heart talk that brings about an understanding and communion.
Such conversations motivate and inspire us and renew our faith in people and even deepen our experiences of God.
On the other hand, if we have to watch our words because some others want to find fault with us and pick on our words, then talking becomes stressful and we would rather remain silent.
In the gospel, the Pharisees and Herodians were sent by the chief priests and scribes and elders to catch Jesus out in what He said.
But the words that they used before Jesus were oozing with slime as they said to Jesus: You are not afraid of anyone, because a man's rank means nothing to You.
An egoistic person may think that it is some kind of praise and tribute given him for his courage and bravery, but those are actually very slippery words.
Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and His response of using a coin in effect told them that He acknowledged who had the political authority and what was due to him.
But Jesus did not stop there. With the same breath, He also said that what is due to God must also be given to Him.
We are given intellect and free will, as well as the faculty of speech.
May we pray for the wisdom to use our words with honesty and sincerity so that we will enrich others in our conversations and by our words we bring about understanding and communion.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
9th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 03-06-13
Tobit 1:3; 2:1-8 / Mark 12:1-12
Let's say that someone comes up to us and ask us to state our firm beliefs in just one statement.
So what will be that faith statement be? Will we be able to say it with conviction or will we need some time to think about it and formulate it?
Yet, for whatever faith statement we make, are we also prepared to have it put to the test in order to see if we are convicted about it?
In the 1st reading, Tobit made his faith statement: I, Tobit, have walked the paths of truth and in good works all the days of my life. I have given much in alms to my brothers and fellow countrymen, exiled like me in Nineveh in the country of Assyria.
It was a faith statement that was not made when life was good and peaceful and things are going on smoothly.
In fact, Tobit and his family were in exile in Assyria. And that statement was further put to the test when his son Tobias informed him that a man was murdered in the market place and his body was left there.
Tobit undertook to bury the body even though that would expose him to danger. Yet Tobit put his life on the line together with his faith. He walked the talk.
Similarly in the gospel, Jesus didn't tell parables just to entertain His listeners. In fact, the chief priests, scribes and elders realised that the parable Jesus told was aimed at them and they would have liked to arrest Him.
Hence faith and life goes together and they are like the two sides of a coin.
Well, no one might ask us to state our beliefs, but may our lives be a statement of our faith.
Let's say that someone comes up to us and ask us to state our firm beliefs in just one statement.
So what will be that faith statement be? Will we be able to say it with conviction or will we need some time to think about it and formulate it?
Yet, for whatever faith statement we make, are we also prepared to have it put to the test in order to see if we are convicted about it?
In the 1st reading, Tobit made his faith statement: I, Tobit, have walked the paths of truth and in good works all the days of my life. I have given much in alms to my brothers and fellow countrymen, exiled like me in Nineveh in the country of Assyria.
It was a faith statement that was not made when life was good and peaceful and things are going on smoothly.
In fact, Tobit and his family were in exile in Assyria. And that statement was further put to the test when his son Tobias informed him that a man was murdered in the market place and his body was left there.
Tobit undertook to bury the body even though that would expose him to danger. Yet Tobit put his life on the line together with his faith. He walked the talk.
Similarly in the gospel, Jesus didn't tell parables just to entertain His listeners. In fact, the chief priests, scribes and elders realised that the parable Jesus told was aimed at them and they would have liked to arrest Him.
Hence faith and life goes together and they are like the two sides of a coin.
Well, no one might ask us to state our beliefs, but may our lives be a statement of our faith.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Corpus Christi, Year C, 02.06.2013
Genesis 14:18-20 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Lk 9:11-17
Do we know what is the one big event that is happening in Singapore now? (It started on Friday)
Still thinking? Here is a clue. There are four words to it. The first word begins with “The”.
Yes, this big event is “The Great Singapore Sale” and it is an island-wide event.
It’s the time where we can “shop till we drop” on things that are on offer at great discounts.
Yes, bargains never fail to attract our attention. By the way, Singaporeans, when they go overseas for holidays, they are known as “birds”.
Because whenever they see a bargain, they will say “cheap, cheap, cheap” (they sound like birds : P)
So for The Great Singapore Sale, the Singapore birds would be there also, looking for bargains and bargains.
Yet, it is said that a bargain is something you don’t need, but it is put at a price you cannot resist.
There seems to be this void in us that longs to be filled, and we will fill it with bargains, offers, pleasures, things, money, status.
It is like a bottomless pit, a black hole which sucks in everything and yet leaves us longing for more.
Somehow, contentment and satisfaction seem to be missing in our vocabulary. At least they seem to be the words that we seldom use.
There is a longing in our hearts, but do we know what we are really longing for?
In the gospel, we heard that a crowd of about 5000 followed Jesus. Now, that is not a small number of people.
What were they looking for in Jesus? What do they want from Him?
Yes, they were looking for something, they want something. But we also know what Jesus did for them.
Jesus taught them about the kingdom of God – about truth and justice, about mercy and compassion and forgiveness.
And then He healed them of their troubles, their afflictions and their obsessions.
And finally He fed them with simple food of fish and bread.
They ate as much as they wanted, and they knew what contentment and satisfaction was, because they ate as much as they wanted.
We have come to the Mass to listen to the voice of God in the scripture readings.
The readings teach us about the kingdom of God and how we ought to live our lives.
And today we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi – Jesus feeds us with His Body.
This is the one big event of the Church on every Sunday; in fact it is happening every day at the daily Mass.
For Singapore, it is The Great Singapore Sale. For the Church it is “The Body of Christ”.
To be fed with the Body of Christ is our hearts’ deepest desire that will bring about true contentment.
But we have to realize the contentment that the Body of Christ will give us.
There is a story of a man who was always grumbling about his wife and complaining about his life.
So the Lord sent an angel to him to grant him 3 wishes. The angel asked him to make his first wish.
Immediately the man wished that his wife would die so that he could marry a younger and better wife.
So his wish was granted, and his wife died.
Then during the wake, his relatives and friends talked about how good a woman his wife was, caring for the home and his needs, docile and humble, always giving in to him and making sacrifices for him.
Then the man felt remorseful for taking his wife for granted and always grumbling and complaining about her.
So for his second wish, he asked that his wife would come back to life, and so she did.
Then there was only one wish left, and he thought hard about it.
Finally he asked the angel what should he wish for.
And the angel replied : Finally you have come to your senses. Just ask to be contended and satisfied, and then you will be happy.
So we have heard the scripture readings which teach us about the kingdom of God.
As we come forward later for communion, we will be given the Body of Christ.
Let us ask that the Body of Christ will fill our hearts with contentment.
May the Body of Christ heal us of our afflictions of body and mind, and may the Body of Christ also heal us of our obsessions so that our hearts will be filled with joy and happiness.
And may we in turn be the Body of Christ for others so that they too will be filled and be contended.
Let this be the great event today. And may it be the great event every day.
Friday, May 31, 2013
8th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 01-06-13
Ecclesiasticus 51:12-20 / Mark 11:27-33
If we were ever asked, what gift or talent, we would want to have in life, what would be the first thing that would come to our mind?
Of course depending on our life situations and circumstances, we would want to have something particular to meet the needs and demands that we face.
For example, some may want to be musically talented; some may want to have the gift of oratory skill; some may want to be gifted in drawing and painting.
But the one humble and yet very useful gift would be that of wisdom. A wise person would live a good and right life and also show others how to live life.
A wise person would take a moment to reflect on things and see the deeper meaning behind them. For a wise person there is no such thing as a small thing; everything has a meaning.
The 1st reading describes how a person yearns for wisdom and "in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom."
One of the fruits of wisdom is to say the right things and ask the right questions.
In the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, with their authority and arrogance challenged Jesus by asking Him: What authority have you for acting like this? Who gave you authority to do these things?
And Jesus, in His wisdom, asked them about the origin of John's baptism, and it was a question that stumped them and their answer "We do not know" exposed their ignorance and foolishness.
If only the chief priests and scribes had prayed for wisdom before asking the questions.
May we also pray for wisdom before speaking or asking questions. Then the Holy Spirit, the Gift of God, will teach us what to say and do.
A prayer for wisdom (Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11)
O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word;
and by your wisdom have formed man
to have dominion over the creatures you have made,
and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul,
give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me among your servants.
For I am your slave
and the son of your maidservant,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgement and laws;
for even if one is perfect among the sons of men,
yet without the wisdom that comes from you
he will be regarded as nothing.
With you is wisdom, who knows your works
and was present when you made the world,
and who understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.
Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may be with me and toil,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you;
for she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
If we were ever asked, what gift or talent, we would want to have in life, what would be the first thing that would come to our mind?
Of course depending on our life situations and circumstances, we would want to have something particular to meet the needs and demands that we face.
For example, some may want to be musically talented; some may want to have the gift of oratory skill; some may want to be gifted in drawing and painting.
But the one humble and yet very useful gift would be that of wisdom. A wise person would live a good and right life and also show others how to live life.
A wise person would take a moment to reflect on things and see the deeper meaning behind them. For a wise person there is no such thing as a small thing; everything has a meaning.
The 1st reading describes how a person yearns for wisdom and "in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom."
One of the fruits of wisdom is to say the right things and ask the right questions.
In the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, with their authority and arrogance challenged Jesus by asking Him: What authority have you for acting like this? Who gave you authority to do these things?
And Jesus, in His wisdom, asked them about the origin of John's baptism, and it was a question that stumped them and their answer "We do not know" exposed their ignorance and foolishness.
If only the chief priests and scribes had prayed for wisdom before asking the questions.
May we also pray for wisdom before speaking or asking questions. Then the Holy Spirit, the Gift of God, will teach us what to say and do.
A prayer for wisdom (Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11)
O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word;
and by your wisdom have formed man
to have dominion over the creatures you have made,
and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul,
give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me among your servants.
For I am your slave
and the son of your maidservant,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgement and laws;
for even if one is perfect among the sons of men,
yet without the wisdom that comes from you
he will be regarded as nothing.
With you is wisdom, who knows your works
and was present when you made the world,
and who understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.
Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may be with me and toil,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you;
for she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Visitation of the BVM, Friday, 31-05-13
Zephaniah 3:14-18 or Romans 12:9-16 / Luke 1:39-56
This feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is an event that is recorded only in the gospel of Luke.
In the Visitation, Mary made the journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Certainly many reflections and meditations can be made out of this gospel event.
The second decade of the Joyful mystery of the Rosary also meditates and reflects on this event.
Indeed, there are many meditations and reflections that can come about - humility of Mary; selflessness and service of Mary; the power of divine grace in Mary and Elizabeth;
Yet the word "visitation" is not just confined to this event between Mary and Elizabeth.
The gospel of Luke begins the story of salvation as a visit from God to His people.
When Zachariah's dumbness was lifted, he began his canticle with these words: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has visited His people and redeemed them.
So God's gift of salvation begins with a visit - He visited Zachariah; He visited Mary; He visited Elizabeth; He visited Joseph.
And the Lord our God continues to visit His people in every age and time. And as we celebrate this feast of the Visitation, the Lord our God also comes to visit us.
May we experience the saving love of God in our anxieties and worries, in our troubles and difficulties.
And just as John the Baptist leapt for joy in his mother's womb, may our hearts leap for joy in this Eucharist and thank the Lord for coming to our help and showing us His mercy.
This feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is an event that is recorded only in the gospel of Luke.
In the Visitation, Mary made the journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Certainly many reflections and meditations can be made out of this gospel event.
The second decade of the Joyful mystery of the Rosary also meditates and reflects on this event.
Indeed, there are many meditations and reflections that can come about - humility of Mary; selflessness and service of Mary; the power of divine grace in Mary and Elizabeth;
Yet the word "visitation" is not just confined to this event between Mary and Elizabeth.
The gospel of Luke begins the story of salvation as a visit from God to His people.
When Zachariah's dumbness was lifted, he began his canticle with these words: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has visited His people and redeemed them.
So God's gift of salvation begins with a visit - He visited Zachariah; He visited Mary; He visited Elizabeth; He visited Joseph.
And the Lord our God continues to visit His people in every age and time. And as we celebrate this feast of the Visitation, the Lord our God also comes to visit us.
May we experience the saving love of God in our anxieties and worries, in our troubles and difficulties.
And just as John the Baptist leapt for joy in his mother's womb, may our hearts leap for joy in this Eucharist and thank the Lord for coming to our help and showing us His mercy.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
8th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 30-05-13
Ecclesiasticus 42:15-25 / Mark 10:46-52
To be poor is already unfortunate enough. To be poor and to be afflicted with an illness or a handicap, that can be called a terrible misfortune.
To be in such a situation, one may wonder if it is because of some personal sin or some kind of curse that is passed down from the ancestors.
That seemed to be the thinking during the time of Jesus. And it can even go to the extend that the person in question does not have a personal identity, even his father's name is used to identify him.
In the gospel, the blind beggar is known just as Bartimaeus. But the gospel made it a point to state that his name means "the son of Timaeus".
Hence we may understand why the people treated him so harshly when he began to call out for Jesus to have pity on him.
Bartimaeus was almost like a non-entity and hence he was not allowed to speak and he does not deserve to be heard.
Yet in just two sentences Jesus reversed his unfortunate situation - "Call him here." and "What do you want me to do for you?"
Jesus not only healed his blindness and his unfortunate situation, Jesus also stated what it was that brought about his healing and restoration.
Jesus told Bartimaeus: Your faith has saved you.
We who can see must also ask Jesus to strengthen our faith so that with the eyes of faith, we will see the saving love of our Lord.
And as the beginning sentence of the 1st reading puts it, may we go forth and remind others of the works of the Lord, and tell them of what we have seen.
To be poor is already unfortunate enough. To be poor and to be afflicted with an illness or a handicap, that can be called a terrible misfortune.
To be in such a situation, one may wonder if it is because of some personal sin or some kind of curse that is passed down from the ancestors.
That seemed to be the thinking during the time of Jesus. And it can even go to the extend that the person in question does not have a personal identity, even his father's name is used to identify him.
In the gospel, the blind beggar is known just as Bartimaeus. But the gospel made it a point to state that his name means "the son of Timaeus".
Hence we may understand why the people treated him so harshly when he began to call out for Jesus to have pity on him.
Bartimaeus was almost like a non-entity and hence he was not allowed to speak and he does not deserve to be heard.
Yet in just two sentences Jesus reversed his unfortunate situation - "Call him here." and "What do you want me to do for you?"
Jesus not only healed his blindness and his unfortunate situation, Jesus also stated what it was that brought about his healing and restoration.
Jesus told Bartimaeus: Your faith has saved you.
We who can see must also ask Jesus to strengthen our faith so that with the eyes of faith, we will see the saving love of our Lord.
And as the beginning sentence of the 1st reading puts it, may we go forth and remind others of the works of the Lord, and tell them of what we have seen.
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