Saturday of Week 5 Year 1

Life can be seen from an optimistic or pessimistic point of view. I recall a story of twin boys who were given their birthday gifts, and both were given the same thing: a huge pile of dung. One boy sobbed bitterly saying, "Oh what a mess. What a useless pile of dung. What can I do with this pile of dung? I don't want this useless pile of dung." The other boy was very excited and exclaimed, "Yahoo! If there's this pile of dung, there must be a horse somewhere nearby!" If we received such a gift, how would we respond?

In today's Gospel, we are told: "His disciples replied, ‘Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a deserted place like this?’ He asked them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’" The disciples seemed pessimistic about feeding the crowd, but Jesus was optimistic and even gave instruction for the crowd to sit down on the ground. In the end, Jesus fed the crowd and even seven basketfuls of the scraps left over were collected after that.

What can we learn from this? We can learn that Jesus was not looking at limitations; rather He was more interested in possibilities. When we look at life from an optimistic point of view, we begin to see the many possibilities that could happen, if we are willing to consider such possibilities no matter how small they may seem and take time to make it happen with God's help. May we seize such opportunities with enthusiasm, and glorify God in all we say and do.

Saturday of Week 5 Year 2

I believe most of us know that God's commandments, as well as Jesus' commandments of loving God and neighbour, are the basis for church rules and practices, whereas customs are traditional and widely accepted ways of behaving or doing something in the church community. Such rules, practices and customs did not materialise overnight, and they are meant for the good of the entire Christian community, not just for the good of a few. However, we sometimes come across certain persons or groups who are against such rules, practices and customs, because such persons or groups want things their way and for their benefit.

In today's reading, we come across Jeorboam who did not like certain rules, practices or customs among the Israelites; and Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘As things are, the kingdom will revert to the House of David. If this people continues to go up to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, the people’s heart will turn back again to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will put me to death.’ And so, Jeroboam created his own gods, by making two golden calves; he got the people to worship such false gods; "He set up the temple of the high places and appointed priests from ordinary families, who were not of the sons of Levi"; and even had the audacity to "institute a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth of the month, like the feast that was kept in Judah." Jeroboam did all these because he did not like certain rules, practices or customs among the Israelites, and he wanted to save his own skin. As a result, "such conduct made the House of Jeroboam a sinful House, and caused its ruin and extinction from the face of the earth."

What about us? When we are faced with certain church rules, practices or customs, would we change or discard such rules, practices or customs as we please, just because they are inconvenient to us or we feel uncomfortable towards them? Is faith like changing clothes, where we discard things which we are unable to accept? May we continue to be faithful, and walk in God's ways.

Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter

Living a life as a Christian in today's world is certainly not easy. There are things in the world which may cause us to commit sin or despicable acts, but such things in the world is considered normal or part of so called "life" according to the ways of the world. For example, in some countries, abortion has been made acceptable or even legal, and those against abortion or are pro-life could be persecuted or even assaulted. Also, some countries have even permitted mercy killing or euthanasia, even though Christian teaching clearly prohibits such acts. So if we as Christians are in organisations that promote or even conduct such acts, either directly or indirectly, which clearly goes against our Christian faith, what would we do? Would we close our eyes and pretend that such acts is not our problem, and we content ourselves into thinking that we are merely doing our job to make a living, or would we go against such practices, even to the extent of losing our jobs to uphold Christian principles?

In today's gospel, Jesus warns us when He said: 'If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you.' What does Jesus mean when he says “the world?” The "world" refers to that society of people who are hostile towards God and opposes His will. When Jesus talks of persecutions, He refers to the sufferings and persecutions His disciples, in proclaiming His teachings, would undergo at the hands of such persons in society. Jesus leaves no middle ground for His disciples. We are either for Him or against Him, for His kingdom of light or for the kingdom of darkness.

What about us? It seems convenient and easy when things are fine. But when we have a choice of either following the ways of God, or the ways of the world, and we have no middle ground or option, which would we choose? Are we prepared to choose God's ways each and every time, consistently, wholeheartedly and be willing to face the possibility of persecution or even being put to death?

Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter

One reality about being in mission is that we cannot choose where we want to go or where we want to serve. Ultimately, we are sent according to where the church wants us to serve, where the church finds an urgent or important need, not where we think is urgent or important. This is necessary, since at the end of the day, we are being sent to preach the Good News, and not for our comfort or convenience. Also, our being in mission means we can be taken out of a certain place at any time, and sent elsewhere. This means we need to be prepared to move on, and not be too attached to certain places or persons.

In today's reading, Paul and Barnabas "travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they thought to cross it into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, ‘Come across to Macedonia and help us.’ Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News."

From the reading, we see how Paul and Barnabas were told where they were to go, not where they would like to go. Also, the reading shows us how Paul and Barnabas was sent, uprooted, and then sent elsewhere, and they did it without losing any time, instead of grumbling or dragging their feet. This shows us that, when it comes to mission, we should be ready and prepared to do God's will. May we go forth happily and obediently to preach the Good News wherever we are needed, and give glory to God in all our efforts.

Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

Are we willing to take risks when it comes to doing God's will? Some of us may be content on just being nominal Christians, thinking that attending Sunday Mass and perhaps getting involved in some church activities is more than enough. But how many of us are willing to go all out and do God's will, even when there are serious risks involved? How many of us are willing to lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel? It is easy to do the barest minimum as Christians, but are we willing to do more?

In today's Gospel, Jesus retreated to the countryside with His disciples, He could have decided to remain there. He could have gone on with His work of healing and teaching in a quiet way, and quite likely many people would have supported Him and kept Him safe. But Jesus knew that that was not the Father's will, so He moved out of His safety zone and comfort zone, and it is a move that will cost Him His life. Jesus was willing to give it His all in bringing salvation to all.

What does this mean to us? It means that whenever we intend to do God's will, we need to remember and be aware that it involves risk. It involves moving out of our safety zone and our comfort zone just as Jesus did, and do things which may cause us to be ridiculed, persecuted or even put to death. That is the reality of doing God's will, which quite often goes against the ways of the world. But it is only when we choose to move out that God moves in and becomes our help and guide, and we know that God will never abandon us.

Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

As humans, we are the same in body parts and composition. We may not necessarily look the same, since we have different skin colour; different body shape and hair style; but deep down inside, we belong to one humanity. Our problem is we tend to distinguish ourselves from others based on language, social status, religion, ethnic group and much more, and we stubbornly hold on to such criteria. But is this the way God intends us to live from the beginning? Of course not! We are all part of humankind, and we should be united and loving with one another, not divisive and conceited.

In today's reading, Ezekiel tells us of how God will reunite His people who had been scattered, exiled and divided, into one people, and He would be their God and they would be His people. This reading reminds us, that ultimately, we should be one people under God. The question is: are we able to let go of our pride and ego; our divisiveness; and our prejudices; and strive towards being one people of God? It may seem difficult or impossible to achieve, but God can make straight out of crooked lines, and we should continue to trust in Him and walk in His ways, as we strive to remain as one.

Saturday of Week 5 Year 1

Every once in a while, I get certain persons coming to me for confession, and instead of confessing their sins, they begin a tirade of how other people caused them to sin, putting the blame on other people and refusing to admit their own wrongdoing. Such persons seem to try and justify that the wrong committed is not their fault, and that they are the victim. It seems as if such persons are making others a scapegoat and not wanting to own up to the wrong committed.

In today's reading, we come across another example of blaming others, or trying to pass the buck, or not owning up to one's mistakes. In the reading, Adam blamed the woman whom God had put with him, and the woman blamed the serpent for tempting her. Though each was at fault for doing a wrong thing, each of them refused to own up to their sin. As a result, Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden of Eden.

What about us? Are some of us still blaming others for our sins? Or have we learnt to own up to them, seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and make more effort to follow God's ways? God is inviting us to take responsibility for what we have done or failed to do, and let Him transform us into something better, for His Glory.

Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter

Some of us find it difficult to let go of control. We want to be in charge of our destiny and to build our lives according to certain ideals which we may have, some of which may have been influenced by our family, friends, peers and society. However, as followers of Christ, we cannot always have control, especially when it comes to where we are supposed to serve. This is because we are to serve where the Holy Spirit leads us, where we are most needed, not where we would be comfortable in, or where it would be convenient to us.

In today's reading, we are told that Paul and Barnabas "travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they thought to cross it into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, ‘Come across to Macedonia and help us.’ Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the Good News."

As we can see from the reading, Paul and Barnabas had no control over where they were being told to preach, and that they had to change course according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Yet, Paul and Barnabas were willing to be humble, docile and obedient, going where they were told to go, and not according to where they pleased.

What about us? Would we be willing to let go of control and let God lead us? Would we be willing to listen to God's promptings and do His will, not ours? May we, like Paul and Barnabas, be docile and humble enough to go where we are told, so that we could be used as His instruments to bring the Good News to others, and to glorify Him.

Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

Throughout history, humankind has been divisive in many ways. People divide themselves according to ethnic group, according to the colour of one's skin, according to the amount of wealth one has by differentiating the rich from the poor, according to the level of education or status in society, and much more. Such divisions lead to prejudice, discrimination, and unfair policies and practices, which often support one group at the expense of the other. However, this is not the way God intends us to live from the beginning. We are all part of humankind, and we should be united and loving with one another, not divisive and conceited.

In today's reading, Ezekiel tells us of how God will reunite His people who had been scattered, exiled and divided, into one people, and He would be their God and they would be His people. This reading reminded the Israelites and us too, that ultimately, we should be one people under God. We should be children of God, instead of being divisive and prejudiced against each other. But the question is, are we united as one people under God? To some extent we are, but we are not entirely united yet. In fact, at times, it seems as if we have become even more divided. Yet we should not give up hope or despair, since God will eventually unite us completely. We just need to have faith, trust in God's help and providence, and wait patiently for the Lord to gather us together into one.

Saturday of Week 5 Year 2

I sometimes come across people who don't like certain church rules, practices or customs. Such persons voice their displeasure over such rules, practices or customs, and some even leave the church to join another Christian denomination, or even join some other faith entirely. This is because such persons expect rules, practices and customs to suit their purposes, or for their benefit. But what such persons fail to realise is that God's commandments, as well as Jesus' commandments of loving God and neighbour, are the basis for such rules and practices, whereas customs are traditional and widely accepted ways of behaving or doing something in the church community. Such rules, practices and customs did not materialise overnight, and they are meant for the good of the entire Christian community, not just for the good of a few.

In today's reading, we see an example of a person who did not like certain rules, practices or customs among the Israelites. That person was Jeroboam who thought to himself, ‘As things are, the kingdom will revert to the House of David. If this people continues to go up to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, the people’s heart will turn back again to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will put me to death.’ And so, Jeroboam did the unthinkable. He created his own gods, by making two golden calves; he got the people to worship such false gods; "He set up the temple of the high places and appointed priests from ordinary families, who were not of the sons of Levi"; and even dared to "institute a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth of the month, like the feast that was kept in Judah." Jeroboam did all these repugnant things, just because he did not like certain rules, practices or customs among the Israelites, and he wanted to save his own skin. As a result, "such conduct made the House of Jeroboam a sinful House, and caused its ruin and extinction from the face of the earth."

What about us? Would we change certain church rules, practices or customs as we please, just because they are inconvenient to us or we feel uncomfortable towards them? Is faith like changing clothes, where we discard things which we are unable to accept? May we continue to be faithful, and walk in God's ways.

Friday of Week 5 Year 2

Blind people may not be able to see, but at least they can still communicate reasonably well with others. A person who is deaf, on the other hand, may experience much frustration and challenges, since such persons depend on sign language to communicate, and sometimes such sign language may be challenging to interpret. Moreover, a person who is deaf may attempt to speak, and what is spoken may be not so comprehensible, since the inability to hear also affects the diction. This may lead to feelings of insecurity and embarrassment for the deaf person, since communication is much harder compared to blind persons.

That is why, in today's Gospel, Jesus took the deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, aside in private, away from the crowd, so that the deaf man would feel less insecure and embarrassed with his condition. Also, Jesus touched his ears and his tongue, and looked up to heaven to let the man feel and see that the healing powers were coming down from on high.

What can we learn from this? Quite often, we may have taken for granted the way we communicate, often using words. But the gospel account reminds us that in order to be understood, we must know what and how the other person can understand, and we must know how to use other forms of communication such as touch, body language and facial expression, to reach out to the other person. May we use our various senses wisely, so that the Good News could be effectively shared to all.

Thursday of Week 5 Year 2

Are old people wiser than others? Some think that just because a person has reached a certain age, or as some say, the person has eaten more salt or rice than others, then that person ought to be wiser than others. But as we have seen throughout history, old people are not necessarily wiser, since they may have not learnt from their mistakes, or they may have fallen away from their original path, and allowed themselves to be influenced by unwise ways.

In today's reading, we see an example of a person who had grown old, and was not wise in his actions and conduct. That person is King Solomon, who at an old age allowed his heart to be swayed to other gods because of his many wives. Even though the Lord had appeared twice to him, he still did what displeased the Lord. King Solomon had gained the reputation of being a wise king. But this gift of wisdom was the fruit of his faith in God. Now that wisdom and faith was lost, since he had turned away from the Lord and "became a follower of Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and of Milcom, the Ammonite abomination. He did what was displeasing to the Lord, and was not a wholehearted follower of the Lord, as his father David had been."

What does this mean to us? It means that, even as we grow old, we must be cautious to remain steadfast, faithful and true to the ways of the Lord, and not allow ourselves to be swayed to other gods. Are we able to persevere in faith, and remain wise in following the Lord's ways?

Wednesday of Week 5 Year 2

I find it interesting and baffling how certain persons can be so particular about what is clean and what is unclean when it comes to certain matters, and yet remain clueless or indifferent when it comes to other matters. For example, such persons can be so particular about certain types of food that can be eaten, even to the point where certain commercial establishments have even gone to the extent of changing the name of a food item, just because the name of the food item appears to contain the name of a certain animal or a certain beverage which is supposingly unclean to certain groups. On the other hand, such persons seem clueless or indifferent when it comes to unjust deeds, corruption and other unfair practices which are happening around them.

In today's Gospel, Jesus is telling us that we should be more concerned about words and actions which comes out of us that makes us unclean, instead of being petty about what we eat or drink, or even the kind of name given to what we eat and drink. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that "It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean." Such words and actions which come out of us not only causes us to be unclean physically, such words and actions also affect us spiritually. Thus, let us open our eyes and hearts, and realise what really matters when it comes to cleanliness, and remain clean in the sight of God.

Monday of the 5th Week of Easter

It is interesting to observe how some so called preachers behave or act when they claim to be able to heal others in the name of Jesus. Such persons tend to hold huge rallies, inviting many people to come and supposingly be healed. But when one looks at the way some of these preachers behave, it seems like their intention of holding such healing rallies is to boost their ego and increase the number of followers, as well as to increase their wealth and influence. Would such preachers take the trouble and effort to heal the poor, the marginalised, or even the sick in various places which some may think to be lowly or undesirable, instead of holding such big rallies, with possibly hidden intentions? Would such preachers heal at any place, time, or situation, without expecting anything in return?

In today's reading, Paul and Barnabas healed a crippled man. The crippled man was healed not because Paul and Barnabas are gods or some powerful being, but because they saw that the man had the faith to be healed. Paul and Barnabas could have basked in the glory of what they had accomplished through the healing and taken credit for it, but instead, they "tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 'Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold.'"

What does this mean to us? It means that, like Paul and Barnabas, the ability to heal is not for us to boost our pride or ego. It is meant for us to be used for the glory of God. If we have the gift of healing, may we used such gifts to build God's Kingdom, and be of loving service to all.

Friday of Week 5 Year 1

Have you heard of a being named S. A. Tan? Perhaps you may have seen horror stories at the movies, or read books about him, but few of us have seen him face to face. Some of us may have experienced his presence, and many of us could have experienced him luring us and tempting us to sin. Indeed, S. A. Tan is not a pleasant being to be with, even though he may appear to be deceptively so, since he has hidden and cruel intentions, and we would need to constantly and consistently watch out for the traps he has laid out to ensnare us.

In today's reading, we read about one of the many ways S. A. Tan uses to try and ensnare us and tempt us to sin. S. A. Tan, in the form of a serpent, tempted the woman to eat the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. He even had the sneakiness and gall to assure the woman: "No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil." With such lies and deceitful words, both the man and woman were equally guilty in falling into Mr. S. A. Tan's trap by eating the fruit.

What about us? Are we so easily allowing ourselves to be lured into S. A. Tan's trap? S. A. Tan will constantly try to exploit our ego, our pride and our weaknesses to tempt us into sinning. Are we making efforts to resist and are we seeking God's help fervently and humbly? We must remember that our foe is not just some ordinary being, and we need to remain in good relationship with God and continuously seek His help, guidance and protection, if we are to overcome such and ancient and deadly foe. Let us not be caught off-guard, and remain in the Lord, so that we would not fall into S. A. Tan's deadly clutches.

Thursday of Week 5 Year 1

It has become easy and convenient for many of us to get things done quickly. We have become so used to efficiency and instant this or that, that we may have become less and less tolerant or impatient when things don't go our way or we have to wait for something to be completed. However, when it comes to our prayer life and communication with God, God does not follow our rules or our ways. Quite often, we find ourselves having to wait, since ultimately, God decides what is best for us. When we don't get what we want or ask for, are we humble and willing to be patient and persistent in our prayer? Would we become impatient and start looking elsewhere to get what we want?

In today's Gospel, we come across a Syrophoenician pagan woman who begged Jesus to cast the devil out of her daughter. Jesus did not seem to immediately grant her her wish, but she was humble enough to be patient and persistent in begging Jesus for His help. In the end, due to her immense faith in Jesus, Jesus granted her her wish. What about us? Are we willing to be patient and persistent in our prayer and in seeking God's help? Are we willing to let God guide us and care for us, according to His time and for His glory?

Wednesday of Week 5 Year 1

For some religions, there are certain restrictions to what can and cannot be eaten. Some of such religions would specify whether it is "kosher or not" to eat something, or whether it is "halal or haram" (Malay for 'allowed or forbidden to be eaten.') However, we sometimes come across followers of such religions who focus so much on such dietary laws, that they neglect, ignore or fail to observe more important aspects of God's laws such as love, mercy, compassion, justice, fairness and many others. They may appear to be pious in what can or cannot be consumed, or even how they look in public, only to be hypocritical in their behaviour and conduct. For example, such persons would avoid eating in a shop which does not have a sign to say that the food sold in such a shop can be eaten by followers of a certain religion, but they seem to turn a blind eye or are ignorant of the corruption, injustice or other malpractices happening around them.

In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us: "Can you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot make him unclean, because it does not go into his heart but through his stomach and passes out into the sewer? It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean." Some of us may appear to be holy and focus on external practices, but our hearts may be twisted or hide nasty or cruel intentions. Let us take heed and be honest with ourselves, and make every effort to shy away from all that drives us away from our relationship with our loving God.

Tuesday of Week 5 Year 1

Some of us may have been guilty of being scrupulous in our way of life. What does scrupulous mean? It basically means that a person is very concerned to avoid doing wrong, and the person would come up with all kinds of laws or restrictions to prevent any possible wrong the person thinks could be commited. One example of being scrupulous would be the way some Jews live their lives even today. During the sabbath, some hotels would have the elevators stop and open at every floor, so that such Jews would not need to push the elevator floor button, since to such Jews, even pushing the elevator floor button is considered work, and they believe that no work can be done during the sabbath, no matter how minute the task may be.

In today's Gospel, we come across another example of being scrupulous in the Pharisees and some of the scribes, who thought that loving God means following their traditions and way of life. These people were so extreme in following their own rules and regulations, so much so that they were even willing to circumvent or bypass the true meaning of God's laws, for the convenience and observance of their own, for they were more concerned about avoiding doing wrong. This is why Jesus scolded them when He exclaimed: "It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture: This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations. You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions."

What about us? Are we guilty of being scrupulous? Let us be mindful and careful not to become like these Pharisees and scribes, who do things in such a scrupulous manner, only to appear to be good and holy. Let us instead follow the example of Jesus, who loves us all and does all things for the greater glory of God.

Monday of Week 5 Year 1

I recall some people who seem to only belittle themselves or put themselves down when they are praised. Some of such persons do so because they have very low self-esteem. Some do so because they want to attract attention to themselves, and boost their pride and ego. But how should a Christian respond to praise? What sort of attitude should a Christian have when he or she receives praise or admiration from others?

In today's reading, we come across the creation story, and in several verses, we could notice that God saw that it was good. In other words, what God has created is good, and there is no reason why one should feel small or belittle oneself. Instead, one should give praise and thanks to God for His creation and one should give glory to God for the many good He has given us. May we come to appreciate and be grateful and thankful to God for His bounty.

Friday of the 5th Week of Easter

What sort of love do we have towards others? Do we love only because it is advantageous to us or convenient to us? Do we love because the other person loves us? Do we love because the other person is nice to us or good to us? Do we love because of some other reason? Or could we ever love without needing a reason, that is, unconditionally, with no strings attached?

Perhaps the greatest kind of love we could manifest is mentioned in the Gospel: "A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends." Just as Jesus laid down His life to save us from our sins, we too are asked to do the same. Jesus loved us, and so we too are asked to love others, even to the point of losing our life. Are we willing to follow Jesus' example in truly and genuinely loving, without counting the costs?

Today, the world is infested with a kind of love that is conditional, a love which is selfish, a "what's in it for me" kind of love. May we free ourselves from such kinds of love, and follow Jesus' example in loving others completely, just as He showed us how to on the cross.