Saint Matthias, Apostle - Feast

Not many of us realise the implications of what love means. Some of us think that we are loving the way God loves us, but actually more often than not, our love has got strings attached. Our love tends to be a selfish love, a "what's in it for me" love, or a love with conditions attached. For example, some of us say that we love a person or something, but what we really mean is we like the person or thing, because the person or thing is good to us; or beneficial or advantageous to us in some way. But how should we as Christians truly love?

As Christians, we can truly love when we remain in Christ’s love, and we can remain in Christ’s love when we keep his commandments, as Jesus reminds us in the Gospel: "Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love,” Not only that, our love needs to be unconditional, even to the extent of sacrificing our lives, as the Gospel reminds us: "A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends." Love, from a Christian perspective, means that one must put Jesus and others above ourselves, even to the point of losing one's life for others.

The question we need to ask ourselves is: are we wiling to love totally, unconditionally, willingly and happily? Are we willing to truly love the way God loves us, so that Jesus' own joy may be in us, and our joy be complete? May we be docile, willing and humble in set ting aside our pride, our ego, and our prejudices, and love all completely, just as Jesus loves all completely.

Dec 27 - Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist - Feast

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist. He was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman, brother of Saint James the Great, one of the Sons of Thunder, a disciple of Saint John the Baptist and a friend of Saint Peter the Apostle. He was called by Jesus during the first year of His ministry and traveled everywhere with Him. He took part in the Last Supper. He was the only one of the Twelve who did not forsake the Saviour in the hour of His Passion, standing at the foot of the cross. He was made guardian of Our Lady by Jesus and took her into his home. Upon hearing of the Resurrection, he was the first to reach the tomb and when he met the Risen Lord at the Lake of Tiberias, he was the first to recognise Him. How was he able to go through all these events and situations? Because ultimately, Saint John the Evangelist showed and taught us what it really means to love.

The word "love" has been used and abused so rampantly, that it may have lost its meaning. This is because, if you really and truly love someone, you will do anything and everything for his or her best, even to the point of sacrificing your very own life like Jesus and many others did. Such love is expensive, costly and not easy to find, since the one who loves is putting everything at stake, no holding back, no hesitation. In the case of Saint John the Evangelist, it is such expensive love which was his guiding principle or motto, and it is what we should follow or emulate. May we learn to love with such intensity, genuineness and courage, that others may come to know the love of Christ.

Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle - Feast

Every once and a while, we come across a person who seems so impossible to like or deal with. Such a person could be quite obnoxious, or nasty, or mean, or even dangerous to our lives. Some of us may try to avoid such a person, or keep the person at arms length. Some of us even think that such a person is a goner, or beyond redemption. But sometimes, God works in strange ways, and persons who were once obnoxious, nasty, mean or dangerous could be transformed into something better for His glory.

One such person who was transformed is Saint Paul, whose conversion we celebrate today. Paul was once threatening Christians, and even throwing them into prison. But God had other plans for Paul, and he was totally transformed from a monstrosity to a stalwart defender of the faith. Just imagine, if God can transform a person like Paul, how much more could He transform the persons around us who are a pain or a thorn to us. May we never lose hope and remain steadfast in our trust and dependence in God, knowing that He would help us and transform us, including those who have been difficult, into something better.

Saints Philip and James, Apostles - Feast

In every Christian community, there needs to be a balance of missionary spirit and community life. We cannot ignore one or the other. If we focus only in mission, we may forget our identity as Christians, that is we are Christians not as individuals, but as a community. On the other hand, if we focus too much on the Christian community, we may neglect our mission in bringing the Good News to all. So, we need to be balanced as a Christian community and as Christian missionaries, since both are needed for us Christians to grow and flourish.

Today we celebrate the feast of Saints Philip and James. St. Philip was the one who sincerely and joyfully told Nathanael that he had found the Messiah and encouraged him to come and see for himself. Yet it was also this same Philip, as mentioned in today's Gospel, who asked Jesus to let him see God the Father so that he will be satisfied. James (the Lesser) was the apostle who, together with St. Peter, settled the issue about accepting non-Jews into the faith without having to be circumcised and taught the Law of Moses.

In St. Philip and St. James, we see the missionary aspect and the community aspect of the Christian community which needs to be addressed and balanced. St. Philip showed us an example the missionary aspect by bringing others to Jesus, Nathanael in this case. St. James showed us an example of the community aspect, by making a decision which affected the growth and well-being of the community, by not imposing non-essential customs and practices on the non-Jews. May we learn, through the example of Saints Philip and James, how to strike a balance between missionary spirit and community life, so that we as a Christian community could grow more like our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chair of Saint Peter, The Apostle - Feast

Those of us who have worked in the business world would know that management and marketing skills are much needed. It is not enough for us to just have a good product, it is also necessary to know how to market and sell the product, so that the company would make money and rake in profits. If the management and marketing is done effectively, and certain targets have been met, then employees would stand a good chance of getting an increment or bonus.

The church too has got certain management and marketing principles which can be found in today's reading, but for a different purpose. In the reading, St. Paul reminds us: "Be the shepherds of the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it. Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge, but be an example that the whole flock can follow." In the case of the church, the goal is not to make money and rake in profits, but to care for God's people and proclaim the Good News to all.

But such a task is not easy because of human frailty and weakness. This is where we need to depend on the grace of God, and to pray for the Holy Father, church leaders and even for ourselves, that we would be humble and willing to persevere in our efforts to be witnesses of God's love and presence in the world, so that others will come to know who is Jesus Christ.

Dec 27 - Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist - Feast

Today we celebrate the feast of the Apostle John. He is accredited for writing the Gospel according to John. He was the only apostle who was not martyred. We also know that John was given the responsibility by Jesus to care for Mother Mary, when Jesus was about to die. He is known as the "beloved disciple" and in today's Gospel, we are told that he went in the tomb; he saw and he believed that Jesus had risen.

Throughout his life and writings, he had one simple message: "My dear children, love one another." God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son. John followed God's example in sharing love with others through his example and in his writings. What about us? In this world where love seems more and more superficial, are we following St. John's example in spreading true love to all?

Saint Andrew, Apostle - Feast

Letting go of our old life or old ways of doing things is not easy. Some of us have become so fixated or set in doing certain things in certain ways that it seems difficult or impossible to do things differently or begin new ventures. But the fact is, change happens. What used to be relevant or important in the past is no longer the case today. Things and ideas can become obsolete, and it is necessary for us to change or we may lose out in new and better opportunities.

In today's Gospel, "Jesus saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.' And they left their nets at once and followed him." Jesus may be calling you today to leave your nets, to change, to move on, and to follow Him. Would you be willing to change and let Him be your help and guide?

Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist - Feast

There are certain kinds of people in this world which are difficult for some to accept and like. It could be the person's character or attitude, it could be the person's behaviour, or it could even be the person's job or way of life. For example, how many of us are genuinely willing to show care and concern to prostitutes if one happens to come to us for help, especially when the person is wanting to change to a different and better way of life? Would we be willing to help? Or have we become prejudiced towards such persons and prefer to shun them?

In today's Gospel, Jesus called a tax collector named Matthew to follow Him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Tax collectors were hated and shunned by the Jews, because they not only collected money from the Jews for the Romans, but they were also allowed to collect more (which could range from a bit more to a lot more) for their own survival. But Jesus was not only willing to call Matthew to follow Him, He was also willing to eat with the tax collectors and sinners. Eating with tax collectors and sinners was an unthinkable and shocking thing to the Jews, especially among the scribes and Pharisees, since they thought that people would normally eat only with good friends or close friends. But Jesus reminded them: "It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners."

What about us? Are we willing to offer our time with the tax collectors and sinners around us? Are we willing to eat with them, reach out to them, be a friend to them, and help them out? Or have we become like the scribes and Pharisees, self-righteous and only knowing how to condemn others? Remember that we too are sinners, and if God can be loving and merciful to us, shouldn't we be doing the same towards others?

St. Bartholomew, Apostle - Feast

From time to time, some of us may have been guilty of judging others just by looking at them or hearing about them. Sometimes what we see or hear could have been coloured with prejudiced eyes and ears, and unless we are open to the promptings of God's spirit, we may fail to discover and appreciate another person's character, talent and capabilities.

In today's Gospel, St Bartholomew did not initially have a good impression of Jesus or Nazareth. Hearing that Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked, "What good can come out of Nazareth?" He said this because Nazareth was a small, insignificant place, and to the Jews, it seemed unlikely that the Messiah would come from there. St Bartholomew was not despising Jesus or even Nazareth for that matter, but he was just being frank and straightforward, and Jesus recognised that in St Bartholomew when He said that St Bartholomew was incapable of deceit. Not only that, Jesus saw that St Bartholomew was sincere and that he awaited for the coming of the Messiah, since St Bartholomew was found "under the fig tree," at prayer and open to the Lord. Eventually, St Bartholomew was humble and open enough to recognise Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel.

Some of us too may have been like St Bartholomew at some point of our lives. We may have had not quite a good impression of someone initially, because of what we may heard about the person or where the person came from. Let us pray that, like St Bartholomew, we would eventually see the good in others, just as Jesus sees the good in each of us.

St. James, Apostle - Feast

What do we seek in this life? Do we seek glory, power, prestige, fame, personal glory, personal gratification, recognition from others? Or do we seek to do God's will for His glory? Some of us may say that we are seeking to do God's will, but do our words and actions show that we truly and sincerely are seeking to do God's will?

In today's Gospel, we come across St. James whose Feast we celebrate today, and his brother John, the two sons of Zebedee, who tried to get Jesus to grant them important seats or positions in heaven, one on Jesus' left, and one on Jesus' right. But what James and John failed to realise is that ultimately, it is not their personal glory or prestige that matters, but what matters is doing all things for the glory of God. Jesus reminded the twelve that "anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Moreover, St. Paul reminds us that "we are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us."

This means that, what we should be striving for is to serve and not to be served, and that we are merely instruments to be used for the glory of God. May we be humble and willing to let God use us for His glory, so that through us, others may come to know Him and walk in His ways.

Saints Philip and James, Apostles - Feast

It is easy for some of us to become influenced by different teachings which appear to sound Christian, but are in fact teachings by self-proclaimed evangelists, who publicise their words and works, but with a hidden ulterior motive. Quite often, such people go about preaching to attract crowds, with the intention of making money and attaining wealth and property. Once such people have gotten what they wanted, they may conveniently make themselves scarce, while some would continue doing such deeds as long as they can. The true message of the Gospel is lost, replaced by teachings which suit or benefit such people.

That is why, in today's reading, St. Paul reminds us: "Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything." We need to be cautious not to fall into the trap of other preachers who try to sweeten or cheapen the Gospel message for their own purposes, and be discerning enough to know what is the truth and what is not, with direction and help from competent authorities, and especially with help from God.

Chair of Saint Peter, The Apostle - Feast

In the corporate world, the focus is to make as much money and profit as possible with as little cost as possible. This would often involve fierce competition not only between rival companies, but even within the company itself, as management would try to squeeze out as much work as possible from employees, whereas employees would try to demand as much remuneration and perks as possible. We often hear terms like "it's a dog eat dog world" or "it's a jungle out there" or even "survival of the fittest" being used to describe the situation and environment of the corporate world.

In contrast, the church has got quite a different view or focus. In today's reading, St. Paul reminds us to "Be the shepherds of the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it. Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge, but be an example that the whole flock can follow." This way of life and way of thinking requires us to be a servant to all, instead of lording over others or trying to make ourselves look good.

As Christians, are we influenced to follow the ways of the world, or the ways of Christ? It is quite easy for us to lose focus in our daily lives and become more and more accustomed to the ways of the world, since we do need to survive in this world. But let us be reminded of our ultimate goal, and seek God's constant help and guidance, so that we would be able to grow closer to God and walk in His ways.

Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle - Feast

Whenever we encounter a person who is known to be notorious for persecuting Christians, what would we do? Perhaps some of us may try to avoid such a person at all costs. Some of us may pray that God would protect us from such a person. Some of us may even petition to God that such a person has a change of heart and stop such persecutions.

But sometimes, God can do something beyond our expectations. In the case of Saul, whose conversion we celebrate today, he was transformed from a fierce persecutor of Christians, to a fierce defender of the Christian faith. Saul became known as Paul, and he suffered much to bring the Christian faith to the gentiles, the very Christian faith he had once so enthusiastically persecuted.

If God can change a person from a monster to a saint, just imagine what He can do to us. We have seen the wonders He has done time and again, transforming people who many thought to be beyond hope, to something better for His glory. May we have faith and trust in our loving God, knowing that He will take care of things for us, for His glory.

Saint Andrew, Apostle - Feast

Some of us may be able to learn certain subjects through the internet these days. The internet has become so full of resources that we can get information about a certain topic or subject, and learn much about it with ease. However, we also know that the information available on the internet is not always accurate or reliable. We need to be cautious about what we read, because what we sometimes get could be false or inaccurate.

What about information concerning faith? Can we learn about faith through the internet? To some extend, we may glean some information there, but once again, we need to be cautious and verify that the source of such information concerning faith is reliable and reputable. That is why it is sometimes better to learn about faith from a person or persons who has been properly trained and qualified in teaching about faith to others. As St. Paul reminds us in today's reading: "Faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ." May we be alert and cautious not to be misled by false information or false doctrine, but go and seek those who can preach it to us, those who really know their stuff and teach what the church teaches.

Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles - Feast

One of the things which we Christians should never forget is that, in church and in our community, there should be no strangers, since we are all sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters in Christ. This means that we need to be friendly and welcoming towards new members and those we may have not seen or met before. We cannot come to church minding our own business and thinking that it is not our duty or responsibility to show Christian love towards others. Just as Jesus loves all of us and treats each of us as His own, shouldn't we be doing the same as best we can?

In today's reading, we are reminded: "You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit." If we are part of God's household, then surely we should at the least be familiar and friendly towards others around us, including newcomers. It is unfortunate that we sometimes see newcomers being ignored, while some of us seem so busy socialising with only people we are comfortable with or we seem so busy and focused only with church activities. May we not forget the "human element" of being Christian, and be willing to come out of our comfort zone, so that we would truly be united as God's children.

Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist - Feast

Every once in a while, we come across people who try to show their authority or their importance in church. Such people go through great effort to tell others how important they are, or how close they are to the bishop or parish priest, or how vital they are to keep a certain church ministry functioning. Some of us find such people quite obnoxious, since they seem to be trying so hard to be in the limelight and they make a big show on whatever they do. But as Christians, what sort of attitude should we have towards our role and responsibility in a ministry or as a church?

In today's reading, St. Paul reminds us: "I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together... Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ."

As Christians, our duty is to serve in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience, as St. Paul reminds us. If our motivation is to draw attention to ourselves while we serve, then are we serving the Lord, or are we actually serving ourselves? Let us check ourselves and be reminded that ultimately, all that we do ought not to be for our personal glorification or gratification, but for the glory of God.

St. Bartholomew, Apostle - Feast

We sometimes hear the words "don't judge a book by its cover." What this basically means is that we cannot judge the quality or character of someone or something just by looking at them or hearing about them. Sometimes what we see or hear could have been coloured with prejudiced eyes and ears, and unless we are open to the promptings of God's spirit, we may fail to discover and appreciate another person's character, talent and capabilities.

In today's Gospel, we come across St Bartholomew (also known as Nathaniel) who was from Cana in Galilee. From the Gospel, it appears as if St Bartholomew did not initially have a good impression of Jesus or Nazareth. When he heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked, "What good can come out of Nazareth?" St Bartholomew said this not because he despised Jesus or even Nazareth, but because Nazareth was a small, insignificant place, and to the Jews, it seemed unlikely that the Messiah would come from there. St Bartholomew was just being frank and straightforward, and Jesus recognised that in St Bartholomew when He said that St Bartholomew was incapable of deceit. Not only that, Jesus saw more in St Bartholomew; He saw that he was sincere and that he awaited for the coming of the Messiah, since St Bartholomew was found "under the fig tree," at prayer and open to the Lord. Eventually, St Bartholomew was humble and open enough to recognise Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel.

Some of us too may have been like St Bartholomew at some point of our lives. We may have had not quite a good impression of someone initially, because of what we may heard about the person or where the person came from. Let us pray that, like St Bartholomew, we would eventually see the good in others and "don't judge a book by its cover," just as Jesus sees the good in each of us.

Saint Thomas, Apostle - Feast

As baptised Christians, we are sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters in Christ. But sometimes some of us forget our identity. Our behaviour, attitude and way of life seems to be in contrast with our identity as Christians. At church, we appear to be good and holy, some seem generous with their offerings; but when we are sent forth to love and serve the Lord after the Sunday Mass is concluded, are we just as good and holy as we were in church?

In today's reading, we are reminded: "You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone." Since we are citizens, then we should be mindful of our conduct, as the way we behave and act could turn out to be counter-witnessing to the Gospel. Of course, this does not mean that we should follow blindly everything that we are taught. We should also seek clarification and ask questions, so that we would be crystal clear about what is required. St. Thomas, whose feast we celebrate today, is a great example of how we should clarify and question, not so much because we do not believe or have no faith, but more that we would be better informed and our faith strengthened.

Today, let us not forget who we are and act accordingly. Let us be true witnesses of the Gospel, firmly rooted in faith and understanding, and humbly and joyfully go forth to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles

Peter and Paul are two great apostles who showed us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Each of them were martyred for the faith, and they show us two very different approaches or styles to discipleship. Peter was a slow learner in the faith. He made a lot of mistakes, sometimes very big mistakes. He loved Jesus and yet denied that he even knew Him. Still Jesus never failed to offer Peter compassion and mercy, and always the opportunity to begin again. Paul, on the other hand, came to faith in Christ in almost an instant. Although he’s often pictured as being knocked off a horse on the road to Damascus, scripture only tells us that he was struck down by a great light. But three days later Paul turned away from persecuting the Church to become a voice of the gospel for the nations, bringing Christ's message to the Gentiles.

If we look at Peter and Paul, we could actually see, to a certain extent, two distinct styles of discipleship. Each style has got its purpose and we could call one as the Peter Style and the other as the Paul Style. The Peter Style seems to be those who try to do the right things, but who make mistakes; those who mean well, but don’t always seem to follow through; those who try to understand but who don’t always get it and when they do get it, they sometimes don’t get it right; those who fail, who repent, who get discouraged when they fail yet again, and who keep coming back, to try again. Those who have the Paul Style, are gung-ho, convinced, and are not hesitant or afraid to say it out loud. They make big demands on others as well as on themselves. They say things that are hard or difficult to say, and aren’t afraid to say it. They preach fearlessly and without reservation. The Paul style does fail too from time to time, but when they do and admit it, they move ahead stronger than ever. The Paul style can sometimes be quite annoying.

When we consider these two styles of discipleship, some of us are like the Peter style, some of us are like the Paul style, and some of us are of both styles at different times, places and situations in our lives. If we are aware of which style we are in, we can then learn to understand and appreciate the other style, and learn how to work together for the glory of God.

Saint Barnabas, Apostle

It is not easy when people that we know and have come to love and appreciate need to part ways and be transferred elsewhere. We try to cling on to them, since we have already become familiar with their habits and idiosyncrasies. Eventually, the person would need to move on, as is usually the case for priests and religious. As priests and religious, we are given responsibility to care for a community only for a certain period of time, and once the time is up, we move on to other places where we would be needed. "This is the story of our lives," as one elderly padre quipped ("and we will drink to that" is the response, as the same elderly padre also remarked).

In today's reading, we are told: "the Holy Spirit said, 'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.' So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off." God requires us to be ever ready and willing to move to different places at different times to serve different communities. Our being in a place is merely transient, and sometimes moving off could be a good thing, since it offers us opportunities to grow and mature. May we be humble and joyful in moving on when the time comes, and continue to do the will of God for His greater glory.