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.

Dec 26 - Saint Stephen, the first Martyr - Feast

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first Martyr who died for Christ. Some of us might be wondering why we celebrate his feast on the day after Christmas where we are still filled with the joy of Christmas. The reason is because this Feast of Saint Stephen is to remind us of why Jesus came. Christmas is not just about the baby Jesus, but a life that would go through much persecution and rejection, which would end up on the Cross. Even as an infant, persecution had already started when Herod tried to kill the baby Jesus, resulting in His escape to Egypt and resulting in the death of the Holy Innocents, whose feast we celebrate on December 28. So the coming of Jesus is a call to commitment and a call to martyrdom, and Saint Stephen sets us an example on how to follow and die for Jesus.

Following the example of Jesus, Saint Stephen offered his spirit to God, saying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He even prayed for forgiveness for those who were stoning him to death, where he said: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” This tells us that a Christian martyr does not die consumed by hatred and crying for vengeance, but his love for Christ enables him to love and forgive his enemies. If we were to be martyred for our faith, would we be able to follow Saint Stephen's example, as well as the examples of the many martyrs who had died for 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.

Birthday of John the Baptist

Normally, we celebrate the feasts of saints on the day of their death, where they are born into eternal life. However, there are three birthdays which are important to us Catholics: Christmas, September 8 (the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary) and June 24 (the birth of St. John the Baptist). Christmas and mummy Mary's birthday we can understand more or less why we celebrate them. But John the Baptist? Celebrating his birthday clearly shows how important and vital John the Baptist's role is in God’s plan of salvation, since Jesus said: “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John" (Lk 7:28).

John the Baptist's greatness is based on his faithful fulfilment of his role in introducing the Messiah and upholding the Truth. He showed this in three ways. The first is his humility. When asked by the people who he is, he replied: "I am not the Messiah. I am the voice crying out in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord!' He must increase and I must decrease." Here, John the Baptist shows that he is not the one people should go after. Secondly, he showed his fidelity to his mission, by living and dying as a prophet, faithfully pointing the way to the Messiah. Thirdly, he showed courage for the truth. He dared to challenge Herod for taking his brother's wife, Herodias, as his wife, reminding Herod that such an act was wrong, adulterous and sinful. As a result, John the Baptist was beheaded.

John the Baptist challenges all of us to be heralds of the Gospel, with conviction and courage to proclaim the Truth. The truth cannot be compromised, but proclaimed and defended, even if one experiences persecution or even death. May we learn to be like John the Baptist, upholding the truth, and pointing others to Jesus.

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Feast

It is tempting for us to take complete credit when we receive praises for a task well done, or when we have accomplised something. After all, we worked hard and made much effort to ensure that the task was not only done properly, we also made sure that the task was completed according to the highest standards. But how many of us are humble and willing to also give credit to God for what we have done, instead of raking all the praises or admiration only to ourselves?

In today's Gospel, Elizabeth had plenty of praises for Mary, for it was Jesus in Mary's womb that caused Elizabeth to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary could have basked in the glory of listening to such praises from Elizabeth, but she did not do such a thing. Instead, she gave praise to God, saying: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid." Mary acknowledged that the glory belongs to God, not to herself.

What about us? Are we willing to learn from Mary's example and give glory to God for all we do? After all, the inspiration that we received to accomplish the task could be through God's help, and we should be grateful to God for His providence and bounty. May we never grow so proud that we can do without God, and like Mary, give God the greater glory.

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.

Saint Mark, Evangelist - Feast

It is easy for some of us to be taken in by the ways of the world, especially where fame and recognition is concerned. Some of us want to be known or recognised for what we have done, and sometimes we could go through great lengths to protect what we think is rightfully our intellectual property. Even in universities, we are reminded not to plagiarise but to acknowledge the work of others by giving credit where it is due. Of course, it is right to do such things, since by doing so we are promoting healthy research and scholarship, improving on the work of others while thanking them for what has been done; but are we allowing ourselves to become proud and conceited, as a result of such fame and recognition? Are we focusing only on what we have achieved, thinking that we attained such achievements solely through our own effort?

In today's reading, we are reminded: "All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble." When we remain humble even though we have achieved much, we are actually giving credit to God for helping us come to where we are today. We are also acknowledging that all that we have, all that we have achieved, are gifts from His bounty, and we continue to depend on Him for help and guidance. May we not become so proud and conceited into thinking that we can do without God, and continue to serve with humility and joy, for His greater glory.

Dec 28 - The Holy Innocents, Martyrs - Feast

There is a song titled "The Greatest Love of All" originally sung by George Benson and later covered by Whitney Houston, and part of the words in the song are: "I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way, show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride, to make it easier, let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be." These words give us the impression and understanding that children ought to be loved, cared for, and protected. However, this is not always the case. In some countries and in some places, children are being mistreated, abused and even exploited. As Christians, we are often reminded to be child-like, and Jesus often reminds us: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." But are we following what Jesus says? Are we like little children, and also making effort to protect children around us from harm?

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents, where Herod out of his insecurity and insanity, ordered the massacre of infants at Bethlehem. To Herod, these children meant nothing to him, and he chose to eliminate them just because he feared one child, the infant Jesus. Herod was more interested in protecting his power, even to the point of committing murder, even though Jesus is king not of the kind which Herod thought. But Herod could not see that, since he was already consumed and blinded with greed, pride, ego, power and prestige.

Even today, this senseless brutality and exploitation towards children are being committed for political, racial and religious reasons. The Feast of the Holy Innocents remind us that it is our duty to protect the rights and dignity of children. Just as Mary and Joseph protected Jesus from the evil of Herod, we as Christians are reminded to protect the children from the various forms of evil against them. Are we doing our part, so that the children of our future are secured?

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?

Dec 26 - Saint Stephen, the first Martyr - Feast

Sometimes we come across people who are put to death for varied reasons. More often than not, the excuse is that the person is a menace or dangerous to society and since the person may have committed a hideous crime or committed murder, the person is executed for the so-called good of society. However, we do come across some people who are put to death because they uphold truth or justice. Such people are sometimes called martyrs, especially if they upheld Christian faith and truth, even to the point of being killed, assassinated or murdered.

In today's reading, we come across St. Stephen, who was martyred because he upheld Christian truth and justice. In the reading, we are told that certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, but he was confident in God's help and as a result: "They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him." Enraged by jealousy and refusing to admit the truth, these people eventually stoned St. Stephen to death.

What about us? Are we willing to become martyrs to Christian faith and truth, just as St. Stephen had done? If we are put in a situation where we are given a choice to deny our faith or be executed, would we be steadfast and unwavering in our faith? If we are faced with such a situation, may we be ready and prepared to do what is right and just, for the glory of God.

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 Luke, Evangelist - Feast

When we go for a holiday or a trip, some of us would pack so many things, since some of us feel it is better to have more than enough clothes or accessories so that we would not run out of clean clothes to wear or certain items which we feel may be necessary and may not be so easy to find at the destination we are going, or that purchasing such items could be expensive. But sometimes, we find that we end up using a lot less than we carry, and we may have to lug around so many things, making our journey or trip cumbersome, or we may worry about things going missing or stolen. This is why we should consider only bringing what we really need so that we can enjoy our holiday and trip with minimal distraction or issues.

In today's Gospel, Jesus is asking us not to worry too much about bringing so many things, since He tells us: "Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house." What is Jesus trying to tell us? He is trying to tell us that our focus is not to be too concerned about what we need to bring with us, but our duty and responsibility in proclaiming the Good News. Jesus is reminding us not to get distracted with other things, since proclaiming the Good News should take all our effort and attention. Are we able to do our part, do our best and leave it in the hands of the Lord, knowing that He will provide for us and care for us?

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.

Saint Laurence, Deacon, Martyr - Feast

What do you look for in life? Some people seem to be busy trying to gain more riches, property and wealth; some look for power and prestige; some even look for recognition and titles. In our efforts to gain such things on earth, we may have grown more and more distant from God, since we may have spent much time on earthly pursuits, with little or no time for heavenly pursuits. But do all these really matter at the end? What would become of these things when we die? Can we bring them with us? Of course not. We would have to leave them behind. Then what is to become of us then?

In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us: "Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life. If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him." Perhaps we should look carefully at the kind of lives we are living, and change our ways, growing closer to God while we have the chance to do so, so that we may be with Him for all eternity.

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.

St. Mary Magdalene, Feast

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. In the Gospel, we come across Mary Magdalene who came to the tomb while it was still dark. She sees the stone which covered the tomb has been moved away and does not enter. Instead, she remained outside the tomb and was weeping. Grief can sometimes blind us to what is reality, and grief had blinded Mary Magdalene into thinking that Jesus' body had been taken away, when she said: "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put him." But what Mary Magdalene failed to realise is that Jesus had risen. It was only when Jesus said to her, "Mary!" that she realised that she was standing face to face with Jesus, and not just the gardener.

What about us? Have we allowed our grief and our weeping to blind us to what is reality? Have we forgotten that Jesus is risen and is in our midst? No matter how difficult or challenging the circumstances we may be in, let us not forget that the Lord Jesus has risen, He has conquered death and He has saved us from our sins. Let us not grief any longer, but rejoice, for our God has won a great victory for us, and let us be humble and willing to let Jesus be our help and guide.

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Feast

In today's Gospel we read the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth. What gift did Mary bring to Elizabeth? We are not told that she brought food or some other item, but she brought herself. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence. It is easy to send flowers or a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive. Following Mary's example in today's Gospel story, we must give ourselves, our presence, our time. We must find the time to visit and be with people. This is the greatest gift because its value cannot be calculated in terms of money.

Another point about Mary's gift to Elizabeth is that one should give not according to one's convenience but according to the needs of the receiver. It was not convenient for Mary to travel the lonely, dangerous road from Galilee to the hills of Judea. But Elizabeth needed a helping hand. She was six months pregnant and could no longer to do many things. So Mary, as soon as she learned that Elizabeth was six months pregnant went quickly and stayed with her for about three months, until she gave birth. Mary gave to Elizabeth what she needed when she needed it.

Also, Mary's presence enabled Elizabeth to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and Elizabeth was able to experience the interior peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Mary's visit was an inspiration to Elizabeth. When we visit people, let us try to bring some inspiration into their lives, let us seek to bring them closer to God, and let us try to share with them the Spirit of God in us, the Spirit of consolation, of courage, of peace and joy, just as Mary did for Elizabeth.