Thursday of Week 18 Year 1

I used to occasionally visit an elderly man who was homebound to give him Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion. He was frail and bedridden but I observed that whenever he noticed I came, he would gather whatever strength he could to sit down for Holy Communion. One important thing that I noticed about him was he never complained why he was suffering; never did I hear him complain about anything. He carried his suffering without questioning God. Perhaps he knew that to suffer was part of him being a disciple of Jesus. Eventually, the elderly man died.

In today's Gospel, Jesus told Peter and the disciples that He must undergo suffering to accomplish His mission and Peter reacted with indignation. Perhaps Peter could not accept the fact that a powerful and influential person like Jesus would suffer. Perhaps Peter thought that Jesus was immune to suffering. But the reality is that Jesus was not exempted from suffering, and He went through it for it was part of His destiny and mission.

What about us? Would we follow the elderly man's example, and especially Jesus' example, in taking suffering as part of being a disciple? Would we be humble and willing to embrace whatever suffering that may come our way, to witness to Jesus and to give glory to God?

Saturday of Week 17 Year 1

We sometimes come across persons who are constantly worried or afraid about what other people think of them. Some of such persons crave attention or good feedback, and what others think or say about them affects them tremendously. When such persons crave such attention, they may be doing so to feed their ego and inflate their pride. When they do not get the attention or good feedback they crave, they may become despondent, paranoid or insecure. Some even end up having anxiety and sleepless nights, affecting one's health all for the sake of getting such attention or good feedback.

In today's Gospel, King Herod cared more about his reputation and the opinions of others, instead of doing what is morally right and just. As a result, John the Baptist lost his head, so that King Herod could keep what he thinks is his good reputation and the good opinion of others. In other words, King Herod was more interested in "saving face." What about us? Are we more worried about getting what we think is good reputation, even to the point of committing heinous or despicable acts? Or are we willing to lose face or our reputation, to remain in good standing with God?

Wednesday of Week 17 Year 1

Some of us go to great extent to achieve or attain something of great value or significance to us. For example, some are willing to pay huge sums of money to buy a piece of land, which we think would later increase tremendously in value, and enable us to rake in a tidy profit when we sell the land. Some are very attracted to a significant other, and would try all ways and means to woo the person's heart, with hope the person would one day become one's spouse. Some are willing to sacrifice much time and money to earn a degree, hoping that such a degree would enable one to attain better job prospects and better standard of living.

But when it comes to attaining admittance to the Kingdom of God, and remaining with God for all eternity, how many of us see great value in that? In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field, or even a fine pearl of great value. If the Kingdom of God is so much more valuable than anything we desire or hope to attain on earth, then how many of us are willing to make effort and sacrifices to attain it? May we come to realise what is truly valuable to us in the end, and make more effort in attaining what is permanent or eternal.

Saturday of Week 16 Year 1

Over the years, I have come across people who say they do not go to church any more because they have a problem with certain persons in church, or they think that the church is full of hypocrites, or they think that the church is full of sinners. Such persons think that only good people or saintly people should be in church, and everyone else is damned or condemned. But if we understand what being church means, we would realise that the church is for both saints and sinners, and all are called to holiness, all are called to repentance.

In today's Gospel, we come across the parable of the wheat and darnel. Instead of having the darnel removed quickly and in doing so, risk removing the wheat as well, the landowner allowed the wheat and darnel to grow together, until the time of harvest came. Once it was time to harvest, then only was the wheat and darnel separated. In the same way, God allows the church to have both saints and sinners present, and both are given ample chances to grow in relationship with Him. But God is not going to wait too long for us to change our ways. When the harvest comes, would we be among the wheat, or would we end up among the darnel? Ultimately, it is our choice to make.

Tuesday of Week 16 Year 1

It is easy for us to claim that we are related to Jesus, especially since we call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ, sons and daughters of God. But being related to Jesus is not enough, since Jesus in today's Gospel reminds us that having a relationship with Him is more than just familial or blood-relationship. In the Gospel, He says: "'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?' And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.'"

The question we need to ask ourselves is this: Are we claiming "relationship" with Jesus only in name, while we lord it over others or feel proud about being such a relationship? Or have we learnt to be humble, and do the will of God? Relationship with Jesus is more than just words; may we put into action our "relationship" with Jesus through our words and deeds.

Saturday of Week 15 Year 1

When we are experiencing peaceful times, we often do not think about war; or losing one's home, property or way of life; or even the possibility of becoming a refugee. Yet, there are some who may have experienced such tragic events in their country; and they may have fled to another country such as the one we live in; and we may have come across such persons before. Some of us would have even helped such persons in whatever way we can.

In today's reading, we are told that "The sons of Israel left Rameses for Succoth... People of various sorts joined them in great numbers; there were flocks, too, and herds in immense droves. They baked cakes with the dough which they had brought from Egypt, unleavened because the dough was not leavened; they had been driven out of Egypt, with no time for dallying, and had not provided themselves with food for the journey."

For some, being driven out of one's country due to war, political strife or some other reason may seem a tragic thing. But in the case of the sons of Israel, the reason was to rescue them from Pharoah and Egypt, and as such, it was actually for the better. In a way, we may have experienced being driven out of a bad or even sinful situation, even if it means we have no time for dallying. Being driven out in this way is no longer a tragic situation, but a situation meant to rescue us from evil, and to help us remain in God's ways. Are we willing to be driven out and led by God? Or are we still insisting to remain in servitude in Egypt?

Saturday of Week 14 Year 1

When someone has sinned against us or has done us great hurt or harm, how would we respond? Would we be willing to forgive the person? Or would we look for an opportunity to get back or take revenge at the person? Would we follow Jesus' way, in forgiving even those who have betrayed us? Or would we follow the ways of the world, where an eye for an eye is practised? It seems easy to get along with people who we like, but would be just as easily get along with people we less like?

In today's reading, Joseph's brothers were worried that Joseph would use the past as an excuse to hit back at them or to have his revenge after what they had done to him, now that their father Jacob is dead. But as we can see from the reading, Joseph chose to forgive, reconcile and be merciful towards his brothers, instead of holding a grudge or looking for an opportunity to exact revenge. Joseph chose to let bygones be bygones, and move on in God's ways, instead of dwelling in the past.

What about us? Would we be willing to let bygones be bygones, and move on in God's ways, just as Joseph has shown us? May we learn to let go of the hurt we may have experienced, and let God heal us and guide us to be more like His Son, Jesus, and give Him the glory in all we say and do.