Faithfulness and Love

Monthly Archives: June 2014

St. Martha, Memorial

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If a VIP (Very Important Person) were to come to your house, how would you react? Some of us may become quite excited and begin to frantically look for good food and drink to serve the VIP. Some of us may become cautious with what we say or how we behave, hoping to make a good impression with the VIP. What if that VIP is Jesus? What would we say or do?

In today’s Gospel, Martha became very busy and distracted with all the serving, while Mary chose to sit down at the Lord’s feet and listen to him speaking. There is nothing wrong in preparing something for our guests and to see that they are comfortable, but Jesus is inviting us not to be too concerned about the serving. It is better, like Mary, to spend more time with Jesus, letting Him to talk to us, care for us and enrich us with His words.

Monday of Week 17 Year 2

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Throughout our lives, God has been patient towards us. Sometimes we fall and pick ourselves up, and yet God is willing to give us lots of chances and opportunities to turn back to Him. However, the choice of whether to do the will of God or to do things our own way is entirely up to us. God is not going to force us to be with Him; we choose to be with Him or otherwise.

In today’s reading, the people of Judah and Jerusalem had chosen to remain stubborn and evil. The reading tells us: “This evil people who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the dictates of their own hard hearts, who have followed alien gods, and served them and worshipped them, let them become like this loincloth, good for nothing.” Have some of us become like these people of Judah and Jerusalem, our hearts hardened, just like the loincloth and good for nothing? Have we forgotten who we are? Let us be mindful of our choice for our eternal future.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

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What do we value most in our life? Do we value most our wealth, our property, our popularity, our position, our status, our credentials, qualifications and titles, our family, or our extended family? Perhaps we value one or a few of these things or people, but are these things and people all that matter to us? How long would we be able to hold on to these things or people? Would we be able to keep them securely and indefinitely?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us something which we should value most. Jesus is telling us that that which we value most is not our money or possessions, not our titles or qualifications, not even our loved ones. Jesus is telling us that that which we should value most is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus says: “‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.”

All that we have, whether it be material things, titles or relationships are temporary. We could lose them eventually in one way or another. It is only the Kingdom of Heaven which remains and we are united with God and His Kingdom when we do His will, and also when we are are united with one another. Solomon in today’s first reading also realised how much more important the Kingdom of Heaven is when he asked God for wisdom instead of wealth, power and other things. Solomon knew and chose wisdom to understand the will of God. To know what God wants of us is the only thing that matters.

Let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that all that we have here on earth are all that matters. Everything that we have is only temporary. We cannot bring our wealth, titles and relationships with us when we die. Let us make more effort to do the will of God, and be united with Him and each other in His Kingdom. Let us place God as our primary focus and highest value for the betterment of our eternal future.

Housekeeping – Week 16 Year 2

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For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:

20 July 2014 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
21 July 2014 – Monday of Week 16 Year 2
22 July 2014 – Tuesday of Week 16 Year 2
23 July 2014 – Wednesday of Week 16 Year 2
24 July 2014 – Thursday of Week 16 Year 2
25 July 2014 – St. James, Apostle – Feast

St. James, Apostle – Feast

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“Look before you leap” is an English idiom which tells us to be careful and to weight the costs before doing something. Sometimes it is only after we get into trouble that we realise that we had been too rash or too quick in doing or saying something. So, before we endeavour into something which could be dangerous or highly risky, we should think things through.

In today’s Gospel, we come across St. James whose Feast we celebrate today, and his brother John, the two sons of Zebedee, who were bold and appear to be rash. Their mother was equally bold in asking Jesus for her sons to be seated on the left and right of Jesus in His Kingdom. Jesus’ reply is indeed classic… We read: “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.””

Indeed, we are sometimes like James, asking for something without knowing the consequences. Does this mean we must be careful and not take risks? No. Sometimes we need to be bold. We need to be willing to take risks, especially when preaching the Good News. But at the same time, we should be aware of the kind of risk we are taking. We should not be reckless in our efforts, but be knowledgeable of the situation before us. There is a time and place for everything, and we should constantly listen to God’s prompting and let Him guide us.

Thursday of Week 16 Year 2

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Some of us could be quite stubborn or refusing to admit our mistakes. We may prefer to continue living in a particular way of life, or do things a certain way, because we refuse to change or come out of our comfort zone. Some of us may try to change but we procrastinate or are distracted with so many other things that the world has to offer.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples about the crowd: “Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Coarse is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I heal them.” Ultimately, it is our choice. We can choose to change our ways and let God care and heal us just like He did for the disciples; or we can choose to remain like the crowd. Are our hearts so cold and stubborn that we are still like the crowd? Or have we learnt to become more like Jesus’ disciples; being open to God’s care and healing?

Wednesday of Week 16 Year 2

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Some of us at some point or another question what is our purpose in life. We reflect on our history and the many little things that have happened along the way, and some of us may have noticed God’s promptings. Sometimes, in our reflection, we may have discovered our true vocation. Have you discovered your true vocation? Do you know what needs to be done?

In today’s reading, Jeremiah discovered his vocation when He encountered the word of the Lord. The Lord had appointed him a prophet of the nations and the Lord said to him: “To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.” With such instructions and assurance from the Lord, Jeremiah was able to go forth and do as the Lord wanted of him.

What about us? The Lord may be calling you. Have you heard His voice? He has plans for you but are you willing to let Him take control and guide you? Let us open our hearts and listen carefully for His promptings.

Tuesday of Week 16 Year 2

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Some people get the impression that God is like a policeman, just waiting to catch us and punish us for doing or committing the smallest sin. Others tend to think that God is an unforgiving God who keeps track of our sins. Some think that God is like a fierce and fiery volcano, always angry and ever ready to spout out lava and cause suffering to us. As Christians, what sort of God do we really have?

Today’s reading gives us glimpses of the kind of God we have. The reading tells us that God:

  • Is a shepherd to all of us…
  • Removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
  • Does not persist in anger forever but delights rather in clemency,
  • Have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt?
  • Cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;
  • Show faithfulness

Seeing that we have such a loving, caring and forgiving God, what about our attitudes and behaviour towards others? Are we just as loving, caring and forgiving to others like God is to us?

Monday of Week 16 Year 2

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Some of us think that we need to do a lot of things to win favour from God. Others think that they must behave in a certain way to gain God’s blessings. Sometimes in our efforts to stay in good relationship with God, we may be neglecting our relationship with others. We think that our relationship with God is all that matters. But today’s reading reminds us: “What is good has been explained to you, man; this is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.”

Are we acting justly towards others? Do we really love others just as God loves us all? Are we humble enough to admit our limitations and mistakes? If we are unable to love, forgive, seek forgiveness, reconcile, be loving and humble towards others whom we can see, then how can we claim to love God whom we cannot see?

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

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What is strength? What is weakness? We sometimes equate strength or weakness with the amount of energy or muscle we have. Some of us think that strength means being able to hold your own, to avoid losing face, being able to deal with a situation effectively to our advantage. Some people think that one needs to be “kiasu” or “scared to lose” to be strong. Some think that to be strong, one needs to be adept or capable of putting a brave front, refusing to give in, refusing to admit our mistakes or errors, refusing to say sorry or apologise, refusing to forgive others who may have hurt us or done something wrong. But are we really strong in these situations?

Today’s readings give us a different view or understanding of strength. Strength means having compassion. In the First Reading, we learn that God’s justice has its source in strength, and yet God is mild in judgement, and God governs us with great lenience. He could have easily used His Power to punish us or wipe out our enemies, but He chose not to. This is a great example of God’s compassion towards all of us, regardless of who we are. In the Second Reading, we come to realise that God is always there to help us and guide us, even in our weaknesses. In the Gospel, we discover that each of us have got some good and some bad, some wheat and some darnel, all mixed up together. We are not perfect and no one is completely strong or completely weak. By learning to have compassion, we learn to accept our own weaknesses and limitations. By recognising our own weaknesses and our need for God’s forgiveness and compassion, we will also begin to be compassionate with our brothers and sisters who are struggling in one way or another like us.

At the end of the day, we need to learn to be compassionate, just as our Heavenly Father is compassionate to all. Being compassionate does not mean we will be at the losing end or that we are weak. Instead, we would learn to be more like our strong, loving and benevolent God.