Among the many types and choices of food in Malaysia, one delicacy which is quite popular among the many ethnic groups in Malaysia is rojak. Rojak is a mixture of ingredients with sauce and other condiments or spices similar to salad in the West, but it has quite a different taste and texture compared to what the West considers as salad. Moreover, each ethnic group in Malaysia would have a different form and taste of rojak. The rojak made by the Malay ethnic group is quite different compared to that made by the Chinese or Indian ethnic groups, but regardless of which ethnic group one belongs to, rojak is loved by all (especially if the ingredients in the rojak can be consumed by all without any religious prohibition specific to certain ethnic groups).
In today’s Gospel, we see the geneology or ancestry of Jesus. At a glance, we see all sorts of people, some good, some not so good, some rich, some poor, some powerful, some who are peasants, a sort of big bowl of rojak, so to speak. But regardless of who and what sort of person mentioned, one thing is clear: God uses all sorts of people to work wonders and to show His saving love for us. The Gospel reminds us that each and every one of us are like different ingredients or flavours in a rojak bowl (making the rojak yummylicious and shockalingamly tasty), and we have a role to play in God’s plan of salvation, no matter how big, small, important or insignificant that role may be. May we be humble, open and willing enough to be mixed in God’s rojak bowl, so that we can do our part for His greater glory.