Faithfulness and Love

Monthly Archives: April 2015

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Posted on by Posted in 22nd, Ordinary Time, Sunday, Year B Leave a comment

From a young age, most of us would have been introduced to rules and regulations at home. We would have been taught what is acceptable, what is not, and what would be the consequence if we broke a rule. Even in school and later in society, we have rules and regulations. As a civilised society, we know that we need rules and regulations, so that there would be some order. Otherwise, people would do as they please and society would disintegrate into chaos. As usual, we would always come across those who complain about certain rules and regulations, especially those that do not benefit them by giving them a free reign to do what they like, but rules and regulations are there not just for the benefit of a few, but meant for all. Take for instance vehicle parking. If there are no rules, people would park indiscriminately, and cause obstruction, inconvenience to others, and even pose a danger to other people. That is why, whether we like it or not, we need rules to function as a society.

In today’s readings, we come across the law, which is God’s commandments. God’s commandments are there to help us become better persons as well as to become mature and responsible Christians. The first reading tells us about God’s commandments, where we are to: “keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding.” Likewise, St. James in the second reading describes the law as “all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given to us from above” and that we are to “accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves.” St. James in the second reading also reminds us that God’s law is there to help us become the “first fruits of all that he had created.” Without God’s law to guide us, we would be guided by our own pride, prejudice, ego and selfishness. Thus, God’s laws help us become free from our own selfish motives and intentions.

However, we must be cautious not to become extremists in following God’s laws. The scribes and the Pharisees were examples of following God’s laws to the extreme, by following God’s laws without understanding their purpose, by being very judgmental of others, and by seeing themselves as the guardians of the Law and the watchdogs of morality. This led Jesus in today’s Gospel to reprimand them by exclaiming: “This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me.” This is because a person could appear to be following God’s law by meticulously observing external practices like what the scribes and Pharisees did, but deep inside the heart there could be malice and evil intentions, as Jesus in today’s Gospel reminds us: “nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean.” That is why it is not enough to just follow the laws, or follow them blindly, or even follow them only because we fear punishment. Instead, we should follow God’s law out of love and not out of fear, as God’s law is the law of love.

Thus, let us have a conversion of heart and follow God’s law with love and compassion. Just as God has shown much love and compassion towards us, we too should do the same for others. Let us ask God to help rid ourselves of any evil intentions, so that we would be free and happy to listen to His words, act upon them, and by our words and actions give Him all the glorify.

Housekeeping – Week 21 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in Feast, Housekeeping, Ordinary Time, St. Bartholomew, Sunday, Weekday Leave a comment

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

23 Aug 2015 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
24 Aug 2015 – St. Bartholomew, Apostle – Feast
25 Aug 2015 – Tuesday of Week 21 Year 1
26 Aug 2015 – Wednesday of Week 21 Year 1
27 Aug 2015 – Thursday of Week 21 Year 1
28 Aug 2015 – Friday of Week 21 Year 1

Friday of Week 21 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in 21st, Friday, Ordinary Time, Weekday, Year 1 Leave a comment

It is easy for some of us to be distracted with so many things in life here on earth, so much so that we may have neglected in our efforts to be prepared to meet the Lord. Some of us think that we still have much time to grow in relationship with God, and we procrastinate, thinking with confidence that we would eventually return to the Lord’s ways. But do we really have that much time?

In today’s Gospel, we come across ten bridesmaids: five were foolish, five were sensible. All ten were supposed to meet the bridegroom, but the foolish ones only brought their lamps without bringing extra oil, whereas the sensible ones brought both. The bridegroom was late and the lamps of the foolish bridesmaids were running out of oil. So these foolish bridesmaids had to go and buy more oil, and in their absence, the bridegroom came. As a result, the foolish bridesmaids ended up being locked out of the wedding hall.

Just as the foolish bridesmaids ended up being locked out, we too could find ourselves being locked out of God’s presence, if we have been foolish enough to be unprepared to meet Him. God has given plenty of chances for us to grow closer to Him, and it is up to us to be sensible enough to do our part. So let us not procrastinate any more but stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour.

Thursday of Week 21 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in 21st, Ordinary Time, Thursday, Weekday, Year 1 1 Comment

Being sleepy during the day time could be hazardous to our health and could also lead to fatalities. We have seen how some people have fallen asleep at the steering wheel of the vehicle, only to end up in disastrous consequences. Even at the workplace, we may land ourselves into trouble or dangerous situations, if we are caught falling asleep by the boss, or if we fall asleep while operating dangerous equipment. This is why we need to be disciplined and get enough rest, so we will be alert and ready to do our work and other duties.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is cautioning us to stay awake for a different reason. Instead of our physical  sleepiness, Jesus is warning us about our spiritual sleepiness. We may have been sleepy in being regular in attending Mass, or sleepy in going for regular confession, or sleepy in being regular with our prayers and meditation. When we are spiritually sleepy, we may be caught off-guard or unaware if Jesus were to come and call us to give an account of our lives, since Jesus has cautioned us: “Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Thus, we have a choice: do we still wish to remain spiritually sleepy and risk our eternal future, or are we making efforts to remain alert and be ready for the Lord?

Wednesday of Week 21 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in 21st, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Weekday, Year 1 Leave a comment

Appearances can be deceiving. When we observe a person, especially when we do not know the person at all, or know very little about the person, we could be tricked or fooled into thinking that the person is friendly, good or holy. The person may appear to be prayerful, come for Mass, get involved in many church activities or even be friendly towards others, but is the person really doing all these and serving God for His greater glory? Or could there be a hidden agenda? Some of you may ask, aren’t we too quick to judge a person? The issue here is not about judging a person, but about being cautious and not be too quick in accepting a person as a friend or a confidant or confidante. This is because there are some people who could be putting on a show, just to win the support and admiration of others for a certain purpose or reason, and we could sometimes eventually discover their true intentions.

In today’s Gospel, we come across an example of how appearances can be deceiving. The scribes and the Pharisees were being given a good run down by Jesus, because of their attitude, behaviour, the amount of pretense at the way they portrayed themselves, and much more. Despite all Jesus had said and done, the scribes and the Pharisees chose to obstinately remain as they are, and throughout the Gospel, we can clearly see what sort of people they have become. We too could fall into the same trap as the scribes and the Pharisees, when we choose to remain stubborn and prefer to do things our way, while lording it over others. Are we willing to listen to Jesus’ warnings and have a change of heart, before it is too late?

Tuesday of Week 21 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in 21st, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Weekday, Year 1 Leave a comment

As Christians, we are being constantly reminded to go forth and preach the Good News. This is not merely a request or a suggestion, but a command from the Lord, and a duty for each and every one of us. All of us Christians are called to preach the Good News, not just the priests, pastors, religious or missionaries. But when we go and preach the Good News, what is our true purpose or agenda in doing so? Are we doing it for the greater glory of God, or are we doing it for our personal gratification or personal gain, and to boost our reputation and ego?

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians and us: “We have not taken to preaching because we are deluded, or immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News, and when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts. You know very well, and we can swear it before God, that never at any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for trying to get money; nor have we ever looked for any special honour from men, either from you or anybody else, when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ. Instead, we were unassuming. Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.”

Ultimately, we need to check our motives and return to preaching the Good News with right motive, right intention and right disposition, since what we are doing ought not to be for ourselves, but for the greater glory of God.

St. Bartholomew, Apostle – Feast

Posted on by Posted in Apostle, Feast, St. Bartholomew Leave a comment

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.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Posted on by Posted in 21st, Ordinary Time, Sunday, Year B Leave a comment

Words are cheap. People can say many things, but they may not necessarily mean what they say. For example, we hear of all sorts of promises being made by certain leaders before an election, but once the leader has won the election, would he or she be committed in fulfilling the promises made? Some may try to do so to the best of their abilities, but as we have seen, there are those who only know how to talk, but do nothing in the end. In Bahasa Malaysia, we call such people “cakap tak serupa bikin” or “saying is not the same as doing.”

What about us Christians? We are taught to love God and love neighbour. But do we love God and love neighbour only in words and nothing more? Hopefully we as Christians would say that we love God and love neighbour not only in words, but especially in our actions, in our conduct and in our behaviour. If we love someone, especially if that someone is our girlfriend or boyfriend, we would try to see the person as often as possible, and we would also try to be with that person as much as possible. We call this “dating” (or as some may say, earning a “degree in ‘paktorlogy’) and some may make much effort in “dating” for some time, so that both would get to know each other pretty well, before deciding to get married or tie the knot, so to speak. But it is interesting to note that, when it comes to loving God, how many of us are making effort to go to church to spend time with Him? When we dislike a person, we would find ways and means to avoid or shun the person. But if some of us have been making all sorts of excuses or come to church only as and when it is convenient to us, doesn’t that mean we dislike God? Surely if we say we love God, then we should be trying to meet Him as much as possible.

If we say we love God, then how do we show it? Scripture reminds us that we must love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our being. This means that we must serve Him and only Him alone, and we must not have any other gods before Him. All this sounds nice and good when times are great, but when we are facing problems, difficulties, persecution or when times are bad, do we turn to God for help, or have some of us gone to bomohs, witch doctors, shamans, temple mediums and other forms of help? If we say that we love God, but we go to other forms of help when we are in need or in trouble and God does not seem to be responding to our pleas for help, then we are lying. We are prostituting ourselves to other forms, we are committing adultery, because the fact is, we do not really love God after all. St. Paul in the second reading gives us an example of a married couple to illustrate the relationship between God and us. If we pray to other gods; if we turn to other gods or other forms of help; then we will be committing adultery against God like how some of us commit adultery against our spouse when we are unfaithful to them.

This is why we need to make a firm commitment to love God above all else. We need to maintain fidelity and remain faithful to God regardless whether times are good or bad. In today’s gospel, many of Jesus’ followers left Him because they could not accept His teaching. If we say that we love God, then we must accept His teachings. We cannot choose to believe what suit us or make us feel comfortable. We must take God as He is and not according to our own terms. We must choose God over and above all other gods, whether it be money, wealth, fame, power, or other deities. This relationship we have with God must also be reflected in our families and community. Do we show our love to our husband or wife and family members in the way that we show our love to God? Do we show love for our children the same way God loves us? If we are not truly loving God and loving others the way God loves us, then what sort of a Christian life are we living? Are we not being hypocrites, “cakap tak serupa bikin,” only know how to say and not doing what we say?

Today, let us pray that God will strengthen our faith in Him and also strengthen our relationship with one another especially in the family and in the community. Let us not only pray, but also take action, do our part, and be truly loving and forgiving towards others. May we mean what we say, and say what we mean, and do all we can to show our love for God and for others.

Housekeeping – Week 20 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in Housekeeping, Ordinary Time, Sunday, Weekday Leave a comment

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

16 Aug 2015 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
17 Aug 2015 – Monday of Week 20 Year 1
18 Aug 2015 – Tuesday of Week 20 Year 1
19 Aug 2015 – Wednesday of Week 20 Year 1
20 Aug 2015 – Thursday of Week 20 Year 1
21 Aug 2015 – Friday of Week 20 Year 1

Friday of Week 20 Year 1

Posted on by Posted in 20th, Friday, Ordinary Time, Weekday, Year 1 Leave a comment

In ancient times, there was no such thing as social security or a “welfare” state. People survived by depending on their spouse and children. This made it even more difficult for especially women to survive, should they have no husband, or should they lose their husband, and also should they lose their sons. If a woman was in such a terrible situation, she would need to depend on the generosity of neighbours and others who may help her according to their means, especially if the woman was elderly and no longer able to do some work to make ends meet.

In today’s reading, we come across one such woman named Naomi. She had lost her husband, and then lost both her sons. As she no longer had any immediate family, she felt that her two daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth were no longer under any obligation to stay with her and help care for her. Perhaps she did not want them to see her as a burden to them, perhaps she felt that they were still young enough to go back to their people and perhaps find another husband. But whatever the reason was, Naomi was willing to let them go. Orpah chose to go back to her people, but Ruth was determined to stay with Naomi and together face an uncertain future. Because of her generosity and willingness to keep Naomi company, we will later see how through Ruth, the lineage of David would eventually lead to our Lord, Jesus Christ.

If you were in Ruth’s shoes, would you choose to stay, or would you choose to go? Either way, we are not at fault or wrong in our choice. But sometimes, our love and generosity could lead to better and greater things. It is a question of how much we are willing to give, since God could use the little we give to work wonders. May we consider our options carefully, and do what is right for the greater glory of God.