For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
1 Nov 2015 – All Saints Day
2 Nov 2015 – All Souls Day
3 Nov 2015 – Tuesday of Week 31 Year 1
4 Nov 2015 – Wednesday of Week 31 Year 1
5 Nov 2015 – Thursday of Week 31 Year 1
6 Nov 2015 – Friday of Week 31 Year 1
There is nothing wrong with having money and possessions, since we need to survive and prosper in this world. But what becomes wrong is when we become focused only in using such money or possessions in a wasteful manner, or in a way which contradicts the values of the Gospel. Instead, we should be using our wealth and possessions for our spiritual growth and for the glory of God, since that would bring about growth in our relationship with God and with others.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus praised a steward who misused his master’s money. The dishonest steward is praised not for mishandling his master’s wealth, but for his shrewdness and foresight in avoiding personal disaster while securing his future livelihood. What Jesus is trying to teach here is not so much on how to prevent a personal financial or economic crisis. Instead, He is more concerned that we use our shrewdness and foresight to prevent a spiritual and moral crisis.
May we make more effort in spiritual matters which have eternal consequences, instead of only focusing on making much effort in earthly matters which have temporary consequences, so that we would be better off in this life and in the next.
Each and every one of us has an impact on others in one way or another, whether we like it or not, and whether we are aware of it or not. For example, a child would follow or imitate your habits, words and expressions, and after a while, the child would become accustomed or used to such things. The expression “a chip of the old block” may apply to a certain extend here. That is why in matters of faith, parents are responsible to pass on the basics of faith, good conduct and virtues to their children. If the parents themselves are not bothered about their faith, then their children may follow suit, though by the grace of God, some of such children may rediscover God and faith later in life.
That is why St. Paul cautions us in today’s reading: “The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. This is also why you should never pass judgement on a brother or treat him with contempt, as some of you have done.” We ought to be careful how we conduct ourselves and how we behave, since some others may get the right or wrong understanding or impression of Christianity, depending on our words and actions. May we be prudent and good examples to others, so that we may truly be light of the world and salt of the earth.
Love is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection to pleasure. It can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection. It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one’s self or animals. All in all, the word “love” can be simple and complicated to fully understand. But what is a Christian understanding of love?
In today’s reading, St. Paul gives us a clue of what Christian understanding of love is all about: “Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.” If we truly love others, including those we find difficult to love, then we would be living in harmony and peace. But the problem is, some of us are still holding on to our needs and wants, our pride and prejudice, our insecurities and low self-esteem, that we are unable to love the way God loves all. May we be open and humble enough to let God change us, so that we may learn to truly and genuinely love all, just as God loves all.
Whenever you come to church, what is the first thing that you normally do? Some of us may kneel down in prayer, some may sit and spend time with the Lord, some may meet up with friends and chat a little, hopefully outside the church. But how many of us would make effort or go through the trouble to look around and see if there are any strangers or newcomers especially inside the church or near the church entrance? Do we make our church a place where all are welcomed?
In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us: “Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.” Some of us may think that being welcoming and hospitable to others, especially strangers and newcomers, is solely the responsibility of the hospitality ministers. But if we consider ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ, sons and daughters of God, then shouldn’t being welcoming and hospitable to others be our responsibility and duty also? After all, we are part of God’s family, and surely there should be no strangers in God’s family.
At some point of our lives, we would have lost someone to death. We would have experienced the pain of losing a loved one, a grandparent, a parent, a sibling or even a close relation. Some of us may feel as if we would never see the person again, and some may feel quite sad, down or even helpless. Some may have wondered whether they had done something or said something hurtful, which could have somehow affected the other person and increased the possibility of death. But the fact is, we all will die one day, as our being here on earth is only temporary.
Some of us may become quite worried and wondered what is going to happen to us and to our loved ones when we die. Some of us become filled with anxiety, wondering if we would face eternal life or eternal damnation. But as St. Paul reminds us in the second reading: “Having died to make us a righteous, is it likely that He (Jesus) would now fail to save us from God’s anger?” If we have faith and trust in Jesus, if we have done our best to follow God’s commandments, then there should be no need for us to worry or fear, since Jesus would be our help and guide. We must remember that our loved ones are now in the hands of God and in His infinite mercy. We believe that God can care for them far better than we can ever achieve.
Isaiah in the first reading further reassures us: “On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever.” May we be consistent and humble in our efforts to grow in relationship with God, knowing that death is not the end, but a hopeful new beginning with the Lord.
What is a saint? Some people seem to think that saints are special or outstanding people living special or outstanding holy lives. Some people seem to assume that saints are able to perform amazing works of miracles or great acts of piety such as praying long hours, enduring great sufferings for Christ and remaining sinless. But these are not what a saint is all about, since we sometimes over-exaggerate the good points of the saints, while forgetting that they too have had not so good points. So what makes a “saint” a saint?
What makes a “saint” a saint is basically his or her ability and openness to be in touch with his or her humanness, and making efforts to remain holy while remaining human. The beatitudes in today’s gospel paints us a beautiful picture of what it means to be human and to be holy: by describing those who are happy, blessed, holy, and in touch with their pain, weaknesses and limitations. The beatitudes remind us that saints are the poor in the spirit, for they recognise their own weakness and limitations and therefore their need for God; they are gentle persons and not people of violence; they stand for justice by not remaining silent but stand up especially for the poor, the marginalised, and those who have no voice of their own; they are able to show compassion to others because they too have received compassion from God; they are pure in heart, as they have no hidden agenda; and they are also peacemakers in a world ridden with violence and revenge.
What does this mean to all of us? It means that each of us is called to be a saint. We are called to recognise our poverty, our weaknesses, our pain, our need for compassion, our desire for peace and justice, and our need for God. It is not impossible to be a saint, all we need to do is to be consistent, humble and willing to live life as Christ meant for us to live, and to let Him be our help and guide.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
25 Oct 2015 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
26 Oct 2015 – Monday of Week 30 Year 1
27 Oct 2015 – Tuesday of Week 30 Year 1
28 Oct 2015 – Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles – Feast
29 Oct 2015 – Thursday of Week 30 Year 1
30 Oct 2015 – Friday of Week 30 Year 1
What is an extremist? An extremist is a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action. In each religion, we would encounter extremists in one way or another. It is precisely such extremists who give the religion a bad name, since what they do and their way of thinking is off the mark, or out of line with what is the actual teaching of the particular religion. What is supposed to be simple teaching is taken by such people and made into complicated and radical. Sometimes, such extremists do such things to draw attention to themselves, and to attract especially the young to join their cause.
In today’s Gospel, we come across a bunch of extremists who are the lawyers and the Pharisees. These folks held an extreme view about many things, one of which is concerning keeping the sabbath. To them, keeping the sabbath means no work can be done, not even good deeds. But Jesus caught them in an embarassing situation when He said: “‘Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a sabbath day without hesitation?’ And to this they could find no answer.” Obviously, any right-minded person would rescue his son or his ox from danger without hesitation, even on the sabbath. But when we are dealing with extremists, their minds are so warped and they have become so stubborn and obstinate, that even doing such a good and merciful act is prohibited. This is why the lawyers and Pharisees could not and dared not answer Jesus’ challenge, since they would be conflicting their absurd position if they were to agree that such a good or merciful deed is permissable and lauded.
What about us? Are some of us extremists in one way or another? Have we put people off or caused disharmony in our community with our extreme views through our behaviour, attitude and conduct? Let us check ourselves and shed ourselves of such extreme views, so that we may learn to live and love according to the ways of the Lord once again.
