Faithfulness and Love

Author Archives: Andrew Kooi

Dec 28 – The Holy Innocents, Martyrs – Feast

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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Like St Stephen whose Feast we celebrated on Dec 26, the Holy Innocents were martyred or killed. Their deaths were a consequence of Jesus fleeing to Egypt. Why did they have to die? King Herod was a paranoid and insanely jealous man. He did not want anybody coming between him and his throne. He saw Jesus as a threat to his sovereignty and power. So, in his mind, the best solution would be to kill Jesus. Since he did not know what Jesus look like and where Jesus was, the simple option would be to kill any babies around, with the hope that one of them would turn out to be Jesus.

Some of us too can sometimes be paranoid or jealous about something. As a result, great sins could be committed to protect what we think is rightfully ours. Are we forgetting our ultimate purpose to be in good relationship with the Lord and eventually dwell in His presence? Have worldly pleasures and riches blinded us? Let us choose wisely for our eternal future.

Dec 27 – Saint John, Apostle, Evangelist – Feast

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Today we celebrate the feast of the Apostle John. He is accredited for writing the Gospel according to John. He was the only apostle who was not martyred. We also know that John was given the responsibility to care for Mary by Jesus, when Jesus was about to die. He is known as the “beloved disciple.” Throughout his life and writings, he had one simple message: “My dear children, love one another.” God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son. John followed God’s example in sharing love with others through his example and in his writings.

What about us? In this world where love seems more and more superficial, are we following St. John’s example in spreading true love to all? Let us take heed what St. John taught us about love: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:7-12).

Dec 26 – Saint Stephen, the first Martyr – Feast

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Most of us are still in a merry mood, as this is the season of Christmas. All of a sudden, the church brings in this feast of St. Stephen. Some of us may feel that this feast seems out of place, or seems to spoil the mood. However, we must not forget the real purpose of Jesus coming.

St. Stephen whose feast we celebrate today reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice we ought to make. If we are challenged to give up our faith, or if we are threatened with death if we do not commit sacrilege, would we be willing to die for the faith? This ultimate sacrifice is not easy to do, especially since some of us may value our lives and may find it difficult to just let it go for the greater glory of God. However, should we be put in such a situation, what would our response be?

This feast of St. Stephen reminds us that Jesus came to offer His life for our salvation, and on the cross he did just that. Would we be able to put aside our fear and doubt and offer our lives as a pleasing sacrifice for the faith? May God give us strength and courage to do what is right when the time comes.

Christmas Day – Mass During the Day

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Nowadays we hear the word “love” being used and misused rampantly. People sometimes interchange the word “like” or “enjoy” with the word “love.” For example, a person may say “I love ice-cream” but actually mean “I like or enjoy eating ice-cream.” Or perhaps a person may say “I love shopping” but actually mean “I like going shopping.” The word “love” is too often used instead of the word “like” or “enjoy,” for things which are merely pleasing, but evoke no great warmth of feeling or desire. This habitual use of the word “love” to express other feelings minimises and cheapens the real meaning and potential of love in its true sense.

While some of us may not fully understand or appreciate the word “love,” God has shown us in many ways the true meaning of the word “love.” Today we celebrate Christmas Day and today, “The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” This “Word” is Jesus Christ who came because “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” What about us? Are we willing to love others with all sincerity, just as God loves us unconditionally? Let us bring the joy of Christmas, spreading peace, love and goodwill to all persons.

Christmas Eve – Midnight Mass

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Most of us would not want to be alone during the Christmas season. We would like to be with our families, friends, loved ones and share the joy of Christmas with them. However, there are some of us who, for some reason or another, may not have opportunity to be with our families, friends, loved ones. When we are alone during this time, how would we feel?

When Jesus was born, He too was alone. Only His parents were there to welcome Him. The first people to know about His birth were the shepherds, who were also alone out in the fields with their flock. Shepherds were considered unclean, according to Jewish law, as they had contact with all sorts of animals. However, what is surprising is that the angels came to announce the birth of the King of kings to them. We often think that such an announcement should have been made to kings, the powerful, the rich… But to shepherds? Yet, these shepherds were the first to know and the first to visit our new born King.

Look around us… Do we see people who are alone around us? Do we invite them to share the joy of Christmas in our homes? Do we bring the joy of Christmas to them, if they are unable to come join us? We may have received many gifts or presents for Christmas. Are we willing to offer gifts and presents to others around us, especially those who are alone, marginalised, suffering, etc.? In our merry-making and joy, we may forget those around us who are alone. We may even forget the real meaning of Christmas: the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We may have been influenced by worldly distractions such as giving gifts to each other, santa claus, santarinas, frosty the snowman, etc. “Today a saviour has been born to us, he is Christ the Lord.” Let us bring the joy of Christmas to all around us and we as one faithful rejoice His birth.

23 December – Season of Advent

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Earlier we saw how Zechariah was struck dumb for not believing the angel Gabriel’s message. In today’s Gospel, we see Zechariah redeeming himself and getting his power of speech back when he gave his support to Elizabeth by insisting that the child be named John.

Sometimes in life, we may have committed sin and we suffer the consequences. However, we are given opportunities to make right what we had done wrong. Are we doing penance for our sins and building our relationship with God? Are we humble enough, like Zechariah, to do the right thing? Ultimately, we must take responsibility for our actions and conduct. God gives us opportunities to come back to Him, let us not squander away these opportunities and lose our life.

4th Sunday of Advent Year A

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What’s in a name? As parents-to-be, it is important to think carefully and consider the consequences of giving your child a particular name. Sometimes, we may not be aware of the meaning of the name and what it would mean according to different languages. For example, a person named Ho Chin Chai may appear to have an innocent name, but in Hokkien language, “Ho” means “very” and “Chin Chai” sounds like “cincai” in Bahasa Malaysia, which means “simply”; “casually”; “do as one pleases”; “without thought” or “randomly”. Another example is if a person has a surname “Chan” and has a given name like “Bella” or “Isabella.” The person would then be known as “Bella Chan” or “Isabella Chan.” Sounds like an ok name, but if you look at it in Bahasa Malaysia, the name would become “belacan” or “is a belacan”! “Belacan” is shrimp paste or shrimp sauce, a common ingredient used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisine. It would be quite embarrassing if a teacher or some one would to call out, “Belacan, come see me now.” So, it is important to choose a name wisely, otherwise one may face a lifetime of ridicule, teasing and embarrassment.

As Catholics, we are also advised to choose a baptism and/or confirmation name wisely. We are encouraged to choose a name of a saint, one whose example we could follow and imitate. In today’s Gospel, the angel of the Lord commands Joseph to name the child Jesus, “because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.” The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘God saves.’ Throughout the Gospels, we would see that Jesus truly lives up to his name as our saviour and redeemer. Jesus is also known, in today’s First Reading and Gospel as “Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.'” God has taken the initiative to come close to us and has become one of us, instead of we trying to come close to Him.

Seeing how important it is for us to choose a name wisely, let us reflect on the name given to us. Is it a name of a saint? Are we living up to our name by following and imitating the saint’s example? Our names are not a trivial or “cincai” matter. May God help us to be worthy of the name given to us.

Housekeeping – 3rd Week of Advent

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

15 December 2013 – 3rd Sunday of Advent Year A
16 December 2013 – Monday of the 3rd Week of Advent
17 December 2013 – 17 December – Season of Advent
18 December 2013 – 18 December – Season of Advent
19 December 2013 – 19 December – Season of Advent
20 December 2013 – 20 December – Season of Advent

20 December – Season of Advent

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If Zechariah is an example of doubt, even when a message is given by an angel, in today’s Gospel, we see an example of trust and total dependence on God. Mary did ask the angel Gabriel: “But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?” The difference here is that Mary accepted and believed in the angel’s message by responding: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.”

Supposing we received a message from an angel, would we unreservedly and willingly accept and act on the message? Or would we allow doubt to take over?

19 December – Season of Advent

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Many of us may have been influenced by cute or beautiful pictures of angels. However, angels are far from cute. When an angel appears, it can be a terrifying and majestic sight. We read in today’s Gospel that Zechariah was overcome with fear and the angel said to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid…”

We know that it is highly unlikely for an elderly woman to become pregnant and bear a child. We also know that when an angel appears, it is usually for an important message from God. In this case, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to give him some great news: his wife would bear him a son. Such words from an angel should not be taken lightly. Yet, Zechariah still doubted the angel’s words. By doing so, Zechariah seems to have doubted God. As a result, Zechariah as the Gospel tells us, “was silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.”

When we receive such amazing and mind-boggling news from an angel, what do we do? Do we doubt even the words of an angel? Do we begin to think that perhaps our mind is playing tricks on us and what we are seeing is merely an illusion, what we are hearing is merely an imagination? Or do we trust the angel’s words and trust God, just like Mary did when she said: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.”?