Faithfulness and Love

Author Archives: gubahan

Wednesday of Week 25 Year 2

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We sometimes bring more than what is necessary when it comes to a holiday or a trip. I remember many years ago when my grandmother was younger and able to travel, and she planned to visit and stay with an uncle and his family in Singapore for a few weeks. We were at the train station in Kuala Lumpur to send her off and I was quite perplexed to see so many bags being loaded onto the train. My dad remarked: “Wow! Are you moving house or something?” Altogether, she had about 5 big bags and they were quite heavy, and I wondered how my grandmother, who was quite small sized, would be able to managed all that luggage during the trip.

In contrast to the number of luggage brought by my grandmother, Jesus in today’s Gospel “called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there.”

By not carrying additional or unnecessary luggage or burdens, the apostles were freer to go about doing their duty in preaching, teaching and healing, instead of being saddled or slowed down by such baggage, while being dependent on God’s providence and care to keep going. When we get our priorities right and focus on what we are called to do, God would surely take care of us, and often times we may even get more than we need. Are we willing to trust and let God be in control, while we glorify Him in all we say and do?

Saturday of Week 24 Year 2

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I recall reading an article about the burning of paper gifts, paper houses with what seems to be lots of servants in them, even paper modern products such as computer, car and hand-phone, as if such products and facilities would still be needed when one dies and is in what some believe to be the afterworld. In the article, I learnt that the original intention for the burning of such items was not for the afterworld, as some seem to believe, but to remind one of impermanence and detachment from such things, since such things cannot be physically brought with us when we die.

In today’s reading, we see a similar situation about not being too concerned with things on earth, as such things are also impermanent and one should be detached. The reading tells us: “Someone may ask, ‘How are dead people raised, and what sort of body do they have when they come back?’ They are stupid questions. Whatever you sow in the ground has to die before it is given new life and the thing that you sow is not what is going to come; you sow a bare grain, say of wheat or something like that, It is the same with the resurrection of the dead: the thing that is sown is perishable but what is raised is imperishable; the thing that is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; the thing that is sown is weak but what is raised is powerful; when it is sown it embodies the soul, when it is raised it embodies the spirit.”

Just as a seed dies and transforms into something better, our bodies too will die, decay and eventually turn to dust, but our souls will become better and glorious, especially if we have been maintaining a good relationship with God. This is why we should make more effort in growing in relationship with God, and not be too concerned with worldly wealth and power, since such things won’t last. Are we putting our priorities right, and letting God be our guide and happiness?

Thursday of Week 24 Year 2

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It is easy for some of us to become attracted and distracted by so called church teaching from various other sources. We sometimes lose focus on what is true, genuine church teaching, because the teaching we read or hear from such other sources appears to come from some so-called authoritative figure, or the teaching itself seems appealing to us, or such teaching seems to satisfiy our interpretation of what being church and being a follower of Christ means. But how do we know for certain whether such teaching is genuine or bona fide?

One way of ensuring that such church teaching is genuine is to read or hear such teaching from certified or official sources, and such teaching should jive or flow from the apostles, as St. Paul reminds us in today’s reading: “Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything.” As we can read, St. Paul is telling us that he is the genuine authoritative figure, instead of listening to so called other authoritative figures who may only lead us astray.

So what does this mean to us? It means that we must be prudent and discern what we read or hear, and scrutinise the source of such teaching. This is to ensure that we do not lose our way in our faith, and we should also guide others so that they too will not lose their way. May we make every effort to ensure we read and hear only true and genuine teaching, and share such genuine teaching to all.

Wednesday of Week 24 Year 2

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It is inevitable that no matter where one serves, no matter what one does, one would somehow have one’s share of critics or people who cannot accept or agree with almost everything or even to the point of everything of what one says ot does. This is because there are people who only want things done in a certain way, or they cannot accept what another does no matter how good and just it may be, or they only accept things which meet or surpass their requirements and expectations. Anything else would only encounter the displeasure or wrath of such persons.

In today’s Gospel, we see examples of how we can never satisfy or please everyone, especially when it comes to service and mission. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us: “‘For John the Baptist comes, not eating bread, not drinking wine, and you say, “He is possessed.”’The Son of Man comes, eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet Wisdom has been proved right by all her children.'”

At the end of the day, we need to ask ourselves sincerely: are we performing service and mission to please and satisfy others, or are we doing so for the Glory of God? Are we more concerned about getting praise, acceptance and recognition from others; or are we more concerned about doing God’s will? May we put our priorities right, and ultimately in all we say and do, give God the greater glory.

Thursday of Week 23 Year 2

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What is a scandal? A scandal is an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage. Scandals come in many forms, including embezzlements that have ruined the good name or good reputation of banks; politicians having affairs; aid for the poor and hungry being siphoned off by the rich and those in power; even wealth of certain nations being robbed by those in power, causing such nations to end up in serious debt and poverty. Even the church has seen its share of scandals, including sex abuse cases, power struggles, schisms, heresies, certain corrupted practices for material or temporal gain, and so on. When a scandal happens, the trust and confidence of those affected could be reduced, or even to the point of being lost completely.

In today’s reading, St. Paul talked about a different kind of scandal. He warned about eating foods that are sacrificed to idols, which could cause a scandal among the faithful, especially those who are weak in their faith. Some of us may think that it seems hardly a scandal, but in those times and even today, it would be enough to cause another’s downfall in the faith. This is why we must always remember that whatever we do or say is not a private affair, especially when it comes to witnessing as Christians. The consequences of our unwise and imprudent words and actions could spread farther and wider than we think. May we be alert and discern what we say and do, so that we say and do what is just and right, for the glory of God.

Monday of Week 22 Year 2

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Not everyone in this world is gifted in public speaking or have the gift of the gab. When it comes to speaking clearly, effectively, dynamically and captivatingly, one needs to treat public speaking as an art, and so training as well as practice is necessary. However, when it comes to preaching the Word of God, what sort of criteria do we really need? Do we apply the same criteria as public speaking? To some extent, the criteria required for public speaking applies, but there are some key differences. What sort of differences are there?

In today’s reading, St. Paul said that he preached without any show of oratory or philosophy, although he did mention about great “fear and trembling.” Also, when it came to preaching the Word of God, it is the power of the Holy Spirit complimented with the spirituality and conviction of St. Paul that mattered more. While St. Paul preached in a sensible and logical manner, it was more of the power of God that opened the hearts of his listeners, and so the one who preaches is merely an instrument in proclaiming the Good News and giving glory to God.

When it comes to preaching, it is tempting for us to seek attention, power and prestige, since our preaching could bring us quite a crowd. This is where we need to be humble and realise, just as St. Paul did, that ultimately, our preaching is not for our personal gratification, or to boost our ego, or to glorify ourselves, but to give all glory and honour to God.

Saturday of Week 21 Year 2

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One reality in life is that, for most of us, we come to this world and go from this world without the rest of the world ever noticing us. Not many of us can become rich, popular, powerful or famous; and even if we do become rich, popular, powerful or famous, such things are only temporary. Though we try to make a name for ourselves, to desire for attention, to bask in the limelight or to be just famous and popular; all these things will one day wane or be lost.

In today’s reading, we are challenged with a question: what is there to boast about? The reading reminds us: “it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God… As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.”

What does this mean to us? It means we must never allow ourselves to be seduced by riches, popularity, power or fame, and become proud, egoistic and conceited, since all these things won’t last. God could take these things away from us just as easily as these things were given to us. How we stand before people is not as important as how we stand before God. May we learn to remain humble and docile, and for whatever good we do, let us give thanks and praise the Lord.

Monday of Week 21 Year 2

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What is the difference between hurting someone and harming someone? Some of us think that there is no difference and the two mean the same thing, but actually, there is a difference between the two. For example, if a person stabs you at your abdomen with a knife, then that person not only hurts you but also harms you; but if a surgeon is handling that knife, then it might hurt you, especially when you wake up from anaesthesia, but it will not harm you. In our spiritual growth, telling someone a hard truth with the intention of fraternal correction might hurt that someone, but will not harm him or her, and it would actually be helping that someone.

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus calling the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and blind. Was Jesus hurting them? Surely. Was he harming them? Not at all. Jesus was actually giving the scribes and Pharisees a shock treatment, with hope that they may see the error of their ways and repent. But did the scribes and Pharisees get Jesus’ point and change their ways? No, because they had become so obstinate, proud and conceited, so much so that they had become indifferent and oblivious to the hurt.

When we become indifferent and oblivious to the hurt like the scribes and Pharisees, we may actually be harming ourselves. How so? We may be harming ourselves spiritually, and slowly drift away from God’s ways and end up doing our own thing. May we take notice of the hurt we experience in our spiritual journey, and let God transform us for our spiritual good.

Saturday of Week 20 Year 2

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I find it amusing listening to people who seem to have so many ideas and suggestions to make, and yet when they are asked to carry out such ideas and suggestions, they would suddenly back off and say that they are too busy, no time, unqualified and so many other excuses made. For example, there are people who have suggested that the church needs to have a better car park system, and they even suggest that a multi-storey car park should be built to accommodate the number of parishioners cared by the church. However, when such persons are asked to take charge of such a project and see it through, they all of a sudden have cold feet and try to push the task to others. Indeed, preaching ones ideas and suggestions is easy, but carrying them out is a different matter.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus told the people to listen to what the scribes and Pharisees tell them since they occupy the chair of Moses, but not to be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach. The scribes and Pharisees knew how to talk, and everything they did was to attract attention and make them appear as if they were holy and pious. But being holy and pious is not just about words, but more so about action, or action speaks louder than words, or walk the talk, so to speak.

What about us? Do we know only how to talk and make suggestions and demands? Or are we willing to do our part in seeing that the task at hand is done? May we learn to be humble and zealous in doing what is right, and glorify God in all we do.

Monday of Week 20 Year 2

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When we meet with an accident or have a bad fall, we may fracture our hand or leg. Such a fracture could cause tremendous pain, and we may require surgery and even have the affected leg or hand be put in a cast to enable the fracture to heal. Sometimes the fracture may take quite some time to heal, and we need to bear the pain while healing takes place. However, when we sin, do we feel the pain of a fracture in our relationship with God? Do we make effort to put our sinful ways in a cast, especially by going for confession and doing penance, so that the fracture in our relationship with God could heal over time?

In today’s reading, God told the prophet Ezekiel that he was about to lose his wife but he was not to mourn or grief. The reading also tells us that God had said: “I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes, the passion of your souls.” In other words, God will allow His Temple to be destroyed by enemies and the people were also not to mourn or grief. Why were the people not to mourn and grief? Precisely because they had sinned, and Ezekiel would be a sign to them that a fracture has occured in the relationship of the people with God, and the people would experience the pain of this fracture and learn that the Lord is God.

Just as a fracture of our hand or leg causes us tremendous pain, do we feel the pain of a fracture in our relationship with God, or have we become numb or even indifferent towards the pain? May we take responsibility for the many fractures that occur in our relationship with God, as a result of our sins, and be willing and humble to be healed by our loving Lord, even if much pain may be experienced, for the good of our eternal future.