Category Archives: 14th

Have some of us become more and more complacent or taking things for granted when it comes to sin? For example, I have noticed that when it comes to Lent and Advent, the number of faithful who come for the Sacrament of Reconciliation suddenly increases or surges, sometimes to a point where the priests present find it difficult to cope. But what about other times of the year? Do people only have sins to confess at certain times of the year, and they are sinless at other times?

Today’s reading tells us of the prophet Isaiah who had a mystical vision of the holiness of God. The prophet confessed his sinfulness, and subsequently he was cleansed and healed of his sinfulness, because he experienced the overwhelming glory of God. Not only that, the mystical experience also made him readily and willingly respond to God’s call to be His messenger.

If the prophet Isaiah Isaiah could recognise the magnitude of God’s holiness, and how incompatible sin is to God, then what about us?. Have some of us become so lax or have a “tidak apa” or “don’t care” attitude when it comes to sin? Or do some of us think that sin should be accumulated into a longer list or litany, before seeking confession? May we come to realise the seriousness of sin, and go for the Sacrament of Confession as soon as possible, to mend our relationship with God, and for the betterment of our eternal future.

When someone has sinned against us or has done us great hurt or harm, how would we respond? Would we be willing to forgive the person? Or would we look for an opportunity to get back or take revenge at the person? Would we follow Jesus’ way, in forgiving even those who have betrayed us? Or would we follow the ways of the world, where an eye for an eye is practised? It seems easy to get along with people who we like, but would be just as easily get along with people we less like?

In today’s reading, Joseph’s brothers were worried that Joseph would use the past as an excuse to hit back at them or to have his revenge after what they had done to him, now that their father Jacob is dead. But as we can see from the reading, Joseph chose to forgive, reconcile and be merciful towards his brothers, instead of holding a grudge or looking for an opportunity to exact revenge. Joseph chose to let bygones be bygones, and move on in God’s ways, instead of dwelling in the past.

What about us? Would we be willing to let bygones be bygones, and move on in God’s ways, just as Joseph has shown us? May we learn to let go of the hurt we may have experienced, and let God heal us and guide us to be more like His Son, Jesus, and give Him the glory in all we say and do.

I sometimes wonder whether we are living in an era where people are becoming more and more complacent or taking things for granted when it comes to sin. For example, when it comes to Lent and Advent, the number of faithful who come for the Sacrament of Reconciliation seems to depend on when and where confession takes place. At the beginning of Lent or Advent, the number of faithful who come for confession seem so few, so much so that at times, it seems as if the number of priests who have come to listen to confession are more than the faithful present. Yet, towards the end of Lent or Advent, the numbers seem to swell up tremendously, and the priests present find it difficult to cope. Some faithful even take their sweet time to come, sometimes quite late at night, and expect the priests to still be there.

In contrast to the way some faithful are when it comes to sin, today’s reading tells us of the prophet Isaiah who had a mystical vision of the holiness of God. The prophet confessed his sinfulness, and subsequently he was cleansed and healed of his sinfulness, because he experienced the overwhelming glory of God. Not only that, the mystical experience also made him readily and willingly respond to God’s call to be His messenger.

If we realise, just as the prophet Isaiah did, the magnitude of God’s holiness, and how incompatible sin is to God, then surely we should make every effort to go for confession more often, instead of just waiting for Lent or Advent to come by. Have some of us become so lax or have a “tidak apa” attitude or “don’t care” attitude when it comes to sin? Or have some of us have the misguided notion that sin should be accumulated into one lump sum before seeking confession? Let us not be caught off guard or unprepared, and make more effort to seek confession when possible, as our eternal future may be at stake.

Some people can be devious in their dealings with others. For example, they say they have put aside their differences with certain others, but in their hearts, they still hold a grudge or have not really forgiven or reconciled with the other. When opportunity strikes, they conveniently bring forth what had happened in the past to ridicule, condemn or even persecute the other, especially when the other is in an unfavourable or difficult situation. Could some of us be having such an attitude?

In today’s reading, we are told: “Seeing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph intends to treat us as enemies and repay us in full for all the wrong we did him?’ So they sent this message to Joseph: ‘Before your father died he gave us this order: “You must say to Joseph: Oh forgive your brothers their crime and their sin and all the wrong they did you.” Now therefore, we beg you, forgive the crime of the servants of your father’s God.’ Joseph wept at the message they sent to him. His brothers came themselves and fell down before him. ‘We present ourselves before you’ they said ‘as your slaves.’ But Joseph answered them, ‘Do not be afraid; is it for me to put myself in God’s place? The evil you planned to do me has by God’s design been turned to good, that he might bring about, as indeed he has, the deliverance of a numerous people. So you need not be afraid; I myself will provide for you and your dependants.’ In this way he reassured them with words that touched their hearts.”

Joseph’s brothers were worried that Joseph would use the past as an excuse to hit back at them or to have his revenge after what they had done to him, now that their father Jacob is dead. But as we can see from the reading, Joseph chose to forgive, reconcile and be merciful towards his brothers, instead of holding a grudge or looking for an opportunity to exact revenge. If we were in Joseph’s shoes, if we were in his situation, would we be humble and willing to do the same, or would we still insist in an eye for an eye? Are we able to put to practice what we say: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?”