Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: 17th

Tuesday of Week 17 Year 1

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Each day we are presented with many choices, some good, some not so good, some bad. Some of you may say that the choice is quite obvious, that is, to do good. But sometimes, what seems good may not necessarily be so, and the choices we make would lead to certain consequences. As the years go by, we gather more and more of the consequences of the choices we make. Eventually, we take a stand, on whether to do good or to do evil, and the stand we take is called a fundamental option (in other words, an ultimate, no return, no change, option).

In today’s Gospel, Jesus cautioned us: “Just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”  Jesus is cautioning us that if our choice is to do evil, then we would need to be prepared to face the consequences. It may seem surprising, but we have seen many examples of evil being done by people over the years, since God does not force us to be good. May we be cautious and discern carefully about the choices we make, since our eternal future is at stake.

Monday of Week 17 Year 1

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Being impatient and feeling insecure could sometimes lead us to committing an offence or even causing us to sin. For example, we are waiting for the traffic light to turn green, and due to a heavy volume of traffic, the light has not changed for quite some time. Some of us begin to become quite impatient or even irritated, and some may even drive forward, thinking that the traffic light is not functioning properly. But the traffic light is actually working, and eventually changes to green. But because we had moved on without waiting for the light to change, we may end up with a traffic summons, or even cause an accident as a consequence of trying to beat the light. When we feel insecure, we may begin to find ways to preserve and satisfy our wants and needs. Could some of us be impatient and feeling insecure, and end up doing things irrationally?

In today’s reading, we come across the sons of Israel who were impatient and insecure. Just because Moses was not around for a moment, the sons of Israel thought that Moses and even God had abandoned them and they became increasingly worried and insecure. This made them make a gold calf to be their god to go at their head. Of course, their idolatry was inexcusable, and Moses had to plead with God on their behalf, and yet, God was still merciful and continued to guide them.

Sometimes we may have been impatient and felt insecure especially when we are experiencing difficulties, persecution or even the possibility of death. Some of us may begin to doubt, just like the sons of Israel did, on whether God still cares. But let us be reminded that God can and will help us. We just need to be patient and to have full trust in God, knowing that He would take care of us, according to His time and for His glory.

Thursday of Week 17 Year 2

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As children, some of us may have played with mud or clay before. We may have tried to make an object with mud or clay, so that we could use such an object to play perhaps with our friends or even imaginary friends. Sometimes we would try to make an object which could be used as a decorative item. When we are not too happy with what we made, we just roll the whole thing into a big ball of mess, and start over, until we are satisfied with what we have made.

In today’s reading: “I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.” God constantly worked on the Israelites and tried to help them come back to Him. Likewise, God is also constantly working on us, inviting us to turn back to Him and depend on Him. Sometimes we are resistant to His moulding, and we may not turn out according to what He likes, but He is still willing to try again until we are moulded into something better. Are we willing to let God, like the potter, mould us into the best we can be?

Wednesday of Week 17 Year 2

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Some of us may have slacked in our faith or even gone astray at some point of our lives, due to various reasons. But even though we may have forgotten about God or church, God does not forget us. In fact, God is constantly calling out to us to come back to Him and walk in His ways. But God is not forcing us to come back, nor is He making us come back right away. He gives us time and many opportunities to come back. However, He is not going to wait for us indefinitely. At the end, we are accountable and responsible for coming back to Him or being away from Him.

In today’s reading, God is inviting His people and us too, to come back to Him. He even assures us: “If you come back, I will take you back into my service; and if you utter noble, not despicable, thoughts, you shall be as my own mouth… I am with you to save you and to deliver you – it is the Lord who speaks. I mean to deliver you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the clutches of the violent.” If God is so loving, so forgiving and so willing to take us back, what about us? Why do we delay in coming back to Him? Also, why do we delay in being loving and forgiving to others too? May we learn to be like our loving God, and remain in His love and providence.

Tuesday of Week 17 Year 2

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When we are given a choice to do good or to do bad, what would we choose? We may say that the answer is obvious, that is, we would choose to do good. But sometimes we have people who persistently choose to do bad, despite being given much opportunities to change. Ultimately, our choices could lead to different consequences, some good, some bad.

Our spiritual life too are also full of choices. We could choose to grow faithfully, consistently and humbly closer to God, or we could choose to avoid God. In making effort to grow in relationship with God, we are allowing the good seed to be sown into our soul, as mentioned in today’s Gospel. When we sin and neglect or refuse to go for Confession, we may be sowing darnel into our soul. At the end, what would happen to us would depend on what we sow, either wheat or darnel in our soul. Ultimately, we choose what the outcome would be, depending on the way we lived our lives. Therefore, let us be prudent and make a choice. Whether we choose to live a life with God, or away from God, we should be prepared to face the rewards or consequences.

Housekeeping – Week 17 Year 2

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

24 July 2016 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
25 July 2016 – St. James, Apostle – Feast
26 July 2016 – Tuesday of Week 17 Year 2
27 July 2016 – Wednesday of Week 17 Year 2
28 July 2016 – Thursday of Week 17 Year 2
29 July 2016 – St. Matha, Memorial

Tuesday of Week 17 Year 2

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Each and every one of us are given choices throughout our lives here on earth. We can choose good things, or we can choose not so good or bad things. Some of you may be wondering: “This padre is crazy. Of course we would choose good things. Who in their right mind would choose bad things?” But the funny thing about life is that, there are people who do choose bad things, whether they are aware of it or not. For example, we can choose to eat healthily most of the time, or we could choose to eat junk food or rubbish (in other words, food which may not be good or may be damaging for our health). We could choose to live a life free of addiction and intoxicants, or we could become addicted and dependent on tobacco, liquor, or even drugs. We could choose to speak politely and humbly, or we could choose to use vulgar words or speak in a disgusting tone. Ultimately, our choices could lead to different consequences, some good, some bad.

In the same way, our spiritual life are also full of choices. We could choose to grow faithfully, consistently and humbly closer to God, or we could choose to avoid God. When we are making effort to grow in relationship with God, we are allowing the good seed to be sown into our soul, as mentioned in today’s Gospel. When we sin and neglect or refuse to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession, we may be sowing darnel into our soul. At the end, there would be wheat or darnel in our soul, and what would happen to us would depend on what we sow. Do we wish to be counted among the subjects of the kingdom, or do we rather end up as subjects of the evil one? It may seem strange or odd, but ultimately, we choose what the outcome would be, depending on the way we lived our lives.

Today, may we be prudent and make a choice. We call such a choice a fundamental option, where we choose to live a life with God, or away from God. May we choose wisely, since our eternal future is at stake.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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Why do you pray? How do you pray? Do you pray to get things; to gain healing for yourself or for others; or for some other good cause? But quite often, our prayers do not get answered in the way that we want. Then what happens? Do some of us begin to fret and pout, angry that God is not helping us or granting our prayers? Or do we start going for other forms of help, thinking that these would help instead? Or do some of us give up, thinking that God is not going to help us anyhow, and some of us even despair? How should we pray as Christians?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find, knock, and the door will be opened to you” How do we understand these words of Jesus, considering that our prayers are not always answered no matter how hard we try? Perhaps the key or clue could be found in the first half of the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.” What do these words mean? It means that whenever we pray, we are praying that whatever happens would glorify God and not ourselves. It means that we are praying that God’s kingdom be established and that His will be done and not that our own kingdom be established or our own will be done. It means that we are praying that we will depend on him for our well-being and that even our daily sustenance should be seen as a pure gift from God. This is the content and the goal of our prayer, the kind of prayer that God will never refuse.

The problem with some of us is that some of us seem to think we can manipulate and control God through our prayers. For example, if we attend a number of novenas or recite a certain amount of rosary, or we pray the chaplet of the divine mercy or follow some sort of devotion faithfully, we believe that our prayers will certainly be answered. What we fail to realise is that prayer is not magic, or some sort of murgaga or hokus pokus we sometimes see on television. Prayer does not mean we can control God. Instead, true prayer brings about conversion and change on our part, so that we can learn to let God take control of our lives. God does indeed answer prayers. But His answer may not be according to what we may expect or hope for. Sometimes, God says ‘Yes,’ sometimes ‘No,’ sometimes ‘now,’ sometimes ‘later,’ sometimes ‘this way,’ sometimes ‘that way.’ Whatever be the outcome may be, God knows best. Are we willing to trust God and let Him decide?

Today, let us pray earnestly, consistently and with humility, trust and patience, knowing that our Lord knows what is best for us and will answer our prayers according to His time, His purposes, His love and His mercy, and for His greater glory.

Friday of Week 17 Year 1

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Supposing one day your parish priest gets transferred to another parish, and you are to receive a new parish priest. Or supposing a religious sister who has been working with the parish community for years is transferred elsewhere and a new religious sister is coming to take her place. Would you be excited or anxious? Perhaps some of us may be quite excited about the prospect of working with “new blood” or with a different style of leadership. Some of us may be somewhat anxious, since we have not received news about who is coming to succeed the parish priest or the religious sister. Then the day comes, and guess who has come to take over? A son or daughter of the parish, that is, someone whose origins are from the parish he or she is now being posted to. What happens then? Some people may be become quite disappointed. Some may begin to feel resentment and frustration that the bishop or superior seems to have “played them out” so to speak, by sending someone they are familiar with, perhaps too familiar with.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “‘A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house’, and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” The people did not accept Jesus because he was a son of that community, people there thought they knew Him too well, and they already had preconceived opinions and ideas about Him. Their hearts were closed and they did not think Jesus had anything to offer them. As a result, they had rejected Jesus upfront, without even giving Him a chance to help and guide them.

Some of us too may have this attitude problem. Some of us think that a son or daughter of the parish is just not good enough to be our shepherd and guide. We know that we are short of vocations, and yet when we have a son or daughter of the parish in our midst, our preconceived ideas and opinions surface and rear their ugly heads, making it difficult for some to accept a familiar face. The question is: are we willing and docile enough to change our attitude and work with the son or daughter of the parish? Who knows, he or she may turn out to be an amazing and loving shepherd and guide. May we be willing to let go of our coloured vision and journey together even with someone we are familiar with, for God can use him or her as an instrument to transform the parish into something better.

Thursday of Week 17 Year 1

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Does anyone not want to be with the Lord in heaven? I believe most people would want to be with the Lord in heaven, and we would try our utmost best to live good Christian lives and try to avoid any occasion of sin with the help of God. But though it may seem strange, we do get people who do not want to be with the Lord in heaven for some reason or another. At the end of the day, whether we end up with the Lord in heaven or otherwise, depends on our fundamental option, which is the ultimate choice we make and we remain steadfast to that choice.

In today’s Gospel, we read: “Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'” How we have lived our lives as Christians would give us some indication of whether we would end up in the basket or thrown away. May we not slack or neglect our responsibilities as Christians, constanly forgiving and asking for forgiveness, and making every effort to grow in our spiritual life and maintaining good relationship with God, so that we may be happy and rejoice in His presence for all eternity.