Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: 21st

Tuesday of Week 21 Year 1

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As Christians, we are being constantly reminded to go forth and preach the Good News. This is not merely a request or a suggestion, but a command from the Lord, and a duty for each and every one of us. All of us Christians are called to preach the Good News, not just the priests, pastors, religious or missionaries. But when we go and preach the Good News, what is our true purpose or agenda in doing so? Are we doing it for the greater glory of God, or are we doing it for our personal gratification or personal gain, and to boost our reputation and ego?

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians and us: “We have not taken to preaching because we are deluded, or immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News, and when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts. You know very well, and we can swear it before God, that never at any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for trying to get money; nor have we ever looked for any special honour from men, either from you or anybody else, when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ. Instead, we were unassuming. Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.”

Ultimately, we need to check our motives and return to preaching the Good News with right motive, right intention and right disposition, since what we are doing ought not to be for ourselves, but for the greater glory of God.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

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Words are cheap. People can say many things, but they may not necessarily mean what they say. For example, we hear of all sorts of promises being made by certain leaders before an election, but once the leader has won the election, would he or she be committed in fulfilling the promises made? Some may try to do so to the best of their abilities, but as we have seen, there are those who only know how to talk, but do nothing in the end. In Bahasa Malaysia, we call such people “cakap tak serupa bikin” or “saying is not the same as doing.”

What about us Christians? We are taught to love God and love neighbour. But do we love God and love neighbour only in words and nothing more? Hopefully we as Christians would say that we love God and love neighbour not only in words, but especially in our actions, in our conduct and in our behaviour. If we love someone, especially if that someone is our girlfriend or boyfriend, we would try to see the person as often as possible, and we would also try to be with that person as much as possible. We call this “dating” (or as some may say, earning a “degree in ‘paktorlogy’) and some may make much effort in “dating” for some time, so that both would get to know each other pretty well, before deciding to get married or tie the knot, so to speak. But it is interesting to note that, when it comes to loving God, how many of us are making effort to go to church to spend time with Him? When we dislike a person, we would find ways and means to avoid or shun the person. But if some of us have been making all sorts of excuses or come to church only as and when it is convenient to us, doesn’t that mean we dislike God? Surely if we say we love God, then we should be trying to meet Him as much as possible.

If we say we love God, then how do we show it? Scripture reminds us that we must love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our being. This means that we must serve Him and only Him alone, and we must not have any other gods before Him. All this sounds nice and good when times are great, but when we are facing problems, difficulties, persecution or when times are bad, do we turn to God for help, or have some of us gone to bomohs, witch doctors, shamans, temple mediums and other forms of help? If we say that we love God, but we go to other forms of help when we are in need or in trouble and God does not seem to be responding to our pleas for help, then we are lying. We are prostituting ourselves to other forms, we are committing adultery, because the fact is, we do not really love God after all. St. Paul in the second reading gives us an example of a married couple to illustrate the relationship between God and us. If we pray to other gods; if we turn to other gods or other forms of help; then we will be committing adultery against God like how some of us commit adultery against our spouse when we are unfaithful to them.

This is why we need to make a firm commitment to love God above all else. We need to maintain fidelity and remain faithful to God regardless whether times are good or bad. In today’s gospel, many of Jesus’ followers left Him because they could not accept His teaching. If we say that we love God, then we must accept His teachings. We cannot choose to believe what suit us or make us feel comfortable. We must take God as He is and not according to our own terms. We must choose God over and above all other gods, whether it be money, wealth, fame, power, or other deities. This relationship we have with God must also be reflected in our families and community. Do we show our love to our husband or wife and family members in the way that we show our love to God? Do we show love for our children the same way God loves us? If we are not truly loving God and loving others the way God loves us, then what sort of a Christian life are we living? Are we not being hypocrites, “cakap tak serupa bikin,” only know how to say and not doing what we say?

Today, let us pray that God will strengthen our faith in Him and also strengthen our relationship with one another especially in the family and in the community. Let us not only pray, but also take action, do our part, and be truly loving and forgiving towards others. May we mean what we say, and say what we mean, and do all we can to show our love for God and for others.

Saturday of Week 21 Year 2

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Throughout human history, we have seen time and again God’s choice being quite different from mankind’s choice. In some instances, mankind had made the right choice, according to God’s choice. But more often than not, mankind chooses according to what the world sees as good or desirable attributes. So how do we understand God’s choice compared to our choice?

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us (1 Corinthians 1:26-31): “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.” It is clear to us that God’s choice do not conform to mankind’s choice, since God does not look at the externals like mankind does. God looks at the heart, which holds many secrets. A person can hide many things from others physically, but the person cannot hide from God spiritually. Let us discern carefully and listen to God’s voice, so that we may choose according to His terms.

Thursday of Week 21 Year 2

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Throughout our lives, we are constantly reminded by our parents to take care of our bodies. We maintain personal hygiene, eat well, get sufficient sleep, and get involved in various activities to help us develop. But we are also reminded to pay attention to our spiritual life too. If we neglect our bodies, we may be stricken with illnesses that could lead us to suffer. If we neglect our spiritual life, our souls will suffer and we would be putting our eternal future in jeopardy. We do not know when we will die, so we should not slacken or take things for granted, and always be ready to meet the Lord at any time, at any moment.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us “Stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming… You too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Are we staying awake in our spiritual life? Have we been making consistent effort to remain in good relationship with God? Let us not squander the many opportunities and time God has given us to prepare ourselves to meet Him.

Wednesday of Week 21 Year 2

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One of the many dangers we may fall into which could lead us to even more serious sins is laziness. When we are lazy, we begin to put off what we could have completed or done in a short time. Sometimes we procrastinate until the last moment before we attempt to do anything, only to discover that it is too late and there is nothing further we can do. Laziness can come in many forms, but it is laziness in our prayer life, in our spiritual life and in our relationship with God which we need to watch out for. In fact, one of the seven deadly sins we would have learnt is called sloth, where one is guilty of being too lazy or slow in doing something.

In today’s reading,  St Paul reminds us: “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who refuses to work or to live according to the tradition we passed on to you. You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you…” When we are lazy or idle, we begin to neglect many things, including our spiritual life. We think that we are ok, but the truth is we are not ok. We sometimes hear the saying: “an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.” When one has too much time in one’s hands and does not utilise the time properly, one could begin to waste time doing frivolous things, some of which could lead one to commit even more serious sins. Are we guilty of being idle? Are we using time wisely?

Tuesday of Week 21 Year 2

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Does anyone know precisely when we are going to die? Certainly not. What about when the world is going to end? Can anyone predict precisely when that would happen? Once again, no. It seems laughable that there are people who claim they know when the world would end, and they would use all sorts of tricks and so called predictions to support their claims. It is even more crazy that there are people so gullible to believe such claims. More often than not, these so called people who think “they are in the know” are merely tricksters, trying to scare others into giving up their property and wealth. Then when the so called predictions turn out to be a hoax, these people would conveniently make all sorts of excuses and new predictions, and some may just “disappear” with the loot.

In today’s reading, St Paul reminds us: “To turn, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way.” Instead of worrying too much about the end of the world, perhaps we should make more effort in remaining in good relationship with God. After all, if we are in good relationship with God, why should we be concerned about when the world would end? Don’t we trust that God would be there to care for us and protect us from harm?

Monday of Week 21 Year 2

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Some of us may have heard the expression “like a dog in a manger.” This expression is meant to refer to someone who keeps something that they do not really want in order to prevent anyone else from having it. It could also mean the attitude of certain people who are a stumbling block to other people, preventing other people from gaining something just because they themselves are unable to gain it.

In today’s Gospel, we see how Jesus was really giving it to the scribes and Pharisees. In a way, the scribes and Pharisees were being and behaving like “dogs in a manger.” Jesus calls them blind guides and hypocrites, preventing others from truly and really understand and experience God’s love and mercy. These scribes and Pharisees had become cold and hardened to God’s ways and since they could not experience God’s love and mercy themselves, they became indifferent towards others and created all sorts of rules and regulations to make it difficult or even impossible for others to do so.

What about us? Have we become stumbling blocks to others? Have we become “like a dog in a manger?” Let us look honestly at ourselves, especially our attitude and behaviour towards others, and humbly and earnestly seek God’s help, lest we become just like the scribes and Pharisees.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

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When a leader such as the pope, an abbot or a religious is chosen or selected after an extended process, we may sometimes question why such a person is selected. According to the ways of the world, such a person may have not even been considered, since the world often looks at a person’s popularity, strength, intelligence, power and other worldly capabilities and attributes. But the interesting thing is, God’s ways and choices are not our ways and choices. God looks at things which are often not noticeable or deep within which people tend to miss out, overlook or ignore. This is why, in the 2nd reading, St Paul reminds us: “How rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord?”

When such leaders are chosen, they sometimes have their names changed to another name, often a name of a saint. They put on a new identiy, and perhaps pray that they will be able live up to their new name and identity. In the Gospel, Simon was also given a new name. He was called Peter, which means “Rock.” Throughout the Gospel, we see Peter falling and getting up, and we sometimes wonder if Peter had really lived up to his name and identity. We wonder if Jesus had made a mistake in choosing not only Peter, but the other apostles too. After all, these 12 men were a strange mix of people. At hindsight, we begin to appreciate and realise that, no, Jesus did not make a mistake. He could see potential in Peter, and also potential in the other apostles. What appeared to be weaknesses and limitations could be transformed by God to serve His purposes.

When we are chosen and given a new identity, it is God who chooses us. God chooses us in spite of our weaknesses and limitations. God chooses the weak to shame the strong, the foolish to shame the wise, the sinner to shame the righteous. God’s choice may not necessarily be understood or appreciated. That is because our vision and expectations are sometimes coloured with the ways of the world. But one thing we can depend on, God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways would turn out to be a better way in the long run. We just need to be patient and trust in Him, for He knows better than we ever could.