Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: 31st

Wednesday of Week 31 Year 1

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Are we as a society becoming more and more apathetic (which means showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern) towards others? If we look around us today, how many of us really do care about others? For example, how many of us would stop if we see somebody in need of help by the road because of a vehicle breakdown or an accident? Or how many of us would be friendly and neighbourly to others in our housing area? What about in church? Do we make effort to get to know others around us, especially newcomers and strangers?

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us: “All the commandments… are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.” If we claim to have love for others, then we have no excuse and no reason to be apathetic towards others. This is because if we remain apathetic, then we are not really loving after all, and are merely concerned about ourselves, our needs and perhaps the needs of our loved ones. Are we willing to come out of our apathetic attitude and behaviour, and truly love just as God loves us all?

Tuesday of Week 31 Year 1

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As Christians, we should be charitable and hospitable to all, not just our friends. But when we go to church, how many of us would actually make effort or go through the trouble to look around and see if there are any strangers or newcomers especially inside the church or near the church entrance? Do we make our church a place where all are welcomed? Do we recognise the persons around us, or even the strangers in our midst, and be friendly and welcoming to them? Or do we only stick to our cliques, our family or friends? What about our housing area? Are we friendly and neighbourly to at least the houses near us? Or have we become so suspicious of persons, even neighbours, that we keep to ourselves and not have anything to do with them?

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us: “Do not let your love be a pretense, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.”

Some of us may think that being welcoming and hospitable to others, especially strangers and newcomers, is responsibility of the hospitality ministers. But if we consider ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ, sons and daughters of God, then shouldn’t being welcoming and hospitable to others be our responsibility and duty also? What about our neighbours in our housing area? Shouldn’t we be hospitable and neighbourly to them too? Are we reserved and inward looking as Christians, or have we learnt to come out of our comfort zone, and reach out to others with love, care, concern, and compassion, bringing the joy of Christ to all through our words and actions?

Monday of Week 31 Year 1

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Could we ever understand why certain things happen in life? For example, could we ever understand at what point a child is conceived? Some couples would have tried for weeks, months or even years to have a child, and still have no success. Yet some couples are able to have children so easily. Also, could we ever understand why certain people have been inflicted with certain illnesses? Some of us may claim that our genes and family background could play a part, but we are only speculating, since there have also been cases where persons had no issues in their family history and they had been living as healthily as possible, could still be stricken with certain illnesses.

In today’s reading, we are reminded: “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? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything?” If we cannot even understand why many things happen on earth, then how are we able to understand God? We could get some glimpses of who God is, but ultimately, it all bears down to faith, trust and joyful obedience. When we learn to have more faith and trust in God, even if we do not understand why certain things happen does not matter that much, since things happen for a purpose, for His glory.

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

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If you look at society, what do you see? Many of us see that society seems to be made up of two categories. One category is what we call leaders, the other is what we call followers. The leaders are those who govern and the followers are those who follow and obey the leaders. When it comes to our church, do we see a similar pattern? For many of us, we think that the church is also made up of two categories. One category is what we call church leadership, which is made up of clergy, that is the church hierarchy consisting of bishops, priests and deacons, together with lay leaders who help the clergy in different capacities. The other category is what we call followers, which are generally lay persons who may not hold any significant leadership role. Once again, in a church setting, many seem to think that the leaders govern and the followers just obey.

But if we ponder for a moment, is it really true that we are made up of such categories? Actually, no. We may have different functions in church, but we are actually belonging to only one category, that is, we are disciples of Christ. As disciples of Christ, we are not called to be just passive followers, merely obeying and following, but active leaders in our own different ways. Today’s readings tell us how we should carry out our responsibilities as disciples of Christ, as Christian leaders in our own different ways. The readings refer to all of us, whether we are clergy or laity. So what can we glean from today’s readings concerning Christian discipleship and leadership?

Firstly, we must listen to God as the prophet Malachi warns us in the first reading.This means that we must be concerned with doing His will and not ours. When we listen to God, we recognise that all authority and power comes from God alone. Whatever talents that we may have, comes from God, and have been entrusted to us for the good of the community. Secondly, our Christian discipleship and leadership must be pastoral, that is, we must love the community whom we serve. In the second reading, St. Paul uses the image of the love of a mother to describe his love for the Church. We too must always be motivated by love in all we do. Thirdly, our Christian discipleship and leadership must always be one of service instead of power and prestige. In the Gospel, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for abusing their leadership, by seeking to control the people and by trying to gain power, prestige and benefits from their position. As Christian disciples and leaders, we are called to be servants, to humble ourselves, and to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters, instead of looking for glory, or expecting places of honour, or demanding recognition or fringe benefits.

Ultimately, as Christian disciples and leaders, our goal is to be like Christ, our model and our teacher. We are called to follow Jesus’ example in preaching the Good News to all, with joy, humility, patience, perseverance, compassion, mercy, and a good dose of love. May we make every effort to fervently and enthusiastically carry out our duties and responsibilities as Christian disciples and leaders, for the greater glory of God.

Friday of Week 31 Year 2

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I remember some advertisements on television saying that “Home is where the heart is,” In such advertisements, people are reminded and encouraged to go home to spend some time with their parents or family members, since one day, our parents and some of our family members may no longer be around. But as Christians, do we know where is our true home?

St. Paul in today’s reading reminds us that our home on earth is only temporary. He tells us: “For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe. So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord.” How prepared are we to return to our true homeland? In our quest for happiness, we may have invested much time and effort in building our temporary home here on earth. How much time and effort have we put in preparing to return to our permanent home?

Thursday of Week 31 Year 2

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If you had 100 sheep or 10 drachmas, and you lose one, what would you do? Some people would not have bothered about losing one sheep when they had another 99. In the same way, some people would not be too concerned about losing one drachma when they still have another 9. But to the people in today’s Gospel, every sheep and every drachma was extremely valuable. The man who lost a sheep and the woman who lost a drachma were possibly quite poor, and losing even one could be disastrous. This is why they took so much effort and trouble to find that one lost sheep and drachma.

In the same way, God treats every one of us as extremely precious. He does not want any one of us to be lost. If we do get lost from time to time, God would come looking for us. When we are repentent and seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we have an opportunity to clean our souls and grow in relationship with God. When we do so, there would be “rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner,” as Jesus said in today’s Gospel. Are we willing to admit our sins, and seek forgiveness at confession, so that we could grow closer to God?

Monday of Week 31 Year 2

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From a young age, many of us would have been taught and encouraged by our family, teachers, lecturers and peers to be the best we can be. Being the best you can be is not an issue, but the issue could occur if our objective or purpose leads us to become egoistic, self-centered, proud, conceited or ruthless. A person may begin to glorify oneself, thinking that he or she achieved and became the best one could be without any outside help, or as some may say, the person begins to think that he or she is self-made, instead of giving God the glory.

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us: “be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind… There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, So that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.” St. Paul is cautioning us not to become entrapped in the ways of the world, where the me, myself and I is more important. When we allow ourselves to be consumed by the ways of the world, we only think of our needs, we begin to pursue only that which is for our success and happiness, and eventually there is no place for others, even no place for God in our lives. In the end, we may be building our own kingdom, instead of God’s Kingdom. May we learn to be humble, giving thanks for the many abilities, gifts and talents God has given us, and use them for His greater glory.

Friday of Week 31 Year 1

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There is nothing wrong with having money and possessions, since we need to survive and prosper in this world. But what becomes wrong is when we become focused only in using such money or possessions in a wasteful manner, or in a way which contradicts the values of the Gospel. Instead, we should be using our wealth and possessions for our spiritual growth and for the glory of God, since that would bring about growth in our relationship with God and with others.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus praised a steward who misused his master’s money. The dishonest steward is praised not for mishandling his master’s wealth, but for his shrewdness and foresight in avoiding personal disaster while securing his future livelihood. What Jesus is trying to teach here is not so much on how to prevent a personal financial or economic crisis. Instead, He is more concerned that we use our shrewdness and foresight to prevent a spiritual and moral crisis.

May we make more effort in spiritual matters which have eternal consequences, instead of only focusing on making much effort in earthly matters which have temporary consequences, so that we would be better off in this life and in the next.

Thursday of Week 31 Year 1

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Each and every one of us has an impact on others in one way or another, whether we like it or not, and whether we are aware of it or not. For example, a child would follow or imitate your habits, words and expressions, and after a while, the child would become accustomed or used to such things. The expression “a chip of the old block” may apply to a certain extend here. That is why in matters of faith, parents are responsible to pass on the basics of faith, good conduct and virtues to their children. If the parents themselves are not bothered about their faith, then their children may follow suit, though by the grace of God, some of such children may rediscover God and faith later in life.

That is why St. Paul cautions us in today’s reading: “The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. This is also why you should never pass judgement on a brother or treat him with contempt, as some of you have done.” We ought to be careful how we conduct ourselves and how we behave, since some others may get the right or wrong understanding or impression of Christianity, depending on our words and actions. May we be prudent and good examples to others, so that we may truly be light of the world and salt of the earth.