Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: 33rd

Thursday of Week 33 Year 2

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Do you have any regrets in your life? Do you feel as if there are some unfinished business? Opportunities come and go. We can choose to seize such opportunities, or we can choose to ignore them and let them go by. At the end of the day, whether we end up with regrets or unfinished business or not depends on us. It is the same when it comes to our relationship with God. God gives us many opportunities to grow closer in relationship with Him, and it is up to us to seize such opportunities, or end up being left behind.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus shed tears over Jerusalem because the Jews had heard His message but His message of peace did not sink into their hearts. The Jews did not heed the signs that God gave them because of their stubbornness and refusal to change. As a result, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, and the Jews who attempted to revolt against the Romans were destroyed and crushed.

We too may suffer a similar fate, if we procrastinate or remain obstinate in our ways, if we do not hear Jesus’ message and let His message of peace sink into their hearts. God is patient and loving to all of us, and He gives us many opportunities to build a deeper and closer relationship with Him. We can choose to walk humbly in His ways, or choose to do things our way. Let us be mindful of the consequences of our actions.

Wednesday of Week 33 Year 2

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How are we making use of the gifts, talents and capabilities that God has given us? Are we using our gifts, talents and capabilities as our own, to be used as we please, and perhaps to glorify ourselves? Or are we using such gifts, talents and capabilities for the greater glory of God? In today’s Gospel, we read of a man of noble birth who gave ten servants one pound each to do business with. Most of the servants used their gifts, talents and capabilities to make more money for their master, and they were amply rewarded. But one servant, knowing fully well what sort of person his master was, still had the gall and the cheek to hand back the one pound to his master without doing anything to it. Such arrogance and refusal to use his gifts, talents and capabilities for the benefit of his master only led him to be condemned.

What about us? Are we using our gifts, talents and capabilities wisely for the greater glory of God? Or have we become selfish, complacent or arrogant, like that one servant, refusing to use our gifts, talents and capabilities in a righful way? Just as that one servant lost his one pound and was condemned, we too may lose our gifts, talents and capabilities if we are not careful.

Tuesday of Week 33 Year 2

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What sort of state is your soul today in life? Are you consistently making effort to grow closer to God; or have you become lukewarm, paying more attention to what this world has to offer and losing focus in your faith and dependence in God’s providence? In today’s reading, the church in Sardis was once eager in faith for God but over time, it became more dead than alive in relationship with God. The reading also speaks of the church in Laodecia which was neither cold or hot in its zeal for God, but instead had also become lukewarm in faith. These churches in Sardis and Laodecia were warned by the Lord to wake up and change their ways and return to the Lord’s fold.

What about us? Where do we stand? Have we become more dead than alive in our relationship with God? Have we become lukewarm in faith? God is inviting us to repent and turn back to Him, and dwell in His love and presence. It is up to us to take the initiative and make effort to change, open the door to our heart and soul, and let Him in.

Monday of Week 33 Year 2

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When some of us first fell in love, we would have gone through a lot of effort to make our girlfriend or boyfriend special. We would note what he or she likes, his or her birthday, the first time we started going steady, and other significant events. We do all these because, we love being with the person, we want to make the person happy, we care about the person, and hopefully we would one day get married to the person. In other words, we make so much effort and spend much time trying hard to eventually earn a “degree in paktorlogy” (“paktor” is roughly translated as to date, with the intention and hope of marriage). But supposing one has gotten married already to the person for several years; is the love, determination and effort still vibrant? Are we making as much effort to stay married and to keep the flame of love alive?

In the first reading, John speaks of the church of Ephesus and the admonishment it received: “Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make; you have less love now than you used to. Think where you were before you fell; repent, and do as you used to at first.” Just as a marriage needs constant effort, work and great doses of love, care and concern to stay vibrant, alive and exciting, members of the church too need to do their part with enthusiasm and vigour to keep the church vibrant, alive and exciting. We cannot let things wane, take things for granted or slack in our efforts. Our love must be consistent and strong. May we not lose or lessen our love, but keep it strong throughout the years, and give glory God in all we do.

Housekeeping – Week 33 Year 2

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

13 Nov 2016 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
14 Nov 2016 – Monday of Week 33 Year 2
15 Nov 2016 – Tuesday of Week 33 Year 2
16 Nov 2016 – Wednesday of Week 33 Year 2
17 Nov 2016 – Thursday of Week 33 Year 2
18 Nov 2016 – Friday of Week 33 Year 2

Friday of Week 33 Year 2

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Truth can be sweet and sour or even bitter at the same time. How so? For those who seek truth, it can be sweet, especially if the truth is what liberates them or exposes the injustice which they have gone through. On the other hand, truth can be sour or even bitter, especially for those who are the guilty party or those who have been doing the persecuting or being unjust. So, truth can affect people in different ways, depending on which side of the truth one is in.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus “taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.” The chief priests and the scribes time and again were unable to get rid of Jesus, since He was on the side of truth, and the people around Him wanted to cling on to the truth. Later, these people managed to get rid of Jesus, or so they thought, but the means used to get rid of Jesus was once again through deception and lies. But Jesus rose again and showed these people that He could not be silenced or disposed of, since the truth will prevail, no matter how hard one tries to hide it or sweep it under the carpet.

In our lives, have we been tasting the sweetness of truth, or have we been tasting its sourness or even its bitterness? Whatever we taste, it all depends on whether we are striving to live the truth, or to continue kidding ourselves and living a lie.

Friday of Week 33 Year 1

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Is it wrong to sell things in the church compound? If items such as religious items like rosaries, prayer books, statues of saints and other relevant items are being sold at a reasonable price to promote faith and prayer; or if food stuff is sold at a reasonable price to promote fellowship and friendship, then such items and food stuff may be tolerated, provided that the parish priest is in agreement with such an activity, and he has given proper permission. This is necessary to prevent abuses, as there are people who claim to be selling things, but with the intention of making money for themselves. This is where parishioners should notify and clarify with the parish priest, especially if they notice someone unknown or unfamiliar selling items. Otherwise, our church compound and in some cases, even within our church, may become a “robbers den,” since what is supposed to be sacred space and treated with proper reverence has become another marketplace or supermarket, where there is always a possibility of cheating and swindling going on.

In today’s Gospel, “Jesus went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robber’s den.'” The Temple was becoming a place where cheating and swindling was going on, and to make matters worse, the chief priests and the scribes were the ones permitting such acts to happen. How do we know this? The Gospel also tells us that “the chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out…” If the chief priests and the scribes were sincere in maintaining the Temple as a sacred space and to be treated with proper reverence, they would have not gotten so worked up when Jesus chased those sellers away. The fact that they tried to do away with Jesus shows that they have got something to hide and do not want to lose the seller’s business.

What about us? Are we just as guilty like the chief priests and the scribes? Have we treated our church as a place where business could be done and sellers could do whatever they please, as long as we get a “cut” from such activities? May we come to realise and appreciate the sacredness and significance of the church, and treat it properly.

Thursday of Week 33 Year 1

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Some of us may have experienced some form of regret in our lives. For example, there are people who have regretted not being hard working enough in their studies or at work, and as a result, they did not do so well in their examinations or they missed opportunities for career advancement or an increase in salary. There are people who may also have regretted not being bold enough or have not made enough effort in a relationship, and they lost a good opportunity to marry and settle down. Do you have a regret haunting you?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said: “and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!” God had given many chances and opportunities for the Jews to change their ways, but all these chances and opportunities were lost as the Jews were stubborn and obstinate, preferring to remain as they are. We too could be in the same situation, if we refuse to change our ways and grow closer to God. May we not end up with regret, with lost opportunity to grow closer to God, because when death comes, it may be too late.

Wednesday of Week 33 Year 1

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Some of us seem to take for granted the gifts and talents that God has given us. Sometimes, some of us may begin to think that our talents or gifts are for ourselves or for our benefit, and some of us are unwilling to share our talents or use our talents to help in church and for the glory of God. But what happens if we try to keep our talents to ourselves? If we neglect to use our talents or to practise them, we may lose such talents eventually. Is this what is expected of us as Christians?

In today’s Gospel, ten servants were given one pound each. The first two servants promptly went and invested the money entrusted to them, benefiting their master with even more talents. The third servant claimed to be afraid of the master, but from the way he tried to explain himself, he was actually not interested in using his talents for his master’s benefit after all, and in the end, he was condemned and even lost the pound he had. This is why Jesus said: “I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

What can we learn from this? Remember that all that we have: our wealth, our talents, our abilities and our gifts are from God. What God has given us, He can easily take away. That being said, shouldn’t we be using what we have for the good of all and for His glory? Why are some of us being so stingy or selfish with what we have? May we realise we are merely stewards of what we have, and may we be prudent and generous in how we use them.

Tuesday of Week 33 Year 1

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How excited are we to see Jesus? Some of us say we are excited, but we do not seem to make much effort to see Jesus, especially each day at Mass or in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us do not seem to see Jesus in others, especially with the way we treat others or how behave towards them. This begs the question: are we really excited to see Jesus? Do we acknowledge His presence? Do we want to become closer with Him and walk in His ways? We say we do, but do our words and actions show what we say?

In today’s Gospel, we come across Zacchaeus who wanted to see Jesus. Despite his height, He made much effort to even “climb a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way.” When Jesus asked to stay at Zacchaeus’ house, Zacchaeus was so happy, that he was even willing to change his ways and made amends if he had cheated anyone. This led Jesus to say: “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.”

What about us? Are we like Zacchaeus, so excited and enthusiastic to see Jesus, that he even made a firm decision to change his ways? Do we value a relationship with Jesus like Zacchaeus did? Or have we become complacent with our relationship with Jesus, thinking that we are okay and there is nothing else for us to improve on? May we be humble enough to realise that, like Zacchaeus, we need Jesus to be our constant guide and help.