For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
24 Apr 2016 – 5th Sunday of Easter Year C
25 Apr 2016 – Saint Mark, Evangelist – Feast
26 Apr 2016 – Tuesday of the 5th Week of Easter
27 Apr 2016 – Wednesday of the 5th Week of Easter
28 Apr 2016 – Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter
29 Apr 2016 – Friday of the 5th Week of Easter
Most of us would be quite familiar with the Synoptic Gospels, that is, the Gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke. One common theme which could be found among these Gospels is the theme of ‘love’, where the Gospel writers repeat the key teaching of the Old Testament covenant that is to love God and love our neighbour as ourselves. The key point made here is that our love for neighbour must be similar to our love for ourselves. On the other hand, today’s Gospel is from the Gospel of John, and we are told: “I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” Many of us are familiar with God’s commandment to love, so what is so ‘new’ about this commandment as stated in the Gospel of John?
The ‘newness’ stems from the fact that our love for one another is not based on the criteria that we love ourselves: “love our neighbour as ourselves”, but the criteria is now that Jesus loves us: “just as I (Jesus) have loved you, you must also love one another.” Our ‘love’ for ourselves is often inadequate and incomplete, and no longer becomes a standard by which we love others, but Jesus’ love for us is what enables us to love. This is because God’s love is perfect, since God is love.
If we are to be Jesus’ disciples, then we must learn to love the way He loves us. We need to show our love through our words and deeds, taking Jesus’ love as our guide and standard. When we do so, then as the Gospel tells us: “By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” But we realise that Jesus’ love is a high standard which is not so simple to attain as it sounds, because we are not God. That is why we must continue to support, encourage and pray for each other, following the example of Paul and Barnabas in the first reading where “They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith.”
Today, let us pray that we will have the strength, patience, perseverance and courage to love one another as Christ loved us. Love is not a sign of weakness or defeat. It is an act of courage that rejects a culture of hatred, pride and prejudice prevalent in the world today. May we take Christ as our example and learn more and more to be like Him in His love for all of us.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
13 Mar 2016 – 5th Sunday of Lent Year C
14 Mar 2016 – Monday of the 5th Week of Lent
15 Mar 2016 – Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent
16 Mar 2016 – Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent
17 Mar 2016 – Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent
18 Mar 2016 – Friday of the 5th Week of Lent
It is interesting to observe how some people would go through great effort to make sure that they are healthy and clean. Such people would go for regular checkups, eat healthy meals, go for regular exercise, and take baths regularly to keep clean. But how many of us make effort to keep our soul clean? Do we go for regular confession or do some of us only go twice a year during Lent and Advent? Are we not aware that sin enslaves us, and once we are enslaved, our eternal future is in jeopardy? It seems odd that some of us would go through so much trouble to keep our physical lives clean, and neglect or procrastinate in keeping our spiritual lives clean.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave. Now the slave’s place in the house is not assured, but the son’s place is assured. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus is inviting us to confess our sins and have our souls cleaned, so that we would remain in His love and care. May we humbly and consistently go for confession and seek Jesus’ help and guidance, so that our place in the house is assured.
It is interesting to observe the attitude of some people when they come for confession. Instead of confessing their sins, they begin a litany of condemnation of other people’s faults, shortcomings or sins. When asked why they come for confession in the first place, I sometimes get amusing responses such as: “Oh, but you see Father, such and such a person is like this or like that” or “Wait Father, I am not finished yet…” or “I am ok Father, it is such and such a person who needs to change” and many other strange responses. We call such people self-righteous, since they seem to think that they are faultless and everyone else who do not measure up to their standards or expectations is wrong.
In today’s Gospel, we come across a group of people who have an attitude of being self-righteous. We call these group of people the Scribes and the Pharisees. In the Gospel, we are told that a woman had been caught committing adultery. For the Jews, adultery is a big sin for which there is no tolerance and the penalty is death. It is also interesting to note that only the woman had been caught; what about the man, since it takes two to tango? These Scribes and Pharisees knew about Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, and they thought they had finally found an inescapable excuse to trap Him when they asked: “What have you to say?” If He granted her freedom, He would be undermining the law. If He observed the law and permitted her death, His preaching on God’s mercy and forgiveness would be meaningless. It appeared as if the Scribes and the Pharisees had finally won. It is obvious that these religious leaders were using this woman for their own selfish reasons; they only wanted to put her down instead of helping her get up; and they were more interested in punishing sin than in preventing it. When pressed to give an answer, Jesus simply replied: “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Bam! What an answer. The so called trap had been knocked out. Jesus was not telling them that the woman was innocent; instead He was challenging them: “Being sinners yourselves, do not be so quick to condemn others.” Like the woman, they too were in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. After hearing Jesus’ words, the Scribes and the Pharisees knew that they themselves had been caught, and “they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there.”
What can we learn from this “drama minggu ini or this week’s drama”? Jesus reminds us: “Judge not and you shall not be judged.” Also, the Scribes and Pharisees only saw the woman’s sin and her sinful past, and refused to give her another chance to change her life. On the other hand, Jesus saw in the woman not her sinful past but her saintly future. Jesus is urging us to learn to forgive others, instead of focusing only on their wrongdoings, their past failures, and making sure that everyone knows about them. When we pray the Our Father or the Lord’s Prayer, may we truly and sincerely mean what we say, when we come to the part: “Forgive us our trespasses, just as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
In life, we often come across different situations where some level of risk is involved. For example, when we buy shares or unit trusts, we are taking a risk with our money, since the shares or unit trusts could increase in value or decrease in value substantially or even go bust totally. When we get into a relationship, we are also taking some risk, since we would not be able to tell whether such a relationship will lead to a life-long one or would eventually lead to a break-up. When we have a child especially at an older age, we face the risk of having a child affected with autism or a mongoloid child or even a child afflicted with some serious illness. It does not matter how big or small the risk may be, but most of us would need to face some form of risk in one way or another. The problem is, we do come across some people who are afraid of taking risks. It seems much easier doing things that are familiar than it is to do something which is new. Why are some people so afraid to take risks? Because what some of us actually fear is failure. We fear that we will not be able to finish what we have started; or we will not get the results we desired; or that others will laugh at us for our stupidity or incapabilities; or that if we fail in this task, we would also fail for the rest of our lives.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is inviting all of us to take courage and take risks. In the Gospel, Jesus told Peter to “put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.” Peter would have found such an instruction difficult to follow, since he had already failed to catch any fish after trying so hard. After we have failed, some of us may often be hesitant to try again and become discouraged. We try to avoid making the same mistakes and try to do something else which we believe would lead to a better chance of success. However, Peter chose to take the risk again, and as a result, he succeeded in catching so many fish that two boats were filled to sinking point. What does this mean to us? It means that being a Christian means being willing to take risks. When people are invited or asked to become a catechist, a BEC coordinator or a leader in some ministry, many often decline, giving all sorts of excuses or reasons. Some say that they have no time; or they feel that they have enough responsibilities (even though in reality, they are not doing anything for the church); or that they do not have the necessary abilities. But the real reason is the fear of failure and being unwilling to take risks. If we are going to avoid taking risks, are we making ourselves armchair or even nominal Christians, only knowing how to comment or criticise but afraid and refusing to do our part? Is this what Christianity is really all about to some of us?
Today, each and every one of us are called to discipleship. It is not enough to just be a Sunday Christian and not get involved. It is not enough just to come to Church or to pray. It is not enough to just complain and assume that nothing can be done. All of us are called to be disciples, not just a select few. Contrary to what some of us may think, a disciple is not one who doesn’t make mistakes, since he or she does make mistakes from time to time; he or she is not someone who will always succeed in everything that he or she does, since a true disciple experiences failures just like everyone else; he or she is not perfect, but far from perfect, since he or she has many weaknesses and struggles just like everyone else. Instead, a disciple is one who is prepared and able to take risks because he has developed a deep relationship with Jesus. He or she trusts Jesus enough to be able to place his or her own fate in the hands of the Lord. A disciple may be weak or seem not so skillful or qualified but believes and has confidence that all is possible with the grace and help of God. A disciple constantly turns to God for forgiveness and mercy and recognises his or her own sinfulness. In other words, a disciple is willing to give his or her all, come what may, because he or she trusts and depends on God for His help and providence. Today, Jesus is calling us and telling us: “Do not be afraid, from now on it is men you will catch.” Are we willing to take the risk and follow Him?
We live in a world where things are changing in an alarming rate. We have become so used to having things done quickly, that when something breaks down or slows down due to some reason or another, we become quite agitated and impatient. Some of us begin to grumble and even curse, thinking that such delays would ruin our timing. “Hurry!” “Quickly!” “Get out of my way!” These are some of the expressions we use, in our effort to get things done or get what we want. But life is such that sometimes, we have no choice but to wait or slow down, since there are many other things in life that we cannot rush. For example, we cannot rush through a pregnancy, since it takes time for a foetus to grow and develop into a baby. Also, we cannot rush through earning a degree, since it would be impossible for us to learn everything at one go.
In today’s Gospel, we come across another example of learning the meaning of patience and perseverance in waiting. Simeon was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. Even though Simeon was already quite old, he would not see death and had to wait until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Instead of getting all worked up and impatient, Simeon waited with confidence and humility, and when he finally had the chance to see Jesus, he took Him into his arms and blessed God; and he said: “Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.”
Are we willing to be patient and wait just like Simeon did? Sometimes the waiting could result in a better outcome or experience. It is a question of how much we trust in God and how humble and willing we are to let Him be our help and guide.
How encouraging have we been to others around us? Have we noticed people around us who seem to be down in the doldrums, or they seem depressed or sad, or they seem to be keeping to themselves quite a bit? There are many reasons why people are in such a state, but do we notice them at all? Or have we become so busy with our activities or with ourselves that such people end up being ignored, forgotten or set aside?
In today’s reading, we are told: “The apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas, both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them… The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter. The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.” Notice that in the reading, the apostles and elders did not just write a letter to encourage the community at Antioch, they also sent delegates to be present and give encouragement and support. It is easy to just write a letter or a few words of encouragement, but what matters more is when we offer our presence to others and give them our support as best we can. Perhaps we could make more effort to be mindful of people who need encouragement around us, and help strengthen these people with our support and presence.
Meetings and discussions can sometimes turn out to be quite a frustrating activity. This is especially so when people begin to talk and argue over a topic which is essentially not a big deal. At times, such meetings and discussions could turn out to be quite a rowdy affair, especially when people begin to lose their cool and start behaving like only their opinion or point of view matters. In the midst of all these monkeying around, with some clashes of the gong and thundering voices here and there, we need someone to snap us out of our “temporary insanity” and get us back on our true purpose. That someone is what we call a moderator.
In today’s reading, we have Peter who ended up being the moderator. The apostles and elders had been discussing about an issue which so incensed and consumed them (they were Jews and it was part of their upbringing). What was the issue all about? It was about whether the gentile Christians should be circumcised as part of the “salvation package,” so to speak. Peter finally had had enough and he told all present: “In fact God, who can read everyone’s heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us. God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith. It would only provoke God’s anger now, surely, if you imposed on the disciples the very burden that neither we nor our ancestors were strong enough to support? Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.” After Peter had said this, there was silence. You could almost hear a pin drop (if there was one at that time). It was clear to all present that they had been arguing about something which was really not big deal.
Then, to further strengthen Peter’s argument, James added: “I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has always had his preachers in every town, and is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath.” Wonderful! Case closed.
Just like the apostles and elders, we too sometimes end up arguing over the smallest matters concerning our faith, and we forget the bigger picture and the more important issues that we should be addressing instead. Let us learn from this dramatic episode and open our eyes, ears and hearts, so that we could learn to love and serve others better, while giving glory to God.
A leaf cannot survive on its own. It needs to be part of a shrub or a tree so that it can grow and prosper. When a leaf falls from the shrub or the tree, what happens? It slowly dies and eventually it becomes compost or fertiliser for other plants. It could also end up as food for insects and animals. In some cases, the leaf could end up as part of a nest or part of shelter for insects and animals. Whatever the outcome may be, the leaf is dead, finito.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: “As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt.” Just as a leaf cannot live and prosper for long if it is cut off from the shrub or tree, we too will not be able to live and prosper for long if we are are cut off from Jesus.
That is why Jesus is inviting us, beckoning us to “make your home in me, as I make mine in you.” When we do so, we would then be able to live and prosper, and bear fruit in plenty. When we allow ourselves to be pruned by Jesus, when we make effort to seek forgiveness for the sins we have committed and do our best to avoid sinning, we would bear even more fruit. Ultimately, we have a choice: to be happy, grow and prosper in Jesus; or to go our own way and bear the consequences. Let us choose wisely, for our eternal future is at stake.
