Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Easter 4

Saturday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Some people can have interesting and even wild imagination when it comes to what they think God looks like. Some think that God looks like Santa Claus, giving us lots of gifts, benefits and other goodies. Others think that God looks like a fierce judge, ever willing and ready to mete out punishment and torture on all who displeases Him. But what does God really look like? Is really that important for us to know? Would we really be satisfied just to know what God looks like?

In today’s Gospel, we are told: “Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’ ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him, ‘and you still do not know me? ‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father, so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” Not only that, the Gospel reminds us that we are to believe in Jesus, and by doing so, Jesus assures us: “I tell you most solemnly, whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to the Father.”

So what does this mean to us? It means that it is not enough just to know what God looks like, though by seeing Jesus we would have some idea of what God looks like. What is more important is for us to believe in Jesus and do the works He did. May we concern ourselves more in preaching the Good News with words and deeds, and give glory to God while doing so.

Saturday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Some of us, from time to time, may have shown certain behaviour which can be really childish or even downright stupid. The reality is that we don’t really gain anything from such behaviour, and yet we fail to acknowledge how silly we really are. One such behaviour is jealousy. Jealousy occurs due to thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, concern, and envy over relative lack of possessions, status or something of great personal value.When we allow ourselves to succumb to jealousy, we become blinded in pursuing what one lacks, leading us to childish or silly behaviour, which could even lead us to the point of committing great evil or despicable acts.

In today’s reading, the Jews were so consumed with jealousy, that they began to act childish, silly and stupid, and they began to use blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. From acting childish, silly and stupid, the Jews allowed jealousy to turn into violent behaviour, where they “worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory.” Such uncontrolled jealousy eventually led to more evil and harm committed, where there is nothing to gain and everything to lose.

What about us? Have some of us become like the Jews, so jealous that we have lost our sense of what is right, just, proper and fair? Has our pride and ego become more important than doing the will of God? May we check ourselves and avoid being entrapped or enslaved by the poison of jealousy, and give glory to God in all we say and do.

Saturday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Among the many sins a person could commit, one which is quite dangerous and could lead to even greater sins, is the sin of jealousy. A person can become engulfed in jealousy due to thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, concern, and envy over relative lack of possessions, status or something of great personal value. As a result, a person who is jealous could become blinded in pursuing what one lacks, even to the point of committing great evil or despicable acts.

In today’s reading, we are told: “When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said.” Not only that, the Jews were so jealous that they “worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory.” Great evil was committed, just because the Jews were jealous that Paul and Barnabas were attracting a bigger crowd than they could muster.

What about us? Have we allowed jealousy to run our lives and blind us to what is true? Have we become so jealous that our pride and ego is more important than doing the will of God? May we take caution and guard ourselves against being blinded with jealousy, since all we say and do ought to be for the glory of God.

Friday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Some of us may have experienced a situation called mid-life crisis, where we begin to realise that the many things we once enjoyed, can no longer be enjoyed; the many things we once could do, seem to be harder to accomplish; the many tasks we once worked so hard on, seem to be not much of a big deal anymore. When we are experiencing such a situation, some of us may be slipping towards depression, since our life and body condition is changing, as we are aging and we discover that we are no longer as before, sort of like “no more spring chicken.”

But today’s Gospel gives us some comfort. Jesus is inviting us: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still, and trust in me.” What we are going through is part of life as we grow older, and instead of worrying or fretting, we should just move along and adapt to a different phase of life. Sure, we may not be as we were before, but does it really matter? With Jesus as our guide and help, what we can or cannot do is no longer our concern. We just do what we can, and offer all we do for the glory of God. May we keep on trusting in Jesus, knowing that He will be at our side, as we walk on.

Thursday of the 4th Week of Easter

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What do we look for in life? Are we looking for fame, popularity, recognition, peer acceptance or something else for ourselves? Or are we looking for true joy and happiness? Some of us think that by gaining fame, popularity, recognition, or peer acceptance, we would be joyful and happy. But the joy and happiness we seemingly experience are only temporary things, they do not last, they are merely illusions that come and go. After some time, when the fame, popularity, recognition, or peer acceptance is gone, we may even lose the joy and happiness previously experienced.

That is why, in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: “I tell you most solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him. Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly.” When we let Jesus be in control, when we do not seek greatness for ourselves, then we will experience true happiness, because all that we are doing is not for our own pleasure, personal gratification or to boost our ego. All that we are doing is for the greater glory of God, and to build God’s Kingdom. May we be humble and willing to walk in Jesus’ ways, and let Him grant us true happiness, the kind of happiness that will last.

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Easter

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It is tempting for some of us to come up with our own opinion or interpretation about what a particular passage in the bible means. Sometimes our opinion or interpretation could be coloured or influenced by our background, attitude towards certain persons or places, or some other criteria. When we begin to interpret passages in the bible on our own, without a definitive authority, then we risk interpreting such passages according to what suits us, or what suits our agenda. This could lead others to follow what we say, instead of what the bible is really telling us, or what Jesus is really teaching us.

This is where Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel: “For what I have spoken does not come from myself; no, what I was to say, what I had to speak, was commanded by the Father who sent me, and I know that his commands mean eternal life. And therefore what the Father has told me is what I speak.” Jesus is showing us what we are to say or teach should not be at our whims and fancies, since what we are teaching is not our own stuff, but what Jesus taught us. Are we trying to build God’s Kingdom by teaching what Jesus is really teaching? Or are we ending up building our own kingdom, by teaching what we think Jesus is teaching, but in reality, is our own stuff instead?

Tuesday of the 4th Week of Easter

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In the corporate world, people would generally not share important matters or company procedures with just anybody. This is because such information is normally classified as trade secrets or company confidential information, and sharing such information could be detrimental towatds the growth of the company, or put the company at a disadvantage. Strict rules and heavy penalties are enforced to ensure that employees and those who have access to such information toe the line and divulge such information only to those who are authorised to know. But when it comes to the Good News of Jesus Christ, we have no such stringent rules. Instead, we are encouraged to share the Good News to everyone without fear or favour. But sometimes, we come across people who seem to be sharing the Good News only with certain groups or certain persons they are comfortable with. As Christians, are we limiting our efforts on sharing the Good News? Or have we learnt to break any barriers or prejudices, and share the Good News with all?

In today’s reading, we are told that those who escaped during the persecution travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they proclaimed the Good News only to the Jews. We were not told why they limited the proclamation of the Good News only to the Jews, since there could have been many reasons that made them do so, including reasons like the political, social and cultural circumstances. But some of them who came from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and started preaching to the Greeks, and the Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord. This shows that if we are willing to move out of the norm and venture into the unknown, if we are willing to come out of our comfort zone and be courageous and daring to reach out to others, God can work wonders through us. May we be humble and willing to let God be in control, so that we can be His instruments in building His Kingdom and glorify His Name.

Monday of the 4th Week of Easter

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One of the things that ought to change when we become Christians is that we should no longer be divided or segregated according to ethnic group, language group, racial lines or whatever that had segregated us in the past. We are brothers and sisters in Christ; not brothers and sisters in Christ according to a certain group, or language, or social status; but brothers and sisters in Christ, full stop. What this means is, we are no longer strangers or foreigners to each other, but one family with Jesus as our brother, Mary as our mother, God as our Father. If we live according to such basic principles, then we should experience peace and happiness in unity with diversity. But are we really living as brothers and sisters in Christ, or are we still distinguishing ourselves according to groups, factions or some other criteria?

In today’s reading, the Jews were initially unhappy that the pagans or the uncircumcised had been baptised. These Jews thought that Jesus belonged only to their club, and all others are to be excluded. But Peter made them realise that God does not limit Himself only to certain groups or certain persons. He is God for all, and He loves us all the same, regardless of who we are, or where we come from, since the reading tells us: “‘God’ they said ‘can evidently grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life.'”

If God is a God for all, then what about us? Are we still keeping only to our group, our social status, our prejudices, our comfort zones? Or have we learnt to come out and mix around, as brothers and sisters in Christ, one family of God? Are we living and loving as brothers and sisters in Christ, without terms or conditions? Or are we still trapped in our old self and old ways?

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Easter

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Each and every one of us have been called and sent to proclaim the Good News. But sometimes, we may have been called to go to places outside of what is familiar to us, or outside our comfort zone. If the Holy Spirit calls us to go, would we be hesitant, drag our feet, or reluctantly go; or would we be humble and willing to go with joy and enthusiasm, knowing that God would be our help and guide?

In today’s reading, we are told: “One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” From here, we can clearly see that it is the Holy Spirit who sent Barnabas and Saul on a mission. These two did not take it upon themselves to go on mission, or only go to places which they liked, but were merely servants and followed what the Holy Spirit commanded them. May we learn from Barnabas and Saul and obediently and joyfully go where we are sent, for the glory of God.

4th Sunday of Easter Year C

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Being a Christian disciple is challenging and even disheartening for some. It is not easy trying to live Christian values when the world promotes values contrary to the Gospel. For example, in business, we are told that honest and good people will never be successful, since many in the world believe that to be rich and powerful, one must be prepared to lie, be dishonest, cheat and be involved in corruption. Also, the world seems to tell us that we must be nice to our friends and to those who can help us or are beneficial to us in some way, but we are cautioned to be wary of our enemies. As Christians, we are not supposed to make any distinction between friend and enemy, since Christians are called to love their enemies. But this is something the world is unable to accept, since it would appear as if we are freely allowing our enemies to win and take advantage of us.

In today’s readings, we are reassured and comforted that remaining steadfast to Christian values is the way to go. In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas had enemies who spread lies about them and opposed them, and these enemies managed to get Paul and Barnabas expelled from the town. But the reading does not end on a disheartening note. Instead, we are told that “the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” How is it possible for Paul and Barnabas to remain joyful even though they had been expelled from the town and it appears as if their enemies had won? It is precisely because these disciples knew that what they were doing is not for their own personal gratification or glory, but for the glory of God. The second reading tells us of the destiny of those who have suffered or died for the sake of the Gospel. They went through sufferings and persecutions, and because they remained faithful, they will no longer experience suffering, hunger or thirst “because the Lamb will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.” We are also reminded that as Christians, we cannot make every one happy, but we should follow our conscience and do what is right. To follow our conscience to do what is right is what it means to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd, as Jesus in today’s Gospel reminds and assures us: “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.”

It is certainly not easy and a challenge being a Christian. Jesus did not promise us an easy life or that he would take away all our problems and sufferings in this life. To be his disciple, we must be prepared to face the same fate as Jesus did, and be ready to endure hardships and persecutions. What Jesus promised us is that He will be our shepherd; will never allow us to despair; will give us the courage and strength to bear the cross; and will lead us to ‘restful waters’ and remain in His love and care. Are we willing to endure temporary suffering and hardship, for eternal joy and peace?