Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Easter

Monday of the 2nd Week of Easter

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Are you born again? Has you life changed from your old self to a new self? In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” At baptism, we were transformed from our old identity, to a new identity filled with the Spirit and given new life.

However, some of us may be baptised and supposingly born again, but the way we live our lives do not seem to bear witness that we have really changed. Some of us continue to behave as we were before, doing things as we have been doing. Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel: “‘I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: what is born of the flesh is flesh; what is born of the Spirit is spirit.” We may be born of the flesh, but have we really been born of the Spirit? Have we become witnesses and joyful proclaimers of the Good News, or have we been complacent and unappreciative of the gift God has given us? The greatest gift of all has been given to us; are we still looking elsewhere?

2nd Sunday of Easter Year A

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What sort of community do we live in? Is our community united? Do we live in harmony, joy, happiness, peace, goodwill, etc. in our community? Do we care and share and love each other genuinely as a community? Today’s first reading tells us of a community which “remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.” Does such a community still exist today?

As we read more and more about the early Christian community, we can discover that the early Christian community was not perfect. Till today no Christian community is perfect. We continue to hurt and be hurt by others, because we are not perfect. However, the difference between a Christian community and other “communities” is this: as a Christian community, we are able to forgive others and to receive forgiveness from others. Sometimes some of us try to look for God on our own. But God is present in the midst of the community, no matter how broken or sinful the community members may be. If we keep away from the community, we keep away from God.

Thus, let us make more effort to love and grow in faith in our community. Let us not shy or run away from our community, since Jesus reminds us “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Our community may not be perfect, but together, we can grow in love and relationship with each other and with our risen and loving Lord, Jesus Christ.

Easter Friday

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How much do we value our faith? Some of us are Catholics in name, but are we Catholics in practise? If we are interrogated or persecuted, would we still remain firm in faith, or would we run away? If we are sentenced to die, would we remain steadfast till the end, or would we chicken out to save our own skin?

Today’s reading tells us of Peter and John, who were talking to the people, much to the extreme annoyance of the priests, who were accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. Peter and John were arrested and interrogated, but they were ever willing to proclaim the Good News when they said: “For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.” Such courage and perseverance has been demonstrated throughout the centuries, where many men and women have offered their lives and gone forth, just as Peter and John did, to proclaim the Good News to all nations.

Today, we are constantly reminded and encouraged to go forth and proclaim the Good News. Are we doing our part for the greater glory of God?

Easter Thursday

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When something absolutely amazing and outstandingly wonderful happens, some of us may become dumbfounded. We may become gobsmacked, utterly astonished, astounded, bewildered or absolutely stunned, unable to say or do anything. This is what happened to the disciples when Jesus made His appearance. Perhaps in some of their hearts, they thought they were seeing a ghost. Some may have thought they were dreaming or seeing a vision. Nevertheless, it must have been an indescribable feeling when they saw Jesus. To pacify them and to show that He was for real, “He said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.”

If Jesus were to appear to us in the same way as He did to the disciples, would our joy be so great as well? Would we take up the challenge to be His witnesses and go forth and preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all the nations? Sometimes in our daily living, we may have forgotten or played down our duty to proclaim the Good News. Jesus Christ is risen and He now commands us to go forth and proclaim the Good News. Do we still need further convincing?

Easter Wednesday

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How many of us really care about others? Do we care about others unconditionally, or do we care because there is something we can gain from caring? In today’s reading, the people, who put the cripple from birth down to beg every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate, are not mentioned in name. Who are these people? Why were they putting the cripple down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate to beg? Were they using the man to beg so that they could get money by preying on the sympathy of passersby? Were they just being charitable to the man so that he could continue to survive? Could the man’s condition be healed, even though the cost could have been quite high? So many questions, so many scenarios.

However, we notice something different. Peter and John did not just give him some money and walk away. They healed him of his crippledness in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. In doing so, they gave back the crippled man his life, his independence, his freedom. He was no longer dependent on others to survive, he could now take care of himself. If you were in his shoes, you would also certainly be walking and jumping and praising God!

It seems easy for us to just give some money and walk away. After all, that seems to be the most convenient way of doing charity. But let us ask ourselves sincerely… Is that enough? Are we really helping, or are we just giving so that the recipient would not bother us further, and possibly to feel and look good? How many of us are willing to go that extra mile, like Peter and John, and help the person more than what is basic or minimum? Are we truly loving others, just as God truly love us?

Easter Tuesday

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Simple folks, especially those from the countryside or villages can sometimes be more trusting and dependent on God’s providence. Some possible reasons why these folks are like that is because they are not burdened with a lot of information or gadgets and gizmos, they do not have that much fear and anxiety due to their fewer belongings, they are a closer knit community as they practically grew up together and tend to know each other better, etc.

When Peter spoke to the Jews, he was speaking to simple folks who already feared the Lord. His words “cut to the heart… They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised.” It did not require that much philosophical and theological explanations to convince them, and “that very day about three thousand were added to their number.”

What about us? Are we simple folks or have we become complicated folks? Do we analyse too much before we become convinced? Or are we willing to trust God more? Sometimes in our quest for development and progress, we may have become more and more sophisticated and complicated, and lost our simplicity in life.

Easter Monday

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Some people may think that a white lie is ok but other lies are not ok (or some may even think that other lies are ok). However, a lie is a lie, no matter what colour it may be. When a person lies, that person is trying to protect something or someone, or perhaps to save face, or to avoid an embarassing or incriminating situation.

The chief priests and elders in today’s Gospel are caught lying to save their own skin. They were more concerned about themselves and their establishment, and were not willing to accept or admit the truth about Jesus. Even the guards who witnessed the resurrection were not willing to put their lives in jeopardy over an itinerant preacher like Jesus, since they could be executed if the truth comes out. So, to muddle up things and to protect their own interests, money is once again involved. Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, and once again He is “betrayed” with a considerable sum of money. Not only were these people guilty of bearing false witness, they were also guilty of greed.

What about us? Are we guilty of bearing false witness and greed today? Are we no different than the chief priests and elders or the soldiers in today’s Gospel? Is the truth too difficult to swallow? We may try to hide or cover up the truth, but as a Malay proverb reminds us: “sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga.” (loosely translated in English as: “No matter how good a squirrel is at jumping around trees, in the end it will fall to the ground.”). Are we going to wait until we are finally exposed for the lies uttered? Why do some of us imprison ourselves with lies and more lies, only to bring ourselves to ruin or cause ourselves to be worse off later?