Category Archives: Monday

Human criteria of being wise and God’s criteria are quite different. For us humans, we are wise according to certain circumstances. For example, a person may be wise due to high education, but the person may not necessarily be wise when it comes to living choices. A person on the street may not seem wise according to academic criteria, but the person may be wise in finding creative ways to survive. Also, even within intellectual circles, one may be wise in certain subjects, but no one can claim to be wise in every subject. So, the question is: are we humans really wise, or do we seem wise only in certain aspects?

In today’s reading, we are reminded that there is only One who is wise. The reading tells us: “All wisdom is from the Lord, and it is his own for ever. One only is wise, terrible indeed, seated on his throne, the Lord.” The reading reminds us that only God is wise in all aspects and in all ways, and as such, we should humble ourselves and learn from God’s wisdom, who far surpasses any of our own. Let us submit to His wisdom, since it is He who loves us and provides for us.

Being possessed by an evil spirit is certainly no laughing matter. A possessed person has little or even no control of himself or herself, and what a relief it would be to be rid of such possession. It is quite understandable then why a person who had been freed from possession would want to stay with Jesus, as mentioned in the Gospel. Perhaps the demoniac felt indebted to Jesus, and he wanted to stay with Jesus to serve Him. Perhaps the demoniac wanted some sense of security in Jesus’ presence, since he may have had concerns that he may be possessed again.

But whatever reason the demoniac had in begging to be allowed to stay with Jesus, Jesus would not let him stay. Instead, Jesus said to him, ‘Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’ In this way, the demoniac was preaching the Good News by sharing his story with his people, instead of keeping it to himself and clinging on to Jesus. If we are in a similar situation, would we be grateful and thankful of God’s mercy? Would we also be excited to share the Good News with others?

Being a widow or even an orphan during the time of Jesus was no easy experience. Society at the time of Jesus was such that the man of the house was the sole breadwinner, and the wife and children were totally dependent on him. To be a widow meant having to fend for herself and maybe even to depend on public charity, and sometimes little or even no help is given. Thus, being a widow or an orphan meant being part of a vulnerable and defenseless people.

In today’s Gospel, we come across a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins into the treasury. Despite the fact that the widow was extremely poor, she was still willing and generous to put in, from the little she had, all she had to live on. Jesus in turn gave everything He had, all He could give, just to save us. If the widow and Jesus could give everything, what about us? Would we be willing and generous to surrender it all to God and for the growth of the church?

When we meet with an accident or have a bad fall, we may fracture our hand or leg. Such a fracture could cause tremendous pain, and we may require surgery and even have the affected leg or hand be put in a cast to enable the fracture to heal. Sometimes the fracture may take quite some time to heal, and we need to bear the pain while healing takes place. However, when we sin, do we feel the pain of a fracture in our relationship with God? Do we make effort to put our sinful ways in a cast, especially by going for confession and doing penance, so that the fracture in our relationship with God could heal over time?

In today’s reading, God told the prophet Ezekiel that he was about to lose his wife but he was not to mourn or grief. The reading also tells us that God had said: “I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes, the passion of your souls.” In other words, God will allow His Temple to be destroyed by enemies and the people were also not to mourn or grief. Why were the people not to mourn and grief? Precisely because they had sinned, and Ezekiel would be a sign to them that a fracture has occured in the relationship of the people with God, and the people would experience the pain of this fracture and learn that the Lord is God.

Just as a fracture of our hand or leg causes us tremendous pain, do we feel the pain of a fracture in our relationship with God, or have we become numb or even indifferent towards the pain? May we take responsibility for the many fractures that occur in our relationship with God, as a result of our sins, and be willing and humble to be healed by our loving Lord, even if much pain may be experienced, for the good of our eternal future.

We all know that personal hygiene is important to ensure that we live healthy lives. One aspect of personal hygiene that we pay attention to is clothing, more so when it comes to undergarments. We would ensure that we wear fresh and clean undergarments, and ensure that those that have been worn or soiled are washed and dried. Wearing used or soiled undergarments would not only cause unpleasant smells to be released, certain diseases as a result of using such used or soiled undergarments may even occur. Moreover, when we do not wash such used or soiled undergarments, such undergarments may eventually end up useless or unusable, since the dirt or soiled parts may eventually become too entrenched in the fabric to be removed. The only thing that one could do when this happens is to throw away such undergarments, since such undergarments have become spoilt, good for nothing.

In today’s reading, the Lord ordered Jeremiah to get a loincloth, wear it and without washing it, hide it among some rocks and then after a time take it out. By doing so, such loincloth had obviously not only become soiled, but also unusable, spoilt, good for nothing. The reading tells us that God chose His people to be His own and He bound Himself close to them, just like a loincloth is bound close to a person. Yet they did not listen to Him and followed the dictates of their own hearts and in doing so, became corrupted like the loincloth, spoilt, good for nothing.

What about us? Are we slowly becoming like that loincloth, eventually becoming soiled, unusable, spoilt, good for nothing? May we make every effort to change our ways and grow closer to God, instead of following the dictates of our own hearts, and risk jeopardising our eternal future.

Signs are useful and necessary in our lives. For example, directional signs are there to guide us to where we intend to go. In our natural environment, the “signs of the times” tell us what to watch out for, so that we would be prepared should disaster strike. Non-verbal signs expressed by our spouse, our children, our siblings and our friends, tell us that something is wrong, or the person may be hurt, or the person may be unwell, especially when physical signs such as a rash or a boil appears. So as you can see, signs are useful.

However, in today’s  Gospel, the Pharisees came forward and argued with Jesus and asked for a sign from heaven to test Him. Even though there were already many signs making it quite clear who Jesus was, the Pharisees refused to acknowledge such signs. Instead, they wanted signs which jive with their way of thinking or understanding. But Jesus was not going to tolerate such arrogance and narrow way of thinking from the Pharisees, and all He did was, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, said, ‘Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.’

Could some of us be like the Pharisees, even though many signs are already present around us? Are we still refusing to believe or accept such signs? God may have given many signs for us to repent, change our ways and return to His ways. But just like the Pharisees, our pride, arrogance, prejudice and ego, may have hindered and blinded us from accepting such signs. May we take heed of the signs around us, and make amends with the Lord, while we have chances to do so.