Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Monday

Monday of Week 7 Year 2

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Have you ever wondered why some people serve in church or hold some important office or function in church? Some may be doing so because they want to be generous in helping the church to grow, and to build God’s Kingdom. Such people do things for the benefit of the church, and we can see their humility and genuineness through their words and actions. But it is also interesting to see how some other people behave, what sort of attitude they have, when they hold some position in church. We have seen examples of arrogance, pride, and ego in some persons, who do things for show or to attract attention to themselves.

This is why today’s reading reminds us: “If there are any wise or learned men among you, let them show it by their good lives, with humility and wisdom in their actions.” The reading also cautions us: “Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it.” Are we living good lives, with humility and wisdom in our actions? Or have we become partial or hypocritical in our lives?

Monday of the 7th Week of Easter

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It is unavoidable that at some point of our lives, we would come into some form of conflict with others, or we may experience some form of persecution. This is because we as Christians follow Jesus, His way and His teaching. When we are faced with situations where we need to adhere to Christian principles at the expense of worldly principles, we are bound to clash with others who follow worldly principles, and who are trying to make us do the same.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us some reassuring, encouraging and comforting words: “In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world.” Notice that Jesus did not say “may have trouble” but He said “will have trouble.” This shows that being a Christian is certainly not going to be easy, as there are many things that we adhere to which are against the ways of the world. So let us not be disheartened or even despair, as we have Jesus to guide and protect us, since He has already conquered the world, and with His help, we too can do the same.

Monday of the 6th Week of Easter

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Some of us may have heard of the country ballad by Carrie Underwood titled “I Told You So,” and some of the words are: “I told you so, oh I told you so, I told you some day you come crawling back and asking me to take you in…” In this song, the lyrics seem to show one person gloating over, or speaking in a condescending manner towards another person, for not listening to, or refusing to accept, or rejecting, advice or suggestions. When a person uses such word like “I Told You So,” it is possible that the person may “brag” over it, or the person may feel proud and “wise” for having said something towards another person, and the other person had not listened and ended up with issues or problems. But as Christians, is this the sort of attitude or behaviour we encourage?

In today’s Gospel, we see an example where Jesus said “I have told you all this” and even said it three times. Jesus said “I have told you all this” not to prove what He said was true, but so that when the time for those events have to come to pass, His disciples may remember that Jesus had told them. Jesus is helping His disciples, and us too, to remember that we must always be prepared and ready for anything, and remain in God’s love and care.

As Christians, we are called to be prophets. What does that mean? It basically means that we are to speak the truth and tell it as it is, no matter how hard or difficult the message may be to accept, for the good of those who are supposed to receive the message. But the prophet is saying such truth or message not to show how clever or wise the prophet is, but to do the will of God and deliver God’s message and warning to those who need to know. The prophet is not interested in bragging, or gloating, or saying “I told you so,” to appease one’s personal ego or gratification, since the prophet is merely doing one’s duty. Are we also doing our duty faithfully?

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?

Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter

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It is interesting to observe the habits, behaviour and attitude of some people when it comes to food. Some people are very choosy about what they eat, and such persons would eat only at certain places and eat only certain kinds of food. Some people are food enthusiasts, and such persons would be more than willing to travel long distances to savour food which may not be available at where they come from, or such food may not taste that great and the place where they go to offers a much better taste. Some people are food addicts, and they would eat almost the same thing over and over again, since trying or tasting once does not seem to satisfy their taste buds. But all these people have one thing in common: the food that they eat can only be enjoyed for a short time, after which the food would be processed by the body, some of the nutrients would be absorbed by the body, and waste would be excreted from the body. Such food would never satisfy completely, and one would end up hungry again after a while.

This is why, in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: “Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.” The food that Jesus is offering us is the Eucharist, His Body and Blood. Such food is to satisfy our soul and to give us life. Seeing that such food can last for the good of our soul, why are some of us not receiving it regularly? Some of us make so much effort to seek and enjoy food here on earth which delights us only for a short moment. But what about food for our soul, which would delight us eternally? May we get our priorities right and make more effort to receive such heavenly food regularly, for the betterment of our eternal future.

Easter Monday

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What sort of persons are we? What sort of stuff are we made off? Do we have only outer strength, or do we have inner strength as well? Some people may have outer strength: for example, they have the military power, weapons, political and social influence, connections and standing, or some other form of external factor which gives the illusion that such people are strong and powerful. But the problem with outer strength is that such outer strength comes and goes. People with only outer strength could lose such strength at any time or at any moment. But how many of us have inner strength, which includes truth, integrity and other virtues which come from within us?

In today’s Gospel, we come across examples of outer strength and inner strength. The soldiers, the chief priests and the elders, had outer strength, but they lacked inner strength, since they chose to cook up a lie and live on in fear and worry. Instead of being people of courage and bravery, they succumbed to cowardice and deceit. They failed to adhere to good principles and good virtues expected of them. On the other hand, the women, who were thought to be powerless, discounted and devalued, were the ones who lived up to the truth with courage and integrity. These women showed their inner strength, as they saw the empty tomb, the truth in the Risen Christ, and went off to proclaim the truth with joy and fervour.

Let us ponder and ask ourselves sincerely: are we people of merely outer strength? Or have we grown especially in our inner strength? Do we depend only on outer strength to define who we are? Or have we shown our inner strength through our words and actions? May we come to realise the folly and illusion of outer strength, and learn to follow the ways of the Lord.

Monday of Holy Week

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What does it mean to be a “minister”? A minister is supposed to be serving the interest of the people, so that all would prosper and progress; or in the context of a church minister, so that the people would grow in holiness and grow closer to God. But how many of the “ministers” around us are really doing their duty for the good of all? How many of such “ministers” are really serving and not merely trying to please the boss, superior or certain persons who would be beneficial to him or her. How many of us who are “ministers” or the “ministers” around us, are impartially and dedicatedly serving for the glory of God, not for their own personal gratification or to boost their prestige, pride and ego?

In today’s reading, we are reminded about what it really means to be a “minister” or a servant to God: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have endowed him with my spirit that he may bring true justice to the nations. He does not cry out or shout aloud, or make his voice heard in the streets. He does not break the crushed reed, nor quench the wavering flame. Faithfully he brings true justice; he will neither waver, nor be crushed… I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right; I have taken you by the hand and formed you; I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations, ‘to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.'”

Notice that such a “minister” or servant is supposed to bring true justice and to do all things for the glory of God. If you are a “minister,” or if we observe the various ministers around us, are we as “ministers” really bringing true justice and serving for God’s glory? Or have some of us been corrupted with greed, ego, power, wealth and personal glory, that we have begun to serve ourselves? May we take caution and not allow ourselves to fall into the ways of the world, or become conceited or corrupted. Instead, may we, in all we do, give glory to God.

Monday of the 5th Week of Lent

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Have you ever noticed how some people are so easily duped with certain leaders and hang on to every word they say? Some of these folks are not necessarily simpletons, as some of them are quite highly educated, but when it comes to certain matters such as faith and religion, some of these folks prefer not to think carefully what the leader is saying, and blindly follow the instructions and pronouncements made by the leader, without even thinking or considering whether such words uttered by the leader are truth, or actual teaching of the faith, or they are merely rubbish meant to benefit the leader.

In today’s reading, we come across two elderly men who had been selected from the people that year to act as judges. These elderly men were judges posing as guides to the people, and their hearts were filled with filled and uncontrollable lust, especially towards Susanna. Because of this, the reading tells us that these two men “threw reason aside, making no effort to turn their eyes to heaven, and forgetting its demands of virtue.” Instead, they managed to have Susanna condemned to death via trumped up charges, and the people were so naive to listen to these judges without proper investigation, just like what some people do even today. But thankfully, God “roused the holy spirit residing in a young boy named Daniel who began to shout, ‘I am innocent of this woman’s death!'” Daniel even added (perhaps in a mocking way): “Are you so stupid, sons of Israel, as to condemn a daughter of Israel unheard, and without troubling to find out the truth? Go back to the scene of the trial: these men have given false evidence against her.” In the end, instead of Susanna, the two elderly perverted men were the ones condemned to death.

What about us? Do we just follow a leader blindly, regardless whether the leader is a religious or political one? Have we come to realise that sometimes a leader may be dishing out commands or instructions merely for his or her own benefit? May we not be so “stupid” or so easily duped into obeying blindly, but take caution in what certain leaders say, so that in all things, we glorify God.

Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

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Why is it so hard for some of us to forgive, reconcile and move on? One reason could be because of the hurt we had experienced as a result of the wrong done upon us, and we find it almost impossible to let go of the hurt. Another reason could be because our pride and ego has been wounded, and we find it difficult to let it be and move on, since we seem to be constantly bombarded by our pride and ego to claim what we think is rightfully ours. But what sort of attitude should Christians have towards forgiveness and reconciliation? Is it really that difficult to forgive and reconcile?

In today’s reading, the prophet Isaiah tells us: “Thus says the Lord: Now I create new heavens and a new earth, and the past will not be remembered, and will come no more to men’s minds. Be glad and rejoice for ever and ever for what I am creating, because I now create Jerusalem ‘Joy’ and her people ‘Gladness.’” God is willing to forgive His people and make things new, instead of dwelling in the past and allowing the past to ensnare His people, freeing them from the bondage of past wrongdoings. In other words, God is letting bygones be bygones, and willing to give His people new life. If God is willing to do such things, are we not willing to do the same? Are we still trapped in our past hurts, failing to see the wonders and newness that God is offering us? May we free ourselves from our unforgiving drunkenness and unforgiving stupor, and let the Lord heal us and guide us closer to Him.

Monday of the 3rd Week of Lent

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We all know what anger is, and we’ve all felt it: whether we have experienced it as a fleeting annoyance or as a full-fledged rage, we have either been angry or experienced the anger of others at some point of our lives. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems: problems at work, in our personal relationships, and in the overall quality of our life. Anger can make us feel as though we are at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion. That is why we need to learn and know how to handle or manage anger well, otherwise it may lead to undesirable or even disastrous consequences.

In today’s reading, we see an example of how anger almost led to disastrous consequences. In the reading, the king of Aram sent the king of Israel a letter asking him to cure his servant Naaman of his leprosy. The letter was actually meant for the king of Israel to refer Naaman to the prophet Elisha, but instead of trusting in God’s providence and having confidence that God’s prophet Elisha could solve the problem, the king of Israel tore his garments, ranted and vented, in other words, he gave in to his anger, thinking that the king of Aram was trying to make an excuse to pick a quarrel with Israel. But fortunately for the king of Israel, Elisha pacified him and assured him that all would be well, and from the reading, all was indeed well, as Elisha had helped to have Naaman cured with God’s help.

Sometimes, we too may have experienced anger and temporarily lost our heads, forgetting that God can help us solve things, and we begin to fret and worry, trying to find a solution and getting more and more agitated or worse, even more angry. The king of Israel, in a way, had a friend in Elisha, who reminded him that ultimately, God is in control and He can help. Likewise, sometimes we come across people who could be a friend to us and remind us that God is in control, just like Elisha, and it is up to us to recognise and be humble enough to let God take over. Are we willing to calm down and let God do what is best for us?