Category Archives: Saturday

I sometimes come across persons who like to make lots of suggestions or complaints, but when they are asked whether they would be willing to get involved and improve things, they begin to make lots of excuses and dare not commit themselves. They prefer to remain as keyboard warriors or only talk or complain, but are unwilling to offer themselves to bring about change and progress. I recall several people asking when a building complex would eventually be built, to provide more classrooms, meeting rooms, and facilities for the parish. When asked whether such persons would be willing to be part of the building committee, and work towards gathering funds so that such a building complex may eventually be realised, such persons would quickly excuse themselves from being involved, or even try to change the topic altogether.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!” It is fine and good to hear the word of God, but just hearing the word of God won’t mean anything, if we do not internalise it, ponder upon it, and share it with others. In other words, we should not just talk or hear without action. May we not keep the word of God to ourselves, but go forth and preach the Good News, just as what Jesus commanded us to do.

Are we being tempted to go astray from God’s ways to the ways of the world? The ways of the world have many attractions and benefits which try to lure us into alienating ourselves from God, and that is why we need to take courage and try hard to avoid going astray. When we fall into temptation, it is not the end yet, since God gives us many opportunities to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, change our ways, and remain in God’s path.

In today’s reading, the prophet Baruch gives us a message of hope: “Take courage, my children, call on God: he who brought disaster on you will remember you. As by your will you first strayed away from God, so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard; for as he brought down those disasters on you, so will he rescue you and give you eternal joy.” Baruch reminds us not to give up or give in to despair, but to keep on trusting in God and walk in His ways, trusting and knowing that He will help us. Are we willing to be humble and patient in our journey towards eternal joy with Him?

What sort of security do you seek in life? Some of us seek plenty of wealth and property as a form of security. Some seek fame, popularity and recognition as a form of security. Some seek knowledge and power as a form of security. But the reality is that these forms of security are only temporary and one day, we will lose them. How many of us are truly and consistently seeking God as our security, instead of all these temporary forms of security?

In today’s reading, the prophet Zechariah, in a vision, said that Jerusalem was to remain unwalled. The reading assures us that God would be the wall of fire for her all round her, and He will be her glory in the midst of her. Jerusalem, by remaining unwalled, reminds us that, instead of relying on human forms of security, we should rely more on God for our security. Are we willing to let go of or be detached from any form of of temporary security, and let God be our true and permanent security?

How is it possible for some of us to fall into the sin of serving other gods? When we begin to treat wealth, property and other things as more important than God, then we would be falling into the sin of serving other gods. We say we love and serve God, and yet some of us seem to find it difficult to take time off from our work to come to church on Sunday; or we seem to spend more time in pursuing our personal interests, instead of church or charitable activities to give glory to God. When we have such attitudes or excuses, then are we really loving and serving God, or have we strayed away from God or even rejected God outright?

In today’s reading, “The people answered Joshua, ‘No; it is the Lord we wish to serve.’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ They answered, ‘We are witnesses.’ ‘Then cast away the alien gods among you and give your hearts to the Lord the God of Israel!’ The people answered Joshua, ‘It is the Lord our God we choose to serve; it is his voice that we will obey.’”

Notice that in the reading, Joshua challenged the people to “choose today whom you wish to serve.” And the people made a clear and firm choice in choosing to serve God, and not some other foreign god. Are we willing to commit ourselves just like the Israelites did? Or have our hearts become divided, or even rejected God, in pursuit of other gods such as our wealth, our property, our fame and popularity, and other things?

We sometimes come across persons who are constantly worried or afraid about what other people think of them. Some of such persons crave attention or good feedback, and what others think or say about them affects them tremendously. When such persons crave such attention, they may be doing so to feed their ego and inflate their pride. When they do not get the attention or good feedback they crave, they may become despondent, paranoid or insecure. Some even end up having anxiety and sleepless nights, affecting one’s health all for the sake of getting such attention or good feedback.

In today’s Gospel, King Herod cared more about his reputation and the opinions of others, instead of doing what is morally right and just. As a result, John the Baptist lost his head, so that King Herod could keep what he thinks is his good reputation and the good opinion of others. In other words, King Herod was more interested in “saving face.” What about us? Are we more worried about getting what we think is good reputation, even to the point of committing heinous or despicable acts? Or are we willing to lose face or our reputation, to remain in good standing with God?

Over the years, I have come across people who say they do not go to church any more because they have a problem with certain persons in church, or they think that the church is full of hypocrites, or they think that the church is full of sinners. Such persons think that only good people or saintly people should be in church, and everyone else is damned or condemned. But if we understand what being church means, we would realise that the church is for both saints and sinners, and all are called to holiness, all are called to repentance.

In today’s Gospel, we come across the parable of the wheat and darnel. Instead of having the darnel removed quickly and in doing so, risk removing the wheat as well, the landowner allowed the wheat and darnel to grow together, until the time of harvest came. Once it was time to harvest, then only was the wheat and darnel separated. In the same way, God allows the church to have both saints and sinners present, and both are given ample chances to grow in relationship with Him. But God is not going to wait too long for us to change our ways. When the harvest comes, would we be among the wheat, or would we end up among the darnel? Ultimately, it is our choice to make.

When we are experiencing peaceful times, we often do not think about war; or losing one’s home, property or way of life; or even the possibility of becoming a refugee. Yet, there are some who may have experienced such tragic events in their country; and they may have fled to another country such as the one we live in; and we may have come across such persons before. Some of us would have even helped such persons in whatever way we can.

In today’s reading, we are told that “The sons of Israel left Rameses for Succoth… People of various sorts joined them in great numbers; there were flocks, too, and herds in immense droves. They baked cakes with the dough which they had brought from Egypt, unleavened because the dough was not leavened; they had been driven out of Egypt, with no time for dallying, and had not provided themselves with food for the journey.”

For some, being driven out of one’s country due to war, political strife or some other reason may seem a tragic thing. But in the case of the sons of Israel, the reason was to rescue them from Pharoah and Egypt, and as such, it was actually for the better. In a way, we may have experienced being driven out of a bad or even sinful situation, even if it means we have no time for dallying. Being driven out in this way is no longer a tragic situation, but a situation meant to rescue us from evil, and to help us remain in God’s ways. Are we willing to be driven out and led by God? Or are we still insisting to remain in servitude in Egypt?

When someone has sinned against us or has done us great hurt or harm, how would we respond? Would we be willing to forgive the person? Or would we look for an opportunity to get back or take revenge at the person? Would we follow Jesus’ way, in forgiving even those who have betrayed us? Or would we follow the ways of the world, where an eye for an eye is practised? It seems easy to get along with people who we like, but would be just as easily get along with people we less like?

In today’s reading, Joseph’s brothers were worried that Joseph would use the past as an excuse to hit back at them or to have his revenge after what they had done to him, now that their father Jacob is dead. But as we can see from the reading, Joseph chose to forgive, reconcile and be merciful towards his brothers, instead of holding a grudge or looking for an opportunity to exact revenge. Joseph chose to let bygones be bygones, and move on in God’s ways, instead of dwelling in the past.

What about us? Would we be willing to let bygones be bygones, and move on in God’s ways, just as Joseph has shown us? May we learn to let go of the hurt we may have experienced, and let God heal us and guide us to be more like His Son, Jesus, and give Him the glory in all we say and do.