For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
15 Nov 2015 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
16 Nov 2015 – Monday of Week 33 Year 1
17 Nov 2015 – Tuesday of Week 33 Year 1
18 Nov 2015 – Wednesday of Week 33 Year 1
19 Nov 2015 – Thursday of Week 33 Year 1
20 Nov 2015 – Friday of Week 33 Year 1
Everything that we say and do here on earth has got a consequence or a result or effect. Sometimes we are able to experience the consequence almost immediately, sometimes the consequence occurs later in life. For example, if you purposely hit a dog, the dog may respond there and then by biting you. On the other hand, if you regularly eat fatty food or extensively processed food, you may experience the effects of such eating habits later in life, where certain body organs may deteriorate or fail. Then you may end up being saddled with hefty medical bills and you may also go through suffering and pain as a result of certain medical treatment or procedures.
In the same way, there are consequences which we may not experience while we are alive on earth. When we sin, it does not matter whether we have committed venial or mortal or serious sin, our soul is slowly soiled. We begin to lose connection with God. We think that we can get away with what we have said and done, or sweep it under the carpet and pretend that everything is fine, but we fail to realise that the consequence of our words and action will happen when we are called to account for our every action or omission. Many people live lives thinking that we can get away with what we have said or done, because we may not see the consequences of our negative words and actions in our present life. But unless we wake up to the truth that we shall be accountable for our every word and action, we will die without the opportunity or any chance to mend our ways. All will face judgement on the Last Day. All our actions, our mistakes, our good and bad deeds, our sins, our failures, our successes would be made clear on that day. Although God is loving and merciful, no one can escape judgment. No one can run away and hide.
In the first reading, we are cautioned: “Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.” Would we be among those who are granted everlasting life? Or would we face shame and everlasting disgrace? What is going to happen to us then? Do we know? Jesus in today’s gospel warns us: “But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.” Are we going to be caught off-guard and face the possibility of eternal damnation, or have we been consistent and persistent in our preparations, with hope of eternal and everlasting life? Do we want to risk waiting until it is too late?
All is not yet lost. There is still time to amend our ways now. Let us not wait till tomorrow or next month or next year. Let us not procrastinate further and fool ourselves into thinking that we are still young or healthy and have plenty of time. God can call us at any time and at any moment to give an account of your life. Are you still stubbornly or obstinately taking things for granted and taking things easy?
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
8 Nov 2015 – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
9 Nov 2015 – Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
10 Nov 2015 – Tuesday of Week 32 Year 1
11 Nov 2015 – Wednesday of Week 32 Year 1
12 Nov 2015 – Thursday of Week 32 Year 1
13 Nov 2015 – Friday of Week 32 Year 1
Some of us spare no expenses or effort when we want or desire something. We would make much effort to save, work hard and work smart, so that we would hopefully and eventually achieve or attain what we want or desire. For example, if what we want or desire involves a life-long marital relationship, we would find ways and means to impress the other person, and show how much we care and how much we are willing to sacrifice for that person, with the hope that one day, the person would accept our proposal to be our spouse. If we want to attain a degree or higher qualifications, we would work hard and drive ourselves hard to attain it.
But if we step back and ponder for a moment: all these efforts are to satisfy our own needs and wants. The question is: how much are we willing or prepared to give to God, be it our time, our talents or our wealth? We often forget that all that we have is a gift from God. God has given us everything that we need and yet we often find it so hard to give back to Him. There are countless ways we give back to God, some of which include monetary contributions to the church, by helping the poor, by sacrificing our time and effort to further the Church’s mission, by getting involved in various church ministries, the list goes on. But let us ask ourselves honestly, are we really giving, or are we merely offering what we can spare?
Today’s readings challenge us to give our all to God, to give our best and to give our lives to Him. In the first reading, we come across the non-Jewish widow who is asked to share her last meal with the prophet Elijah. God rewards her generosity by allowing her food to never be totally spent. In the Gospel, the poor widow puts in only two small coins, an insignificant amount to some, and nothing compared to big sums donated by the rich. And yet Jesus praises her action because “she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.” The poor widow shows us what total self-giving means.
Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice so that we may be saved. Jesus has given his 100%, He has held nothing back.What about us? How much are we prepared to give to God? Are we being very calculative? Are we trying to hold back many things because they give us security? Let us reflect over our own willingness or unwillingness to make sacrifices for God, and may we be willing and humble enough to give our all to God, just as Jesus has given His all to us.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
1 Nov 2015 – All Saints Day
2 Nov 2015 – All Souls Day
3 Nov 2015 – Tuesday of Week 31 Year 1
4 Nov 2015 – Wednesday of Week 31 Year 1
5 Nov 2015 – Thursday of Week 31 Year 1
6 Nov 2015 – Friday of Week 31 Year 1
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
25 Oct 2015 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
26 Oct 2015 – Monday of Week 30 Year 1
27 Oct 2015 – Tuesday of Week 30 Year 1
28 Oct 2015 – Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles – Feast
29 Oct 2015 – Thursday of Week 30 Year 1
30 Oct 2015 – Friday of Week 30 Year 1
Do you have a friend whom you could consider a true and good friend? More often than not, our friends are actually merely our acquaintances, since finding a close friend whom you could really trust and depend on is not so easy. A good friend is someone you can turn to for help whenever you are in need. This friend may not be able to solve all your problems but he or she would be there for you through thick and through thin. A truly good friend also challenges you with the truth. He or she can tell things about you that you do not see in yourself and this is done out of love and not out of revenge or to belittle you. Humanly speaking, it is not easy to find a person who fits such criteria of a truly good friend, though we could find a divine good friend in Jesus Christ.
In today’s gospel, Jesus healed the blind man and made him see. Sometimes, we too are blind although we have eyes to see. We are blind when we don’t notice the poor and think of their needs. We are blind when we cannot recognise our weaknesses and mistakes. There are also times, we fail to recognise and see Jesus in others. That is why we need someone to tell us. Jesus helps us come to terms with our inability to see, and helps us restore our sight, just as He did for the blind man.
Today, Jesus invites us to open our eyes to recognise Him in the Eucharist. Jesus gives himself to us as food, so that we may grow, be strong and survive both spiritually and physically. Just as Jesus has given Himself to us, we too must give ourselves to others. We must not to be selfish. Instead, we must learn to love others, even those people whom we do not like. We must also help others, including the poor, the elderly and those who are weak. Just as you have experienced the love of Christ, we must also share His love with everyone you meet. May we be true and good friends to others, just as Jesus is a true and good friend to us.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
18 Oct 2015 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
19 Oct 2015 – Monday of Week 29 Year 1
20 Oct 2015 – Tuesday of Week 29 Year 1
21 Oct 2015 – Wednesday of Week 29 Year 1
22 Oct 2015 – Thursday of Week 29 Year 1
23 Oct 2015 – Friday of Week 29 Year 1
What is success? What is failure? Are any of us failures? The way the world sees success and failure is quite different from the ways of God. God created everyone for success. God did not create anyone for failure. But what do success and failure really mean? For most people, as for James and John in today’s Gospel, success means to be the best. To succeed means to excel. Success is measured by comparing one’s achievements against the achievements of one’s “competitors.” However, in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us a new understanding of success.
For Jesus success means people realising and fulfilling God’s dream for them. Does this mean that God has already determined the outcome of our earthly existence? No. God has an intended destination for which He created you and me. But whether you and I attain this destination or not depends on how much we are willing to cooperate with God’s grace. God gives us free will to choose to cooperate or not.
James and John, on the other hand, represent an earthly understanding of success that encourages ambition, rivalry and unhealthy competition among people. We call such success the rat race, or as some may say, it is a dog eat dog world. On the other hand, Jesus teaches a different kind of success, which encourages mutual cooperation and contentment of realising that we can all be successful because God has created each and every one of us for something different. God has enough dreams to go round, a different dream for everyone, a different success for everyone. Our ambition in life should be to discover and live God’s dream for us.
At the end of the day, are we still seeking success here on earth? Or have we started to seek the kind of success that God has planned for each of us, different though it may be according to each person, but success all the same? May we be willing and humble enough to let go of temporary success, for the kind success which is permanent and eternal.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
11 Oct 2015 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
12 Oct 2015 – Monday of Week 28 Year 1
13 Oct 2015 – Tuesday of Week 28 Year 1
14 Oct 2015 – Wednesday of Week 28 Year 1
15 Oct 2015 – Thursday of Week 28 Year 1
16 Oct 2015 – Friday of Week 28 Year 1
