Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Thursday

Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent

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What is a contract? A contract, especially if we are referring to a business contract, is an agreement of a list of services being offered, certain terms and conditions to be met, the kind of compensation to be received such as money or goods in exchange, and the consequences to be faced if the contract is not fulfilled. Such a contract is often only for a certain period of time, and once the terms and conditions of the contract have been fulfilled, the contract would usually expire. But when it comes to God and us, God does not make contracts with us, but a covenant. The terms are stipulated by God and fulfillment of the covenant are carried out by God in His time.

In today’s reading, God made a covenant with Abraham, where Abraham “shall become the father of a multitude of nations.” This covenant is not for a limited period, but in perpetuity. When God makes a covenant, He keeps His word and He is faithful, even though we may not be so faithful to Him at times. God is willing to make a covenant with us humans, and keep His end of the bargain. We are invited to remain faithful to Him, but we are not forced to. We can choose to remain in His providence, or we could choose to go our own way. The choice is up to us, though it is advantageous for us to remain in His covenant. So let us always choose to remain with Him, so that we may continue to prosper, live and be happy.

Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent

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There is song called “When Will They Ever Learn” and part of the lyrics are: “Where have all the soldiers gone; Long time passing; Where have all the soldiers gone; A long, long time ago; Where have all the soldiers gone; Gone to graveyards, every one; When will they ever learn?; When will they ever learn?” In this song, we discover how people seem to have not learnt from the past; how people, especially among the younger generation who are experiencing peace and prosperity, easily forget the evil, the atrocities committed, the suffering endured. When people forget, the consequences can be disasterous. We have seen numerous wars, betrayals, and other deeds which happen over and over again at different points of history. Why is this happening? Some reasons could be: due to our pride, our ego, our impatience with God and with each other, our lack of forgiveness, our selective forgetfulness. When will they ever learn?

In today’s reading, the Israelites experienced the liberation from Egypt and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. God had rescued the Israelites in a spectacular way. But did the Israelites learn from their past? No. They soon forgot about the God who saved them and they created an idol in the image of an animal and worshipped it. As a result, the Israelites ended up wandering in the desert for 40 years as a reminder of who they are and what God has done for them.

We too could end up wandering in the desert for 40 years or even more, if we forget who we are and what God has done for us. We could end up in a vicious cycle, forgetting the many bitter and painful lessons of the past, if we do not make effort to remember and change our ways, our attitudes and our conduct. God is so patient with us and giving us plenty of opportunities to repent, realign ourselves to Him, and live and grow in His love and care. Will we ever learn? Are we willing to learn?

Thursday of the 3rd Week of Lent

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We live in a world where we are beginning to see more and more people being divided according to racial lines, ethnic groups, ideologies, economic situation (such as lower income, middle income, upper class), and many other forms of division and fragmentation. Even within our countries, our communities and in some cases, even in our families, we see such division and fragmentation taking place. Why is this happening? Perhaps it is because we are so stubbornly holding on to our ideals, our wants and needs, our identity, our achievements and status. Perhaps our pride and ego has become more and more uncontrollable, due to our neglect in checking them. Or perhaps we have become less loving and receptive to God’s voice, as we become more and more immersed in the ways of the world and all the attractions it has to offer. Perhaps some of us have even chosen not to listen, not to pay attention, and follow the dictates of our own hearts, ignoring God’s voice completely.

In today’s reading, God, through the prophet Jeremiah, reminded the Israelites, that He had been so patient and persistent in sending His servants the prophets to “knock some sense” into them, by trying to help them change their ways, their attitudes, their behaviour, so that they may have life and prosper, but the Israelites did not listen, they did not pay attention; they followed the dictates of their own evil hearts, refused to face God, and turned their backs on God. Even then, we see how God had not given up on them or left them to their doom. Instead, God was still so patient and persistent, even to the extent of sending His only Son, Jesus, to reach out to them, and eventually to die for their sins.

If God is so patiently waiting for the Israelites to change, He is also doing the same for us. We have been given many opportunities to change our ways, and return to His love and care. But sometimes, like the Israelites, we too did not listen, did not pay attention; followed the dictates of their own evil hearts, refused to face God, and turned our backs on God. Let us be reminded that our time on earth is short, and it is up to us to do what is necessary to change and grow closer to God. At the end of the day, whether we end up with God or away from God is up to us.

Thursday of the 2nd Week of Lent

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How much do you really trust the people around you? Do you have absolute 100% trust and confidence in certain persons or even most persons? Do you have 75% trust and confidence? Or do you have little trust and confidence in others? Some of us may have put a lot of trust and confidence on a person or certain persons, but it is not easy to determine whether a person or certain persons would be trustworthy, dependable, loyal or reliable. We have seen cases of persons who turned out to be traitors or unreliable. So when we deal with persons, we are taking a risk, because we do not know what sort of persons we are dealing with and it takes much time to build trust and confidence towards such persons.

That is why today’s reading reminds us: “The heart is more devious than any other thing, perverse too: who can pierce its secrets?” Also, the reading reminds us: “A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord… A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope.” When we trust God, we know that He will care for us and not betray us, but trusting in people requires much discernment and care, to ensure that we are not taken for a ride, tricked or cheated. This does not mean we should avoid trusting people, but it means that our full trust and hope should be in the Lord, and when comes to trusting and confidence in people, Sirach cautions us: “Let those who are friendly with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand. When you gain friends, gain them through testing, and do not trust them hastily. (Sir. 6:6-7)”

Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent

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Many of us would have prayed to God for help, for things, for health, and for many other reasons. But if we consider for a moment what we are praying for: are we praying for our needs, or our wants, or to fulfil our desires? Is what we are asking for really good for us? Or is what we are asking for merely to satisfy our pride, our prestige or our ego? Sometimes what we are asking for may seem deceptively good, but in reality, in may turn out to be not so good for us after all.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus assures us: “If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” This assurance sounds like a blank cheque where God would give us anything which we ask, as long as it is good and we ask. But if we observe the text carefully, we would begin to understand that the word “good” does not refer to our interpretation or expectation of “good,” but according to God’s choice and providence. This means that God would, for His glory, give us what is good, not to satisfy our pride, ego or personal gratification. May we discern carefully what we ask for, and have full trust and confidence that God would grant us the good that we truly need, so that in all things, we would give Him the glory.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

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Every once in a while, we are faced with choices. Sometimes the choices we are given are straightforward and clear-cut, and making a choice is easy. Sometimes the choices given may be quite difficult, and choosing one could cause us to lose the other and vice versa. For example, some of us may have faced a difficult situation where we can choose to listen and obey our parents, but in doing so we may be going against God’s commandments; but if we obey God’s commandments, we may risk losing our parents (one possible outcome from the choice made could be to be disowned by our parents). If we are faced with such choices, where there is no middle ground or third option, where it is either one or the other, what would you choose?

In today’s reading, the Israelites were given a choice: “choose life and you will live and increase; choose death and you will most certainly perish.” There was no middle ground or alternative; only one or the other. In the Gospel, Jesus gives us a choice: “For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it. What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?” If we are asked to choose now, what would we choose? Would we choose life as in the reading, or choose to lose our life for Jesus’ sake as in the Gospel? Or would we choose otherwise? Remember, there is no middle ground, it is one or the other. May we make our choice wisely, as there is no turning back or alternatives.

Thursday of Week 4 Year 2

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Most of us would have taken a flight from one point to another at some time during our lives. Some of us may have taken a flight to go for a holiday, others for work, others for studies, and others to visit friends and relatives. No matter what reason we are taking a flight, there are some limitations which are imposed on us so that the flight would be safe and free from potentially dangerous situations or delays. For example, we know that liquids cannot be brought into the cabin and must be stored in suitable bottles or containers in our checked-in luggage, and even so, with a limitation as to how much liquid that can be checked-in (usually about 100ml). Even the checked-in luggage has got a weight limit. For example, for the economy class, it is usually 20kg. Some of us may think that 20kg seems like a lot of stuff, but if we pack our luggage for a trip, we would soon find out how easy it is to exceed this weight limit.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus has also set a weight limit as to how much his disciples are allowed to bring with them as they embark on their mission. Why did Jesus impose such a weight limit? Some may say that Jesus is doing so, so that his disciples would not be encumbered with too many things. But there is a deeper meaning to that: Jesus is actually teaching His disciples, and us too, that to be a disciple, God’s grace is sufficient. The rest of what we want or need are less essential things or peripherals, and will be provided for when the time comes. Would we be willing to shed away the many things that we have come to depend on, and depend more on God’s grace, knowing that He will provide for us?

Thursday of Week 3 Year 2

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Why do we sometimes find it so difficult to get new people to help out in different church ministries? Among the many reasons given, one reason is because there are some people who may have the skills or talents, but they are not willing to offer such talents or skills in church. Some of such people have what we call a “what’s in it for me?” attitude; or they think their skills and talents are for them to use as they please and for their benefit or advantage; or they even feel that their talent or skill is not good enough, even though in reality, their talent or skill is really good or even phenomenal. Could some of us be guilty of such attitude or way of thinking?

In today’s Gospel, we are reminded: “Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand?… The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” When we offer our gifts, talents, skills and abilities to the church and to God, surely we would receive much from Him, sometimes even more than what we could dream off. Or are we still stubbornly or selfishly holding on to what we have, only to risk losing it all through our indifference, lack of practise, or due to some other reason?

Thursday Week 2 Year 2

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Some people like to wear green clothing, due to a number of reasons. Some even make a fashion statement of the colour green, by not only wearing green apparel, but also including other matching accessories like bags, shoes, watches and other items. But seeing green (another word for “jealousy”) isn’t quite the “fashion” statement we would want to make. Some of us see green due to a number of reasons, including insecurity, fear, concern and anxiety over an anticipated loss or status of something of great personal value. When we see green, we may end up committing greater sins or heinous acts.

In today’s reading, we come across king Saul who was seeing quite a lot of green, since David was being praised more than he. Just because of a few additional words of praise, jealousy had taken over king Saul and made him plan to kill David. Are mere words of praise sufficient grounds for a person to become excessively jealous? If one is insecure and egoistic, even mere words could be seen as a threat. But if one realises one’s worth, then it would not really matter after all. May we be on our guard and not allow the poison of jealousy to rear its ugly head, and let the Lord guide us to walk humbly in His ways.

Thursday of Week 1 Year 2

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It is interesting to observe how some people behave when they want or need something. Some of such people may all of a sudden appear to be extra nice towards others or extra prayerful, hoping that God would take notice and be nice to them in return and grant their wants or needs. Some may begin to become demanding towards God, expecting Him to listen to their prayers or requests. But what happens when God does not give them their wants or needs? Some of such people may begin to look for other gods or other means, thinking that they would by hook or by crook get what they want. But does God have to listen to our requests and obey our will? Are we trying to control God and build our own kingdom?

In today’s reading, Israel tried to force God to help them win their battles against the Philistines. They brought the ark of God to their camp, thinking that God will have no choice but to protect them and help them, since in their mind, they thought that God was in the ark and He would not allow the ark to be captured and desecrated by foreign hands. But what Israel failed to realise is that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and God’s ways are not our ways. God would act according to His Will, His terms and His purposes. In the end, the ark was captured: a major catastrophe for Israel, but not an issue for God.

What about us? Have we tried to get God to do our bidding? Have we forgotten that God is God and we should be doing things to build His Kingdom and for His glory, not ours? May we learn to be humble and docile, letting God be our help and guide, and surrendering to His Will.