Category Archives: Tuesday

Every once in a while, we come across difficulties and challenges in life. Sometimes we feel as if such difficulties and troubles are too overwhelming, so much so that we may be tempted to give up. Instead of continuing to fervently pray and depend on God’s help, some may have doubted in God’s providence and turned to other forms of help thinking that these would really help them, only to later find that they are of no help.

In today’s Gospel, the disciples were battling with a heavy sea, and they doubted when Jesus came towards them, thinking that He was a ghost. Peter also doubted when he felt the force of the wind, took fright and began to sink, and Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. When we doubt, we begin to question whether God is able to help us. We fail to realise that God can help us, but according to His time. When we ask God for help, we cannot expect or demand that He will help us immediately according to our terms. Are we trying to control God? Let us be patient and persistent in prayer, knowing that God can and will help us. When and how? Trust and pray, go do your best today, and leave it in the hands of the Lord.

Each and every one of us are given choices throughout our lives here on earth. We can choose good things, or we can choose not so good or bad things. Some of you may be wondering: “This padre is crazy. Of course we would choose good things. Who in their right mind would choose bad things?” But the funny thing about life is that, there are people who do choose bad things, whether they are aware of it or not. For example, we can choose to eat healthily most of the time, or we could choose to eat junk food or rubbish (in other words, food which may not be good or may be damaging for our health). We could choose to live a life free of addiction and intoxicants, or we could become addicted and dependent on tobacco, liquor, or even drugs. We could choose to speak politely and humbly, or we could choose to use vulgar words or speak in a disgusting tone. Ultimately, our choices could lead to different consequences, some good, some bad.

In the same way, our spiritual life are also full of choices. We could choose to grow faithfully, consistently and humbly closer to God, or we could choose to avoid God. When we are making effort to grow in relationship with God, we are allowing the good seed to be sown into our soul, as mentioned in today’s Gospel. When we sin and neglect or refuse to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession, we may be sowing darnel into our soul. At the end, there would be wheat or darnel in our soul, and what would happen to us would depend on what we sow. Do we wish to be counted among the subjects of the kingdom, or do we rather end up as subjects of the evil one? It may seem strange or odd, but ultimately, we choose what the outcome would be, depending on the way we lived our lives.

Today, may we be prudent and make a choice. We call such a choice a fundamental option, where we choose to live a life with God, or away from God. May we choose wisely, since our eternal future is at stake.

Some of us can behave quite strangely at times. We expect others to be nice to us, to be kind to us, to help us when we are in need, to forgive us when we have done something wrong, to accept us as we are, to be compassionate and patient with us. It seems like we are concerned all about us. But what happens when it is us dealing with others? Are we just as nice, kind, helpful, forgiving, accepting, compassionate and patient with others?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: “So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” Instead of expecting others to take the initiative, we as Christians should be the one to take the initiative by treating others the way we ourselves would like to be treated. In this way, we are being witnesses to the Gospel, because our ultimate objective is not to gain respect or recognition here on earth by our words and deeds, but to give glory to God. By doing so, others would begin to understand what it really means to be a Christian, and perhaps join us in faith.

Some people seem to be quite preoccupied with doomsday or the end of the world. Even on television, we sometimes come across documentaries about how some people would try to stock up and be prepared should the end of civilisation as they know it happens. To some people, the end of civilisation is like the end of the world, and they believe that chaos would reign and the only way to survive would be to have sufficient food, water and defences. But all these preparations are only for an earthly existence. What about preparations for life after death?

In today’s Gospel, we are told: “‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.'” If we have been consistent and persistent in our spiritual preparations for life after death, then all the so called claims made by others about the end of the world coming, as well as all the seemingly heavenly signs happening, should not concern us. What should concern us is that we are prepared at all times as best we can, knowing and trusting that God will care for us no matter what happens. Let us not become paranoid or fearful, but have continue to have confidence and trust in God.