Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Weekday

Saturday of the 3rd Week of Easter

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Most of us are fortunate to be living in a place where there is generally peace and security. When we are experiencing such peace and security, what do we do? Do we use such peace and security to better ourselves or take necessary steps or precautions to ensure that peace remains? Or have we become complacent, taking such peace and security for granted, and possibly losing our alertness or preparedness for possible incidences?

In today’s reading, we are told that the churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were left in peace. However, these churches did not become lax or take things for granted. Instead, they were building and fortifying themselves; they were living in the fear of the Lord, with full faith in Him; and they were filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit while remaining in His guidance.

What about us, especially when it concerns our spiritual lives? Are we building and fortifying ourselves by growing closer to God? May we not procrastinate and be caught off-guard or unprepared, and make every effort to remain alert and prepared as best as we can, while remaining in the Lord’s guidance.

Saturday of the 2nd Week of Easter

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Some of us seem to think that we must be in control of everything. We find it difficult to let go or to let others help. This is because some of us are perfectionists, or we lack trust in the abilities of others. However, the reality of life is that, in many instances, it is necessary for us to let others help. This is because we cannot possibly do everything or control everything, especially as we age and become less able to manage. Also, by involving others in the task at hand, we may free ourselves time for other matters, including rest, recreation, family time, and more.

In today’s reading, the apostles realised that it was not possible for them to devote themselves to the spiritual needs of the community and at the same time attend to the physical and practical needs. So what did the apostles do? They delegated authority to seven men of good reputation, who would see to the physical and practical needs of the community, while the apostles continued to devote themselves to prayer and to the service of the word. In this way, both the spiritual and physical needs of the community could be attended to.

What about us? Are we willing to delegate authority to others so that they could help in sharing the Good News through different ways? May we learn to let go of our need to be in control, and delegate where necessary, so that we can devote ourselves according to our vocation, and in all we say and do, God may be glorified.

Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

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Throughout history, humankind has been divisive in many ways. People divide themselves according to ethnic group, according to the colour of one’s skin, according to the amount of wealth one has by differentiating the rich from the poor, according to the level of education or status in society, and much more. Such divisions lead to prejudice, discrimination, and unfair policies and practices, which often support one group at the expense of the other. However, this is not the way God intends us to live from the beginning. We are all part of humankind, and we should be united and loving with one another, not divisive and conceited.

In today’s reading, Ezekiel tells us of how God will reunite His people who had been scattered, exiled and divided, into one people, and He would be their God and they would be His people. This reading reminded the Israelites and us too, that ultimately, we should be one people under God. We should be children of God, instead of being divisive and prejudiced against each other. But the question is, are we united as one people under God? To some extent we are, but we are not entirely united yet. In fact, at times, it seems as if we have become even more divided. Yet we should not give up hope or despair, since God will eventually unite us completely. We just need to have faith, trust in God’s help and providence, and wait patiently for the Lord to gather us together into one.

Saturday of the 4th Week of Lent

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It is easy for some of us to seek revenge towards those who have cause us harm or grief. We feel that we have been wronged greatly, and we want the person or persons who wronged us to suffer. But if we consider for a moment, what is the motivation behind wanting revenge? Isn’t it because our pride and ego has been hurt, and we want to supposingly heal our pride and ego by causing hurt to the other? But the reality is that, revenge is never justified, no matter how grievous the original harm may have been. In fact, seeking revenge is only for one’s personal gratification and to puff up one’s ego. So what’s a Christian to do when one has been wronged?

Perhaps a solution could be seen on how Jeremiah in today’s reading dealt with people who have wronged him. The reading tells us: “But you, the Lord of Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence, who probe the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.” Instead of giving in to revenge, Jeremiah chose to leave it to God to do the judging. Instead of trying to salvage his pride and ego, Jeremiah chose to remain humble and let God be in control, knowing and trusting that God would not abandon him. It is wise for us to do the same.

Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent

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It is easy for us to take God for granted, especially when we have received so much from Him in different ways. Some of us forget to say grace before meals or even grace after meals, and we do not thank God enough for the good things we have and the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. Some of us may have even become presumptuous about God’s mercy and forgiveness, that we take it for granted and not feel real contrition, remorse, and sorrow for our sins. We think that God would forgive us anyhow, and we neglect going for confession, which is required for our sins to be forgiven.

When we take things for granted and become presumptuous towards God, we begin to take God’s mercy and forgiveness too lightly. Such attitude of taking things for granted and being presumptuous can be found in today’s reading, where the people said: “Come let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has struck us down, but he will bandage our wound; on the third day he will raise us and we shall live in his presence.” The Lord responded: “What am I to do with you? This love of yours is like a morning cloud, like the dew that quickly disappears.” It seems like the people were only giving lip service, instead of practising true love and knowledge of God.

What about us? Have we become like the people in today’s reading, where we end up saying and doing things only to puff our ego and swell our pride? Have we become presumptuous, taking God for granted, instead of walking humbly before Him? May we come to realise such attitude, and change our ways while we have the opportunity to do so.

Saturday of the 2nd Week of Lent

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In certain ethnic groups, traditions and customs, the deity is seen as a being to be feared. Persons belonging to such ethnic groups or adhere to such traditions and customs would do all they can to appease the deity, by offering the best of their produce, or offer money, hoping that the deity could be “bribed” into leaving them in peace and harmony. Some such ethnic groups, traditions and customs may even have a practice of sacrificing an animal, or even to the extent of offering human sacrifices, hoping that the deity would be appeased.

However, today’s reading paints us quite a different picture of God. In the reading, we are told: “What god can compare with you: taking fault away, pardoning crime, not cherishing anger for ever but delighting in showing mercy?” Unlike a deity that is fierce, vengeful and prone to meting out punishment, we have a God who takes fault away, pardons crime, does not cherish anger, and even delights in showing mercy. Thus, let us not be afraid of God, rather let us go to Him with humility and docility for forgiveness, comfort and guidance, knowing that He will not abandon us. Let us also delight in showing mercy towards others, just as God is continuously showing mercy to us.

Saturday of the 1st Week of Lent

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Every once in a while, I come across people who seem to do things half-heartedly. It is as if the task is too difficult or complicated to do, even though in reality, the task is actually so simple that even a small child could have done it well. Such persons seem to drag their feet, or take their sweet time to get it done, but when their boss or superior comes along, they suddenly appear to be hard working or diligent, only to go back to their half-hearted routine once the boss or superior has left. Could some of us be guilty of such half-hearted attitude and behaviour?

In today’s reading, “Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.” While some of us could play games in front of authority, and then return to half-hearted ways, we cannot play games or behave half-heartedly when it comes to God. God expects us to observe His laws and customs wholeheartedly, in fact, we are to do so with all your heart and all your soul. Failing to observe such laws and customs wholeheartedly could lead to undesirable or even disastrous consequences. Are we willing to be humble and docile, and follow God’s laws and customs, for our good and for His glory?

Tuesday of Week 6 Year 2

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Every once in a while, a person would come for confession and start blaming everyone else for causing him or her to sin. For example, the person may say that his or her elderly mother or elderly father is too slow or takes too much time to eat, and because of that the person gets quite annoyed or angry. Some even blame other drivers on the road for driving too slow, even though the road may be quite congested, there is a speed limit and there is a speed camera present. At the bank, some blame the bank tellers for being too slow in attending to their needs, even though in reality, the amount being banked in is quite small, and could have easily been banked in using the Cash Deposit Machine (or CDM). It seems easy for some to put the blame on others for one’s sins.

However, today’s reading admonishes us, saying: “Never, when you have been tempted, say, ‘God sent the temptation’; God cannot be tempted to do anything wrong, and he does not tempt anybody. Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is death.” The reading makes it clear that we sin because we allow ourselves to be seduced and we allow ourselves to give in to sin, and not because of others. This means that we should take responsibility for the sins we have committed, and seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, instead of just conveniently trying to past the buck to others. Would we be willing to admit our fault, and make more effort to remain in the Lord’s ways?

Monday of Week 6 Year 2

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Signs are useful and necessary in our lives. For example, directional signs are there to guide us to where we intend to go. In our natural environment, the “signs of the times” tell us what to watch out for, so that we would be prepared should disaster strike. Non-verbal signs expressed by our spouse, our children, our siblings and our friends, tell us that something is wrong, or the person may be hurt, or the person may be unwell, especially when physical signs such as a rash or a boil appears. So as you can see, signs are useful.

However, in today’s  Gospel, the Pharisees came forward and argued with Jesus and asked for a sign from heaven to test Him. Even though there were already many signs making it quite clear who Jesus was, the Pharisees refused to acknowledge such signs. Instead, they wanted signs which jive with their way of thinking or understanding. But Jesus was not going to tolerate such arrogance and narrow way of thinking from the Pharisees, and all He did was, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, said, ‘Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.’

Could some of us be like the Pharisees, even though many signs are already present around us? Are we still refusing to believe or accept such signs? God may have given many signs for us to repent, change our ways and return to His ways. But just like the Pharisees, our pride, arrogance, prejudice and ego, may have hindered and blinded us from accepting such signs. May we take heed of the signs around us, and make amends with the Lord, while we have chances to do so.

Saturday of Week 5 Year 2

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I sometimes come across people who don’t like certain church rules, practices or customs. Such persons voice their displeasure over such rules, practices or customs, and some even leave the church to join another Christian denomination, or even join some other faith entirely. This is because such persons expect rules, practices and customs to suit their purposes, or for their benefit. But what such persons fail to realise is that God’s commandments, as well as Jesus’ commandments of loving God and neighbour, are the basis for such rules and practices, whereas customs are traditional and widely accepted ways of behaving or doing something in the church community. Such rules, practices and customs did not materialise overnight, and they are meant for the good of the entire Christian community, not just for the good of a few.

In today’s reading, we see an example of a person who did not like certain rules, practices or customs among the Israelites. That person was Jeroboam who thought to himself, ‘As things are, the kingdom will revert to the House of David. If this people continues to go up to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, the people’s heart will turn back again to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will put me to death.’ And so, Jeroboam did the unthinkable. He created his own gods, by making two golden calves; he got the people to worship such false gods; “He set up the temple of the high places and appointed priests from ordinary families, who were not of the sons of Levi”; and even dared to “institute a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth of the month, like the feast that was kept in Judah.” Jeroboam did all these repugnant things, just because he did not like certain rules, practices or customs among the Israelites, and he wanted to save his own skin. As a result, “such conduct made the House of Jeroboam a sinful House, and caused its ruin and extinction from the face of the earth.”

What about us? Would we change certain church rules, practices or customs as we please, just because they are inconvenient to us or we feel uncomfortable towards them? Is faith like changing clothes, where we discard things which we are unable to accept? May we continue to be faithful, and walk in God’s ways.