Category Archives: Weekday

Death is something which will happen to all of us one day, but as to exactly when and how we will die, we do not know. All we know is that death will come “like a thief in the night,” so sudden and so unexpected. It can be quite an unnerving and a shocking feeling and experience, where you are just talking and joking with a person one minute and the next minute the person suffers a stroke and dies. You become numb and you could hardly believe what has happened. The person was just so alive and kicking a few moments ago and now the person is gone forever. Yes, that is how fast and how sudden death can be.

This is why, in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we should always be ready and prepared. We should not be caught off-guard when the Lord calls us. Yet, how do we prepare for something which is so unpredictable as death? Perhaps one way we could prepare for death is to live a good life, so that we would, as far as possible, be ready for a good death. Living a good life does not mean things would be easy or straightforward, but what is important is we keep on trying and remain as consistent as possible, relying on God’s grace and strength to guide us through. May we not waste the many opportunities God gives us to live good lives, and remain in His love and care.

Some of us may have experienced rejection or feel as if nobody loves us or care for us. When we feel like this, what do we do? Some begin to go into depression, and if left unchecked, may give up on life, or even to the extent of considering committing suicide. Some may even go to the extent of numbing the pain, and become ruthless or unfeeling, since they think that nobody cares or loves them anyhow, and they should not care and love others as well. But what sort of attitude Christians should have concerning rejection?

In today’s reading, we are reminded: “Is it possible that God has rejected His people? Of course not!” The reading also reminds us that even the Jews are still loved by God, loved for the sake of their ancestors. God never takes back His gifts or revokes His choice. This means that even if others reject us or even if it seems as if nobody loves us or care for us, we have a God who loves us, He chose us as His own, and He will never reject or abandon us. So let us put aside such feelings, and with confidence give thanks and praise to our loving God, who has always been there for us.

Imagine for a moment what happens when we die… We are shown a movie of our entire life. In the movie, we see all the things we did, and we also notice a number of blanks in between some parts of the movie. When asked why there seem to be such blanks in the movie of our life, Jesus tells us that these were the times when we sinned and asked for God’s mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we asked for God’s mercy and forgiveness, our sins are forgiven, and He does not remember them anymore. Such sins are finito, gone with the wind, so to speak.

In today’s gospel, Jesus says, “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” What is this sin that could not be forgiven? The Holy Spirit is the Advocate who is constantly beckoning us to “Turn back to our loving God.” And so the unforgivable sin is our attitude when we say, “There is no hope, God cannot forgive me.” When we have such an attitude, we are commiting the grave sin of despair, where we say that God cannot or is incapable of forgiving us. This is blasphemy, plain and simple, since it denies the very core of God’s being: His love and mercy.

So what should we do? We should constantly remind ourselves of God’s immense mercy. We should not have any thought of despair, since God shows His love to us even if we are sinners, His mercy is without end and greater than our sinfulness, and His mercy enables such blanks in the movie of our life. May we grow closer to God with confidence, knowing that we have a loving and merciful God, who will care and provide for us.

We sometimes hear the idiom: “Actions speak louder than words.” A person can say a lot of things or make a lot of promises, but at the end of the day, words are cheap and meaningless, if such words end up merely as words and nothing is done. For example, we sometimes hear people complaining about how certain civil leaders are not doing their duty, and yet when asked to get involved and become a civil leader themselves, such persons 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 as alternative candidates to be civil leaders who are willing to bring about change and justice.

In today’s Gospel, we are reminded that “Actions speak louder than words,” where 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. 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.

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 if we consider the various forms of security that we seek, can these truly last? No! These forms of security are only temporary and one day, we will lose them, especially when we “balik kampung” (that is, when we die). Even while we are still living, there is no guarantee that such forms of security would last, since such forms of security could be lost, stolen, become obsolete, or even become worthless or irrelevant.

In today’s reading, the prophet Zechariah, in a vision, said that Jerusalem was to remain unwalled. If we consider for a moment… wouldn’t it be dangerous to let a city like Jerusalem be without walls for protection and security? 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. What this means is 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 our various forms of security, and let God be our true security?

Why do we call ourselves Christians? If we call ourselves Christians, then do we do what Jesus expects of us? Or do we pick and choose only what is convenient and comfortable for us? Sometimes, we come across people who claim to be Christians, but they want to do things their own way, as if being a Christian could be customised according to what suits them. But is that what being a Christian is all about? Are we Christians for our convenience?

In today’s reading, St. Paul reminds us: “Before God the source of all life and before Christ, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I put to you the duty of doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures…” St. Paul is reminding us that being a Christian means witnessing for the truth and “doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures…” It means that we cannot pick and choose, or water down the truth, for our convenience and the convenience of others. May we take initiative and make effort to “do whatever He tells you” as what Mother Mary did, and do our duty for the glory of God.