Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Weekday

Monday of Week 28 Year 1

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Supposing someone were to come up to you and ask you: “What do you do as a Christian or as a Catholic?” What would your response be? Some of us may say we worship and pray to God and Jesus is our saviour and guide. Some may say that they attend Sunday Mass regularly and get involved in various church activities. But what are we supposed to do as Christians?

While all other activities and church events are good, our primary duty as Christians is to preach the Good News, as Paul says in the reading. Not only that, Paul also mentioned in the reading that Romans, to whom his letter is addressed, are also duty-bound to preach the Good News. This means that preaching the Good News is not only meant for religious leaders, each and every Christian is expected to do his or her part in preaching the Good News, in one form or another. Therefore, let us not slack or try to shirk our responsibilities, and go do what is expected of us.

Housekeeping – Week 27 Year 1

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For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:

4 Oct 2015 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
5 Oct 2015 – Monday of Week 27 Year 1
6 Oct 2015 – Tuesday of Week 27 Year 1
7 Oct 2015 – Our Lady of the Rosary, Memorial
8 Oct 2015 – Thursday of Week 27 Year 1
9 Oct 2015 – Friday of Week 27 Year 1

Friday of Week 27 Year 1

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Have you ever stopped to think what jealousy could do to you, especially if you allow it to fester and control you? Some people may be quite surprised and embarrassed when they discover what happens when they allow themselves to be jealous. Some begin to behave in a silly or erratic manner, and they begin to say things which are silly, stupid or which make a fool of themselves. Some begin to waste time and effort trying to plot and bring the other person down, when they could have used such time and effort to do good. Some even begin to lose sleep and become increasingly frustrated, when others seem to be doing better or are more successful than they are, and their health is affected. But at the end of the day, why do we need to be jealous? What are we really trying to prove?

In today’s Gospel, we read: “When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – Since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then.'” We can obviously see that some of the people had allowed jealously to get the better of them, causing them to talk nonsense. Instead of trying to belittle Jesus, these people only end up belittling themselves. May we become aware of the dangers of allowing jealously to control us, lest we inadvertently end up by being worse than we were before.

Thursday of Week 27 Year 1

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Life is such that we do not always get what we want immediately. Sometimes we need to ask a few times before we get what we want. Sometimes we do not get what we want at all. When we do not get what we want, what happens? Some of us may begin to feel as if God has abandoned us or God does not care, some may even start going for other means, hoping that these other means would give us what we want. But more often than not, we still end up not getting what we want. Then what? Do we just give up, get angry, pout and throw a tantrum? Or are we willing to be patient, persistent and consistent, with hope and trust that God would grant us our needs and wants?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us: “I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.” Sometimes we ask for things or for help, but we are not persistent, patient and consistent in what we ask for. Sometimes, what we ask for may not be good for us. That is why we need to discern whether what we are asking for is really needed or necessary, and whether what we are asking for would ultimately glorify God. May we be humble and patient enough to let God guide us and grant us what we truly need, according to His time and for His glory.

Tuesday of Week 27 Year 1

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Some of us may have heard of the idiom, “once bitten twice shy,” which basically means when something or someone has hurt you once, you tend to avoid that thing or person. In the case of Jonah, this time he complied with God’s command, after having had the unpleasant experience of being in the fish’s belly for three days and threes nights and later vomited out on shore. Jonah went to warn the Ninevites of the impending doom coming their way. The Ninevites took Jonah’s warning seriously, and even the King of Nineveh issued a decree: “Men and beasts, herds and flocks, are to taste nothing; they must not eat, they must not drink water. All are to put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil behaviour and the wicked things he has done. Who knows if God will not change his mind and relent, if he will not renounce his burning wrath, so that we do not perish?”

The reading then tells us that “God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.” In the same way, when we listen to God’s warning and act upon it, we too may experience what the Ninevites experienced, and we would also avoid going through the unpleasant experience of Jonah. Are we willing to take seriously what God is telling us, before it is too late?

Monday of Week 27 Year 1

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If God calls you and asks you to do something, would you do it? Or would you try to find all sorts of excuses to avoid doing it?  Some of us may even go to the extent of trying to run away and hide, hoping that God would eventually let us go and not bother us, but that is not often the case. God is omnipotent and omniscient, meaning that He is all-powerful and all-knowing. This means that, no matter where we try to run, we cannot hide, for God can seek and find us anyhow.

In today’s reading, Jonah tried to run away from God, instead of doing His will by going to Nineveh. What Jonah failed to realise is that he was not dealing with just any other being, but he was dealing with God. Jonah tried to run away by boarding a ship to Tarshish, but God had other plans. In a way, the way God treated Jonah shows that He has got an interesting sense of humour, by causing Jonah to be swallowed by a big fish, only to be vomitted on to the shore after three days and three nights in the fish’s belly. Eww! Must have been quite yucky and disgusting to be stuck in a fish for a while.

In the same way, we too could experience a not so pleasant time like Jonah, if we choose to repeatedly ignore God’s voice. Sometimes we need to remember that God calls us because He has a better plan for us, and it would be to our benefit to do His will for His greater glory.

Housekeeping – Week 26 Year 1

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For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:

27 Sept 2015 – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
28 Sept 2015 – Monday of Week 26 Year 1
29 Sept 2015 – Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels – Feast
30 Sept 2015 – Wednesday of Week 26 Year 1
1 Oct 2015 – Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin, Doctor – Feast
2 Oct 2015 – The Holy Guardian Angels

Wednesday of Week 26 Year 1

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Some of us have got attachments in one form or another. We may be attached to our parents, our family members, our children, various things, our property, our titles and many others. We find it difficult to let go of our attachments, and sometimes that could be a stumbling block in our efforts to grow spiritually and become closer to God.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds and challenges us of the cost of being a disciple. To be a disciple, one needs to take up one’s cross and follow Him, even to the point of being detached from one’s parents, family members and other things which could distract or encumber us from becoming effective disciples. Our duty and mission as disciples is to go forth and preach the Good News, and if we are attached to or distracted by the wants and needs of others, how would we be able to freely and joyfully carry out what is expected of us? May we be humble and docile enough to let God take control of our lives, and learn to be detached, so that we could serve Him for His greater glory.

Monday of Week 26 Year 1

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What do you value most in life? Some people value fame, fortune, recognition, power, wealth, or popularity. Such people would make much effort to achieve what they value, because they want to be seen as the best, the smartest, or even the greatest. If we ponder for a moment, we could realise that we value these things mainly because we are proud of ourselves and are feeding our ego. But all these things that we value are only temporary. We cannot bring them with us when we die. Even while we are still alive, situations could cause us to lose these things; sometimes due to reasons beyond our control. Then what would happen then? What would we do?

In today’s Gospel, we are told: “An argument started between the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what thoughts were going through their minds, and he took a little child and set him by his side and then said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.'” Why would a little child be great? It is precisely because the child is docile and dependent on his or her parents, instead of trying to boost one’s ego. We too can be great, not because we are trying to feed our pride and ego, but because we are humbling ourselves and being dependent on God’s help and providence. We are also being great when all we do, we do it for the glory of God, and not for our personal gratification. The question is: are we only looking for greatness among others here on earth, greatness which is only temporary and will be forgotten or fade away? Or have we learnt not to be too concerned about greatness, and continue to do God’s will?

Housekeeping – Week 25 Year 1

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For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:

20 Sept 2015 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
21 Sept 2015 – Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist – Feast
22 Sept 2015 – Tuesday of Week 25 Year 1
23 Sept 2015 – Wednesday of Week 25 Year 1
24 Sept 2015 – Thursday of Week 25 Year 1
25 Sept 2015 – Friday of Week 25 Year 1