For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
9 Aug 2015 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
10 Aug 2015 – Saint Laurence, Deacon, Martyr – Feast
11 Aug 2015 – Tuesday of Week 19 Year 1
12 Aug 2015 – Wednesday of Week 19 Year 1
13 Aug 2015 – Thursday of Week 19 Year 1
14 Aug 2015 – Friday of Week 19 Year 1
15 Aug 2015 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Different people have got different views about what a marriage is all about. Some think that it is ok for people to marry, and then if they find that they have differences that they supposingly cannot resolve, then they should divorce. Others, including the Catholic Church, insist that there is no such thing as a divorce and that couples should make every effort to reconcile their differences and seek help where necessary to maintain their marriage. Why is the Catholic Church so strict about marriages where some other denominations have relaxed the rules?
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminded the Pharisees and reminds us too: “Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.”
This is why, when it comes to marriages, the Catholic Church pays particular attention to the pre-marital preparation and the pre-marital course, as well as other programmes to help couples in their married lives. Getting and staying married is not like changing clothes, so the couple should be fully aware of themselves, each other, and what they are getting themselves into. Sometimes, in the process of attending a pre-marital course and making the necessary pre-marital preparations with the parish priest, the couple may discover things about each other which may not have surfaced previously. This gives the couple a chance to decide whether they are still willing to remain united with each other before the marriage takes place. After all, a wedding is only a moment in time, but a marriage is for a lifetime. So, do not play play with marriage, unless one is ready and prepared to work at it and stay committed, united and remain in love with the other, no matter what happens.
How genuine are we when it comes to forgiveness? Some of us say we forgive, but we still keep the hurt in our hearts and even dwell on it. Some of us say we forgive, but we still remember what had happened and we cannot seem to let it go. So what exactly is forgiveness then? Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender well. This also means that the victim no longer allows the offense to affect him or her, and is willing to let God help him or her heal over time.
The first servant in today’s Gospel had had his debt cancelled and he was allowed to go free. But this servant obviously did not appreciate the generosity of his master. He thought that he had been given a lucky break. That is why the first servant did not seem to understand or appreciate his master’s forgiveness. Instead of learning from his master and forgiving his fellow servant by cancelling his fellow servant’s debt, he became mean, arrogant and nasty towards his fellow servant, even to the point of having his fellow servant thrown into prison. In the end, this unforgiving servant ended up in prison himself, and his master in anger and disgust “handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.”
We ask God for forgiveness whenever we sin, but have we been just as forgiving to others, just as God is forgiving to us? May we take heed and be warned, that we too may end up in prison just like that unforgiving servant, as Jesus cautions us: “And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.”
Many of us want quick solutions to our problems. This is often because we are so used to having many things done for us instantly. For example, we want to get money, we go to the ATM and withdraw the amount we require. We also have instant coffee, instant tea, instant noodles and so many other instant things which supposingly makes life easier. However, when it comes to relationships, could we ever have instant relationships? Would we be happy with a relationship where it is touch and go, or we hardly know the other, or the relationship is just shallow, sort of more like an acquaintance than a true friend type of relationship? Surely not. I believe most of us would want a lasting, happy, healthy and meaningful relationship.
This is why, in today’s Gospel, we are reminded about how we should deal with people, especially when there is a problem or issue at hand. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us: “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.” This means that we should not expect instant solutions or jump the gun and go straight to a higher authority without dealing with the other party first. Thus, if we really and truly value our relationships, let us be mindful of how we treat others, since we too would want to be treated fairly, justly and with proper dignity.
We sometimes hear certain folks saying: “children are to be seen, not heard.” Not only that, children are often treated according the demands, rules and regulations of their parents, teachers and those who are caring for them in one way or another. Most of the time, children have got little rights, as all that they have, all that they depend on, comes from their parents or guardian. For example, a child in school cannot just get up and go to the toilet as he or she likes. The child would often need to get permission from the teacher first before being allowed to go. Seeing all these, how can then a child be considered great, as mentioned in today’s Gospel?
In today’s Gospel, Jesus told His disciples: “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” What Jesus is telling us is not be become childish. Rather, He is telling us to be like little children, by being dependent on God and trusting in His providence. As adults, we tend to try and do things our way or live according to what we think is right, but sometimes what we are doing and the way we are living may not necessarily be best for us. That is why Jesus is inviting us to put more trust in God and let Him care for us, since God will not abandon us. Are we willing to be child-like and let God be in charge of our lives, for our physical and spiritual well-being, and for His greater glory?
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
2 Aug 2015 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
3 Aug 2015 – Monday of Week 18 Year 1
4 Aug 2015 – Tuesday of Week 18 Year 1
5 Aug 2015 – Wednesday of Week 18 Year 1
6 Aug 2015 – The Transfiguration of the Lord, Feast
7 Aug 2015 – Friday of Week 18 Year 1
Many people call themselves Christians or claim to be followers of Christ. But are these people really following Christ? Or are they merely Christians in name only? Are we following and practicing Jesus’ teachings, or are we only picking and choosing what suits us or what is convenient to us? It is easy to call ourselves Christians, but it is a different matter altogether to remain faithful in following and practising His teachings, not just a portion or a part of His teachings which appeal to us, but all that He has taught us, even those parts which are difficult or challenging to observe. What exactly does Jesus expect of us then?
In today’s Gospel, we read: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.’
Being a follower of Christ basically means we are willing to renounce ourselves, renounce our old ways, our pride, our ego and our prejudices, and be willing to put on new ways in Christ. It means we are to follow the law of love which sums up what Christ has taught us; not just loving God, but loving neighbour as well. Have we truly been faithful disciples of Christ in word and deed?
Some of us may have taken our faith for granted at times. When times are good, when we are enjoing peace and prosperity, some of us may have become complacent, wallowing in the good life. But what if, all of a sudden, the good life we had been enjoying is gone. Persecution is taking place all around us, many of our faithful are being put to death, and we are living in a perilous environment. Many of us would then turn to God in prayer and supplication, asking Him to rescue us, but some may lose faith and turn to other forms of help, thinking that they would stand a better chance of survival, and yet some would even go so far as to abandon their faith to save their skin. As Christians, how should we respond to such a situation?
In today’s Gospel, we come across a Canaanite woman who was pestering Jesus to heal her daughter. The Canaanites generally have got nothing to do with the Jews or even Jesus for that matter. They were considered pagans and the Jews had been warned not to mix around with them, for fear that they would become attracted to their pagan ways. But despite the suffering this Canaanite woman was experiencing, despite the fact that the Jews shunned such people, this Canaanite woman had great faith in Jesus. She had faith, trust and confidence that Jesus would heal her daughter. Jesus must had been quite amazed with such great faith, and even though He said: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel,” Jesus had found that even a Canaanite woman could have greater faith in Him than “the lost sheep of the House of Israel” at times. Because of the Canaanite woman’s great faith in Jesus, her daughter was freed from her torment.
What can we make out of this? Today’s Gospel shows us that we should never take our faith for granted. We should have trust and faith in Jesus, in good times and in bad. We should not be complacent with our faith, but be alert and ready at all times. When the time comes to show our faith, may we be courageous and bold, knowing that we are being witnesses of Jesus for His glory.
Sometimes life can be tough, especially in the present economic situation many of us are in. We begin to worry about making ends meet, and we become more and more engrossed with our work and trying to make a living, that we may have given less and less time for God. We think that this is real life, it is not fair, it is a struggle, and we have to go at it on our own. But sometimes, we come to a situation that we cannot seem to free ourselves from, or we are stuck and do not know how to resolve. What do we do? Some of us may try alternative forms of help, thinking that these would somehow help us through, but more often than not, these alternative forms may only land us into more problems than solutions. Then what?
In today’s Gospel, the disciples were in a boat battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind.went towards them. We read: “When the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped.”
Each of us may have been experiencing heavy seas in our lives. We think that our problems are too difficult to solve. But if we put our trust in Jesus and let Him be our guide, then our problems are no longer problems but opportunities for us to grow closer to Jesus. We may not get everything we want, but Jesus can provide for us our needs, if we have faith and trust in Him. Let us not doubt any longer or think that Jesus has abandoned us, but continue to be patient and persistent in our trust and faith in Him, knowing that He will do what is best for us in His time and for His glory.
Some of us worry a lot and are worrywarts. We worry about so many things, sometimes things which are actually not a big deal. So how do we lessen or stop our worrying? By being more trusting towards God’s care, love, goodness and providence. If God is there for us, and if we believe that God can help us, then we should be free from worries. We should be more willing to care and share with others, because God is there for us and we will not be lacking as God can provide for us.
In today’s Gospel, we see how the disciples were worried about what to do with the crowd. We read: “When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’” Here, we see how the disciples still did not get it. They still did not recognise or have enough trust in Jesus. They were more concerned of themselves and wondered how they were going to feed such a crowd with so few loaves and fish. But Jesus showed them that when we give, we can receive even more, and we see this in the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish which Jesus performed right in front of their eyes.
So let us not be too worried or concerned. Instead, let us put our trust in God, knowing and trusting in His providence. After all, if He can feed so many with so little, just imagine what He could do for us if we depend on Him and let Him be our help and guide.
