Category Archives: Weekday

Whenever we face troubles or persecution because of our faith, some of us may be tempted to give up or give in. The lures and temptations of riches, wealth, status and power are certainly a challenge for us to keep at bay. But we need to truthfully ask ourselves: are we looking for temporary gratification here on earth, or do we seek that which is eternal? Our persecutors could use all sorts of dirty tricks, ways and means to try and make us fall, but are we willing to be steadfast, firm and hold on to our faith at all costs?

Today’s reading gives us some words of encouragement to hold on and persevere: “Be as confident now, then, since the reward is so great. You will need endurance to do God’s will and gain what he has promised. Only a little while now, a very little while, and the one that is coming will have come; he will not delay. The righteous man will live by faith, but if he draws back, my soul will take no pleasure in him. You and I are not the sort of people who draw back, and are lost by it; we are the sort who keep faithful until our souls are saved.” If we believe in the promises of Jesus, we should not waver or cheapen ourselves into submitting to what this world can offer, but fight on and be on our guard against all forms of temptation, knowing that what we would gain in the end is far more precious and valuable than what we could ever attain in this temporary life.

Owning a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle is a great timesaver and a great convenience for many of us. With such a vehicle, we could go to different places quickly and safely. Also, we could go to places where there may not be any public transport easily or cheaply available. However, owning such a vehicle also means we need to maintain it regularly. It is no point owning such a vehicle, only for it to breakdown or be rendered unusable, due to our neglect in sending it for proper repairs and maintenance. We are responsible for the upkeep of the vehicle, if we want to continue using it.

In the same way, we are also responsible for the upkeep of our faith and relationship with God. We cannot call ourselves Christians and do nothing, thinking we could just sit idle and care only for ourselves. The reading today reminds us of the need for us to be together in faith as a community in communion with God: “let us be sincere in heart and filled with faith, our minds sprinkled and free from any trace of bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us keep firm in the hope we profess, because the one who made the promise is faithful. Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works. Do not stay away from the meetings of the community, as some do, but encourage each other to go; the more so as you see the Day drawing near.” Also, we are reminded in today’s Gospel that we need to do our part in faith, and be generous and diligent in our conduct and efforts. The Gospel tells us: “Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

The question we need to ask ourselves is this: are we doing proper repairs and maintenance to our lives as Christians, just as a vehicle requires proper repairs and maintenance? Or have we become complacent and lazy? Let us do what is necessary to avoid a “breakdown” in our faith and in our relationship with our loving God.

Some of us often like to think of ourselves as good Christians. Some think that we are good because we have been regular in coming for Mass and other church activities. Others think that we are good because we have been generous with our contributions. But if we consider for a moment, how many of us truly have the Word of God embedded in our hearts and minds? Do we listen to God’s Word and then transform it into action? Or do we just hear God’s Word and then carry on doing things in our own merry way? Some of us may think that so long as we are not doing something bad or hurting others, we should be okay. But is that really the case?

In today’s Gospel, we read about the parable of the sower. If we ponder a while, we may begin to realise what sort of Christian we have become. We may appear to be good Christians, but God’s Word may have gotten lost in our lives, or as some may say, “gotten lost in translation.” How many of us could truly and sincerely say that we come under the category of “those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” Let us not despair or give up should we discover that we have not really measured up to arrive in this category. Instead, let us be more diligent and double our efforts, so that God’s Word could truly live in us and transform us into the best He wants us to be.

Some people try to take credit for the success of others. For example, we have heard of people who say: “I discovered that person and brought him or her to where he or she is today.” But these people fail to realise that the success of the person is not necessarily dependent on them, but it is because the person had worked hard, or had used his or her God-given talents and abilities to become where he or she is. We sometimes also come across parents or family members who begin to think that they have an exclusive right or access to a person, using blood-relationship as an excuse to gain preference or favours from the person. But what did Jesus say today which shattered such attitude?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that relationship with Him is not confined to family alone or even to mere words we utter. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us: “‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.'” If we claim to relate to Jesus, then our relationship should be one of action, that is to do the will of God. It is not enough to just say that we know Jesus or we are related to Him, even when it comes to blood-relationship. What is more important is that through our actions in doing God’s will, others may be inspired to do the same for the greater glory of God.

Have you ever been jealous of someone? Some of us may have experienced some form of jealousy in life, but have you ever experienced immense jealously towards another person? When we experience immense jealousy, some may begin to find ways and means to get the better of the other person, or some may find ways and means to put the other person down, or some may even go to the extend of committing heinous acts to appease oneself. Some have been known to become insane with jealousy, and only after a grave or despicable act has been committed, that the person may come to realise one’s folly or the person may try to cover one’s tracks, hoping that what they have committed would not be exposed or brought to light.

In today’s Gospel, the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem had such immense jealousy, that they began to talk nonsense when they said about Jesus: “‘Beelzebul is in him’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts devils out.'” Jesus really went to town with these scribes and made fun of them, saying: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never stand. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either – it is the end of him.” These scribes show us how unwise we could become when we are immensely jealous, even to the point of uttering contradicting statements. May we be on our guard against such immense jealousy, and always remember that in all we do, we are to glorify God.