For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
4 January 2015 – Epiphany
5 January 2015 – Monday after Epiphany
6 January 2015 – Tuesday after Epiphany
7 January 2015 – Wednesday after Epiphany
8 January 2015 – Thursday after Epiphany
9 January 2015 – Friday after Epiphany
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
28 December 2014 – Holy Family
29 December 2014 – 5th day within the octave of Christmas
30 December 2014 – 6th day within the octave of Christmas
31 December 2014 – 7th day within the octave of Christmas
1 January 2015 – Mary, Mother of God – Solemnity
2 January 2015 – 2 January
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
21 December 2014 – 4th Sunday of Advent Year B
22 December 2014 – 22 December – Season of Advent
23 December 2014 – 23 December – Season of Advent
24 December 2014 – Christmas Eve – Midnight Mass
25 December 2014 – Christmas Day – Mass During the Day
26 December 2014 – Dec 26 – Saint Stephen, the first Martyr – Feast
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
14 December 2014 – 3rd Sunday of Advent Year B
15 December 2014 – Monday of the 3rd Week of Advent
16 December 2014 – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Advent
17 December 2014 – 17 December – Season of Advent
18 December 2014 – 18 December – Season of Advent
19 December 2014 – 19 December – Season of Advent
We sometimes hear the saying: “Home is where the heart is” and many of us long to be home with our family and loved ones. In many countries where people are dispersed or on the run due to war, disease or some other matter, the longing to be home weighs heavily in their hearts. Even for many of us, when there is a long holiday break or some religious festival, we would take the opportunity to “balik kampung” or “go back home” to enjoy the break with our loved ones. Though we may face long traveling time and horrible traffic jams, the excitement and joy of being with loved ones makes the journey home worth the hassle.
In today’s reading, we are told that the Lord would lead His people home to live in their own soil. The reading says: “So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt!” but, “As the Lord lives who led back and brought home the descendants of the House of Israel out of the land of the North and from all the countries to which he had dispersed them, to live on their own soil.”” Just as the Lord led His people home, He is also beckoning us to come home to Him. We are all pilgrims dispersed in different places, but our being here is only temporary, for our true home is to be with the Lord. Are we excited and enthusiastic in our preparations to come home to the Lord? Are we doing our part in preparing to come home, or have we become quite comfortable in this temporary home?
When our parents give us some chores or some task, would we do it willingly, or would we do it grudgingly, or would we pretend to not hear and not do the chore or task? What if God were to give us some chore or task, what would our response be? Sometimes, we come across people who do a task because they expect to gain something out of it. How many of us would do a chore or task without expecting anything in return? How many of us would do a chore or task simply to glorify God?
In today’s Gospel, we come across two brothers who were asked by their father to go and work in the vineyard. The first boy was at first reluctant to go, but later chose to go. The second boy perhaps tried to sound good and please his father by saying that he would go, but he may have said it thinking that it would make his father happy with his response, but in his heart, he had no intention whatsoever of going. Which of these two brothers would we identify with?
Ultimately, saying is one thing, but doing is a different matter altogether. Words are easy and cheap but meaningless if no action is taken. Let us consider the words we utter, and be genuine not only in what we say, but also in carrying out what we say for the greater glory of God.
Every once in a while, we hear of people putting their foot in their mouth by trying to act smart and end up saying something foolish or stupid. When we are so full of ourselves, when we think we know it all, when we look down at others, we may sometimes try to show off our so-called superiority, only to be shot down or humbled, especially when we are cornered with a response which we are unable to counter. Some are even so thick-skinned that even when they have been proven wrong, their minds have been so conditioned to think that they are still right and everyone else is wrong, no matter how silly or absurd their arguments may be.
Today’s Gospel gives us an example of some people who have put their foot in their mouth. These people who are known as the chief priests and elders of the people knew very well who Jesus was and also who John the Baptist was, but they were unable and unwilling to admit and change their ways. Instead, they had the gall to ask Jesus: “What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?” As a result, Jesus shot back a question to them which left them cornered and unable to answer. They knew what the answer was, since they could still “argue it out this way among themselves”, but pride had infested into them and they were stubbornly refusing to admit the truth.
In some cases, we too may have inadvertently put our foot in our mouth, especially when we lack humility and a willingness to admit our mistakes. At the end, we may only cause ourselves to look foolish, and we may even lose our status or credibility. Are we willing and able to walk humbly before our God, and let Him change our lives, our behaviour and our attitudes, or are we still stubborn and adamant in remaining as we are?
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
7 December 2014 – 2nd Sunday of Advent Year B
8 December 2014 – The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Solemnity
9 December 2014 – Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Advent
10 December 2014 – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Advent
11 December 2014 – Thursday of the 2nd Week of Advent
12 December 2014 – Friday of the 2nd Week of Advent
Growing in relationship with God requires us to be in tune with the will of God. We need to get involved and do our part. Some of us may have thought that we could become closer to God by praying all the time, but we neglect in being loving and charitable to others. On the other hand, some do a lot of charitable deeds, but they do not pray or spend time listening to God’s promptings. These people may appear to be good and generous in what they do, but sometimes it may be done for personal gratification and not to glorify God. In other words, we need to learn to dance to God’s tune by doing His will, not ours.
In today’s Gospel, we read of Jesus commenting that the people of His generation knows how to criticise John the Baptist and Himself, but they wouldn’t dance to pipes nor mourn to dirges. They were not wise enough to see that John the Baptist and Jesus were trying to teach them a tune for their salvation. This is because these people wanted to dance to their own tune, instead of dancing to God’s tune by doing His will. Some of us may be like that: we want to grow in relationship with God, but we want to do it our way. We try to dance to our own tune and when others don’t join in, we criticise them for being stubborn or resistant to change. The problem is, it is actually us who are being stubborn or resistant to change, since we are adamant or insistent that our way is the better way or the only way. Are we willing to let our Lord of the dance guide us and teach us better “dancing techniques” for His glory?
Some people are quite fearful of different things. Some are fearful of what is going to happen to their future, some are fearful of their health or family situation, some are fearful of being lonely and abandoned, some are even fearful of unnecessary things. But as Christians, what should be our attitude towards fear? Should we be fearful in the first place?
In today’s reading, we are assured of God’s love and care: “I, the Lord, your God, I am holding you by the right hand; I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid, I will help you.’” When we have trust and confidence in God’s help and providence, there is no reason to be fearful. God will take care of things in His time. Are we willing to let God be in control and let Him keep us in His loving embrace?
