Faithfulness and Love

Category Archives: Year C

1st Sunday of Advent Year C

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Every year, many of us would celebrate the new year to remember and give thanks to God for all the blessings of the past year and also take the opportunity to pray for a good year ahead. But today’s readings and Gospel seems to give us a different way of how Christians should celebrate the new year. What is this different way all about? This different way is that we celebrate the new year not by looking to the past or to the following year but to focus on the end of time or on the end of the world. It seems strange for us to focus on the end of time, so why should we do so, since some may find the end of time a not-so-pleasant topic?

Today’s Gospel appears to give us a frightening picture of the end of the world: “There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” For some, such natural disasters may seem scary or frightening, but science has shown us that such natural disasters mean that the earth is growing and evolving, which are signs of life instead of death. Planets that no longer have such natural disasters like earthquakes, storms, or volcanoes have no life, in other words, they are dead. Jesus gives us examples of such natural disasters to describe the end of the world and tell us that something new is about to take place. This means that, from this point of view, we should see the end of the world as a celebration of hope instead of fear.

Some of us may be wondering: when and how will all these take place? When and how is not important, but what we should do in preparation for such an event should be our focus. To begin with, even if there is confusion in our lives, even if things don’t go according to plan, nobody should lose heart, as Jesus reminds us: “When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.” Also, we may be tempted to run away or look for excuses or other solutions when faced with problems and challenges in the world, but we should instead watch ourselves and stay alert and ready, as Jesus reminds us: “Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap.” Moreover, we must “stay awake and pray.” This means that we must take our spiritual growth seriously, as St. Paul in the second reading urges each and every one of us to continue growing in our faith life.

So what does this mean to us? It means that we cannot rest on our laurels and think that we have plenty of time to grow closer to God. Instead, we should be consistent and persistent in our efforts to grow in our spiritual life and in our relationship with God and with others, as St. Paul advises us in the second reading: “We urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants, as you learnt from us, and as you are already living it.” May we do our best and stay alert and prepared, with hope and confidence that God will be our providence and guide.

Christ the King Year C

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For most of us, a king or queen is someone who has power and prestige, lives in big castles or mansions, rules over all and probably lords it over all, whose interest is more towards preserving one’s dynasty. Few of us actually have an opportunity to meet him or her in person and even if we do get a chance, we would probably need to go through some sort of elaborate protocol. Our earthly royalty is usually way beyond our league and way beyond our reach, and most of us would probably never have a chance to dine with or even be granted an audience with him or her.

In contrast, we have a divine royalty who is available and accessible to us. He was born in a stable. From humble beginnings, he reached out to all and taught us in many ways how to live and love God and neighbour. He ate and drank with us, as we can read in many parts of the Gospels. He even, as the Second Reading tells us, “made peace by His death on the cross.” Even on the cross, while he suffered tremendously, he said to the repentant thief: “‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’” This king, who is King of kings, is Jesus Christ. Today, we have plenty of opportunities to be in His presence in front of the Blessed Sacrament and also during daily and weekend Masses. Are we seizing the opportunity to build and grow in relationship with Jesus our loving King? Are we making more effort to dine with Him daily?

Today, let us pledge our allegiance to Jesus our Eternal King, for he loves us and wants all of us to be with him in paradise. Let us not procrastinate any longer, but do something now for the good of our souls.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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There comes a time in life where we need to make a major decision. Some would call that a fundamental decision, one which you would stick to no matter what. What decision do we need to make? A decision to choose God and build one’s relationship with Him, or to choose the world and all it has to offer. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24).” Perhaps some may say that such a decision requires less thought. After all, who wouldn’t want to be with God? However, choosing to be with God has its consequences. Are we ready and willing to face such consequences?

Choosing God means we cannot just be, as the Second Reading tells us, “living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s.” Building relationship with God requires much hard work, perseverance, and sacrifices. The Gospel reminds us that “men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.”

In the face of such challenges, are we determined, unflinching and enthusiastic in our resolve to choose God? Or could some of us be tempted by the ways of the world and fall away? Certainly being a Catholic is not easy, but the rewards if we endure to the end are out of this world.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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As humans, we all experience some form of suffering in our lives. Some mothers suffer throughout their pregnancy due to cramps, morning sickness, and even at childbirth. Babies often suffer growing pains as they move from infant, to toddler, to beyond. There are people who constantly suffer migraine, depression, and other ailments which do not seem to go away. When these sufferings occur, some of us may begin to question: why is this happening? Is God punishing us?

We begin to think that good people enjoy life and bad people suffer. Along with this thought, we begin to think that we must have said or done something wrong or bad to have caused us to suffer. However, today’s first reading tells us that this is not true. The seven brothers suffered terribly even though they were good people. Why did God allow them to suffer? Why didn’t God rescue them?

Trying to find an answer to why suffering occurs is not easy. We try to explain it away, only to find that the answer is not complete, not satisfactory, not acceptable. Many learned people have in the past tried to find a good answer, only to discover that there is really no suitable answer. Just as God is a mystery, suffering is also a mystery, and a mystery is something which is slowly being revealed and points us to a greater truth.

However, we Catholics have faith in the resurrection and that helps us understand that suffering is not permanent and death is not the end. We trust that God promises life and not death, and we believe that He will care for us and raise us up. Thus, let us continue to place our hope and trust in our loving God, for as the Gospel reminds us: “He is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to Him all men are in fact alive.”

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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Some people are physically short. When they talk to others, they often need to look up so that the other party can not only hear what they have to say, but also get cues from their facial and bodily expression. Some people are emotionally short. They feel as if they are not good, not important, not capable, etc., and they try to attain wealth and power to compensate their low self-esteem. Other people may be spiritually short. They feel as if God is not caring or loving enough, and some think God has abandoned them, especially when prayers are continuously unanswered or when they are faced with a crisis.

Zaccheaus in today’s Gospel appears, to a certain extend, to fit in these 3 categories. He is not only physically short, but possible feeling small both emotionally and spiritually, on how he sees himself and how he perceived others seeing him. Zaccheaus climbed the sycamore tree so that he could see Jesus. By doing so, he thought he could place himself at a same or higher level with others. We too may have done this at times through various means, hoping that people would accept and respect us. But by doing so, like Zaccheaus, we may only experience more rejection or alienation.

People did not bother about Zaccheaus, but Jesus did. Jesus called Zaccheaus to come down from his tree of insecurity and unites him back to the community. By doing so, Jesus helped Zaccheaus to experience God’s love and restore his dignity. When we sin, we may feel that we have lost our dignity and acceptance in our community. We may feel ashamed and inadequate, and may have made and continue to make mistakes. But God still love us, and wants us to come back to Him. The question is: are we willing to humbly and joyfully accept and dwell in His love?

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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Whenever we go for confession, how many of us are aware and willing to confess that we are guilty of the sin of pride in one form or another? Perhaps we are not truly aware of what exactly is pride. Perhaps we are aware, and are too proud or find it too difficult to confess. Thus, it is good for us to ponder about what is pride.

Pride can manifest itself in many ways, some obvious, some subtle.

When we belittle ourselves and cause others to praise us, we increase our pride.

When we tell lies because we do not want others to know the truth, thinking that if they know, they would not like us or respect us or remain our friend: that is pride.

When we are over concerned with appearance, beauty, looks, and clothes, and attempt to look good or appear to be better than we really are: that is pride.

When we are more concerned about what others think about us, comparing ourselves to others: that is pride.

When we think we know it all or don’t need to learn, and want things done our way or no way: that is pride.

When we are not willing to admit when we are wrong, refusing to ask for forgiveness, and trying to find ways and means to justify our sin instead of just admitting it: that is pride.

When we tend to criticise others, finding faults in others, and being quick to blame others, while having feelings of bitterness, anger or lack of forgiveness: that is pride.

The list can go on…

Today’s Gospel tells us about the Pharisee and the tax collector going up to the Temple to pray. One was so full of himself, so proud of what he has done and accomplished. The other knows his strength and weaknesses, and humbly asks God to “be merciful to me, a sinner.” Are we able to recognise ourselves as a Pharisee, or as the tax collector? Perhaps we are struggling to be more like the tax collector, and be less like the Pharisee? Let us offer ourselves to God, asking him to help us to understand the true meaning of humility, and make every effort to walk humbly before God.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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As we become more accustomed to having things done quickly, we become less tolerant in waiting. We want bigger (or smaller in some cases), faster, better, cheaper, etc. What was acceptable years ago is now not enough. Things very quickly become obsolete.

Perhaps some of us have forgotten what it means to slow down, to wait, to spend time with family and with God. How many of us actually spend some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament with the Big Boss? When we pray, do we discover that we cannot rush and take time to listen to His voice? Otherwise, what is the point of praying?

In today’s Gospel, we see how the widow kept on coming to the judge for justice. She was persistent and had faith that she would get justice. Eventually, the judge gave her what she wanted, though she did not get it as quickly as what we would have expected. The important point here is this: the widow had faith she would get justice, and she was willing to wait and remain persistent.

What about us? When our prayers are not quickly answered or if the Lord does not grant us our requests, are we going to give up? Or are we willing to wait and have faith that our loving God will do what is best for us?

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

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As children, some of us would have been taught to be thankful and grateful when we were given presents or treats. We were especially taught to be thankful to God for the many gifts and blessings He had bestowed upon us.

But as we grow older, how many of us still give thanks to God? Nowadays, we tend to see people happily receiving without giving thanks. For example, how many of us consistently and habitually say a prayer before and after meals? Or how many of us give thanks to God for the good and bad we receive? Often, when we receive the good, some may think it is through their good luck or their own effort which enabled them to achieve the good. However, when the bad occurs, some may either blame others, or blame God, or begin praying for God’s help.

The question is: have we become so self-centred or ungrateful that we forget that whatever we have received is from God’s bounty?

In today’s Gospel, only the foreigner, the Samaritan, “turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.” What about the others? What about us? Have we forgotten the meaning of thankfulness and gratitude?