Nowadays, we can get all sorts of comments, opinions and information about certain church teaching or certain church practices. But the reality is that truth and church teaching has to be definitive and absolute. Otherwise, we may end up in relativism, where anything and everything goes, as long as it fits in with a certain
During Jesus’ time, widows were considered helpless and powerless, as they had no one to protect or support them in their needs. In today’s Gospel, the widow was considered practically dead too, since without her only son, she had no means to provide for herself. But then she encountered the compassion of Jesus. Jesus was
When we pray, what do we pray for, and who do we pray for? Do we pray only for our needs or perhaps the needs of those we care about or love? Have we ever prayed also for others, especially those we do not know, or we do not like, or those who have been
We sometimes come across someone who seems to be teaching Christian faith and values. But if we scrutinise such persons carefully, we could discover that such persons are not really teaching Christian values and faith, but values and faith based more on the ways of the world, instead of the ways of Christ. Such persons
Living a Christian life in the world is certainly not easy. We face all sorts of challenges and temptations, especially since quite often, the ways of the world are not the same as the ways of Christ. We are often faced with choices: to do what is right and just, or to do what is
We sometimes come across certain faithful who are stuck with doing things according to a certain previous parish priest’s way of the past. Even though such ways of doing things are already outdated or no longer relevant in today’s context, such faithful would stick to their belief that such ways are the only ways to
God has given us gifts, talents and capabilities, and such gifts, talents and capabilities are meant to be put to good use, especially to glorify God. But are we putting such gifts, talents and capabilities to good use, or have we become lazy and let our gifts, talents or capabilities go to waste, even to
As Christians, we are commanded to go forth and preach the Good News. But when we go and preach the Good News, what is our true purpose or agenda in doing so? Are we doing it for the greater glory of God, or are we doing it for our personal gratification or personal gain, and
What sort of lives are we living as Christians? Do we walk the talk and practice what we preach? Or do we merely utter words and lord it over others, and expect others to do as we say but not do as we do? When we merely say things without showing example, then we may
Some of us may have, from time to time, felt as if we are powerless and incapable of doing God’s will, especially when the problems and issues we face seem too big or too difficult to handle. When we are faced with such a situation, what do we do? Do we continue to struggle and
