Holy Family, Year C, 30.12.2012

Ecclesiasticus 3:3-7, 14-17 or 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28/
Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 / Luke 2:41-52

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family. So, inevitably the focus will be on family life.

And when we look at the family, just what kind of analogy could we use to describe a family?

Maybe I would say that the family is like a fruit cake – mostly sweet and with some nuts; some may have more nuts!

Nonetheless, we still have to admit that family life, although like a fruit cake, can be quite messy.

It’s said that a family is like a social unit that is concerned with some kind of space.

The father is concerned with parking space, the children are concerned with outer space, the mother is concerned with looking for space. 

And when the family has to share the same space,  that is where challenges come in.

Because problems can arise when we feel that our own space is encroached upon or has been trespassed.

And when our space is encroached upon or is trespassed, then communications become fragile and tensed.

We will be quick to speak and to scorch, but we will not be that ready to listen with attention.

Let me quote from a poem entitled “Harsh Words”: 

I ran into a stranger as he passed by, “Oh excuse me, please” was my reply.

He said, “Please excuse me too, I wasn’t watching for you.”

We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way saying good-bye.

But at home, a difference is told, how we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, while cooking the evening meal, my son stood beside me very still.

As I turned, I nearly knocked him down. “Move out of the way!” I said with a frown.

It so ironic, isn’t it, that while dealing with strangers, common courtesy we use.

But with family and loved ones, we seem to abuse.

In today’s gospel, we heard about Mary and Joseph, and the 12 year-old Jesus going to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.

It was an annual event for them but this time round something happened.

After the feast, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, without his parents knowing.

Needless to say, Mary and Joseph must have panicked during those three days until they found Him in the temple.

The gospel passage simply said that they were overcome when they saw Him, but that said a lot about how Mary and Joseph felt – the anxiety, the stress, the frustration, the anger (?).

And we can certainly feel the seriousness of the tone in what Mary said to Jesus, “My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been looking for you.”

And the reply of Jesus was nowhere near consoling, and as if that was not enough, it was also confusing to say the least.

That would have easily erupted into a parent-child quarrel and harsh words would fly about to cut and scorch.

Yet, no further words were exchanged, maybe because Mary and Joseph did not understand what Jesus meant. 

But Mary stored up all these things in her heart. Joseph might be thinking that it would be easier to build a house for God than to raise the Son of God. 

Yes, whether it is the Son of God or not, it was never easy to be parents and it never will be.

Yes, there is that 5th Commandment – Honour your father and your mother, but we all know that we have broken that commandment time and again.

Yet as much as that 5th Commandment is directed at children, there is also an underlying spiritual aspect to it.

This underlying spiritual aspect is that parents have this God-given authority over their children.

But this authority is not to be used to drive their children to resentment and make them feel frustrated.

Over and above, the duty to care for their children and to provide for their needs, parents have a spiritual authority over their children.

It means that when parents pray for their children, God will surely listen to their prayers.

And it is not just praying for them when they are applying for entry into a particular school or university, and when they are taking their exams.

Parents will have to exercise their spiritual authority over their children when they are ill, when they have gone wayward, when they are in trouble or in danger.

Parents have this power to call upon God’s protection and blessing over their children.

And that is why it is so important that parents understand and exercise this spiritual power.

And it is so essential that parents must pray together in order that this spiritual power be manifested and bear spiritual fruits in their children.

One of the difficult challenges in family life is family quarrels.
Family quarrels are bitter, especially when they are between parents and children.

They can be about any issue, and can spring up unexpectedly and catch us totally unprepared.

Whatever it is, family quarrels are bitter and painful. They are like splits in the skin that won’t heal easily because there’s not enough material to do so.

But again, parents have this spiritual power to call upon God’s blessing so that there can be peace and unity in the family.

Family peace and harmony cannot be taken for granted, and as a matter of fact, family breakup is becoming more rampant.

But again, parents have that spiritual power to keep the family together and sharing the same space.

So even after the Temple episode, Jesus went down with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth and lived under their authority.

There He increased in wisdom, in stature and in favour with God and with others.

As it was for Jesus, so may it be for parents and children in the family.

As Pope John Paul II said: As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year C, 23.12.2012

Micah 5:1-4/ Hebrews 10:5-10/ Luke 1:39-44

If I say I have news for you, then most probably you would want to hear what the news is about.

Regardless of whether it is good news or bad news, we would want to know what it is.

The curiosity in us would also make us almost demand to know what the news is all about.

So whether the news is good or bad, happy or sad, favorable or incredible, we just want to hear it first and then see what to make of it after that.

So, let’s say one day you come back from work and you see a letter addressed to you and it’s from your daughter, you would surely open the letter immediately.

Your curiosity won’t let you wait, no matter how tired or how busy you might be.

Well, a story goes that one day, a mother came home from work and as she passed by her daughter’s room, she was astonished to see the bed nicely made and everything was packed up.

Then, she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the center of the bed. It was simply addressed to “Mom”.

With the worst premonition, she opened the letter with trembling hands and slowly read the letter.

It read like this:

Dear Mom, 

It is with great regret and sorrow that I am writing to you. I had to elope with my new boyfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with you and Dad.

I've been finding real passion with John and he is so nice, even though he is pierced with studs in his ears, nose, lips, tongue, face and he has tattoos all over his body. 

But it's not only the passion, Mom. I'm pregnant and John said that he will take care of me and we will be very happy.

He has a trailer somewhere and there is enough food for us and the baby. He wants to have many children with me and I really like that idea too.

John taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we intent to grow it and then trade it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy pills we want. 

In the meantime, we hope that science will find a cure for AIDS so John can get better because he surely deserves it.

Don't worry Mom, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

With love, your daughter,Susan

PS: None of the above is true! I'm actually at the neighbour’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card which is in my desk drawer. I love you, Mom. Call me when it is safe for me to come home.

Well, I guess there are many ways to break some news so we might as well try to be creative with it!

And talking about breaking news, we heard in the gospel that Mary went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah to see that Elizabeth.

Earlier on, the angel Gabriel told Mary that Elizabeth had conceived and that she was already in the sixth month of her pregnancy.

Mary went to see Elizabeth to share her joy of pregnancy and also to render whatever help she could.

Yet at the back of her mind and circling around in her heart, she was also wondering how she was going to break the news to Elizabeth of her own pregnancy.

Because it all sounded so incredible. There was the angel who told her that she was to be the Mother of God.

She will conceive the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit and she consented to it all that.

The next question is: Will anyone believe her incredible story? Would Elizabeth believe her?

Oh yes, we can believe in an incredible pregnancy, like Elizabeth’s which was amazing and certainly something to rejoice over.

But Mary’s pregnancy? And that she has conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit? 

Such a thing has never happened before. So could it be true? Is this for real? And how would we know for sure?

Well, to begin with, there are many incredible stories, incredible but nonetheless true.

The following true story was told by a late Reverend Father Stanislaus SS.CC 

One day many years ago, in a little town in Luxembourg, a Captain of the Forest Guards was in deep conversation with the butcher when an elderly woman entered the shop. 

The butcher broke off the conversation to ask the old woman what she wanted. She had come to beg for a little meat but had no money.

The Captain was amused at the woman and the butcher. 'Only a little meat, but how much are you going to give her?', he wondered.
'I am sorry I have no money but I'll hear Mass for you, ' the woman told the butcher. Both the butcher and the Captain were indifferent about religion, so they at once began to scoff at the old woman's idea.

'All right then,' said the butcher. 'You go and hear Mass for me and when you come back I'll give you as much as the Mass is worth'.

The woman left the shop and returned later. She approached the counter and the butcher said. 'All right then we'll see.'

He took a slip of paper and wrote on it 'I heard a Mass for you.'

He placed the paper on the scales and a tiny bone on the other side, but nothing happened.

Next he placed a piece of meat instead of the bone, but still the paper proved heavier.

Both men were beginning to feel ashamed of their mockery but continued their game. A large piece of meat was placed on the balance, but still the paper held its own. The butcher, exasperated, examined the scales but found they were alright.

'What do you want my good woman? Must I give you a whole leg of mutton?' At this he placed the leg of mutton on the balance, but the paper outweighed the meat. A larger piece of meat was put on, but again the weight remained on the side of the paper.

This so impressed the butcher that he was converted and promised to give the woman her daily ration of meat.

As for the Captain, he left the shop a changed man and became an ardent lover of daily Mass. Two of his sons became priests, one a Jesuit & the other a Father of the Sacred Heart.

Father Stanislaus finished the story by saying, 'I am from the Religious of the Sacred Heart & the Captain was my father.'

From this incident the Captain became a daily Mass attendant & his children were trained to follow his example.

Later, when his sons became priests, he advised them to say Mass well every day and never miss the Sacrifice of the Mass through any fault of their own.

Unlike the daughter’s letter that we heard at the beginning, this is true, incredible, amazing but true.

And what about Mary’s story of that incredible conception by the Holy Spirit?

Who was going to know whether the child in her womb was really indeed the Son of God?

It was not that possible by conventional reasoning. But just as the Holy Mass was an overwhelming mystery, it was the child in Elizabeth’s womb that revealed the identity of God.

While still in his mother’s womb, John the Baptist sensed the presence of the Word made flesh and leapt for joy.

As we came to the last Sunday of Advent and with Christmas just a couple of days away, let us ponder on the mystery of the Incarnation, the Word made flesh, the God who became man.

It sounds incredible and amazing but blessed are we who believe.

Yes, we believe in the Emmanuel – The God who is with us. That is the Good News. That is incredible but that is the truth. 

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C, 16.12.2012

Zephaniah 3:14-18/ Philippians 4:4-7/ Luke 3:10-18


As we began the Mass, we lighted the third candle of the Advent wreath, which is the rose-colored candle.

It also signifies that the third Sunday of Advent is also called "Gaudete Sunday". "Gaudete" means rejoice.

Yes, the first reading tells us to rejoice and exalt with all our hearts.

The second reading also has this call to rejoice as St Paul tells the Philippians: I want you to be happy, always happy with the Lord.

Yes, a rose-colored candle standing in the midst of three dark purple candles tells us life can have its joyful moments amidst disappointments and sadness and sorrow.

So I hope we can laugh a little with this story that I am going to tell.

From the shadows in the distance, the man watched as the family packed their bags in the car, locked the doors and then drove off for their holidays.

The man waited till it was dark and then he emerged from the shadows and he went to the front door and rang the door-bell of the house.

When there was no answer, the man, a seasoned burglar picked the lock of the front door and got in.

Then just to be sure that no one was in the house, he called out, "Is there anyone in?"

Hearing nothing, he was about to move on, when he was stunned by a voice, "I see you, and Johnny sees you!"

The burglar panicked and called out, "Who's that?"

And again, the voice came back, "I see you, and Johnny sees you!"

Terrified, the burglar switched on his torchlight and pointed it towards the direction of the voice.

He was relieved to see that it was a parrot in a cage and it recited once again, "I see you, and Johnny sees you!"

The burglar laughed to himself and said, "Oh, shut up stupid bird. Anyway, who is this Johnny? Is it another bird friend of yours?"

And the parrot replied, "Johnny is right below me!"

And the burglar shone his torch at what was below the parrot's cage.

And there he saw Johnny, a huge Doberman, looking at the burglar with those eyes, and growling.

And then, the parrot said, "Go Johnny, go!"

Well, I guess that it is good to have a little laugh on this "Rejoice Sunday".

But if the first two readings talk about rejoicing and happiness then the gospel message is certainly serious and it is no laughing matter.

Last Sunday, we heard John the Baptist preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

And today we heard that people, all sorts of people, including those detestable and sneaky tax collectors, and those rough and tough soldiers coming to hear him.

As they hear the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins, they had one common question: What must we do?

The people asked, "What must we do?" The tax collectors asked, "What must we do?" The soldiers asked, "What must we do?"

They asked that question because they have heard the voice.

Not just the voice of John the Baptist, but also the voice of the Lord.

Yes, it was the voice of the Lord that spoke to them in their hearts telling them that they had not shared their goods with those who were poor.

They had ignored those who were hungry and had nothing to live on. They fell into dishonesty and injustice.

And then, they heard the voice of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist was like telling them, "I see you, and the Lord sees you."

In a way, we are like that burglar who breaks into a house at night and thinks that nobody is watching.

That's what happens when we sin. When we sin, we enter into the dark.

And in the darkness of sin, we think that no one is watching as we commit dishonesty and injustice, selfishness and greed, lust and immorality.

And just when we thought we are going to enter deeper into the dark, the voice of John the Baptist calls out to us, "I see you, and the Lord sees you!"

What are we going to do? Are we going to stop in our tracks?

Or are we not going to be bothered and go on deeper into the dark and into sin?

There is one Christmas song that I like to listen to as well as reflect upon.

The title is "Do you hear what I hear?" It is composed in 1962 and it was written at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the United States and the then Soviet Union confronted each other over the placement of missiles in newly Communist Cuba.

So the  Christmas song "Do you hear what I hear?" was a plea for peace, and the composers Regney and Shayne got the inspiration after watching a baby being pushed in a pram, and sleeping peacefully.

So do we hear the voice of John the Baptist? Maybe he is just telling us, "I see you and the Lord sees you."

It is not to frighten us but to call us to repent and have our sins forgiven.

So, do you hear what I hear? If we do hear, then we will also know what to do.

Because the voice belongs to the One who will bring us goodness and light.

As that Christmas song tells us – “He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light.”

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year C, 09.12.2012

Baruch 5:1-9/ Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11/ Luke 3:1-6

In this particular season, whether we want to call it the festive season, or the Advent season or the raining season, a famous figure will appear to bring some cheer.

Let me give a short popular description of this figure and we will certainly know who this is.

He has a white bushy beard, quite roundish, dressed in red with white trimmings, and his famous quote is “ho, ho, ho”.

Yes, we are talking about Santa Claus, who appears around this time in the festive decorations and also in advertisements.

But Santa Claus is not a clever figment of commercial imagination.

The name, Santa Claus comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas which means St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas was a 4th century saint and the bishop of Myra (which is modern day Turkey).

His feast day is on 6th December (last Thursday) and just out of curiosity, I checked the newspaper advertisements but I hardly find any appearance of Santa Claus. 

Maybe he fell out of fashion, or maybe he was forgotten during this season. 

Yet, many miracles were attributed to the intercession of St. Nicholas and he became known as Nicholas the Wonder Worker.

He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him. And so he became the model for Santa Claus.

One of his famous acts of charity was towards a poor man who had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them.

This would mean that they would remain unmarried and in the face of poverty, they might be forced into prostitution.

When St. Nicholas came to know about it, he decided to help the poor man secretly.

Under cover of night, he went to the poor man’s house and threw three small bags, each filled with gold coins, one for each daughter, through the window opening of the man’s house. 

But later, the poor man found out about it and came to thank St. Nicholas.

In humility, St Nicholas said that it was not him he should thank. 

Rather he should thank God and God alone.

Yes, thank God for the gift of saints like St. Nicholas to show His great love and His help to those in need.

In today’s gospel, we hear of another great saint who also makes his appearance around this time of the year.

So, in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod, tetrarch of Galilee etc etc, the word of God came upon a strange person in a strange place.

The word of God came to John, son of Zechariah, when he was somewhere in the wilderness. It was quite a contrast to the big names and the big places we heard earlier.

Yes, the word of God came to John and with that John went through the whole Jordan district proclaiming a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

As the prophet Isaiah puts it: A voice cries in the wilderness – Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled in, every mountain and hill will be laid low, winding ways will be straightened, and rough roads made smooth.

So that all mankind shall see the salvation of God.

With the word of God, John the Baptist proclaimed repentance and forgiveness of sins so that the people can see the great love of God.

It was a simple message with a profound meaning and it turned people back to God.

John the Baptist was God’s gift to the people and his mission was to prepare the way for God’s greatest gift to us – Jesus Christ.

Yes, at a time when the power and might of Tiberius Caesar and Pontius Pilate and Herod and Annas and Caiaphas cast a fearsome shadow on the land, the word of God came to John the Baptist to bring forgiveness and salvation.

And later on in the 4th century, the word of God came to St Nicholas and he brought gifts to the poor and needy.

We heard earlier how St Nicholas helped the poor man and his 3 daughters by giving them 3 bags of gold coins.

That is why there are images of St Nicholas holding 3 gold round bags, or three golden balls, depicting him as a gift-giver. 

Hence, the golden ball decorations that we hang on the Christmas tree symbolize the gifts of St Nicholas.

Well, St Nicholas or Santa Claus is a gift-giver but he points to God who is the God of all gifts.

So, on this day in December in the season of Advent, in the year 2012, the word of God comes to us as a gift.

The word of God comes to us, bringing forgiveness and salvation.

The word of God comes to us, calling us to repentance but it is a joyful repentance.

This repentance is to make us realize that we are to be gifts to others, gifts that bring about hope, peace, joy and love.

So as we think about what gifts we need to get for others, let us realize that the greatest gifts lie within us.

Well, gold and silver we may have none, but like John the Baptist and St Nicholas, we can give others the greatest gift of all, and that is the love of Jesus Christ.

So, to our enemy, we give the gift of forgiveness.

To our opponents, we give the gift of tolerance.

To a friend, the gift of our loyalty

To a customer, the gift of joyful service.

To our superior, the gift of obedience. 

To our spouse, the gift of faithfulness.

To our children, the gift of good example.

Yes, to all, let us give the gift of love.

Because in Jesus Christ, God has given us all of His love.

So, let us and rejoice and be a joyful gift to others.

1st Sunday of Advent, Year c, 02.12.2012

Jeremiah 33:14-16/ 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2/ Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

About 2 or 3 years ago, there was this movie that was shown in the cinemas, which had many interesting aspects.

First was the title. The title was a number that was made up of just four digits.

The movie posters were also interesting and intriguing.

One showed a monk dressed in saffron robes standing on a mountain top and he was facing what seemed like a humongous tidal wave.

Some of us have watched that movie. Like I said the title was a number with four digits – “2012”.

It was a science fiction disaster movie. But it included references to Mayanism and the 2012 phenomenon.

Along with that, the movie portrayed a series of disastrous events unfolding in the year 2012 (which is this year, and there is also a specified date, 21 Dec 2012).

Well, in that movie, huge tidal waves swept across the whole world and there were also earthquakes everywhere.

In one scene, there were thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square and then an earthquake knocked off the dome of St Peter’s Basilica and it fell on the people.

Say what we may, the special effects in that movie were stunning and impressive.

Well, that movie was shown in the year 2010 and it was about the predictions of the end of the world disasters in 2012, which is this year!

But by and large, people generally took the movie as a movie. I wonder how many took it seriously.

Even though it had Mayanism and the 2012 phenomenon references, it did not create much waves. 

At least in the spiritual aspect, there were no urgent movements of repentance and conversion.

There were no hordes of people going to the religious institutions and doing penance and asking for forgiveness.

In other words, all the end of the world predictions about 2012 are just another of those many similar predictions that have come and gone, and this will also come and go. 

Meanwhile, it is business as usual and life will go on as normal.

Maybe we have heard too many end-of-the-world predictions and we have become numbed and tired of it.

After all, whether the world ends on the 21 Dec or tomorrow, we will still have bills to pay, and also Christmas decorations to put up and the honey baked ham to order and go to work on Monday.

Yet in today’s gospel, we hear of Jesus talking about the end times.

There will be signs in the sun and the 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.

That is certainly dramatic and disastrous enough to make another end-of-the-world movie, and maybe this time it could be Earth colliding with Mars or whatever.

But as in the previous end-of-the-world predictions, what effects do the words of Jesus have on us?

Year in year out, on the 1st Sunday of Advent, we hear about end-times, and our thoughts will be about year-end.

Our year-end thoughts would be about how much bonus will we be getting, will there be increment in our salary next year, where are the festive offers and sales, when to go Orchard Road to look at the Christmas lights, etc.

So, at the beginning of Advent, repentance and doing penance and seeking forgiveness may be furthest from our minds. Maybe we can leave that for the coming Lent.

The 1st Sunday of Advent may mean that we better bring out our Christmas tree with the decorations and maybe get new ones, so that we can start dreaming of a “white Christmas”.

Well, if we want to dream of a white Christmas, then I would certainly recommend you to watch a movie. 

The title of this movie also has a number in it, and the title is “Eight Below”.

The setting of the movie is in the Antarctica, or where the South Pole is, and so it is as white as it could get, with snow here and there and everywhere.

The movie was inspired by the events of a 1958 ill-fated Japanese expedition to the Antarctica.

In the movie, a guide by the name of Jerry, has his team of 8 dogs which pulled the dog sleds through the snow and they were attached to an Antarctic research base.

Jerry has a very close working relationship with his dogs. He knows each by name and knows their abilities.

On one occasion, Jerry and his team of dogs brought a scientist out into the vast snowlands for research.

Then came news of an approaching snowstorm, but their return to the base camp was delayed due to some accidents and they also got injured.

When they finally reached the base camp, the storm was building and there was only one last plane left for the flight out.

Since the plane could only manage to carry the base camp team, the 8 dogs had to be left behind.

Jerry who was injured was not able to persuade the pilot for the 8 dogs to be evacuated with him.

But he was assured that a rescue team would come back to get the dogs out.

But the storm was worse than expected and it became apparent that no rescue team would be sent until only spring which would be about three to four months later.

Meanwhile, Jerry the guide recovered from his injuries and he tried desperately to get a rescue team to go for the dogs but his efforts were futile.

What haunted him was what he told his dogs when he left them at the base camp: I’ll be back. I promise.

Although all his efforts came to a dead end, he knew he had to get back there because he owed it to his dogs.

Finally, against all odds, and with some sponsorship and help from his friends, he made the trip back.

And after five months, Jerry was reunited with his 8 dogs, but two had died in the bitter storm. 

So, the movie title “Eight Below” actually referred to the eight dogs which were below in the Antarctic waiting for Jerry to rescue them.

If I could make a Christmas movie about the gospel passage than the movie title would be “We Below”. 

Yes, it will be dramatic and stunning with lightning and thunder in the skies and mega tsunamis from the ocean, plus meteorites falling from outer space and earth shaking and cracking.

But we below will stand erect and hold our heads high because He from above will come to rescue us.

If dogs are worth rescuing, then what about us who are worth much more than hundreds of dogs and sparrows and whatever.

Yes, we below will wait for Him from above and we know He will come.

He promised that He will come for us. Let us keep praying at all times and be prepared to meet Him.

Christ the King, Year B, 25.11.2012

Daniel 7:13-14/ Apocalypse 1:5-8/ John 18:33-37

The word “legacy” will give rise to some images and ideas in our minds.

One of which is that of how a person has left his influence and his mark in this word even is he is no more in this world.

Another is that the mention of the person’s name will make others recall what he has done and contributed to mankind.

Examples of this would be people like Alexander the Great, Beethoven, Thomas Edison and maybe even Steve Jobs.

Alexander was the first king to be called “the Great” and subsequently the title of “the Great” was used for people with great achievements.

Beethoven was a great musician who left behind a legacy of great classical compositions (eg, the famous 5th Symphony).

Thomas Edison left behind a legacy of inventions, and one of the famous ones was the lightbulb.

And Steve Jobs’ legacy is in the digital world of mobile phones, laptops and computers.

So for a person and his name to go down into history and be remembered through the ages, it means that he has left behind a legacy, a legacy that lives on.

In today’s gospel, we come across a person who didn’t really leave behind a legacy. Maybe we can only say that he was just part of a legacy.

The name Pilate, Pontius Pilate, has gone down into history as the man who sentenced Jesus to death.

His name is mentioned in the Creed, but not as someone with a great achievement, nor did he leave behind a legacy.

Pontius Pilate could have left behind a legacy, but he became a tragedy.

He became a tragedy in the sense that he will always be known as the one who sentenced Jesus to death, despite knowing that Jesus was innocent.

He even tried to deny any responsibility in the death of Jesus by the symbolic gesture of washing his hands.

But the truth is that he had the final say in the sentencing of Jesus. Yes, that is the truth.

Pontius Pilate has the power and authority to acquit or condemn Jesus.

He himself knew that Jesus was innocent and in fact he was eager to release him.

But after the chief priests and the people mentioned about Caesar being their only king, Pilate became anxious for his own security and his own interests and future.

Yet, as we heard Pilate question Jesus about His authority, we can see that the tables were being turned around.

Jesus stated that He is a king but His kingdom is not of this world.

He came into the world to bear witness to the truth and those who are on the side of the truth will listen to His voice.

And Pilate was left to decide. Which king was he going to serve? The king of this world?

Or will he serve the King of truth and hence stand on the side of truth?

Pilate was to judge Jesus, but in the end he had to judge for himself.
He had to decide for which side he will stand on.

And Pilate went down in history and into our Creed as the one who choose to stand on the dark side of falsehood.

He could have been a legacy but he ended up as a tragedy.

Because in condemning Jesus, Pilate also condemned himself.

By not standing for the truth, Pilate did not have anywhere to stand on, neither in this world nor in the next.

And yet the tragedy that Pilate left behind continues to fester in the dark side of our lives, as we turn away from the truth and hide from the truth.

There is this story of a little boy and his sister who went to visit their grandparents in the countryside.

He had a catapult and he practised in the fields but he could never hit his target.

As he came back to his grandma’s backyard, he happened to see her pet duck.

Out of impulse, he took aim and let fly a shot. The stone hit the duck squarely and it fell dead.

The boy panicked. Desperately, he hid the dead duck in the barn, only to look up and see his sister watching.

His sister, Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” 

But Sally said, “Johnny told me that he wanted to wash the dishes today. Didn’t you, Johnny?”

And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck?” So Johnny had to wash the dishes.

Later, Grandpa wanted to bring the two children fishing. Grandma said, “Oh, I am sorry but I need Sally to help prepare dinner.”

Sally smiled and said, “Oh, Johnny said that he wants to do it.” 

Again, Sally whispered, “Remember the duck?” And so Johnny stayed and Sally went fishing.

After a couple of days of doing the chores, Johnny became frustrated and desperate and he couldn’t take it anymore.

So he confessed to Grandma that he had killed her pet duck.

Grandma held his face in her hands and said, “I know, Johnny. I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. There and then, I forgave you because I love you. I was wondering how long are you going to hide the truth and let Sally make a slave out of you.”

Yes, when we hide the truth, we become slaves of sin and end up in tragedy.

But Christ our King invites us to listen to His voice and stand on the side of truth and the truth will let us free.

Christ our King wants us to be free so that we can be His living legacy of honesty, sincerity, humility and faithfulness.

Just as Christ the King called out to Pilate to stand by Him, Christ the King also calls us to stand by Him.

If we don’t stand by Christ our King, then we won’t have anywhere to stand at all, neither in this world, nor in the next.

33rd Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 18.11.2012

Daniel 12:1-3/ Hebrews 10:11-14, 18/ Matthew 24:42-44


Next Thursday is the 22nd November. It will be an anxious day for parents who have 12-year-old children and of course for the 12-year-old children too.

Because on next Thursday, the results of the PSLE will be announced!

Yes, the PSLE – Primary School Leaving Examination results will be announced.

And the PSLE results will determine which secondary school the 12-year-olds will be studying in for the next phase of their education.

Already there is much discussion on how stressful the PSLE is for the 12-year-olds and whether things can be changed and adjusted for the better.

And amidst all that serious discussion, there is also the lighter side of what PSLE stands for:
-Please Start Learning Everything
-Please Start Learning Early
-Parents Should Learn Everything
-Procrastinate Sure Liao (Fail) Exam

And all this is over the Primary School Leaving Examinations. It goes to show how stressful and how tensed it can be even at Primary School level.

We can surely imagine what it is like when it comes to exams at Secondary School, Junior College and at University.

Exams are indeed a big thing in Singapore and the results somehow determine what kind of future will be in store for the children.

So, next Thursday, the 22nd Nov is like some kind of judgment day.

It will be a distressful time and heaven will be stormed and shaken with prayers (will that be too late?)

And when the results are out, those who scored brilliantly will shine like bright stars.

It is actually quite amazing to see how much the Primary School Leaving Examinations means to the students, the parents and the schools.

At the bottom of it all, there is something at stake. For the students, it is an achievement; for the parents, it is an investment; for the schools, it is the reputation.

Undeniably, there is a lot of hard work that went into the preparations for the exams, the extra tuition, the sacrifices and also the bottles of chicken essence.

And yet, when it is over and done, for better or for worse, it will pass on, everyone will move on and there will be another exam to face.

So for all that is achieved with whatever brilliant results, the shine will begin to fade as soon as the next day arrives.

And in time to come, this year’s results will just fade into history and the students will face other exams.

Yes, exams come and go, not only in school but also at work, when we sit for promotion exams or in pursuit of higher qualifications.

Yet, the objectives are also quite similar as at the PSLE, and that is for achievement, investment and reputation.

But for all that we work so hard for, we have to realize that it is all transient, all will fade into history, all will pass on.

In the gospel, Jesus talks about the end times. He has a grim reminder for us as He says this: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

That should make us stop and think. We have studied a lot, we have learned a lot, and we also know a lot.

We have taken one exam after another, we have collected certificates, diplomas and degrees.

But just how much of what Jesus said have we remembered? And how much of what Jesus said have we put into practice in our lives?
For example, on the teaching on love, Jesus said this, “I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.”

So it is a new commandment, and not a new suggestion or a new option.

And that means that just as Jesus loved us, we too must love God, love our neighbor, love our enemy and love those who hurt us or even do us harm.

We will remember that Jesus said, “Love your enemy, do good to those who harm you, bless those who persecute you.”

Certainly a difficult teaching to follow but in the exams of life, we must remember it.

Not to remember that teaching and to fail in the exam of life would certainly spell disaster for us.

And just like the exams in school, where we prepare for it by working hard and making sacrifices and denying ourselves, so too in the exams of life.

Again we need to remember that Jesus said this, “What then will a man gain if he wins the whole world and yet ruins his life? Indeed what can a man offer in exchange for his life?”

Yes, we may work hard for our achievements, recognition, status, wealth, and may even win the whole world, but how much and how hard do we work for life eternal?

We need to remember what Jesus taught us because His words will never pass away because His words are Spirit and they are life and He has the message of eternal life.

And what is this message of eternal life?

Maybe let’s talk about exams again and there is this story of a student who went to see a wise and holy man to ask for prayers for success in his final exams.

The student made his request and the holy man said: I will pray for you but how successful do you want to be in your exams?

The student answered: I want to be the top student.
The holy man asked: And then what?
The student answered: Then I will graduate and find a good job.
The holy man: And then what?
The student: Then I will work hard and earn good money.
And then what? Then I will look for a wife, get married and buy a nice house.
And then what? Then I will retire and enjoy life.
And then what? The student: And then errr… and then err…

Yes, and then what? After our studies and exams, after meeting the demands of life and work, are we prepared to take the final exam of life?

Or are we going to be that student who thinks only of what is in this passing world and when it comes to the world that will not pass away, we can only say, “And then err… and then err…” 

We may have passed our Primary School Leaving Examinations but will we be able to pass the primary exam of life, and enter into eternal life?

Every day we will have to sit for the exam of life. Let us pray that we will pass each exam and finally be rewarded with a life that will not pass away. It’s an exam that we cannot fail.

32nd Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 11.11.12

1 Kings 17:10-16/ Hebrews 9:24-28/ Mark 12:38-44


We have an attitude when it comes to how we look at our possessions and our wealth.

When no one wants to borrow or take our things, we do not worry much about it.

But the moment someone wants to borrow something from us, or when we are asked to share something with others, or even to give it away, then something strange happens.

Suddenly our things become very precious to us and we hold on to it with both our hands and maybe even with all our strength!

For example, for those of us who have a car, just how do we feel if someone wants to borrow our car?

Somehow we instantly become very possessive of our car, and for someone to borrow it and use it, it's like taking a part of our flesh away.

In fact, this attitude can be seen in little children too. Just ask a child to share his toys with other children and he will immediately grab his toys with both hands and he would guard it with his life.

It is strange to see how important our things seemed to us even though they are not critical for our survival.

And it seems even more important when someone wants to borrow it and use it.

If things seem so important to us, then what about things that are critical for our survival, like for example, food?

In the 1st reading, we heard about the prophet Elijah asking for food and water from a widow.

We must remember it was a time of famine, there was a severe food shortage because there was a severe drought for 7 years. So there was no rain, no crops and no food.

As for the widow, she was going to prepare the last meagre meal for herself and her son and after that there will be nothing left to eat. They will just wait to die of hunger.

Yet when Elijah asked for food, that widow, despite her desperate hopeless situation, shared the last of what she had to eat.

For her generosity in that kind of extreme situation, she was rewarded with the miracle of a jar of meal and a jar of oil that would allow her and her son to survive the famine.

Yes, miracles happen in extreme circumstances, but only when people are willing to make the sacrifice.

In the gospel, we heard of yet another widow who gave all she had to God; just two small coins, two small coins of the smallest denomination.

Jesus acknowledged her generosity, saying that from the little she had , she gave it all, even what she had to live on.

We do not know what happened to that poor widow as the gospel made no further mention of her.

But what do we think? Will God bless her for her generosity? Will God provide for her needs now that she has nothing left?

We might be thinking, that poor widow should have kept at least one coin for herself in order to buy some food, isn't it?

Whatever we might be thinking, the widow in the 1st reading and the poor widow in the gospel certainly gave us an example of radical generosity.

What the two widows gave was hardly anything of value - just a bit of food and two small coins that were hardly with anything.

But what was given was desperately needed by the two widows. It was a sacrifice because they had to let go of it.

Very often, we who have much more, believe very little in God's promise of providence. Because letting go is so hard to do.

There is a story that is simply titled "The Rope". It begins with a mountain climber who wanted to climb the highest mountain.

Since he wanted the glory just for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.

So he climbed and climbed, and even right into the night he climbed, even though he couldn't see much in that pitch darkness.

As he hastened his climb to the summit, he suddenly slipped and fell into thin air.

Great fear seized him as his life flashed before him.

As he kept falling into certain death, suddenly he felt the rope that was tied to his waist pulled him very hard.

His body was hanging in the air with only the rope holding him, and in desperation he screamed "Help me, O God, help me!"

Suddenly in that pitch darkness, a deep voice came from the skies "How do you want me to help you?"

The man was surprised but he quickly answered "Save me, O God, save me!"

The voice said "Do you really believe that I can save you?"  The man answered, "Yes, yes, I believe, I believe!"

The voice said, "Then do as I tell you. Cut away the rope that is tied to your waist."

There was a moment of silence. The man decided to hold on to the rope with all his might.

The next day, the rescue team saw an intriguing sight. The climber was found dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope with his hands holding it tight. His body was only 10 feet from the ground.

Indeed, letting go is hard to do. But it is in letting go that we live and become alive.

Jesus had said that he who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who gives up his life for Jesus will save it.

The widow of Sidon in the 1st reading tells us this truth. We can also say the same of the widow in the gospel that God will provide for her.

And we can also say that God will provide for us. Yet like the two widows, we have to learn to let go.

We have to learn to let go of ourselves and give ourselves to others - our life, our love, our time, our energy.

Every little sacrifice is appreciated by Jesus, just like how He commended that poor widow on her offering.

So let us not say that God does not see, or that he has forgotten what we have let go of and offered to Him.

The prophet Isaiah would say this : Don't ever think that the Lord does not take care of you. He is always holding you with His right hand (Isaiah 41:17-20)

Yes, almighty God holds us with His powerful right hand.

We just have to let go of our little rope and hold on to His right hand.

30th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 28.10.2012

Jer 31:7-9/ Hebr 5:1-6/ Mk 10:46-52

Over this weekend, in the town of Rawang, in Selangor, Malaysia, there will be crowds of people.

And a good number of Catholics from Singapore will be there too.

The crowds would be streaming to a Catholic church there called the Church of St. Jude Thaddeus.

The feast day of St. Jude Thaddeus, who was one of the 12 Apostles, is on the 28th October.

And since this year the 28th October falls on a Sunday, then the crowds would be larger than ever.

That is because St. Jude is a popular saint – he is the patron saint of the desperate and hopeless cases.

Maybe “hopeless” is not quite the correct word to use here.

But certainly the word “desperate” is something we are familiar with and that we can identify with.

In the Catholic Church, St. Jude is venerated as the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes.

St. Jude is invoked in desperate situations because his New Testament letter (Letter of Jude) stressed that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh and difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them.

So it is a very encouraging and consoling letter.

That is just one of the reasons why St. Jude is invoked as the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes.

But in the past, many Catholics have mistakenly confused St. Jude with Judas Iscariot because their names sound similar in Latin as well as in other languages.

As a result, the faithful avoided venerating him or invoking him for prayers.

Therefore, St. Jude Thaddeus is also called the “Forgotten Saint”.

But because veneration of St. Jude was minimal, hence only people in the most dire of circumstances would call upon him, those that are termed as a “lost cause”.

And surprise, surprise, when those in a really desperate situation or a lost cause turned to St. Jude, their petitions were answered.

Hence, the veneration of the “Forgotten Saint” was revived, and St. Jude has become one of the more “popular” saints.

In the gospel, the blind man Bartimaeus (or son of Timaeus) was a desperate case as well as a lost cause.

Regardless of whether he was born blind or afflicted with blindness, his blindness was a lost cause – there can be no cure.

Besides his blindness, he also had quite a desperate situation.

He was “forgotten”. He was only known as Bartimaeus, or son of Timaeus. People had forgotten his name!

His blindness had enveloped him in darkness, and his “forgotten” status pushed him into desperate loneliness.

So here is a classic desperate case and a lost cause – a blind beggar, with a forgotten name, only known as the son of Timaeus.

But when he, whose name was forgotten by people, heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out to Him by an ancient and royal name : Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!

It was an acclamation – Jesus, Son of David, and followed by a lamentation – Have pity on me!

And for that, he got scolded by the crowd and told to shut up.

Because people like to hear acclamations, but they frown upon lamentations. People get disturbed by the cries of lamentation.

As far as most people are concerned, the afflicted are to suffer in silence.

To cry out aloud in lamentation is rude, it is not proper and it disturbs the peace. And it doesn’t sound religious.

But that is not what the Bible teaches. In fact in the Bible, there is a book called the Book of Lamentations.

In other words, the Bible teaches that the religious response to suffering is not to suppress it or hide it or to keep quiet about it.

Because remaining silent and hiding it is as good as making suffering a hopeless case, and that there is no possibility of change, because God doesn’t care at all.

But that is not true! Because when that son of Timaeus called out to the Son of David, something happened. Yes, Jesus stopped and called for him.

Yes, God listens to the lamentations of His people, the cries of suffering, the groans of anguish and distress, the screams of pain.

Lamentations express the hope that God will listen and that things will change.

Certainly God does not forget those who are suffering and who cry out to Him.

God will stop and listen, just as Jesus stopped and called for the son of Timaeus, that blind beggar whose name was forgotten by people.

Well, St. Jude Thaddeus knows what it feels like to be forgotten. 

And as the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes, St. Jude reminds us that those who are suffering in pain and anguish must not be forgotten.

St. Jude will gather the prayers of those who are suffering and present them to Jesus.

And what better day to pray to St. Jude Thaddeus than on his feast day as we come for Mass.

After Mass, let us just spend some time in thanksgiving, and let us ask St. Jude to pray for us.

We have our desperate situations and high anxieties, especially as our children are having their exams, and not only they are stressed out, we are also stressed out.

Or, we may also know of persons whom we think are “hopeless cases” – they are addicted to gambling, drinking or in some kind of sinful attachment.

Let us remember that with God, there is no such a thing as a hopeless case. 

But of course, without God, then everything is hopeless.

Let us ask St. Jude to pray for us. We will face desperate situations, but there is hope that things will change.

Because God won’t leave us desperate and hopeless. 

God will not forget us. Because our names are carved in the palm of His hands (Isaiah 49:16)

Mission Sunday, Year B, 21.10.2012

Isaiah 53:10-11/ Hebrew 4:14-16/ Mark 10:35-45

Church of St Teresa 1928

This church was built in 1928. So even after 84 years it still looks as elegant and beautiful as when it was first built.

Officially known as the Church of St. Teresa (of the Child Jesus), we would also fondly call it the “Kampong Bahru church”.

This is also the first rural church that was built in Singapore, keeping in mind that was in 1928, and “Kampong Bahru” in Malay means “new village”.


So we can say that this is the first outstation church in Singapore at that time, because the other churches were in the city area.

As for the locality and the design of the church, we will have to look at the two founding fathers of the parish – Fr. Emile Mariette and Fr. Stephen Lee. 

Fr Emile Mariette

Fr. Mariette credited the acquisition of the land through the intercession of St. Teresa who was canonized in 1925, and hence this church was dedicated to her.

The architecture of this church was inspired by the Romano-Byzantine design of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris.

Since the church was on a high ground, the founding fathers thought that it should be a stately gracious white building with steeples and a dome topped with a cross.

Probably Fr. Mariette and Fr. Lee had hoped that the church would be what was described of the Temple of the Lord in the 1st reading.

“The mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills. All nations will stream to it, and they will say : Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, the Temple of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.”

Certainly, this church stands as a witness to God’s presence and an instrument for the proclamation of the Good News of salvation.

Today as the whole Church celebrates Mission Sunday, we are reminded of the Great Commissioning.

Jesus commissions us to proclaim the Good News to the whole world and that He will confirm our message by the signs that will accompany it.

And today we are gathered as the People of God; we are also gathered as a sign and we are also gathered in the sign.

And what is this sign? Well, this church is the sign. This church was built and pioneered by Fr. Mariette and Fr. Lee and the Catholic community that grew from it and grew with it.

Yes, we must not forget them and we must remember the faith that they had even in the face of challenges and difficulties and even tragedies.

Well, to build a church like this in those days certainly required a princely sum. But it was certainly well built, as we can see it even today.

Certainly raising money for the land and subsequently for the building wasn’t easy but it was indeed an act of faith that was expressed in charity and generosity from Catholics that made it possible. It was a sign, a good sign.

Yet having said that, there were also setbacks and tragedies. Fr. Mariette who was the driving force behind the church-building project died tragically when a falling plank hit him on the head while he was inspecting the construction work.

Certainly his tragic death was a setback but the work has to go on and Fr. Stephen Lee immediately took over.

Yes, the mission to build a place of worship for Catholics continued, and Fr. Lee even managed to establish a school nearby and also the Carmelite Monastery.

Again we could see the Lord giving signs to encourage the Church to continue with the mission.

In the pastoral area, Fr. Lee kept detailed dairies of his work and events and everything that went on around him. We have him to thank for in this unfolding of the rich history and missionary work of the Church of St. Teresa.

There is this rather interesting entry in one of his diaries :
“Margaret Tan who was baptized with one of her sisters at the Church on 24th December 1929, was from July 1930 gravely ill from unknown causes, and thought to be possibly inflicted by evil spirits. I was called for and gave her confession, Communion and administered Extreme Unction (anointing of the sick). After this she became delirious and groaned pitifully. She was immediately sent to the hospital where the doctor said that “she was suffering from typhoid and pneumonia which was so serious, there was very little hope of recovery”. She was sinking rapidly and her mother begged me to make a Novena to St. Teresa to cure her daughter. I then gave her a relic of the hairs of St. Teresa. Seeing this, Margaret began biting at the relic cover, and soon after that got better and fully recovered. Thanks to St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, for in reality all hope was lost of her recovery.

Call it amazing, call it incredible, but certainly in the early days of the parish, there were signs of repentance and conversion, deliverance and healing.

Fr Stephen Lee

Such was the missionary spirit of this parish in the early days and when the Church in Singapore was still rather young.

The missionary work of Fr. Mariette and Fr. Lee and the early parish community must not be forgotten as they laid the foundations, and on this Mission Sunday we remember them and give thanks to God.

It is for us now to continue what they have built up so that this parish will be a sign and an instrument of the Good News.

But what are we to do? What are our ideas and hopes and dreams in this missionary work?

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!” The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.” 

Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. The first tree said "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!". 

The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swing of his shining ax, the second tree fell. The second tree thought, "Now I shall sail mighty waters! I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!" 

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell. 

The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. " All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..." 

Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. Her husband whispered, "I wish I could make a cradle for him." The mother smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world. 

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Be still!" The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew she was carrying the king of heaven and earth. 

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

So actually each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

So when things don't seem to be going our way, always know that God has a plan for us. We just need to have faith and trust in Him. 

Church of St Teresa 2012

We don't always know what God's plans for us are. But we know He has a mission for us. 

Let us keep praying and be prepared for whatever God wants us to do.