Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 / Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 / Luke 12:13-21
There are some movies, as well as movie characters, that we will remember even long after the box-office screening.
Especially so for those kind of movies that make us laugh and cry.
It does what good movies are supposed to do: make us feel alive and feel what it is like to be human.
One of those movies has its title which is also the name of the main movie character.
We would know what movie it is with this memorable line from the opening scenes: “My mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’”
Yes, that’s from the movie “Forrest Gump” and it’s about this fictitious character, though not very intelligent, has accidently been present in many historical moments. But he has a sweetness and the charm of a childlike innocence.
There is this story about the day finally arrives when Forrest Gump dies and goes to heaven. He is met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself. The gates are closed however, as Forrest approaches the gatekeeper. St. Peter says, "Well Forrest, it's certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must inform you that the place is filling up fast, and we've been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The tests are fairly short, but you need to pass before you can get into Heaven."
Forrest responds "It sure is good to be here sir. I was looking forward to this. Nobody ever told me about any entrance exam.
Sure hope the test ain't too hard; life was a big enough a test as it was."
St. Peter goes on, "Yes, I know Forrest, but the test I have for you has only three questions. Q1. What days of the week begin with the letter T? Q2. How many seconds are there in a year? Q3. What is God's first name?"
Forrest Gump thought for a while and said, "Well, the first one - how many days of the week begin with the letter "T"? That one's easy. That'd be Today and Tomorrow."
The Saint's eyes open wide and he exclaims, "Forrest! That's not what I was thinking, but.... you do have a point though, and I guess I didn't specify, so I give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asks St. Peter. "How many seconds are there in a year?"
"Now that one's harder," says Forrest, "But I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded St. Peter says, "Twelve!? Twelve!? Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" Forest says "There's gotta be twelve seconds in a year: January second, February second, March second....."
"Hold it," interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you're going with this. And I guess I see your point, though that wasn't quite what I had in mind, but I'll give you credit for that one, too." "Let's go on with the next and final question. Can you tell me God's first name?"
Forrest replied, "Howard." "OK, OK," said a frustrated St. Peter, "I guess I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Howard as the first name of God?"
"That was the easiest one of all," Forrest replied "I learned it from the prayer – Our Father who art in heaven, Howard be thy name … St. Peter pushed the gate open and said, “Run, Forrest, run!”
Those are certainly odd and naïve answers but they give another perspective to what is the usual and expected.
As Christians, we are not to give odd and naïve answers to the questions of life. Rather we are to give a spiritual and heavenly answer to the material and earthly questions.
Hence it is a matter of getting our hearts back to basic. But this basic is not about the usual and the expected. It is not about going with the flow of what others think and measure with.
The 1st reading gives us questions to ponder over. “For what does man gain for all the toil and strain that he has undergone under the sun? What of all his laborious days, his cares of office, his restless nights?”
It’s not a matter of how much we have travelled but in which direction we are travelling. It is not about how much we are thinking but in which direction we are thinking.
Hence, the 2nd reading urges us to have our thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on earth, because the life we have is with Christ in God.
That is why we must kill everything in us that belongs only to the earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passions, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same as worshipping a false god.
And greed was what consumed the rich man in the gospel parable.
And for that, God has this to say to him: Fool! This very night the demand is made for your soul; and this horde of yours, whose will it be then?
All of us, and each of us will one day have to stand before the Lord, and like the joke about Forrest Gump at heaven’s gate, we may be given some questions to answer.
But God won't ask what kind of car we drove, He'll ask how many people we drove who didn't have transportation.
God won't ask the square footage of our house, He'll ask how many people we welcomed into our home.
God won't ask about the clothes we had in our closet, He'll ask how many people we helped to clothe.
God won't ask what our highest salary was, He'll ask if we compromised our character to obtain it.
God won't ask how many friends we had, He'll ask how many people to whom we were a friend.
Let us not wait till we stand at heaven’s gate to have the answers.
The life in heaven begins with how we live our lives on earth.
And when we stand at heaven’s gate, may we be welcomed by God who is generous with His mercy and compassion.
There will be no questions asked when we ourselves have been generous to others with our love, mercy and compassion.
Click the links under My Blog List to get to Chinese and English weekday homilies.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Saturday, July 23, 2016
17th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 24.07.2016
Genesis 18:20-32 / Colossians 2:12-24 / Luke 11:1-13
Generally speaking, people do pray. More so for us as Catholics, we pray, whether sporadically, as in once in a while, or every day.
And when we come for Mass, we pray. So we can say that at least we pray once a week, and hopefully we pray more than that.
By and large, when we pray, we pray for our own needs and intentions. At least we begin somewhere in prayer.
How our prayer is answered that depends on God surely. But as much as prayer is a serious affair, there can be a humourous side to it.
Not to say that prayer is a joke, but jokes about prayer can at times reveal how we are praying and what we are praying for. Here are some examples.
Man - God how long is a million years to you?
God – Oh, it is just like a minute.
Man - God how much is a million dollars to you?
God – Oh, it is just like a cent to me
Man - God can I have a cent?
God – Ok, just wait a minute …
A priest preached sermons that were very long and boring. And for the final hymn, the congregation would sing “God of mercy and compassion.”
Then one Sunday the priest announced to the congregation that he will transferred to another church and that it was Jesus' wish that he leave that week.
Then for the final hymn, the congregation got up and sang loudly: "What a Friend we have in Jesus!"
Just a joke, but when we say we joking, there is an underlying truth about the reality.
What we heard in the 1st reading may seem to be like a joke.
The outcry was against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and God was about to inflict a punishment on them for their grievous sin.
Abraham stood before the Lord and he began to plead by saying, “Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner?
He began by saying what if there were fifty just men in the town. And then he bargained for forty-five, and then forty, and then thirty, and then twenty, and then finally ten.
As much as the punishment was going to be serious, the bargaining that Abraham had with God does seem rather funny.
It sounds like something we like to do at the road-side stalls where there is no fixed price and it’s a matter of how much we can haggle to get the cheapest price.
But as much as it may sound rather funny, that is also the reality with God’s mercy. God’s mercy is funny in that it comes at the “cheapest price”.
Abraham stopped at ten, but would God have relented if Abraham went down to just one?
The Bible tells us that the Lord God is slow to anger but rich in compassion and mercy.
And in the gospel, Jesus tells us the key that would unlock this compassion and mercy of God. And the key is persistence.
In the parable, persistence will be enough to make the man get up and give his friend all he wants.
And that is why Jesus tells us this: Ask, and it will be given to you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.
So Jesus tells us to ask, to search, to knock. Not just once or twice or hope that we will be lucky the third time around.
But when we ask, when we search, when we knock, the first time, and then a second time and then a third time, and then how? And then what?
Abraham went from 50, to 45, to 40, to 30, to 20 and then to 10. Would we go further than that by going all the way with 5, and then 4, and then 3, and then 2, and even to 1?
Every week, in the acrylic petition box that is next to that big statue of the Sacred Heart, there are about 250 petitions, and at times 300 or even more.
Let’s say that Jesus appeared to me and tells me that if I can find 50 virtuous and just persons in this parish to pray for these petitions, He will answer all of them. Do you think I can find 50 virtuous and just persons to pray for these petitions?
Will there be 50 virtuous and just persons in this parish community to pray for these petitions so that Jesus will answer these petitions.
Or will I have to say, how about 45, or 40, or 30, or 20, or 10, or 5, or just 1?
If it has to be just one, then will you be the one? Will you be the virtuous and just person who will offer yourself to pray for these petitions every day so that others will experience the love and compassion and mercy of Jesus?
For those who write their petitions, they have already expressed their sincerity and need. Will there be anyone who will pray for their need?
Every Friday at the evening Mass we offer those intentions to Jesus, and especially at the 1st Friday Mass when we offer up all the intentions to His Sacred Heart.
We pray that for those whose petitions are answered, they will have a deeper devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in turn be the missionaries of His love and mercy.
We just have to pray and ask and persist in doing so.
A million graces will be poured from the Heart of Jesus. And we won’t have to wait a million years for that.
So let us be united as one in Jesus and pray for those in need, because God our Father is waiting to pour His mercy and compassion and everything that is good for those who ask, and ask, and persist in asking.
Generally speaking, people do pray. More so for us as Catholics, we pray, whether sporadically, as in once in a while, or every day.
And when we come for Mass, we pray. So we can say that at least we pray once a week, and hopefully we pray more than that.
By and large, when we pray, we pray for our own needs and intentions. At least we begin somewhere in prayer.
How our prayer is answered that depends on God surely. But as much as prayer is a serious affair, there can be a humourous side to it.
Not to say that prayer is a joke, but jokes about prayer can at times reveal how we are praying and what we are praying for. Here are some examples.
Man - God how long is a million years to you?
God – Oh, it is just like a minute.
Man - God how much is a million dollars to you?
God – Oh, it is just like a cent to me
Man - God can I have a cent?
God – Ok, just wait a minute …
A priest preached sermons that were very long and boring. And for the final hymn, the congregation would sing “God of mercy and compassion.”
Then one Sunday the priest announced to the congregation that he will transferred to another church and that it was Jesus' wish that he leave that week.
Then for the final hymn, the congregation got up and sang loudly: "What a Friend we have in Jesus!"
Just a joke, but when we say we joking, there is an underlying truth about the reality.
What we heard in the 1st reading may seem to be like a joke.
The outcry was against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and God was about to inflict a punishment on them for their grievous sin.
Abraham stood before the Lord and he began to plead by saying, “Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner?
He began by saying what if there were fifty just men in the town. And then he bargained for forty-five, and then forty, and then thirty, and then twenty, and then finally ten.
As much as the punishment was going to be serious, the bargaining that Abraham had with God does seem rather funny.
It sounds like something we like to do at the road-side stalls where there is no fixed price and it’s a matter of how much we can haggle to get the cheapest price.
But as much as it may sound rather funny, that is also the reality with God’s mercy. God’s mercy is funny in that it comes at the “cheapest price”.
Abraham stopped at ten, but would God have relented if Abraham went down to just one?
The Bible tells us that the Lord God is slow to anger but rich in compassion and mercy.
And in the gospel, Jesus tells us the key that would unlock this compassion and mercy of God. And the key is persistence.
In the parable, persistence will be enough to make the man get up and give his friend all he wants.
And that is why Jesus tells us this: Ask, and it will be given to you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.
So Jesus tells us to ask, to search, to knock. Not just once or twice or hope that we will be lucky the third time around.
But when we ask, when we search, when we knock, the first time, and then a second time and then a third time, and then how? And then what?
Abraham went from 50, to 45, to 40, to 30, to 20 and then to 10. Would we go further than that by going all the way with 5, and then 4, and then 3, and then 2, and even to 1?
Every week, in the acrylic petition box that is next to that big statue of the Sacred Heart, there are about 250 petitions, and at times 300 or even more.
Let’s say that Jesus appeared to me and tells me that if I can find 50 virtuous and just persons in this parish to pray for these petitions, He will answer all of them. Do you think I can find 50 virtuous and just persons to pray for these petitions?
Will there be 50 virtuous and just persons in this parish community to pray for these petitions so that Jesus will answer these petitions.
Or will I have to say, how about 45, or 40, or 30, or 20, or 10, or 5, or just 1?
If it has to be just one, then will you be the one? Will you be the virtuous and just person who will offer yourself to pray for these petitions every day so that others will experience the love and compassion and mercy of Jesus?
For those who write their petitions, they have already expressed their sincerity and need. Will there be anyone who will pray for their need?
Every Friday at the evening Mass we offer those intentions to Jesus, and especially at the 1st Friday Mass when we offer up all the intentions to His Sacred Heart.
We pray that for those whose petitions are answered, they will have a deeper devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in turn be the missionaries of His love and mercy.
We just have to pray and ask and persist in doing so.
A million graces will be poured from the Heart of Jesus. And we won’t have to wait a million years for that.
So let us be united as one in Jesus and pray for those in need, because God our Father is waiting to pour His mercy and compassion and everything that is good for those who ask, and ask, and persist in asking.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
16th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 17.07.2016
Genesis 18:1-10 / Colossians 1:24-28 / Luke 10:38-42
Our eyes are important to us. They help us to see and to make our way along in life.
Certainly, good vision is an asset, but it can only be an asset when good vision enlightens the mind to make a good decision and to say the right things.
There is a story of a man who had just drawn his pay on Friday. But instead of going home, he went to the casino and stayed out the whole weekend and spent his entire paycheck.
When he finally appeared at home on Sunday evening, he was confronted by a very angry wife and was barraged for nearly two hours with a ranting befitting his actions.
Finally, his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to him, "How would you like it if you didn't see me for two or three days?"
To which he replied, "That would be fine with me."
Monday went by and he didn't see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went by with the same results.
Thursday, the swelling in his eyes went down just enough for him to see his wife a little bit : 0
Just a funny case of how the eyes can be useless when the mind is blind and the mouth says all the wrong things.
Yes, our eyes are important in so much as they can see.
But our eyes are important not for how they look or what they look at, but for what they see and how they see.
In the 1st reading, Abraham was sitting at the entrance of the tent. It was the hottest part of the day.
He looked up and he saw three men standing near him. Now it was the hottest time of the day, and he could have gone in back to his tent and pretend that he didn’t see those three men.
Instead, Abraham got up and ran to greet them and offered them the best hospitality he could.
At that hottest time of the day when he could have looked away and pretended that he didn’t see anything, what he saw caught his heart and he acted on it. And for that he was blessed and rewarded.
Yes, God’s blessings come, and they come at the hottest time, at the most unlikely time, at the most unexpected time and at the most inconvenient time.
So it is not what we look at that matters. It is what we see and what catches our heart. What Abraham saw caught his heart and he also caught God’s blessings.
In the gospel, Martha and Mary welcomed Jesus into their home. But they welcomed Him in different ways.
Mary sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to Him speaking. Martha did the serving. Then she got distracted with all the serving when she saw Mary sitting there.
And what came forth from her mouth was nothing less than a complaint. She said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.”
And then Jesus gave this profound and memorable teaching: Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one.
Although Jesus said that Mary has chosen the better part, it does not mean that what Martha did was no less better.
What Martha did was equally good, but she gave in to distraction.
Her service was her blessing, but she lost her concentration. What could have been her compliment became her complaint.
What we see is the reality before us, and if we don’t like or can’t change the reality, then instead of complaining, we need to change the eyes that see the reality.
And then we will be able to see how God is blessing us. God’s blessings come to us at the hottest time, at the most unlikely time, at the most unexpected time and at the most inconvenient time.
But may we see God’s blessings in situations and circumstances such as these:
Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that we pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout the journey. So pray always. It is a blessing.
Why is a car’s windshield so large & the rear view mirror so small?
Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on with God’s blessings
Friendship is like book. It takes a few minutes to burn, but it takes years to write. Good friends are a blessing.
Old friends are like gold! New friends are like diamonds! If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold! Because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!
All things in life are temporary. If it’s going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If it’s going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either. Just keep counting our blessings.
Often, when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, my child, it's just a bend, not the end!
When God solves our problems, we have faith in His abilities; when God doesn't solve our problems, then He has faith in our abilities. May we be able to see that.
A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"
When we pray for others, God listens to us and blesses them, and when we are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for us.
Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, but it takes away today's peace.
So let us not worry and fret about so many things. Only few are needed; indeed only one.
May we have the eyes to see which is the one.
Abraham saw it and was blessed. Mary saw it and was blessed.
May we also see it and be blessed.
Our eyes are important to us. They help us to see and to make our way along in life.
Certainly, good vision is an asset, but it can only be an asset when good vision enlightens the mind to make a good decision and to say the right things.
There is a story of a man who had just drawn his pay on Friday. But instead of going home, he went to the casino and stayed out the whole weekend and spent his entire paycheck.
When he finally appeared at home on Sunday evening, he was confronted by a very angry wife and was barraged for nearly two hours with a ranting befitting his actions.
Finally, his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to him, "How would you like it if you didn't see me for two or three days?"
To which he replied, "That would be fine with me."
Monday went by and he didn't see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went by with the same results.
Thursday, the swelling in his eyes went down just enough for him to see his wife a little bit : 0
Just a funny case of how the eyes can be useless when the mind is blind and the mouth says all the wrong things.
Yes, our eyes are important in so much as they can see.
But our eyes are important not for how they look or what they look at, but for what they see and how they see.
In the 1st reading, Abraham was sitting at the entrance of the tent. It was the hottest part of the day.
He looked up and he saw three men standing near him. Now it was the hottest time of the day, and he could have gone in back to his tent and pretend that he didn’t see those three men.
Instead, Abraham got up and ran to greet them and offered them the best hospitality he could.
At that hottest time of the day when he could have looked away and pretended that he didn’t see anything, what he saw caught his heart and he acted on it. And for that he was blessed and rewarded.
Yes, God’s blessings come, and they come at the hottest time, at the most unlikely time, at the most unexpected time and at the most inconvenient time.
So it is not what we look at that matters. It is what we see and what catches our heart. What Abraham saw caught his heart and he also caught God’s blessings.
In the gospel, Martha and Mary welcomed Jesus into their home. But they welcomed Him in different ways.
Mary sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to Him speaking. Martha did the serving. Then she got distracted with all the serving when she saw Mary sitting there.
And what came forth from her mouth was nothing less than a complaint. She said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.”
And then Jesus gave this profound and memorable teaching: Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one.
Although Jesus said that Mary has chosen the better part, it does not mean that what Martha did was no less better.
What Martha did was equally good, but she gave in to distraction.
Her service was her blessing, but she lost her concentration. What could have been her compliment became her complaint.
What we see is the reality before us, and if we don’t like or can’t change the reality, then instead of complaining, we need to change the eyes that see the reality.
And then we will be able to see how God is blessing us. God’s blessings come to us at the hottest time, at the most unlikely time, at the most unexpected time and at the most inconvenient time.
But may we see God’s blessings in situations and circumstances such as these:
Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that we pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout the journey. So pray always. It is a blessing.
Why is a car’s windshield so large & the rear view mirror so small?
Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on with God’s blessings
Friendship is like book. It takes a few minutes to burn, but it takes years to write. Good friends are a blessing.
Old friends are like gold! New friends are like diamonds! If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold! Because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!
All things in life are temporary. If it’s going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If it’s going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either. Just keep counting our blessings.
Often, when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, my child, it's just a bend, not the end!
When God solves our problems, we have faith in His abilities; when God doesn't solve our problems, then He has faith in our abilities. May we be able to see that.
A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"
When we pray for others, God listens to us and blesses them, and when we are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for us.
Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, but it takes away today's peace.
So let us not worry and fret about so many things. Only few are needed; indeed only one.
May we have the eyes to see which is the one.
Abraham saw it and was blessed. Mary saw it and was blessed.
May we also see it and be blessed.
Saturday, July 9, 2016
15th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 10.07.2016
Deut 30:10-14 / Col 1:15-20 / Luke 10:25-37
Last week, from Monday to Friday, the priests of the archdiocese were doing their annual retreat.
We were all housed in the far corner of Ponggol and so we were not in touch with the latest news like what’s happening in the Euro 2016, who won who lost, etc.
Of course we can use our mobile devices to see what is happening, but a retreat is a retreat and we priests have to keep the discipline.
It’s a time to pray and not to play.
So when we finished the retreat on Friday and came back to the parish, we weren’t expecting much news.
And it was then that I heard the most unlikely news, which was also quite unexpected and quite surprising.
Like how someone put it: Wah, Singapore got bank robbery! (That’s how we say it ; P)
I have got to read it to believe it. It was reported that a bank was robbed of SGD$30,000 on Thursday.
And I quote the report: “The Straits Times understands that the suspect strode into the bank and handed the teller a slip of paper with his demands. After she complied, he made off with the cash on foot. No weapon was seen during the incident, which was over in minutes.”
It was so unlikely and so unexpected because bank robberies are rare in Singapore.
Previous attempted bank robberies in 2008 and 2004 were foiled.
Yes, we will say that this current case of the bank robbery is so unlikely and so unexpected and even surprising.
In the time of Jesus, there were probably no bank robberies maybe because there were no big banks to begin with.
But robberies on lonely roads were common and it would be safer to travel in groups. To travel alone is like asking to be robbed.
So when Jesus told the parable of a man on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and got robbed, His listeners knew what He was talking about.
But they were not prepared for the unlikely or the unexpected and they were in for a surprise.
The man got robbed by brigands, they took all he had, beat him up and then made off, leaving him half dead.
A priest came along, saw the man, but he passed by on the other side, which is understandable because he didn’t want to be defiled by all the blood as that would made him impure to carry out his priestly duties.
A Levite came along and also passed by on the other side, because he also didn’t want to be defiled and unable to carry out his Temple duties.
But the next character was so unlikely and so unexpected. A Samaritan traveller came along and it was he who helped the injured man and even paid for the expenses.
To the listeners, it was a surprise, maybe even an unpleasant surprise, as Jews and Samaritans at that time were arch-enemies and they even persecuted each other.
But the parable, commonly known as the Parable of the Good Samaritan, was a response to the question that the lawyer asked Jesus – “Who is my neighbor?”
The lawyer was actually asking Jesus for a name list of persons that he was to show his love to.
And Jesus shifted the emphasis of the question from “Who is my neighbour?” to “who is a neighbour?” by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Jesus called upon the lawyer, and all of us, to look and to discover what is written in our hearts.
In the 1st reading, Moses had something to say about what is written in our hearts. He said that it is not beyond our strength or beyond our reach. It is not up in the heavens, nor down below in the seas. Or locked up in a bank.
Rather the Word of God, the Word of life, the Law of love, is written right there in our hearts, for our observance.
And the word is this: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.
Yes, the Law of God, the law of life, the law of love, is engraved in our hearts.
Because of this Law of love that is written in our hearts, then it means that we are to be neighbours of love, and to treat our neighbours with love.
The dictionary defines neighbour as someone in close proximity, which means a short distance away, which can be as close as an arm’s length.
But the shortest distance can also be the longest journey.
Let’s just talk about our upstairs neighbour who drips the mop on our laundry. Or our next door neighbour, whose dog drops the pooh on our shoes.
It is certainly easier trying to go to the moon, then to love these neighbours.
Or how about our closest neighbours who are none other than our family members.
The sad fact is that we sometimes treat the members of our families who are in need of us, worse than we treat needy strangers on the streets.
So the shortest distance can be longest journey.
But the parable of the Good Samaritan is more than just about who is my neighbour or how to be a neighbour to others.
This parable reminds us of what is engraved and etched in our hearts, and that is the Law of God’s love.
It reminds us that religion without compassion is simply a contradiction.
Each of us has the capacity to love and to show compassion. It’s within our power to say a kind word, to offer sympathy, to give support, to affirm others of their efforts.
These are little drops of “oil and wine” which can take the pain out of the wound.
And of course not forgetting stories of sacrifice made out of love.
Stories like St. Maximilian Kolbe who volunteered to take the place of a condemned prisoner, and gave up his life for another man.
Or, like St. Damian who went to the Molokai islands in Hawaii to minister to the lepers there and eventually succumbed to the disease.
People like them restore our belief in the essential goodness of human beings.
Goodness is as much a mystery as evil. But whereas evil saddens and hurts us, goodness delights and inspires us.
But goodness and compassion and love shouldn’t be so unlikely or unexpected or come as a surprise to others.
We are called to be good Catholics and to show goodness and compassion and love. If we don’t show it, then that would really be a surprise.
Last week, from Monday to Friday, the priests of the archdiocese were doing their annual retreat.
We were all housed in the far corner of Ponggol and so we were not in touch with the latest news like what’s happening in the Euro 2016, who won who lost, etc.
Of course we can use our mobile devices to see what is happening, but a retreat is a retreat and we priests have to keep the discipline.
It’s a time to pray and not to play.
So when we finished the retreat on Friday and came back to the parish, we weren’t expecting much news.
And it was then that I heard the most unlikely news, which was also quite unexpected and quite surprising.
Like how someone put it: Wah, Singapore got bank robbery! (That’s how we say it ; P)
I have got to read it to believe it. It was reported that a bank was robbed of SGD$30,000 on Thursday.
And I quote the report: “The Straits Times understands that the suspect strode into the bank and handed the teller a slip of paper with his demands. After she complied, he made off with the cash on foot. No weapon was seen during the incident, which was over in minutes.”
It was so unlikely and so unexpected because bank robberies are rare in Singapore.
Previous attempted bank robberies in 2008 and 2004 were foiled.
Yes, we will say that this current case of the bank robbery is so unlikely and so unexpected and even surprising.
In the time of Jesus, there were probably no bank robberies maybe because there were no big banks to begin with.
But robberies on lonely roads were common and it would be safer to travel in groups. To travel alone is like asking to be robbed.
So when Jesus told the parable of a man on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and got robbed, His listeners knew what He was talking about.
But they were not prepared for the unlikely or the unexpected and they were in for a surprise.
The man got robbed by brigands, they took all he had, beat him up and then made off, leaving him half dead.
A priest came along, saw the man, but he passed by on the other side, which is understandable because he didn’t want to be defiled by all the blood as that would made him impure to carry out his priestly duties.
A Levite came along and also passed by on the other side, because he also didn’t want to be defiled and unable to carry out his Temple duties.
But the next character was so unlikely and so unexpected. A Samaritan traveller came along and it was he who helped the injured man and even paid for the expenses.
To the listeners, it was a surprise, maybe even an unpleasant surprise, as Jews and Samaritans at that time were arch-enemies and they even persecuted each other.
But the parable, commonly known as the Parable of the Good Samaritan, was a response to the question that the lawyer asked Jesus – “Who is my neighbor?”
The lawyer was actually asking Jesus for a name list of persons that he was to show his love to.
And Jesus shifted the emphasis of the question from “Who is my neighbour?” to “who is a neighbour?” by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Jesus called upon the lawyer, and all of us, to look and to discover what is written in our hearts.
In the 1st reading, Moses had something to say about what is written in our hearts. He said that it is not beyond our strength or beyond our reach. It is not up in the heavens, nor down below in the seas. Or locked up in a bank.
Rather the Word of God, the Word of life, the Law of love, is written right there in our hearts, for our observance.
And the word is this: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.
Yes, the Law of God, the law of life, the law of love, is engraved in our hearts.
Because of this Law of love that is written in our hearts, then it means that we are to be neighbours of love, and to treat our neighbours with love.
The dictionary defines neighbour as someone in close proximity, which means a short distance away, which can be as close as an arm’s length.
But the shortest distance can also be the longest journey.
Let’s just talk about our upstairs neighbour who drips the mop on our laundry. Or our next door neighbour, whose dog drops the pooh on our shoes.
It is certainly easier trying to go to the moon, then to love these neighbours.
Or how about our closest neighbours who are none other than our family members.
The sad fact is that we sometimes treat the members of our families who are in need of us, worse than we treat needy strangers on the streets.
So the shortest distance can be longest journey.
But the parable of the Good Samaritan is more than just about who is my neighbour or how to be a neighbour to others.
This parable reminds us of what is engraved and etched in our hearts, and that is the Law of God’s love.
It reminds us that religion without compassion is simply a contradiction.
Each of us has the capacity to love and to show compassion. It’s within our power to say a kind word, to offer sympathy, to give support, to affirm others of their efforts.
These are little drops of “oil and wine” which can take the pain out of the wound.
And of course not forgetting stories of sacrifice made out of love.
Stories like St. Maximilian Kolbe who volunteered to take the place of a condemned prisoner, and gave up his life for another man.
Or, like St. Damian who went to the Molokai islands in Hawaii to minister to the lepers there and eventually succumbed to the disease.
People like them restore our belief in the essential goodness of human beings.
Goodness is as much a mystery as evil. But whereas evil saddens and hurts us, goodness delights and inspires us.
But goodness and compassion and love shouldn’t be so unlikely or unexpected or come as a surprise to others.
We are called to be good Catholics and to show goodness and compassion and love. If we don’t show it, then that would really be a surprise.
Saturday, July 2, 2016
14th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 03.07.2016
Isaiah 66:10-14 / Galatians 6:14-18 / Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
The cross the most universally recognizable symbol of Christianity.
Any institution that would want to identify itself as Christian would have a symbol of the cross.
And for us Catholics, it would be more than just the symbol of the cross. It would also be the crucifix – the cross with the figure of Jesus on it.
And more than that, we would identify ourselves as Catholics whenever we make the sign of the cross. In a way it is a uniquely Catholic gesture.
We make the sign of the cross when we pray. And more so in church we will make a big sign of the cross.
But in the food court, when we say the “Grace before meal” we make a small sign of the cross, maybe even a tiny one, and we may even wish that no one will see us doing it.
But whether we make a big sign of the cross or a small one, it is an expression of faith.
As we make the sign of the cross, we call upon the name of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As we make the sign of the cross, we remind ourselves that God dwells in us and we are to live our lives in God.
But there is also another often forgotten reason why we make the sign of the cross.
When we make the sign of the cross, we mark ourselves five times – on the forehead, on the chest, on the shoulders, and on the heart.
These five markings represent the five wounds of Jesus. Those are the five wounds He suffered on the cross and even after His Resurrection, even in His glorified body, He retained those five wounds.
It is by those wounds that St. Thomas made that profound proclamation – My Lord and my God.
It is by those wounds that we are healed (1 Peter 2:24) and it is by the blood that flowed from those wounds that we are saved.
That is why in the 2nd reading, St. Paul tells the Galatians that the marks on his body are those of Jesus, and he is referring to those five wounds.
He explains it like this: The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
He goes on to say that peace and mercy comes to all who follow the way of Christ, and by bearing the wounds of Jesus, we will also accept our own sufferings for the sake of Jesus (Col 1:24).
When we see in our own sufferings the wounds of Jesus, then we would be willing to be labourers in God’s harvest.
And we would be willing to be sent out like lambs among wolves and to bring peace to a troubled and dangerous world.
It is in this midst of trouble and danger that Jesus said He would give us power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy.
Well to that, a missionary can give testimony as he relates his encounter with danger. This missionary was serving in a rural area where electricity was generated by a diesel generator.
One stormy night, the generator failed and his house was in total darkness. He had no torchlight but he remembered that there were candles and matches in the church.
So he felt his way around, got out of the house and using the walls as a guide, made his way to the church, all this in pitch darkness.
Finally, he got to the candles and lighting a candle he made his way back to the house safely.
A few days later, there was another storm, and again the generator failed. This time around, the missionary was prepared and he had a torch light.
So, with confidence, he made his way to the church to get some candles.
But as he opened the door to step into the church, his steps came to a sudden halt.
Because, as he shined his torch light ahead of him, he saw a snake coiled up at the entrance of the door; it was taking shelter from the rain.
He turned back immediately and headed straight for his house, and when he got back, he went down on his knees to thank God (of course he made a big sign of the cross)
As he thought about it, just a few days back, he made the same way in pitch darkness and, thank God, there was no snake.
This time around, he was not going to tread on the snake to see if it would bite; that would be crazy.
Putting it in any way we want, we can be sure that Jesus was protecting that missionary, when he made his way to the church in pitch darkness.
Jesus wants to protect us as we make our way in this world that is darkened by fear and danger, where the wolves howl, the snakes bite and the scorpions sting.
Jesus sends us forth into the world to be instruments and channels of His peace in the midst of fear and danger.
But let us also remember that peace is not the absence of fear and danger. There will always be fear and danger.
Peace is the presence of God, in the midst of fear and danger.
At every Mass, Jesus says to us – Peace I leave you, My peace I give you.
So Jesus already gave us His peace. That’s what we have. That’s what we must be – a people of peace.
Because Jesus is our peace; from His wounds flow peace and mercy.
So as we face fear and danger, let us make the sign of the cross. The wounds of Jesus will protect us. By His wounds we will be healed and we will be saved.
The cross the most universally recognizable symbol of Christianity.
Any institution that would want to identify itself as Christian would have a symbol of the cross.
And for us Catholics, it would be more than just the symbol of the cross. It would also be the crucifix – the cross with the figure of Jesus on it.
And more than that, we would identify ourselves as Catholics whenever we make the sign of the cross. In a way it is a uniquely Catholic gesture.
We make the sign of the cross when we pray. And more so in church we will make a big sign of the cross.
But in the food court, when we say the “Grace before meal” we make a small sign of the cross, maybe even a tiny one, and we may even wish that no one will see us doing it.
But whether we make a big sign of the cross or a small one, it is an expression of faith.
As we make the sign of the cross, we call upon the name of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As we make the sign of the cross, we remind ourselves that God dwells in us and we are to live our lives in God.
But there is also another often forgotten reason why we make the sign of the cross.
When we make the sign of the cross, we mark ourselves five times – on the forehead, on the chest, on the shoulders, and on the heart.
These five markings represent the five wounds of Jesus. Those are the five wounds He suffered on the cross and even after His Resurrection, even in His glorified body, He retained those five wounds.
It is by those wounds that St. Thomas made that profound proclamation – My Lord and my God.
It is by those wounds that we are healed (1 Peter 2:24) and it is by the blood that flowed from those wounds that we are saved.
That is why in the 2nd reading, St. Paul tells the Galatians that the marks on his body are those of Jesus, and he is referring to those five wounds.
He explains it like this: The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
He goes on to say that peace and mercy comes to all who follow the way of Christ, and by bearing the wounds of Jesus, we will also accept our own sufferings for the sake of Jesus (Col 1:24).
When we see in our own sufferings the wounds of Jesus, then we would be willing to be labourers in God’s harvest.
And we would be willing to be sent out like lambs among wolves and to bring peace to a troubled and dangerous world.
It is in this midst of trouble and danger that Jesus said He would give us power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy.
Well to that, a missionary can give testimony as he relates his encounter with danger. This missionary was serving in a rural area where electricity was generated by a diesel generator.
One stormy night, the generator failed and his house was in total darkness. He had no torchlight but he remembered that there were candles and matches in the church.
So he felt his way around, got out of the house and using the walls as a guide, made his way to the church, all this in pitch darkness.
Finally, he got to the candles and lighting a candle he made his way back to the house safely.
A few days later, there was another storm, and again the generator failed. This time around, the missionary was prepared and he had a torch light.
So, with confidence, he made his way to the church to get some candles.
But as he opened the door to step into the church, his steps came to a sudden halt.
Because, as he shined his torch light ahead of him, he saw a snake coiled up at the entrance of the door; it was taking shelter from the rain.
He turned back immediately and headed straight for his house, and when he got back, he went down on his knees to thank God (of course he made a big sign of the cross)
As he thought about it, just a few days back, he made the same way in pitch darkness and, thank God, there was no snake.
This time around, he was not going to tread on the snake to see if it would bite; that would be crazy.
Putting it in any way we want, we can be sure that Jesus was protecting that missionary, when he made his way to the church in pitch darkness.
Jesus wants to protect us as we make our way in this world that is darkened by fear and danger, where the wolves howl, the snakes bite and the scorpions sting.
Jesus sends us forth into the world to be instruments and channels of His peace in the midst of fear and danger.
But let us also remember that peace is not the absence of fear and danger. There will always be fear and danger.
Peace is the presence of God, in the midst of fear and danger.
At every Mass, Jesus says to us – Peace I leave you, My peace I give you.
So Jesus already gave us His peace. That’s what we have. That’s what we must be – a people of peace.
Because Jesus is our peace; from His wounds flow peace and mercy.
So as we face fear and danger, let us make the sign of the cross. The wounds of Jesus will protect us. By His wounds we will be healed and we will be saved.
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