12th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 25.06.2017

Jeremiah 20:10-13 / Romans 5:12-15 / Matthew 10:26-33

If we were asked “What is fear?” we may be able to immediately come up with descriptions and examples?

But if we were asked “What is courage?” we make take a while to define it and to give a personal example

A lecturer once gave an examination with just this question:  What is courage?

And he gave the class 3 hours to answer that question.

Everybody began to write immediately.

After about 5 minutes a student walked up with just a piece of paper.  There is only one sentence in that paper.

He handed it over to the lecturer and left the examination hall.

Everybody was surprised, but carried on writing.

When the results were out, everybody was also surprised.

It was that student who passed up that one piece of paper with only one sentence who got the highest marks.

Certainly we would want to know what he wrote and how he answered that question.

He wrote only 3 words:  This is courage!

Courage is not about words.  Courage is about actions.

By his actions that student showed what courage is all about.

In today’s gospel, Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid.

What is there to be afraid of? Plenty! There is the fear of going to the dentist, fear of losing the job, fear of illness, fear of failure, etc.

In fact in the first test of courage at the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples failed terribly.

They all deserted Jesus and left Him alone to face His persecutors.

Only Jesus showed courage when confronted with fear.

Why did the disciples gave in to fear? Where did fear come from?  How can we overcome fear?

To begin with fear is a reaction; it is a reaction to a threat or danger. We can choose to give in to fear, or we can choose to have courage.

So if fear is a reaction, then courage is a decision. And if there is no fear, then there is no need courage.

Fear comes from the fact that we feel insecure. We feel insecure because we think that God does not care about us and the He does not come to protect us in times of trouble and danger.

And that is because there are times when we think that our prayers are not answered.

So how do we pray when we come face to face with troubles and difficulties?

We need to look at how Jesus prayed when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane.

At first He asked His heavenly Father to take that cup away, meaning to save him from suffering, pain and the cross.

After that, He prayed that God’s will be done and not His will.

Jesus trusted that when He does God’s will, then God will protect and save Him. Jesus went on to face the Cross with courage.

So when we pray, let us reflect on what we are praying.

If we are telling God what He should be doing for us, then it seems that we do not trust God to know what we need.

Hence our prayer already shows our distrust and insecurity.  So even when we pray, we also have fears.

But when we pray that God’s will be done, we surrender ourselves courageously into God’s hands. Because courage is fear that had said its prayers and surrendering to God’s will.

And no matter what happens, even if the worst should happen, we know that God is watching over us and protecting us.

When we put God’s will first, then God assures us that everything will turn out for the good of those who trust God.

To trust God means to love Him. To love is a decision, and to have courage is also a decision.

But more importantly we must believe and trust that God loves us more than we can ever love him.

And we can discover what our enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten us.
The devil will deceive us by saying: You can’t withstand the storm. But Jesus will declare: Do not be afraid. I will silence the storm.

In life there are many dangerous storms. We can react with fear, or we can decide to have courage.
Because it takes courage to believe and trust in Jesus who declares to us: Do not be afraid. I have conquered the world.

Let us decide to listen to Jesus, and we will have the courage.

Corpus Christi Sunday, Year A, 18.06.17

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 / 1 Cor 10:16-17 / John 6:51-58

Generally speaking, most of us, if not all of us, experience some kind of memory loss, aka forgetfulness.

Sometimes it can lead to embarrassing situations, but at times it can lead to difficult situations.

A typical situation is when the computer asked us to type in the password, and then to our horror, it says that our password is “incorrect”. We jump into panic mode, and the more anxiously we try to remember, the more unlikely we can get it correct.

Or if we were asked what we had for breakfast or dinner, would we be able to give a snap answer? Or would we roll our eyes upwards and think hard as we try to recall?

Come to think of it, if we forget what we put into our mouths, it says a lot about our awareness of what we are eating and that we may be taking food for granted.

There is this saying: we are what we eat. But if we can’t even remember what we have eaten, then how are we going to remember what we are going to be?

In the 1st reading, Moses recalled for the people their 40 years in the desert, and how the Lord made them feel hungry and fed them with manna.

He told them to “remember” and “do not forget”, which is rather odd. If there was nothing else to eat everyday but manna and manna and manna, then what is there to remember, or what is there to forget?

But the thing here to remember is that it was the Lord who fed them and they must not forget that more than just manna, they were fed by the Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord, the Word that gave them food in the form of manna.

Now in the gospel, Jesus gave a long discourse about what the real food is when He says: For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me and I live in him.

This Sunday the Church celebrates the great feast of “Corpus Christi”. We are reminded of what we are putting into our mouths as we come up for Holy Communion.

It is the Body of Christ that we are eating. And what we eat, we must become, meaning to say that if we truly believe that we are receiving Jesus, then we must become like Jesus. We must remember that; we should not forget that.

This Sunday is also a day to remember for 14 of our young children. Today they will receive the Body of Christ for the first time.

Yes it will be a day where many photos will be taken of them as they look smart and pretty. But they must remember this day as the day they first received Jesus into their hearts, and they must not forget to become and grow like Jesus every day.

Now young as they are, can they fully understand what they are receiving? Will they remember what this is all about? Or will they slowly forget and become indifferent to all this?

Some of us may remember the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He was a renowned TV evangelist in the 1950s. He was interviewed on national television and he was asked this: You have inspired millions of people all over the world. Who inspired you? Was it a pope?

He responded that it was not a pope, or a cardinal, or another bishop, or even a priest or nun, but rather a story of an eleven year old Chinese girl.

He explained that when the communists took over China, they imprisoned a priest in his own rectory near the church. After being locked up in his own house, the priest looked out the window and was horrified to see the communists enter the church. Once inside, they went into the sanctuary, broke open the tabernacle and in a hateful act of desecration, threw down the ciborium scattering the Sacred Hosts on the floor. The priest knew exactly how many Hosts had been in the ciborium: thirty-two.

When the communists left they either didn’t notice, or didn’t pay any attention to a little girl praying in the back of the Church who saw everything. That night she returned, and slipping past the guard at the rectory, entered the Church where she made a holy hour in reparation for the desecration she witnessed of the Blessed Sacrament.

After her holy hour she went into the sanctuary, and kneeling down, she bent over and received Jesus in the Holy Communion with her tongue since it was not permissible at the time for laymen to touch the Sacred Host with their hands.

Each night, the girl returned to the church to make her holy hour and receive Jesus in Holy Communion on her tongue just as she did the first night. 

On the thirty- second night, after having consumed the last Host, she accidentally made a noise that awoke the guard who was asleep at his post by the priest’s residence. From his window, the priest could only watch in horror as the heartrending scene unfolded before his eyes. The girl tried to run away but the guard caught up with her and beat her with the butt of his rifle. It was a sad and tragic ending for that 11-year old girl.

When Archbishop Fulton Sheen heard the story he was so inspired that he promised God he would make a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament every day for the rest of his life. He also taught others to receive the Body of Christ reverently and to always remember that it is Jesus they are receiving.

As for that 11-year old girl, her story not only inspired Archbishop Fulton Sheen, her heroic act of going to the church every night at the risk of her life to adore and receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament serves as a powerful testimony that young children know what, or Who, they are receiving, and that should also make us remember when we come up for Holy Communion.

The feast of Corpus Christi reminds us that Jesus feeds us with His Body. As we look at the stained glass of the Sacred Heart, then we will also realize that Jesus is giving us His Heart, feeding us with His Heart, so that He can make our hearts like His.
Let us remember this; and may we not forget this.

Trinity Sunday, Year A, 11.06.2017

Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 / 2 Cor 13:11-13 / John 3:16-18

We are quite familiar with Christian symbols like the Cross, the Sacred Heart, the Alpha & Omega, the IHS monogram, the dove and the 7 tongues of fire, etc.

These symbols are uniquely Christian and, more or less, we know what it stands for and what it means.

But there are some symbols that are rather obscure and the meaning may not be immediately clear and it may need some explanation.

For example, St. Joseph, as we see in the stained glass, is holding a lily flower. We may wonder why would a man like St. Joseph hold a lily flower. Legend has it that the suitors of Mary were asked to leave their staffs in the Temple as God would give a sign as to who would be the husband of Mary.

As it turned out, the next day, a lily flower was growing on the staff of Joseph, and so he became the husband of Mary. Besides that the lily also symbolizes the character of St. Joseph who is virtuous and just, as well as purity.

Another symbol is the pelican, it is shown as vulning itself, or plucking its own flesh, to feed its young when no food is available.

Hence, the pelican is a symbol of the sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist. A point of interest is that on some bishops’ crozier, the top is shaped like a pelican with its head bend down to pluck its flesh to feed its young. It symbolizes the bishop’s duty to feed his people with spiritual food and to care for their souls.

Another rather obscure symbol is the shell. The story is that St. Augustine was trying to write the thesis about the Holy Trinity and he was stuck for words, and so he went out for a walk on the beach.
There, he saw a child running up and down, scooping water from the sea and pouring the water into a hole in the sand.

When St. Augustine asked the child what he was trying to do, the child replied: I am trying to pour all the water of the ocean into this hole in the sand.

St. Augustine laughed and said that it was impossible, to which the child answered: Neither can you try to put into mere words the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

And with that, the child disappeared, leaving behind the shell. So the shell has become a symbol of the mystery of faith, and the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

Today the church celebrates Trinity Sunday. It’s a great mystery, and trying to define the Trinity is like trying to pour all the water of the ocean into a hole in the sand.

But certain symbols can help us meditate and reflect on the mystery of the Holy Trinity, like the triangle, the shamrock, the three forms of water, steam and ice which are substantially the same, etc.

But essentially, the mystery of the Holy Trinity revolves around the mystery of love between the three Persons in one God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

And that love is poured out to humanity, who is made in the image of God, so that we can love one another with the love of God who is Trinity.

As we heard Jesus said in the gospel: God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost but may have eternal life.

There are three profound moments when the love of God entered into the world, and these are:
- At Bethlehem when God was with us
- At Calvary when God was for us
- At Pentecost when God is in us

These three profound moments symbolize how the love of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit entered into the world and poured out their love for the world.

So there are many symbols that point to God. At times they point to just one Person of the Trinity, and at times they point to the three Persons in one God.

But there is a symbol that is unique to our parish, and only to our parish, and it is this “Jesus Invites” envelops, that is prepared for the celebration of our parish feast day.

These are folded with love by the members of our parish, from as young as 3 years old to some who are 80 years old.

When we unfold or open up the envelope, it is just a piece of paper with some designs and some words which may not have much meaning.

But when we follow the tutorial to fold it, then it becomes a heart-shaped envelope, and a petition slip can be inserted into it.

And there are three movements here – the one who folded it; the one who distributed it; the one who receives it.

In a way it symbolizes the work of the Trinity - The Father who creates; the Son who saves; the Holy Spirit who sanctifies and brings us back to God.

So we can say that these “Jesus Invites” envelopes are symbols of God’s love and Jesus is inviting us to come and offer our prayers to God at the triduum and feast day, whether the prayer is for ourselves or for others. 

Jesus wants us to come and experience the love of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Jesus also wants us to bring someone along who might be in need of God’s love.

The symbol of that love is already given out. Let’s take it and share it with others. Let us respond to that love and let us help others to respond to God’s love.

Pentecost Sunday, Year A, 04.06.2017

Acts 2:1-11 / 1 Cor 12:3-7 / John 20:19-23

Today is Pentecost Sunday. And we usually associate Pentecost with the Holy Spirit, so much so that Pentecost means the Holy Spirit. 

But to begin with, the meaning of the word “Pentecost” has almost nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. 

Pentecost is a Greek word that means “fiftieth”.  It points to the Jewish festival of the “Feast of the Harvest” (Exodus 23:16), which is held on the fiftieth day after the Passover.

The purpose of that feast was to commemorate the completion of the grain harvest.

So as it is, going by the meaning of the word Pentecost, it is the “fiftieth day”. It does not say anything about the Jewish festival of the “Feast of the Harvest”, nor does it say anything about the Holy Spirit.

But in the 1st reading, we heard about how Pentecost, or the “fiftieth day” which was first associated with the Jewish “Feast of the Harvest”, became connected with the Holy Spirit.

When the Pentecost day came round, the apostles had all met in a room, when suddenly, they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. 

And that was how Pentecost (or the fiftieth day) became associated with the Holy Spirit. 

And from the readings, we can see how the Holy Spirit was manifested. The Holy Spirit came like a powerful wind from heaven, and then like tongues of fire, and then the gift of speech.

There is the variety of gifts but always the same Spirit. And the Risen Christ breathed on His disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit.

All these are manifestations of the Holy Spirit, but in all the readings, there is one common factor that indicated the presence of the Holy Spirit – words.

In the 1st reading, the disciples began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

The 2nd reading states that no one can say “Jesus is Lord” unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

And in the gospel, Jesus said to His disciples: Peace be with you. Receive the Holy Spirit.

Words can be so common, and even so plentiful as some people can be so long-winded, but words can be so powerful in that the Holy Spirit is manifested through words. 

Which brings to mind the saying: Think before you speak. And if silence is golden, then speak only when your words are better than silence.

Yes, think before you speak. And as we think about it, the word THINK can be an acronym that reminds us of how the Holy Spirit wants us to use our words.

So before we speak, we should “T-H-I-N-K”.

T stands for “true”. Are we speaking what is true? The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of Truth and when we speak what is true, then the Holy Spirit is present. But if we speak what is not true, then an unholy spirit is present, an unholy spirit that is up to no good.

The second letter “H” stands for helpful. What we say must be helpful and not harmful. Reckless words pierce like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Pro 12:18). The Holy Spirit is our Helper, so when we speak what is helpful, the Holy Spirit is truly present. 

The letter “I” stands for inspirational. And there is a big difference between inspirational and impressive. One uses simple words that can inspire, while the other uses bombastic words to impress. So which “I” do we want to be?

The letter “N” stands for necessary. Is what we are going to say necessary and needed? If it is not necessary and not needed, then, never mind – just don’t say it. 

And finally “K” stands for kind. Word should be kind and not used to kill. Kind words reflect the nature of a kind person. By our words, we will know what is inside of us.

So think before we speak – T-H-I-N-K. 

And just “think” is one word, so what we say must also be true, helpful, inspirational, necessary as well as needed, and kind. 

In other words, all that must be fulfilled in the words that we speak. One can’t do without the others. We can’t say what is true without being kind as well. We can’t say what is necessary and needed without being inspirational and helpful too.

So all conditions must be met, so that we will have to think before we speak.

When we speak what is true, what is helpful, what is inspirational, what is necessary and needed, and what is kind, then we will truly experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, and others will experience the Holy Spirit through our words.

And then we will also truly understand what Jesus means when He says “Peace be with you”.