3rd Sunday of Easter, 26.04.2020

Acts 2:14, 22-28 / 1 Peter 1:17-21 / Luke 24:13-35

There are some phrases that sound like a slang term but somehow the meaning is quite clear, and it does make sense.

For example, there is the phrase “talk the talk”. It can mean that the person knows what he is talking about and speaks fluently and convincingly about the topic.

But it can also mean that a person talks the talk just to please or impress others. It may also mean that words are not followed by actions and that the person does not practice what he preaches.

Another phrase is “walk the walk”. It means that actions speak louder than words, and that what is said is also done.

So if a person talks the talk and he walks the walk, then he is a man of his word and deserves respect for putting action into words.

But it can be said that there are many who like to talk the talk, and not that many who will walk the walk.

In the gospel we read of two of the disciples of Jesus who are walking to a village called Emmaus.

As they walked, they also talked about all that had happened in the past few days.

But they were not doing the “walk the walk”. Rather they were like walking away from it all.

This was evident as Jesus came up and walked by their side but somehow, they did not recognize Him.

As Jesus asked them what matters they were discussing, they stopped short, their faces downcast.

Yes, they were walking away from it all. They had hoped that Jesus would be the one they had waited for, but they saw Him being sentenced to death and crucified.

And then they heard news that He was alive. But since then, He has not been seen.

The disappointment, followed by the confusion, was just too much for them and so they decided to walk away from it all and to talk no more about it.

So, for the two disciples it was to Emmaus and then back to the world that they came from.

It was on that road to Emmaus that Jesus “walked the walk” and “talked the talk”.

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and He came up to the two disciples to walk with them in their disappointment and misery.

He “talked the talk” as He explained to them the scriptures that pointed to Himself.

The gloom of sadness and misery was lifted as their hearts began to burn with hope.

And finally, at the breaking of bread, Jesus opened their eyes to reveal Himself to them.

And from walking away from it all, they ran back to tell the Good News that Jesus was alive.

Yes, Jesus is risen, He is alive, He walks with us and He wants to talk with us.

There may be areas in our lives that we are thinking of walking away from - the stressful job, the quarrelsome families, the stale marriage.

We may also want to walk away from our financial difficulties, our troublesome relationships, our headaches and our heartaches.

Jesus comes to walk with us and He wants to talk with us. 

Now is the time to read the Bible and to pray and to let Jesus speak to us. 

May we also look forward to the day when we can be gathered together in His presence in the Eucharist, with our hearts burning with love, with our faith being strengthened and our hope be always in the blessings of the Lord.

2nd Sunday of Easter, 19.04.2020

Acts 2:42-47 / 1 Peter 1:3-9 / John 20:19-31

The words that we often hear nowadays are these two words - social distancing.

It was only fairly recently that we hear these two words being used.

And if we still don't know what that means, then we will certainly get into trouble with the law. Yes it is as serious as that.

With social distancing comes about new social practices like “Work from home” and “home based learning”

Being confined at home, whether for work or for learning, comes the lighter side of social distancing.

Some people are saying that being at home the whole day and with food readily available, the button and button-hole in the shirt and pants are also beginning to undergo social distancing.

But not that long ago, social distancing was practically unheard of. Human beings are also social beings, and to socially distant oneself from others may mean that one is an extreme introvert or a social misfit.

In the gospel we heard of one apostle who seemed to have socially distanced himself from the rest of the apostles.

We read in the gospel, that in the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in a room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews.

Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, “Peace be with you”, and showed them His hands and His side.

So all the apostles saw the Risen Lord Jesus. All except one - Thomas.

And when they told him that they had seen the Risen Lord, Thomas refused to believe, unless he put his finger into the holes the nails have made and put his hand into that gaping wound at the side.

Why was Thomas not with the rest of the apostles, we were not told. Although that could be many possible reasons.

Thomas saw Jesus crucified, died and buried. It was a great disappointment for him. His hopes and dreams were shattered, and it was just too much for him.

But he probably didn't want to wallow in the company of the misery of the apostles. 

So he went off on his own. He so-called socially distanced himself from the rest of the apostles.

Whatever it may be, the rest of the apostles probably went to look for him to tell him that Jesus had risen from the dead.

But he couldn't believe it. After all who had ever risen from the dead.

Still Thomas re-joined the apostles, and 8 days later Jesus came again, and this time it was to clear the doubts of Thomas.

And Thomas learned his lesson. He had distanced himself from the community when he saw Jesus died on the cross and was buried.

But now, he believed, and he proclaimed, “My lord and my God”.

Of all the apostles, it was Thomas who went far and covered the longest distance to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, going as far as to India, and maybe even further eastwards.

Thomas covered great distances to bring those who are distant from God and to bring them back to God so that they will experience mercy and forgiveness, just as he did.

So let us ask St. Thomas to help us, that in this time of social distancing, we will take this opportunity to get in contact with those whom we have neglected because of our busy lives.

It can be a text message, or a phone call, or even a video-call, as these are readily available.

Though we may have to be socially distant from each other, let us be spiritually united with the Risen Lord Jesus and with each other, and pray for God’s mercy and forgiveness on us and on the whole world.

Easter Sunday, 12.04.2020

Acts 10:34, 37-43 / Colossians 3:1-4 / John 20:1-9

According to the Chinese zodiac, this year is the “Year of the Rat.” But whether we are Chinese or not, we do feel a bit like rats.

Because, we are all in hiding. We only come out to get food. We store the food in our homes to eat later. And we are run away when people come too close to us.

Where once upon a time, and that was just three months ago, man was like the master of the world, but now he feels like a rat.

And all because of an incredible and invisible virus that has caused chaos to the world.

And like rats, we all left scuttling and scampering but with no solution in sight.

Mankind is like emptied out. All the science and technology, all the military might, all the stock markets and money power, all our dreams, our plans and our ambitions are all left crumbling.

What we hear nowadays are the rising number of infected cases and increasing number of countries on lockdown.

And as Easter is celebrated in empty churches, we must hold on to our faith in the Risen Christ.

But it can be difficult. Because faith is also like crumbling in the midst of this unprecedented chaos.

If no one has asked us yet, then we may be asking ourselves, “Where is God in all this? Why isn't He doing something about this?”

This poem may well express this sentiment:

When the churches are all empty 
and the temple doors barred shut 
while the mosque’s call’s long been silent 
then the voice starts: where is your God now?

When the morgues are overflowing 
and hospitals of dread are full 
while the sick lie slowly drowning 
the voice remarks, so cool: where is your God now?

When homeless beg streets empty 
and hoarders stuff fridges full 
while poor children lie in bed hungry 
the voice starts to rule: where is your God now?

Our God is in nurses and doctors 
exhausted teachers' endless screens 
cleaners countless corridors 
delivery men running between 
supermarket staff toiling through nights 
replenishing shelves stripped bare 
masked bus drivers sending you home 
strangers who offer to share 
whatever little that they have 
whatever little they can spare.

In hearts filled with quivering hope 
God is often in you, when you care.

So where is our God? He's not in the tomb because it is an empty tomb.

Then where is our God? He is in the light of Easter candle which was held high in a darkened church as the priest proclaims:
“May the Light of Christ rising in glory, 
dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.”

That is the voice that we must listen to, because it is the voice of our Risen Lord Jesus, a voice that tells us, “Courage, do not be afraid. I am with you always, to the end of time.”

So where is our God? He is risen and He is in our hearts shining His light in the midst of all this chaotic darkness.

Palm Sunday, Year A, 05.04.2020

This year’s Holy Week is going to be a really quiet one.

With the Mass suspended for the time being, Palm Sunday comes without palms, and no procession, no singing and no congregation.

And for the coming week, all churches will be closed, as well as all places of worship, and closed for a month at least.

So there will be no “washing of the feet”, no church visitation on Holy Thursday evening, no kissing of the cross on Good Friday, no baptisms on Easter Vigil and no joyful singing of “Alleluia” on Easter Sunday.

And we are also told not to go out as far as possible, and only to go out for something essential.

The country’s essential services will still be operating but all other non-essential services will be closed.

So it is not just a quiet weekend ahead. We feel like we are grounded and have to stay at home. We feel like being hemmed in.

But in such a chaotic and turbulent time, we are reminded of something that was of great significance in the Bible.

We are reminded of the night of the first Passover, when the Israelites who were under slavery in Egypt were told to stay indoors, to celebrate the Passover meal with the family, to have the doorpost of their homes marked with the blood of the Passover lamb.

As all these were happening behind closed doors, the angel of the Lord went through the land of Egypt and claimed the lives of the firstborn of the Egyptians, man and beast alike.

So while this “Stay-at-home” message is drummed into all of us, let us also know that this is a time of grace and a blessing from God.

This is the time for us to be with family and to be family.

This is the time for us to eat together and pray together.

We don’t have to feel hemmed in. We can log-in to the many online worship and prayer services.

Our parish has also taken this opportunity to have nightly online prayer sessions at 10 pm.

Indeed this is the time of grace and blessing as we stay in and stay together as a community, and as family, and as the People of God in prayer and keeping the flame of hope burning in the darkness of these times.

With every tribulation comes a revelation. God is revealing to us many things already.

But most of all, God wants to reveal how much He loves us during this period.

So let us log-in and stay together as we pray together to welcome Jesus into our hearts.