31st Ordinary Sunday, 31.10.2021

 Deut 6:2-6 / Hebrews 7:23-28 / Mark 12:28-34

As the month of October comes to a close, it may seem that this month has been a rather long month. 

There were a few things that weighed us down and we may feel that the going is rather heavy. 

The exams are ongoing and certainly the students and their parents are anxiously waiting for it to end. 

Then the “Stabilizing Phase” has been extended for another month, and we sigh and we can forget about trying to predict how things will turn out. 

And then last weekend, our church has to close and suspend Masses because of a Covid positive case, but thank God we are cleared for this weekend. 

All these are like “knee-jerkers” in that we want to go on but we had to jam the brakes and then start picking up again. 

If October seems long and heavy, then November may be the silver lining in the dark clouds. 

Next Thursday is a public holiday so that is something to be happy about. 

And then on Monday is All Saints Day, a day to remember our favourite Saints and to ask them to pray for us. 

And if we ever had that privilege of encountering a Saint, then it is truly a blessing. 

We may remember that Pope John Paul II visited Singapore in 1986 (November 20th 1986) and he is now a Saint. 

Mother Teresa also visited Singapore in 1987. If we had a personal encounter with those two Saints, it would have been a life-changing event. 

That brings us to the next day which is All Souls Day, and we remember our departed loved ones. They too had made a mark in our lives and we will surely remember them. 

Whether it is a personal encounter with a saint or a fond memory of the departed, we remember with love, and it makes us turn to God who is the source of all love. 

In the gospel, Jesus states the two great Commandments, and the first is this: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. 

And the second is this, that you must love your neighbour as yourself. 

These two Commandments complement each other. They are like the two sides of the same coin. 

To love God is to love neighbour. To love God whom we can’t see is to love our neighbour whom we can see.

A religious nun was writing about her vocation story and she recalled a childhood experience that probably planted the seed for her vocation. She wrote: 

I never liked Tracy, though she lived two doors from me, and she is about my age. I thought she looked funny and strange (later I came to know that she has “Downs Syndrome”). I never liked to talk to her, much less play with her.  

One day, my mum invited her and her mother over for lunch. My mother made me sit directly across the table to Tracy. I frowned and showed my displeasure but my mum glared at me and she was not going to change the seating arrangement.

I sulked over my lunch. After lunch came the dessert which is mango pie, which was my favourite. My elder brother knew that I was sulking and to taunt me further, took a double share of the pies. There was a piece for everyone at table, no more, no less.

When the tray of pies was handed to Tracy, there was only one piece left and it was obviously for her. Tracy looked around the table and she looked at my empty plate. And then she passed the tray with that last piece of mango pie to me and said only two words, “You take”.

I felt terrible then, but I took it. But something in me made me cut that piece of pie into half and I gave one half to Tracy.

When I did that, something strange happened to me. Tracy didn’t look funny anymore, neither did she look strange. She has become my friend. That was one of my early experiences of love for neighbour.

It is a nice and heartwarming story that tells us that when we love our neighbor, God’s love will grow greater in us. Yes, love for God and love for neighbor are the two sides of the same coin.

Our departed loved ones may bring back fond memories for us. We will also remember those moments when we could have loved them more but we were either too busy or in a hurry. 

Those phone calls from our parents, especially from our mothers, are moments that they want to tell us that they care for us. 

But our conversations with them are often brief and hurried, and we will recall those moments when we cut it short by saying, “Sorry Mum, but I am busy now. I have to go.” 

We remember now, how our mothers would have felt, especially when they have passed on. 

But whether it is our mothers, or fathers or neighbours, let it be written in our hearts that we must love them. 

How we love on Earth will be echoed in heaven. 

Let us remember that nothing is as important as loving God in our neighbour.

When we do that, Jesus will tell us that we are not far from the kingdom of God.

Mission Sunday, Year B, 24.10.2021

 Isaiah 2:1-5 / Ephesians 3:2-12 / Mark 16:15-20

There are a few important days in our lives that are significant and hold special meanings for us. 

There are, for example, birthdays and anniversaries. Those days bring back memories, and make us think about the way we were then, and the way we are now. 

It is said that there are two important and significant days in our lives. The first is the day when we were born, and the other is when we find out why. 

Certainly, we will remember our birthdays, and we will celebrate our birthdays, whether publicly or privately. 

That day has a fixed date, month and year, so in that sense it is unchangeable. And that day holds memories for us and we may also have photographs with our loved ones and friends. 

The other important and significant day, is the day that we find out why we are here in this world, and that may not have a fixed date, but we would certainly have an experience and an enlightenment. 

So, it would be good to think about and recall if we ever had such a day, or a few such days, when we become aware of the meaning of our existence. 

Today as the Church celebrates Mission Sunday, we are called to reflect upon the meaning of our lives as Christians. 

It all began with our baptism, and it would certainly be good to know the date of our baptism and where we were baptised. 

Jesus said in the gospel that he who believes and is baptized will be saved. So, it means to say that since we are baptized, then we are saved. But it may not be as simple as it sounds. 

We are called to proclaim the Good News of salvation to the world. And that is where the challenge comes in. 

To do that means that we believe in Jesus Christ Our Saviour, and we also know the meaning of our lives as Christians. 

For the disciples of Jesus, they knew what they were supposed to do. They will have the gift of tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands, be unharmed should they drink deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. 

And so, they went out to the whole world, preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it. 

It was an experience for the disciples, and with each experience, the meaning and conviction of their lives as Christians deepened. That was what Christianity meant for the disciples. 

So, what does Christianity and our baptism mean for us? 

Generally speaking, we were baptized with water. So, what does the waters of baptism mean to us?

A story goes that a lady went to the priest and said, "I won’t be attending church anymore."

He said, "May I ask why??"

She said, "I see people on their cell phones during the service, some are gossiping, some just not living right, they are all just hypocrites."

The priest thought for a while and he said, "Ok... But can I ask you to do something for me before you make your final decision?"

She said, "What’s that?"

He said, "Take a glass of water and walk around the church two times and don’t let any water fall out the glass."

She said, "Yes I can do that."

She came back and said "It’s done."

He asked her three questions:

1. Did you see anybody on their phone?

2. Did you see anybody gossiping?

3. Was anybody living wrong?

She said, "I didn’t see anything because I was so focused on this glass, so the water wouldn’t fall."

He told her, "When you come to Church, you should be just that focused on God , so that you don’t fall.”

Yes, we come to church to focus on God and to renew our baptismal commitment to God. 

Each of us is like holding a glass of water and we are called to share that water with others, because it is the waters of salvation that brings about healing and forgiveness. 

Some may use the waters to wash their hands, some may use it to wash their face to look refreshed, some may use the waters to wash their eyes so that they can see what they need to see, and then some will use it to wash their lives in order to experience salvation and healing. 

Whatever it may be, we hold that glass of water, the water of salvation, the water of baptism, and we give it to others for them to find out the meaning of their existence, and may they also come to know who is their Saviour. 

Let us also renew our baptismal commitment Jesus, and may our lives be refreshed with living water. 

Then let us go forth to share that living water, and the Lord Jesus will work with us, and we will see the signs that will deepen the meaning of our lives as Christians.

29th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 17.10.2021

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

By a simple definition, Christians are disciples of Jesus. And connected to that, Christians are a people of prayer. 

The Church is often called a House of Prayer. At the same time, Christians gathered and united in prayer are also called the Church. 

So, whether we are called Church or Christians, the fundamental denominator is prayer. 

So, as Church and as Christians, what is it that we do at prayer? There are four movements in prayer and it can be expressed in the acronym ACTS. 

A is for adoration - We praise and worship the Lord our God. 

C is for contrition - We confess our guilt and ask for forgiveness. 

T is for thanksgiving - We give thanks to God for His blessings and we also want to see everything as a blessing. 

S is for supplication - We offer our needs and petitions to the Lord. 

So, when we pray and when we follow that format of the acronym ACTS, then our prayer will be focused and directed towards God. 

But when we have urgent and pressing needs, then we tend to forget that ACTS format and go straight to supplication. 

Undoubtedly, when our needs are urgent, then our needs would come first and we “storm heaven” for our needs. 

But the acronym ACTS reminds us of the first things first, and that is Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication. 

In the gospel, we heard of James and John approaching Jesus and saying, “Master, we want you to do us a favor.” So James and John jumped straight into a request or petition. 

When Jesus asked them what was it that they wanted, they asked to be seated in glory at His right and left. 

And Jesus told them this: You do not know what you are asking. 

In other words, Jesus is telling James and John that what they are asking for is only for themselves and not for the good of others. 

And that also made the others feel indignant with James and John. 

But Jesus also went on to teach His disciples what to pray for, and that is, to be a servant for others. 

Because He Himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to even give His life as a ransom for many. 

And as disciples of Jesus, we the Church, will have to follow our Master, and to offer our prayers for others and our lives in service of others. 

This weekend, the local Churches all over the world, celebrate the inauguration of the Synod that was begun by Pope Francis in Rome last weekend. 

There is this phrase, “to keep an ear to the ground”. If we remember watching those old western movies, the Native Americans would go down on their hands and knees and put their ears to the ground to listen for movements in the area. 

In a sense, the Synod is a process in which the whole Church goes down on her hands and knees and listen the voices on the ground. 

But the Church can only listen clearly when her knees are knelt in prayer and her hands reach out in humble service to the poor and the lowly. 

So, in our prayer, we put aside our needs and we pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance in the Synod process, and also for those in need of God's help. 

That is also our service to others. When we pray for others in their need, God will also grant us what we need. 

When we do God's work, God will also help us to accomplish our own work.

As the Church and as disciples of Jesus, let us fulfil our calling as Christians. 

Let us lead the world in adoration of the one true God. 

Let us acknowledge that we are sinners and we pray for the conversion of sinners. 

Let us give thanks always for God's blessings so that we can be humble and grateful. 

Let that be our prayer and God will help us to take care of the rest.

28th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 10.10.2021

Wisdom 7:7-11 / Hebrews 4:12-13 / Mark 10:17-30

Whenever we talk about the reality, we would usually think about what we are able to perceive with our senses. 

So, the most obvious reality would be what is physical and material, and essentially that would be what we are able to see, hear, touch, smell and taste. 

And when it comes to persons, we would usually apply the same means to come to an assessment of a person. 

So, for persons, there would be psychological tests, aptitude tests, IQ tests or exams, and other scientific as well as medical tests.

No doubt, these tests show results, and these results can indicate the physical and mental state of a person. But that is only one dimension of the reality of a person. 

Because faith tells us that there is another dimension and that is the spiritual and mystical dimension. 

Data and facts show the physical states of the reality. 

But faith opens us to the spiritual dimension of the reality, so that we will be able to comprehend the whole reality. 

In the gospel, we heard of a man who ran up to Jesus, knelt before Him and put this question before Him: Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 

That man is certainly sincere and he had the faith to know that that is an eternal life and he desired for it. 

Jesus could see his sincerity and He looked steadily at him and loved him. 

Jesus also saw something in that man and so He addressed that matter when He told him: Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come and follow me. 

But that man's face fell at those words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. 

It seems like for that man, there are two realities, the physical and material reality, and the spiritual reality. 

But when Jesus connected the two realities into one, the man could not comprehend or accept it. 

Yes, it takes faith and wisdom to know that that is only one reality and it has a physical as well as a spiritual dimension. 

When we can comprehend that and accept that, then we will know how to connect one dimension to the other. 

When the physical and spiritual dimensions of life are connected, then life would be how it should be lived, and that is being connected with God and with one another. 

There is this story of “The Paper House that could produce money” and it has something to teach us. 

After the exams, a Primary 5 class organized an outing. Each classmate paid $5 and a total of $200 was collected from a class of 40 students. 

The money was collected and kept by the class monitor, who was pleasant and well-mannered girl. 

But that day she cried. Because she had put the money under her desk, but when she returned after the PE lesson, the money was gone. 

She felt responsible for the loss and she couldn't be able to replace it, and she cried her heart out. 

The co-teacher was furious and she said,  “Someone from this class must have stolen the money. I am going to conduct a search on each of you.” 

Just as she was about to start, the form teacher said, “Wait a minute, let me ask a special paper house for help. It will help us to find back the money.” 

The form teacher took out a piece of paper and started to fold it into a house, complete with a window. 

She said, “Now, each one of you will be given one minute alone in the classroom with this paper house. Touch the paper house and ask it to help us find back the money.” 

The students then stepped out of the classroom and each was given a minute to spend with that paper house. 

At the end of this, all the students got back in the classroom. The form teacher put her hand into the paper house and took out a stack of money. 

The full sum of $200 was recovered. The class cheered. In a corner, sat a little boy with a grateful heart. The boy was grateful to the little paper house. The paper house had saved him from the mark of shame and guilt. 

So, on the one hand there was a theft, and the culprit must be caught and punished. That is the truth. That is the reality. 

But on the other hand, the one who stole the money could have done it in a moment of folly, but he must be given the opportunity to learn the lesson in a gentle way. That is love. That is also the reality. 

When truth and love are connected, then there will be compassion and forgiveness, there will be kindness and gentleness. 

When there is truth and love, God will be there, and what is impossible for man is not impossible for God.

27th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 03.10.2021

 Genesis 2:18-24 / Hebrews 2:9-11 / Mark 10:2-16

When life gets a bit cloudy and foggy, or even murky, then we certainly need to get clarity. 

And to get clarity, it is necessary to go back to basics. Going back to basics will certainly help us see the simplicity of things as well as a simplicity of life. 

There is this cute little poem about simplicity and it goes like this: Read with me A,B,C. Count with me 1, 2, 3. Sing with me Do Re Mi. 

Well, that is as simple as things can be, and that is also the foundations of the learning process, be it reading or writing or counting or singing. 

So, going back to basics is going back to the beginning and understanding the primary objectives and asking basic questions like why, where, when, who and how. 

So, the complexity of life may not seem so complicated when we are prepared to go back to basics and to go back to the beginning. 

Similarly, the difficult questions of life can be simplified when we go back to basics. 

In the gospel, some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked Him a rather tricky question, and that is whether it is against the law to divorce. 

It was a tricky and complicated question, but Jesus turned it around and went back to the beginnings and to basics. 

From the beginning of creation, God made male and female, and marriage was a Divine institution, so much so that what God has united, man must not divide. 

So, in marriage, it is God who binds the couple with His love, and their love for each other deepens the love of God in them. 

No doubt, marriage is not without challenges and difficulties, and things do get a bit rough. 

So, when marriage get a bit cloudy and foggy and murky, then it is necessary to go back to basics and go back to the beginning. 

Marriage began with love and it is founded on love, and that love has to be nurtured and deepened so that it can bear fruit in procreation and witnessing to God's love. 

And since marriage is also a Divine institution, then God's help must be invoked and prayed for. 

So, it is fundamentally necessary, for married couples, and especially when they are Christians, to pray for God's help and blessings and protection for their marriage. 

And that is not just for marriage, but for the Christian life as well. 

We are created by God, and in order to live life according to God's will, then we must invoke and pray for God's help and blessings and protection. 

As we begin the month of October, we are reminded that October is a month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. 

It is a month to go back to the basics of the spiritual life and to renew our prayer life. 

And if our prayer life has gone a bit cloudy and foggy and murky, then we need to go back to the basics of prayer life with the simplicity of the prayer of the Rosary. 

The Rosary is such an effective prayer because Mother Mary prays with us in the Rosary. 

In fact she calls out to us to pray the Rosary with her. 

So, if the poem of simplicity goes with “Read with me A, B, C, count with me 1, 2, 3, and sing with me Do Re Mi, then we can also add this: Pray with Mary, pray the Rosary. 

Let us go back to the beginning, let us go back to the basics, and let us be like little simple children. 

Yes, let us be like little simple children who will listen to their Mother in her call to prayer. 

It is with simple humble prayers that marriages will be strengthened, and God will pour out His blessings and protection on His children.