Mary, Mother of God, 01.01.2023

 Numbers 6:22-27 / Galatians 4:4-7 / Luke 2:16-21

Today we stand at a significant moment in time. 

On this first day of the new year, we welcome a new beginning with well-wishes and celebrations. 

We have said goodbye to 2022 and hello to 2023. 

But we have not closed the door on 2022 just yet, as we will look back at 2022 with remembering and reminiscing. 

Many things have happened in 2022. We have learned to live with Covid, we have gotten used to wearing masks and some even like to wear it, we don't make a fuss anymore with using hand sanitizers. 

On a brighter note, we don't have to book a place to come for Mass, we can sit wherever we want, and we get to see each other more often. So, we should be happier. 

Yes, 2022 was a year of change, and we too have changed. So, is it a change for the better, and are we happier? 

And now we are looking at 2023, and we wonder what will 2023 be like? Will it be better than 2022 or will it be otherwise? 

So, today is a significant moment in time, as we wonder at the future of mystery, while we ponder on the past of history. 

Today as we celebrate the feast of Mary the Mother of God, the gospel speaks of her as treasuring and pondering in her heart all that has happened.

And many things have happened for her, from the angel Gabriel appearing to her at the Annunciation, to the Visitation, and now in joyful wonder at the mystery of the Incarnation, the Word made flesh, the Emmanuel, who is the little tender baby Jesus in her arms. 

For Mary, there is much to ponder, much to wonder and much to treasure. 

For Mary, every moment is a divine moment in the appointed time of God.

As the 2nd reading tells us: At the appointed time, God sent His Son, born of a woman. 

Yes, every moment is a divine moment in the appointed time of God. 

And in this significant moment in time, as we look forward to 2023, we still look back at 2022, and we ponder and we wonder. 

We wonder at the future of mystery, and we ponder at the moments of our history. 

Those moments could be a mixture of good and bad, some were happy, some were sad, some could be better, some we would rather not remember. 

But good or bad, it is hard to say. Maybe this this story can help us to understand.

Once upon a time, there was a king. The king liked one of his servants very much because he was wise and always gave useful advice. Therefore, the king took him along wherever he went.

One day, the king was bitten by a dog. His finger was injured and the wound got worse and worse. He asked the servant if that was a bad sign. The servant said, "Good or bad, hard to say". In the end, the finger of the king was so bad that it had to be cut off. The king asked the servant again if that was a bad sign. Again, the servant gave the same answer, "Good or bad, hard to say". The king became very angry and sent the servant to prison.

One day, the king went hunting in the jungle.. He got excited when he was chasing a deer. Deeper and deeper he went into the jungle. In the end he found himself lost in the jungle. To make things worse, he got captured by natives living inside the jungle.

They wanted to sacrifice him to their god. But when they noticed that the king had one finger missing, they released him immediately as he was not a perfect man anymore and not suitable for sacrifice. The king managed to get back to his palace after all. 

And he finally understood the servant's wise quote, "Good or bad, hard to say". If he hadn't lost one finger, he could have been killed by the natives.

He ordered to release the servant, and apologized to him. But to the king's

amazement, the servant was not angry at him at all. Instead, the servant said, “It wasn't a bad thing that you locked me up.” “Why?” the king asked. The servant replied, “Because if you didn't lock me up, you would have brought me along to the jungle. And since the natives found that you were not suitable, they would have used me for the sacrifice.

So, good or bad, hard to say …

So, with Mary, we ponder on our past moments so that we can see that those moments are moments of blessing in the appointed time of God. 

And as we wonder about the future, let us also remember that all will happen in God's appointed time. 

Whether good or bad, happy or sad, let us remember that Jesus will be with us in all those moments. 

Jesus is our Saviour. His name means “God saves”. 

May the Lord our God bless us and save us. May He let His face shine upon us and be gracious to us and grant us peace. 

And may Mother Mary pray for us.

Christmas, 25.12.2022

 It can be said that among all the Christian festivals, Christmas has the most decorations. 

The decorations are not just in church. It is also in the business and commercial sectors, as well as in other public places. 

Regardless of whether the decorations have any spiritual meaning, whether the words are spelled “Christmas” or “Xmas”, most of the decorations are unmistakably Christmassy. 

So, in Church, there is the Nativity scene, the Christmas tree, the Christmas wreath, the Star of Bethlehem. 

The secular decorations would have fancy fairy lights, maybe Santa Claus and reindeers and whatever. 

But to admire Christmas decorations, we need to take a few steps back in order to appreciate it. 

And some decorations can only be appreciated from a distance. Anyway, if we go too near the decorations, we may see that it can be rather messy, can be rather dusty, and when there are electrical wiring around, there are also concerns about safety. 

But it is not only Christmas decorations that can be appreciated from a distance. 

Things like art and sculpture, floral arrangements and designs, as well as life and relationships, all that make sense when we step back to appreciate it and to understand it. 

When it comes to life and relationships, we can say that up close, it looks like misery and tragedy. 

But take a step back, or few steps back, life and relationships may reveal beauty and mystery. 

When God created the world, He saw it as good. When He created humanity, He saw it as very good. 

But when humanity committed sin, there came about misery and tragedy. 

But God still saw the world and humanity as beauty. And here comes the mystery. 

God became man in Jesus Christ, and He came into this world and into the misery and tragedy. 

God did that because He so loved the world and Humanity, and God wanted to restore back the beauty. 

And this is the mystery of Christmas, that the Divine became human, so that humans can become like the Divine. 

To become like the divine means to love as God loves, and to see as God sees. 

So if we think that our life and our relationships are described as messy, misery and even tragedy, then Christmas is the Good News. 

When we stand back and look at the Nativity scene, we remember that God took on human flesh and entered this world as a little baby, then we may come to realize that life has tender beauty and mystery. 

So, we stand back and we look at life and our relationships. 

We stand back and remember the people who are near and dear to us, and also those who are near but not that dear to us. 

We stand back and we look at God and the world. 

Yes, we need to stand back because when we go too close, things become blurry and messy, and we see only misery and tragedy. 

The Christmas celebration is about God becoming man so that man can become like God. 

Jesus came to lift us up from the misery and the tragedy so that we can see beauty and mystery in ourselves, in others and in the world. 

When we can see beauty in humanity, then we will know why Jesus came into this world. 

Jesus is the Saviour. The celebration of Christmas is the celebration of our salvation. 

To be saved means that we can see as God sees, and that is to see love and beauty in ourselves, and others and in the world.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year A, 18.12.2022

  Isaiah 7:10-14 / Romans 1:1-7 / Matthew 1:18-25

We would think that life would be easy and stress-free if everything goes according to our plans. 

We have our plans in life, we have our ideas about how life would be, and if life goes according to our plans and our ideas, then we would be happy. 

So, some will get down to writing out their plans in life. They would study diligently and go to a good school and then to a good university. Then they would find a good job and get promoted and earn big money. Then they would get married and start a family. And when everything is in place, they would retire and live happily. 

Call it a plan, or call it a dream, that may be our idea of life and how we would like our future to be. 

But just as a river winds its way from the mountain to the ocean, life is never a straight path that goes according to our ideas. 

Life is a winding journey with unexpected surprises. It is like a TV drama with all its twists and turns. 

And because life is not a straight smooth path, we often get angry, disappointed and frustrated, when things don't turn out according to our plans and ideas. 

In fact, one of our common complaints when things don't go our way is that we get angry with God. 

Yes, we get angry with God when there are sudden turns and changes in life, and we get angry with God when our prayers to make it straight again are not answered. 

The gospel account is about how Jesus Christ came to be born. But at the end of the account, we should be amazed and astonished about how things turned out. 

Mary was betrothed to Joseph, and they had expected to get married and live happily to ripe old age. 

Then Mary was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit, and Joseph was bewildered by it. 

So, he decided to call off the marriage informally, but then he had a strange dream in which an angel spoke to him. 

We can try to imagine how Joseph felt about all this, but in the end, when he woke up, he did what the angel told him and he took Mary to his home. 

If this had happened to us, just how would we have reacted? 

All of a sudden, our plans are changed, our ideas of a rosy future melted away, our hope for a pleasant outcome in life had crumbled. 

Certainly, we would be angry, to say the least, besides being disappointed and frustrated. 

Anger is a common emotion and a reaction, when things don't go our way, or when there are unexpected changes. 

And we vent out that anger at people and at God. 

But we need to realize that anger is such a dangerous emotion because it burns up our insides, and it is also the cause of our pains and illnesses. 

And when we vent out that anger, we burn others and we also burn up our faith in God. 

But the gospel passage teaches us that as it describes how Jesus Christ came to be born, there was so many changes and unexpected surprises in the lives of Mary and Joseph. 

But through the responses of Mary and Joseph, Jesus Christ came into this world. 

Let us know that when there are unexpected changes and surprises, it is an Emmanuel moment. 

When we are getting angry, Jesus is also telling us that God is with us, and something beautiful and wonderful is going to happen. 

May we not let our anger cause destruction to others and to ourselves. 

Rather, in the midst of changes and surprises, let us be ready for a revelation, so that it will be an Emmanuel moment for us and for others.

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A, 11.12.2022

 Isaiah 35:1-6, 10 / James 5:7-10 / Matthew 11:2-11

We may think that we know enough about a topic or a subject, until we have to explain it, or when we are questioned about it. 

Even when it comes to our faith, there are many things that we think we know, but upon further questioning, we may realize that our knowledge and understanding can be quite lacking. 

For example, the Advent wreath. Why is it circular in shape and not square or some other shape? Why is there a rose coloured candle among the three purple coloured candles? Why is the Nativity scene like half-done and where is Baby Jesus? 

If we can provide good and clear answers and explanations, then we are quite knowledgeable about the practices of our faith. 

But often, it is like we know a bit, and yet we don't seem to know quite a lot, and we may feel embarrassed and frustrated that we can't give reasonable and acceptable answers to what we believe in. 

And even if we are well informed about the various aspects of our faith, it may not mean that we have a conviction. 

Because knowing may not necessarily lead to believing, and when our faith is shaken, then our belief will also be tested. 

In the gospel, we heard that John the Baptist was in prison and he heard about what Jesus was doing, and he sent his disciples to ask Jesus this question: Are you the one who is to come, or have we to wait for someone else? 

We may remember that it was John the Baptist who pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of god, the Saviour. 

But now, in the darkness and despair of his prison cell, doubts are encircling him and his faith is put to the test. 

John the Baptist could be wondering, if Jesus is the Saviour, then why isn't He coming to free him from this prison, and even punish those who have persecuted him. 

That could be the reason why John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus that question. Because John the Baptist wasn't sure about Jesus anymore.

But like John the Baptist, when our faith is not shaken and put to the test, our faith may shine like daylight with confidence. 

But when we are faced with disappointment and frustration, when anger and resentment burns up our faith, and fear and anxiety cut up our belief in God, then we are like John the Baptist in his prison cell. 

We can sum up the darkness and despair in one word and that is “Why?”, and we want, and even demand answers from God. 

John the Baptist may not understand, why after pointing out Jesus as the Lamb of God, he would end up in prison. 

He could have felt that God had dumped him, or forgotten about him, now that the focus is on Jesus. 

But it was in that prison, that John the Baptist would bear witness and testimony to God as he laid down his life for his belief. 

In that sense, his question about Jesus was answered, and so were his prayers of despair and distress. 

We too will have our questions that begin with “Why?”, and we will have our desperate prayers in darkness. 

But our prayers will be heard, and our questions will be answered, as we listen to this reflection: 

I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong. 

I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve. 

I asked for courage, and God gave me dangers to overcome. 

I asked for love, and God gave me troubled people to help. 

My prayers were answered. 

In this 3rd Week of Advent, we light the third candle, the rose coloured candle, to symbolize the joy in our time of waiting. 

And as we wait in faith, may God also answer our prayers and our questions about life, so that we will be filled with the joy of having faith in God.

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year A, 04.12.2022

 As we enter into the month of December, we would have put up the Christmas decorations at home, and maybe even at the office or at the workplace.

In Church, the decorations are already up, both inside as well as outside, although the Nativity scene inside the Church would be in its full array on Christmas day.

The Nativity scene would typically have the figurines of the Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph,the shepherds and the sheep, the cow and the donkey and if there is still space, then there will be the three wise men and their camels.

That would mean that the Nativity scene is already quite crowded enough, and also there is no need to add other figurines.

But let us remember that before Christmas, there is the season of Advent, the 4 weeks of Advent, and today we begin the second week of Advent.

One main feature of the season of Advent is the prophecies that point to the Messiah, the Promised One of God, the coming of the Saviour who would save God's people from their sins.

Besides the prophecies, there is another character that will be showing up in the season of Advent, and it is John the Baptist.

In today's Gospel, John the Baptist makes his appearance with a rather straightforward message of repentance, and also in a unique dressing fashion and rather strange diet.

Besides that, his message was direct and to the point. And if John the Baptist were to come to Church today, he would stand in front of the Nativity scene to block our view and to obstruct photo taking. 

Because for John the Baptist, there is no Christmas celebration without the Advent preparation and repentance.

And he may even have an axe in his hand to show that he means business. The message of the axe is clear: Any tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down.

John the Baptist’s Advent message for us is that we take a good look at ourselves and to cut off whatever that does not lead us to God.

And we don't have much time, because Christmas is only 22 days away, and we have to hurry and get down on our knees and pray, so that we can see what to cut off, and to have the courage and determination to do so.

As we get busier and busier and with so much to do as we emerge after the 2 years of restrictions, we have developed a strange attitude.

We seem to have a thirst for “revenge”. So there is revenge shopping, revenge traveling, revenge socializing, revenge holidaying, revenge whatever.

It is like we want to break free and catch up on some kind of lost time, so we are busy taking “revenge”.

We are so “revenge” busy, that we forgot about what the past 2 years had taught us, and that is we have a family.

When our movements were restricted, and we had to stay at home and look at each other, as well as getting into each other's way, we may have realized that when everything is down to nothing, we still have something, and that is our family.

One strange thing about photo-taking is that as much as we take a lot of photos, there are not that many photographs, because most of the photos we take are stored in some media.

One thing that we can do this Advent is to take a family photo and have it printed as a photograph.

We can put that photograph in the Nativity scene along with the other figurines of the Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the sheep, the cow and the donkey, and the three wise men.

We can also gather as a family to pray before the Nativity scene.

That is a sign of repentance, because repentance is not a sad and painful thing to do.

Repentance is a joyful experience, because the Lord is making His path straight into our hearts.

Jesus also wants to help us to make our paths straight into each other's hearts so that we can experience family joy and love.

So let us repent and bear fruits of love for the Lord and for each other.