26th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 01.10.2023

 Ezekiel 18:25-28 / Philippians 2:1-11 / Matthew 21:28-32

When it comes to making impressions on others, we know the importance of the first impression. 

Because the first impression can be pressed into the minds of others and stay on for quite some time. 

So obviously, we want to give others a good first impression. Especially when we are meeting a person or a group of people for the first time, we would do our best to impress. 

So, we would try to impress them with our eloquence, our fine social etiquette, our education and qualification and our profession. 

We want people to think that we are reliable, honest and trustworthy. 

Generally, that is what we will do during interviews and in our social and business interactions. 

In the eyes of the world, image and impression are important if we want to succeed and move up in life. 

But that also raises questions, and it is for us to reflect on those questions if we want to. 

One of the questions would be, why are we trying to impress others, and what is the purpose for doing so. 

Another question is what is our true self, and what is it that we really want to be in life. 

In a gospel parable, Jesus told the story of the two sons. The father asked the two sons to go and work in the vineyard. 

The first son said he will not go, but then thought better of it and went. The Second Son replied with apparent eagerness, but then did not go. 

The different responses from the two sons would help us reflect on the impressions that we give to others. 

Like the first son, we may often say No to any request, and that would be the convenient and safe answer. 

We would give that kind of response to those who don't really matter to us, or to those from whom we don't have much to gain from. And if they are offended by our attitude, it wouldn't bother us much. 

On the other hand, we may also be like the second son in that we want to impress others, but we have our own motives for doing so. 

Whatever it may be, we have the shades of the two sons, and we have to decide on what kind of son we want to be. 

We don't want to give a fake Yes just to impress. Others will come to know our true character and integrity alone the way. 

And if we keep saying No, then eventually we will find ourselves lonely and isolated in our own world. 

But whether it is a Yes or No, let us think about it and about the kind of person we want to be. 

We don't want to live lonely and isolated lives, nor do we want to be a fake just to impress others. 

Let us think the better of it, and think about the kind of person that God wants us to be.

God created us with love and in love. God created each of us to be a loving person. 

The 2nd reading tells us something of what a loving person is like. A loving person is not conceited, he is self-effacing, always not thinking of his own interest first but other people's interest instead. 

To be a loving person is not for impressing others. 

To be a loving person is to be who God wants us to be. 

Let us begin by saying Yes to God and No to ourselves.

25th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 24.09.2023

 Isaiah 55:6-9 / Philippians 1:20-24, 27 / Matthew 20:1-16

It is said that all men are equal, and that is an undeniable truth. 

That is also the teaching of the Church, in that all persons are equal, and that each person has a God-given dignity that is to be respected. 

But as much as humanity is bound by equality, it is also an undeniable fact that there is a discrepancy. 

That discrepancy is what is commonly called unfairness. 

One example is the difference between the rich and poor, whether it is between nations, or business enterprises, or organizations or persons. 

The unfairness is often phrased as this: The rich becomes richer and a poor becomes poorer. 

That unfairness is usually shrouded with injustice and biasness. 

But unfairness is not just happening up there. When it comes down and into our lives, it takes a form of bullying, where size matters and that might is right. 

Or that those who have more resources and advantages are able to get more benefits over those who have less. 

So, even though we may cheer for the underdog, we will still bet on the top dog. 

Obviously, to be poor in status, resources and abilities would put a person in a vulnerable and difficult state. 

In the gospel, the parable has the main message of the generosity of God. 

There is also a hint of our human inclination to be envious of others when they get more and get better than us. 

But a deeper reflection of the parable would reveal to us the compassion of God, and that He is moved by those who are poor and lowly, and those who are weak and helpless. 

That is seen by the landowner going out at the third hour, sixth hour and the ninth hour. 

Logically, that landowner should have stopped at the ninth hour, which is at noon, and pay the workers a half day wage. 

What is rather surprising is that he even went out at the ninth hour, and even at the 11th hour to hire workers. 

And the surprise does not end there. When it came to paying the wages, all the workers got the same pay. 

Hence those workers who were hired at the start of the day, grumbled at the landowner.

But as the landowner retorted, there was no unfairness, as the wages were agreed upon. 

If anything, it was the workers who grumbled at the landowner who were unfair. 

Those workers revealed the darker side of humanity that is prone to envy and jealousy, and is inclined to complain when the situation is not in their favour. 

But the 1st reading puts it so profoundly, as the Lord says this: 

My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways. Yes, the heavens are as high above the Earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts about your thoughts. 

So, the gospel parable gives us a glimpse of the ways of God and the thoughts of God. 

God is fair to all, and He is compassionate. 

He helps those who are in need, and He will provide for them in a surprising and marvellous way. 

That gives us the hope that when we face our difficulties and troubles of life, when we are down to nothing, God will come up with something. 

Let us not be envious or jealous, or complain and get angry that life is so unfair, that we are lacking in resources and abilities. 

Because when we experience the generosity and the gracious help from God, we will only want to give thanks with grateful hearts. 

Yes, the last will be first. That is how God thinks. That is the way of the Lord.

24th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 17.09.2023

Ecclesiasticus 27:30 – 28:7 / Romans 14:7-9 / Matthew 18:21-35

When it comes to doing something easy, like watching TV or a movie, we will just go lazy and lose track of time. 

And when it comes to doing something that we like, for example eating, the limit is the size of our tummy. 

But, when it comes to doing something difficult, then we will certainly try to avoid it and resist it. 

Even though that difficulty may benefit us, still we will find some excuse not to do it. 

But when there is difficulty in doing something, then, there is also much to learn from it and to gain from it. 

It is like a principle of life, where there is gain, there will be pain. Or putting it in another way, no pain, no gain.

But more than just the pain and gain equation, the human ability is also manifested. 

The human ability to overcome difficulty is put to the test, and with that we will know what we are capable of, as well as what we can learn from it. 

In the gospel, Peter asked Jesus if forgiving someone seven times is enough. But Jesus replied by saying that it is not just seven times but 77 times. 

Peter asked that question about forgiveness because forgiveness is indeed so difficult. 

It is also our experience that when someone wrongs us grievously, it is so difficult to forgive, we will resist forgiving, and we will detest that person. 

Even if that person were to ask for forgiveness, we may not be that willing to forgive. 

Because, what if that person wrongs us again? Then our forgiveness is taken lightly and taken for granted. 

Besides that, we have this resentful side in us that wants to keep that person in a sort of guilty ransom. 

And here is where the 1st reading has something to teach us. It says: Resentment and anger, these are foul things. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord. That is clear enough for us. 

It goes on to say this: If a man nurses anger against another, showing no pity for another man like himself, how can he ask the Lord for forgiveness for his own sins? 

Yes, we are mere creatures of flesh, and we cherish resentment and anger against those who have done us wrong. 

As much as the 1st reading pointed out the difficulty of humanity with forgiveness, it also brings us to a deeper reflection and revelation. 

That reflection and revelation is emphasized by the word “remember”. 

Remember the last things, remember death and disintegration, remember we are ashes and dust, remember the Commandments, remember the Covenant of the Most High. 

As we remember all this, we may say that we will try to forgive, but we won't forget. 

We can't forget the wrong, we can't forget the hurt and the pain. 

But as much as Jesus is asking us to forgive, He is not asking us to forget the pain and hurt. 

Jesus Himself did not forget the pain and the hurt of His suffering on the cross. In fact, He even bore the Five Wounds in His hands, His feet and His side. 

Those Five Wounds of Jesus will make us remember that prayer of Jesus on the Cross: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. 

And God our Father, will not forget that prayer of Jesus. God will always forgive, and He will remember that Jesus also prayed for our forgiveness. 

So, let us look at Jesus on the Cross, let us look at His Five Wounds. 

By His wounds we will be healed. By His wounds we are forgiven. 

And let us keep forgiving, just as we are forgiven. 

God will always remember to forgive us. 

May we always remember to forgive others.

23rd Ordinary Sunday (Catholic Education Sunday), Year A, 10.09.2023

 Ezekiel 33:7-9 / Romans 13:8-10 / Matthew 18:15-20

If we had a choice, would we want to live all alone, or would we want to live with other people? 

That sounds like a rather strange question, because humans are social beings, and they live in groups or in communities. 

To want to live alone would be odd, although there are hermits who live in solitude, but that is for a religious reason. 

But to want to live alone seems like being anti-social and being a recluse. 

However, some people may be a recluse and are living alone, but not because they choose to. 

They are like some kind of outcast that people would avoid and even detest. 

So, these outcasts maybe in the midst of people, but no one interacts with them, or bothers about them. 

As much as they desire for some belonging to a group or to a community, they are left alone and they become lonely. 

The gospel message was written by St. Matthew, who was a tax collector before Jesus called him. 

Being a tax collector at that time was seen as a traitor who worked for the Roman occupiers. They would also collect more than required as they make a living out of it. 

But they won't have much of a life, as they would be rejected and detested by their own people. 

They would also be regarded as sinners with no hope of entering heaven. 

So, St. Matthew could be writing about his own life experience as he writes that section about correcting someone. 

And if that someone remains unrepentant, then that person is to be treated as a pagan or a tax collector. And St. Matthew was a tax collector. 

But all that changed when Jesus called him to be His disciple. He regained his dignity and self-worth. He didn't want to be alone or lonely anymore. He wanted to live a life with others. 

He encountered Jesus as the Saviour who came to seek and save the lost and the lonely. 

He wanted to belong to a group that are gathered around Jesus. He wanted to experience the power of community prayer in which God will respond with signs and wonders. 

St. Matthew’s story about himself is also the story of those people whom others avoid because of many reasons. 

They could be difficult or selfish or greedy or people whom we detest and avoid. 

But they are also lonely and they need help, and as a Christian community, we are to pray for them. 

And Jesus will answer our prayer, and He will call out to them, just as He called out to St. Matthew. 

For Jesus, no one is a hopeless case, and Jesus tells us that when even two or three pray for these people, nothing and no one is impossible for God to change.

The Archdiocese has designated this weekend to be Catholic Education Sunday. 

We are reminded of what education is about, and specifically what Catholic Education is about. 

The purpose of education is not merely about preparing a student to be able to make a living. 

Education is about forming a young person to live a meaningful life. 

Catholic Education prepares a young student to live life with the faith community. 

Together with the parents and teachers, the faith community educates and forms the young students in the way of love and forgiveness. 

Our children, the students, need to encounter the presence of Jesus in the celebration of the Eucharist. 

They need to experience the power of community prayer, praying for the lost and lonely, and for the conversion of sinners. 

They need to see the signs and wonders from God, and that people who are like St. Matthew the former tax collector, can change and become better persons. 

The mission of educating and forming the students is not just in the hands of Catholic educators. 

Catholic educators need to be supported by parents and the faith community with prayer and encouragement. 

With God's blessings through Catholic education, every student can be formed into a saint. 

As we gather in worship, let us pray for Catholic educators and students, and our prayer will be granted by God our Father.

22nd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 03.09.2023

  Jeremiah 20:7-9 / Romans 12:1-2 / Matthew 16:21-27

Whenever we reflect about life and its meaning, there will be a question to think about. 

That question is this: In life what is my destiny? 

That is not an easy question to answer, as the word destiny is a deep word that has various shades of meaning. 

Generally speaking, destiny can mean that there is a series of events that will happen to a person or group persons. 

These events have a purpose that is directed towards an objective, or a goal. 

It is not about foretelling or predicting the future. 

Rather, it is more like how the events unfold in life, and the choices we make along the way. 

And this is where the difficult part comes in. 

How do we know what is our destiny? How will our choices affect our destiny? 

Life is a mystery, and the future is also a mystery. 

But the present requires us to make a choice for our destiny. 

In the gospel, Jesus began to make it clear to His disciples that He was destined to go up to Jerusalem and to suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. 

For the disciples, it was certainly difficult to understand what Jesus meant by that. 

While the disciples are wondering about the meaning of what Jesus said, Peter decided to do something. 

He began to remonstrate with Jesus. He wanted to disagree and to even forcefully protest against what Jesus said about His destiny. 

For whatever reason Peter did it, in turn he got rebuked severely by Jesus and was even called “Satan”. 

Peter would have been stunned into dumbfounded silence by that strong reaction from Jesus. 

But that only goes to show how clear and convicted Jesus is about His destiny. 

Jesus knew who He is, and what His mission is. 

As His life unfolds in the events of His ministry, His destiny also became clearer and clearer. 

So, when Jesus spoke of His destiny to His disciples, He wasn't just day-dreaming or speculating. 

He chose to accept what He could see coming before Him, and that is the Cross. 

He had to make the decision to accept the Cross, or to avoid it. 

It was a choice He had to make every day up to that moment in the garden of Gethsemane. 

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was tempted to avoid the Cross when He asked the Father if it is possible to let the cup of suffering pass Him by. 

But in the end, Jesus still submitted to the Father's will and went on ahead to face His suffering and the Cross. 

As disciples of Jesus, we too will have to face our cross if we want to follow Jesus. 

The cross would mean troubles and distress and tribulations; it would also mean suffering and sacrifice. 

But Jesus has shown us that when we accept the cross like He did, we will be heading towards a meaningful destiny. 

Also, our sufferings in this world cannot be compared to the eternal glory that is promised to us by Jesus. 

Let us put our faith and trust in Jesus, accept our cross, and look towards that beautiful destiny with Jesus.