Holy Family, Year B, 31.12.2023

  Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 / Colossians 3:12-21 / Luke 2:22-40

There's one common aspect in all of us, and that is every one of us belong to a family. 

The word “family” evokes many thoughts and sentiments. 

There is the big family, the small family, the extended family, the same family, and then there is the famous quirky “Addams family”. 

As much as a happy family sounds nice and warm, the reality is that there are broken families and dysfunctional families. 

Whatever it may be, the fact is that we belong to a family, regardless of whether we are born or adopted into it. 

And the fact is also that the family shapes us and we also shape the family. 

And the fact is also that there is no perfect family, because in the first place we ourselves are not perfect. 

Nevertheless, the basic family unit is fundamental and essential to society and for the country. 

To put it simply, it can be said that, stable family, stable society; happy family, happy country. 

Today, the Church celebrates family, and we turn to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph for inspiration and direction. 

Although the term “Holy Family” is not used in the Bible, that term expresses what the family is about. 

Because it was God who created the roots of family life with Adam and Eve. 

And it is through the family, and the members of the family, that God reveals His blessings. 

Mary and Joseph were revelations of God's plan for each other. 

From each other, they came to know what God's will is for them. 

And when they brought the Infant Jesus to the Temple to present and consecrate Him to the Lord, the Holy Family became a blessing for others. 

The upright and devout Simeon was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple that day. 

And when he took the Infant Jesus into his arms, he saw God's light of salvation. It was his greatest and final blessing on Earth and he move on to the Eternal Light. 

And for the 84-year-old prophetess Anna, she proclaimed her final prophecy when she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to God's salvation. 

Today's Gospel passage leads us to reflect about the Holy Family and also about our family. 

But more than just reflections, the gospel also tells us about God's revelation through the Holy Family. 

Through the Holy Family, God revealed His blessings for Simeon and Anna. 

Through Simeon, Mary received a revelation of the sword that will pierce her soul. 

And through the gospel message, God is revealing His blessings through the family that we belong to. 

For parents, God blesses them when they do what the Lord requires of them, just as what Mary and Joseph did for Jesus. 

The basic duty of parents is to teach and form the children to love God and to love others. 

The duty of children is to honour their parents as God has commanded. 

As it is said, a senior in the home is a treasure for the family. 

Through this feast of the Holy Family, God has shown us that He reveals His plan through the family. 

And through the family, God grants His abundant blessings. 

May we see our family as a blessing from God. 

May we also see that through our family, God blesses us, and we too are blessing for our family members. 

And may our family be God's blessings for the Church and for the world.

Christmas 2023, 25.12.2023

 Today in this Mass, we are gathered to celebrate the joyful feast of Christmas. 

We celebrate the birth of Jesus our Saviour. 

We go back in time, to that appointed time, to Bethlehem, and to witness this astonishing and wonderful mystery of the Incarnation. 

The Almighty and all-powerful God came into this world, and took on the human form of a tender and helpless baby. 

Jesus is certainly not just another ordinary human being. 

Jesus is with God from the beginning, He is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus Christ is God. 

And yet as we look at that tender helpless baby lying in the manger, we must ponder and keep pondering. 

Is this a reality, that divinity took on humanity? 

We ponder on this great mystery. And if we were to ask why, then we enter deeper into the mystery of God's love for us. 

Yes, that is God's great love for us, that Jesus came into the world, that He came for us, that He came for you and me. 

Jesus is the Divine Light, and He shines His light on us so that we can see the darkness of our brokenness, our woundedness and our sinfulness. 

Jesus is also the Divine Life, and He wants to raise us up to a life of happiness, kindness and forgiveness. 

Deep in our hearts, we long for that light, we yearn for that life. 

That is why Jesus came. He came for you and me to fulfil that longing and yearning. 

Yes, today we go back in time to Bethlehem, to look at this Baby, the infant King of kings and the Lord of lords. 

But Jesus also comes to us as our Healer and Saviour, with His warm light and tender love. 

So, let us celebrate the birth of Jesus by offering ourselves as gifts. 

Jesus wants us to be gifts to others, gifts of happiness, kindness and forgiveness. 

That is the wonderful mystery of Christmas.

That is also why Jesus came us; that is why He came for you and me.

4th Sunday of Advent, Year B, 24.12.2023

 2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-11, 16 / Roman 16:25-27 / Luke 1:26-38

Besides food and clothing, the other thing that we need is a house to live in. 

When we have a house, we would want to make it a home, because home is where the heart is. 

We would want to make our home comfortable and secure. 

We would want to be able to sleep at home and have a good rest and feel safe. 

And after a long day outside, we would look forward to going back home and relax. 

And if home is where the heart is, then we would look forward to a time of love and companionship. 

So, a house is not just about four walls with a roof. The house becomes a home when it is alive with love and companionship and family. 

And the home becomes a source of blessing when there is prayer. 

When the home is a place of prayer, God dwells there. 

So, the house can become a home of care and  comfort, and in turn it can become a sanctuary of grace and blessing. 

In the gospel, the angel Gabriel told Mary she is to conceive and bear son, and He is to be called Jesus. 

God will give him the throne of David, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and His reign will have no end. 

But, Jesus must first find a home on earth, and it is to be in the womb of Mary. 

It is for Mary to decide to say “yes” to God's call to be the mother of Jesus. 

It is for Mary to decide to open her heart to God's call to let Jesus come into her life. 

For Mary, it is like opening the door of her life to Jesus. 

For Mary, to open the door to Jesus is to let Him be the centre of her life. 

So, her life is going to change, and not change according to her plans, but according to God's plans.

And the angel Gabriel gave Mary an indication of what kind of change in life it would be like. 

Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth's pregnancy. Elizabeth was childless and getting on in years, and yet she conceived, for nothing is impossible to God. 

So, Mary had to decide whether to accept the surprising ways of God, or to decline it. 

We may think that Mary would accept God's plan, just as we would gladly accept a multi-million-dollar masterpiece from the famous painter Vincent van Gogh. 

While many would accept the painting gladly, not many will accept the painter readily. 

By now, we would have already set up the Nativity Scene in our home. 

To have the Nativity Scene in our home is one thing. 

To accept Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we will have to consider. 

It will be like giving the keys of our home to God, and let Jesus, Mary and Joseph teach us the ways of God. 

But just as Mary made the decision, we too will have to make the decision. 

When we are willing to let God into our house, it will be a blessing. 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph will teach us how to make our house into a home. 

The home is where the heart is. 

May our homes and our hearts be filled with peace, joy, hope and love. 

Because when God comes in, it is a blessing. 

Let us open the door for Him.

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B, 17.12.2023

 Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11 / 1 Thess 5:16-24 / John 1:6-8, 19-28

It can be said that Christmas is the most decorative liturgical season of the Church. 

There is the Christmas tree with the colourful ornaments, and the Advent wreath with the four coloured candles. 

And of course, there is the Nativity Scene with the figures of the baby Jesus and Mary with Joseph, the shepherds with a couple of sheep, the donkey and the cow, and coming in later will be the three wise men. 

But, no matter how nice and attractive these decorations are, there must be something else to make them look nicer. 

That something is the lights. Yes, there must be lights so that the decorations will look nice and bright. 

Whether it is LED lights, blinking lights, curtain lights, this season, whether it is Advent or Christmas, emphasizes the element of light. 

Especially when it is the soft lighting that gives a warm glow and gives that comfy and cozy feeling. 

It makes us think about home, family and loved ones, and brings back fond and warm memories. 

And it also reminds us that Jesus is the true Light, who has come to scatter the darkness of sin and evil. 

The gospel talks about John the Baptist, who was sent by God, to be a witness and to speak for the light. 

John the Baptist is not the light, and he knows he is not the light, and he declares it. 

The light that he speaks about, and witness to, is not an ordinary light. 

It is a Divine Light, it is the Light of the world, and it is Jesus Christ. 

As the three candles of the Advent wreath are lighted, it is also telling us that the light of our lives must also shine stronger and brighter. 

And the Light of Christ is also shining on us, so that we will open our hearts to the light and respond to Jesus. 

And the Light of Christ will keep shining and wait for us to respond, even if it takes a while. 

A while, can mean a short time, or over many years. 

A couple of days ago, I had the privilege of baptizing a rather senior person, senior as in he is 99 years old. 

Recently he was hospitalized and so his family members had to bring up the sensitive topic of his funeral arrangements. 

Since he does not follow any religion in particular, the family asked him what would he want his funeral arrangements to be like. 

Then he asked his family what religion do they follow, and they said that they are Catholics. 

He responded, that as a young boy, he studied at Catholic High school. And at that time, the school was next to the Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and that he had been in that church. 

So, almost immediately, that 99 year old man said that he wanted to be a Catholic. His family was quite astonished at how quickly he came to that decision, and they immediately made arrangements. 

And so, he was baptized in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the first and probably the only church he has been to. 

The Light of Christ shining softly and tenderly, lighted up the heart of that 99-year-old man, although it took something like 80 years. 

In this third week of Advent, the three candles of the Advent wreath are lighted, and next week, all the four candles will be lighted. 

The Light of Christ is shining softly, tenderly and deeply into our hearts and into our lives. 

Jesus wants to scatter the darkness of our lives, and heal the wounds of sin in our hearts. 

Jesus will wait for us to respond to His love. 

He waited for that 99-year-old man. 

He will wait for us.

2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B, 10.12.2023

 Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 / 2 Peter 3:8-14 / Mark 1:1-8

When an important message or announcement is to be made, it goes without saying that the most effective media platforms are to be used. 

So obviously, the common media platforms that will come to mind are the radio and TV, and also the newspapers, whether electronic or printed versions. 

Other popular social media platforms will also be used, like SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

These media platforms are used so that the message or announcement will appear and be heard and read everywhere and by everyone. 

So, going by secular standards, the message or announcement must be attractive and effective. 

The content and the media are professionally crafted and selected. 

And so also is the presenter. The presenter must also look smart and sharp, and better still if they are famous and popular celebrities. 

These standards are not just for important messages and announcements. They are also applied to other areas like advertisements, notices, Etc. 

When the Good News was first announced, it was done in an unlikely place, and by an unlikely person. 

The Good News was announced and proclaimed in the wilderness, a place where hardly anyone will be there. 

And Good News was also proclaimed by a strange and odd person, wearing strange and odd clothes, and having a strange and odd diet. 

But it was in these strange and odd situations and circumstances, that God chose to have the Good News proclaimed. 

And what is strange and odd was that people came to hear the Good News. They came from all over the country of Judah and Jerusalem, and they went to the wilderness to hear it. 

And it was just a straight-forward message, without frills or thrills, a message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. 

So, in short, that straight-forward message of repentance and forgiveness, was announced in a strange and odd place, and by a strange and odd person. 

But somehow, that message brought about consolation and conversion for the people. 

That same message is also announced in churches on this Second Sunday of Advent. 

Coming to church is like going to the wilderness, where everything is simple and straightforward. 

The Word of God is proclaimed without fanfare, the prayers are simple and humble. 

Yet, God grants His blessings of comfort and consolation and conversion. And God also grants us His protection. 

As the 1st reading puts it: God Is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs into his arms, holding them close to his breast, and leading the mother ewes to their rest. 

And in many ways, God has protected this church, with its walls still standing, and the stained glass intact, since 1910. 

Because there is an account in the history of the church, that in the afternoon of the 15th February 1942, a few Japanese mortar shells fired from Johor, hit the church roof, and brought down the ceiling, and exploded in the centre, creating a crater. 

It was incredible, and we can be skeptical about that account. 

But a senior parishioner verified this, and she said that on Sunday when the parishioners came for Mass, there was a big hole in the ceiling, and they had to walk around the edge of the crater. 

That was amazing, truly amazing, but it bears witness that where the Good News of repentance and forgiveness of sin is proclaimed, God grants His protection. 

And God also grants us, His beloved people, the lambs that He holds to His breast, comfort and consolation and conversion. 

This is the wonderful Good News that is proclaimed in this simple and humble place.

Let us believe and share it with others.     

1st Sunday of Advent, Year B, 03.12.2023

 Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1, 3-8 / 1 Cor 1:3-9 / Mark 13:33-37

It is said that an opportunity knocks only once. That means to say that it won't come knocking again. 

And we know that it is quite true from our experience of missed opportunities. 

For example, we see something that we wanted to get, like, let's say, a smartwatch, and it looks appealing, and within our budget.

Then we may think that it might be cheaper online, so we go home and look for it but it is not available. 

Then we go back to the shop the next day, but it was sold, and there are no more stocks available, and we get disappointed. 

When an opportunity is missed, then there can only be regrets. 

We would like to blame something or someone for a missed opportunity. 

But, if we are honest with ourselves, then we know that there is no one to blame but ourselves. 

A further reflection would also make us ask ourselves as in why and how we missed the opportunity. 

Why were we not alert enough to see the opportunity coming or hear it knocking? 

Maybe it could be because opportunities do not come in nice-looking and pretty packaging. 

Opportunities also do not sound sweet and pleasant. In fact, it may sound troublesome.

In other words, we may not see the opportunity because it does not fit into our ideas or expectations. 

And because of that, we may even avoid and reject the opportunity. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells His disciples to be on their guard, to stay awake, to be alert. 

He uses a parable of the master of the house who has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each with his own task. 

And the master also specifically instructed the door keeper to stay awake and to be alert for his return. 

And Jesus also says that the master of the house would come back unexpectedly. 

As we begin the season of Advent, let us ponder on the gospel passage that is presented to us. 

Advent is a time of waiting in anticipation and expectation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. 

So, Christmas will come for sure, and we can be so certain of it. So, we may spend these four weeks of Advent preparing for Christmas, with decorations and celebrations, as if Christmas is already here. 

We might be busy with all that and did not listen to the knock on the door. 

It is like the doorkeeper leaving his post and getting busy with other things. 

And then the master of the house comes back unexpectedly, and he knocks and no one opens the door to welcome him. 

We can imagine the disappointment and the frustration of the master of the house. 

The season of Advent brings us back to the duty of the door keeper. 

As doorkeepers, we wait patiently and silently, to listen to that knock on the door. 

It requires persistence and perseverance to be still and to be silent, to be silent so that we can listen. 

Then we can hear the knock on the door of our family life, to open the door to praying together, so that the family will stay together. 

And we can also hear the knock on the door of our hearts, because Jesus wants to come in and make His home in our hearts. 

It is in opening the Bible and reading and meditating on the Word of God that we welcome Jesus into our hearts. 

Whenever Jesus knocks, there is the opportunity of blessings. 

But opportunity does not come without difficulty and distraction. 

Let this Advent be a time where we keep still and silent. 

When we keep still and be silent, then we will be able to listen to the knock on the door. 

When we open the door, Jesus will grant us His blessings, and it will be blessing in abundance.

Let us not miss that opportunity.