Sts Peter and Paul, Year C, 29.06.2025

Acts 12:1-11 / 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 / Matthew 16:13-19

The following are some of the famous people in history: Thomas Edison, Ludwig van Beethoven, Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, and Archbishop Fulton Sheen. 

There is something common in all these people. 

Surprisingly, it is not that they were top students or that they were outstanding when they were young. 

On the contrary, they were written off and cast aside, to be thrown into the rubbish heap of life. 

For example, his teacher wrote a note and told Thomas Edison to give it to his mother. The note read: Your son is too stupid to be taught. 

His mother decided that she herself would be his teacher. Thomas Edison would grow up to become one of the greatest inventors, and one of his inventions was the electric bulb. 

Similarly, Albert Einstein dropped out of elementary school at age 15, but he went on to become a great scientist. 

Ludwig van Beethoven was told by his teacher to forget about music and that he will never be able to compose anything. 

Mark Twain also dropped out of school at an early age, but he went on to become one of America's greatest writers.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the famous TV evangelist in the 1950s, was told by his teacher then he would never become any kind of great speaker. 

These are just some of the famous people in history who don't seem to have any talents or gifts when they were young. 

But later on in life, they made an impact, that the world would acknowledge their greatness. 

They may be called late bloomers, but bloom they did, and they bloomed to make the world better and beautiful.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the two great pillars of the Church.

We may think that these two saints are like two peas in a pod, and if we were to give names to a pair of twin boys, the obvious choice would be to name them Peter and Paul.

Peter and Paul may seem to give us an impression of unity, but in fact, they were more of an incompatibility.

They were more like oil and water, and their differences go deeper than of oil and water.

That fact is that initially, they would have wished the other to be dead.

St. Paul, when he was Saul, was part of the mob that stoned Stephen, the first martyr, to death.

And following that, king Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church, as we heard in the 1st reading.

He beheaded James, the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the crowds, he targeted Peter and had him put into prison.

The Church then prayed fervently for Peter, and he was miraculously rescued from the prison by an angel.

By then Paul had become the No. 1 enemy of the Church as he relentlessly persecuted Christians and he even went as far as Damascus to capture Christians.

But it was there on that road to Damascus that something dramatic happened to him and then things changed drastically.

So initially, Paul was the hunter and Peter was the hunted; Paul was the persecutor and Peter the persecuted.

They were on opposite and opposing sides. Paul had the political force to carry out his persecution, but Peter had the spiritual power for his protection.

But even after Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, he and Peter did not immediately become friends, and they also did not see eye to eye on Church matters.

They were as different as oil and water and they even had their differences recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. 

And in Galatians 2:11-14, Paul even called Peter a hypocrite in his dealings with the Gentiles.

It was rather strange that Jesus would choose these two men who were far from perfect or even suitable to be the two pillars of His Church.

Yet, that also showed that the Church is both divine and human – that there is a spiritual power guiding and working through her human instruments.

Although in life, St. Peter and St. Paul had their differences and shortcomings, it was in death that they were united in a common goal and mission.

Both died in Rome as martyrs. St. Peter was crucified upside down and St. Paul was beheaded, and that showed that their lives were not for their own glory but for the glory of God.

This feast of Saints Peter and Paul teaches us that despite the differences and failings of personalities and characters, the Church can still be united in a common goal and mission.

Even now in the Church, there are some who are conservatives and some who are liberals; some are traditional and some want to be modern; some want discipline and others want freedom.

Yes, the Church is like a mixture of oil and water, and yet we, like St. Peter and St. Paul, are called to rise above our differences just like oil floats above the water, and be united in a common goal and mission.

As we heard in the gospel, Jesus promised that the gates of the underworld can never hold out against the Church.

But we also must be reminded that our differences must not give the opportunity to the underworld to tear us apart from within.

Rather, like St. Peter and St. Paul, let us be united in love for Jesus and for one another.

St. Peter and St. Paul showed that in their lives they loved Jesus, and hence in love they also accepted the other, even if they did not agree totally with the other. 

Just as they were united in life by the love of Jesus, so were they united in death, and now they are united in glory.

It was the love of Jesus that made Saints Peter and Paul rise from their weaknesses and bloom with love.

Likewise, let us be united in love for Jesus, so that whether in life or in death, the gates of the underworld will never tear us apart.

And may we bloom with the love of Jesus, so that the world will be better and beautiful.

Corpus Christi, Year C, 22.06.2025

  Genesis 14:18-20 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Luke 9:11-17

There are many reasons why people come to Church. 

One of the reasons is that they feel peaceful when they come to Church. 

And there are also some people who have a favourite, or a few favourite churches to go to. 

But the strange thing is that the church they go to is not about convenience or distance. 

There may be a church that is just a stone's throw from where they stay, but they prefer to go to a church that is across the island. 

Whatever it is, the reasons why people go to church can be logical and reasonable, as well as spiritual and emotional. 

It is about how they feel about going to a church, and keep going there week after week. 

So, it is not just about the colour of the paint, or a design of the church, or the food at the canteen, or the projections and the audio. 

Neither is it all about the choir or the preaching or the vibrancy of the church. 

People go to church essentially because they believe in God, and they want to pray in Church. 

After all, the Church is the House of God and the House of prayer. 

And people come, week after week, to keep praying and to give thanks because of prayers answered. 

Essentially, that is why people come to Church and keep coming to Church. 

This Sunday, the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi, which in English means “the Body of Christ.” 

The term “the Body of Christ” points to two fundamental realities. 

It points to the reality of the consecrated host that we received at Holy Communion - It is the Body of Christ. 

It also points to us, who receive the Body of Christ. We become what we receive. We become the Body of Christ. 

And as the Body of Christ, we also become the Church of Christ. 

As the Body of Christ, as the Church of Christ, we are to be what Jesus did in today's gospel passage. 

Jesus made the crowds welcome, and talked to them about the Kingdom of God, and cure those in need of healing. 

When we come to Church on Sundays, we come from various situations and circumstances. 

We had a busy week, we bring along our worries and anxieties, we struggle with our troubles. 

We come to Church to find peace, to offer our prayers, to rest and to be strengthened so that we can go forth and face the world again. 

And when we receive the Body of Christ at Holy Communion, we receive divine strength and power. 

We become a member of the Body of Christ who would want to welcome the weary and tired. 

As a member of the Body of Christ, we want to echo the Good News of the Kingdom of God to those who want to listen to the voice of God. 

And for those who are suffering and in pain, whether physically or mentally, we want to point them to the Divine Healer. 

And for all those in need, we want to pray for them so that they can find peace and healing in Jesus Christ. 

A priest was relating this story, that one day he was on his way to celebrate Mass when two women approached him. 

One of them said that her companion, who is a non-Catholic, would like to see a priest. 

But as it was about time for Mass, the priest told them to go for Mass and then see him after Mass. 

The priest saw the two women at Mass, but they did not come to see him after Mass. 

For the next few days, he saw them attending Mass. 

Then one day, the priest managed to see the two of them and he asked about the request to see him. 

The woman who made the request told him: No need already Father. You told us to go for Mass that day. We went and my friend here found peace. Since then, she wanted to come for Mass every day because her prayers are answered. Now she wants to join the RCIA. 

The priest was amazed. That was truly all God's work. 

That is also the wonderful and marvellous power of the Mass and the Eucharist. 

Indeed it is all God's work. The Body of Christ is the gift from God. Becoming a member of the Body of Christ is also the work of God. 

As the Body of Christ, let us welcome those who are seeking, those who are searching, and those who are in need. 

And may we also help those who want to believe in the love of God to be a member of the Body of Christ.

Trinity Sunday, Year C, 15.06.2025

 Proverbs 8:22-31 / Romans 5:1-5 / John 16:12-15

There are many inventions that come about from a process of in-depth thinking and designing. 

These are most obvious in the engineering and technological areas. 

But there are also many inventions and discoveries that were made by accidents. 

For example, the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, and it was actually the result of a contaminated laboratory dish. 

The accidental melting of a chocolate bar while working with radar technology led to the invention of the microwave oven. 

Those Post-it notes was accidentally created while working on a super strong adhesive. 

Other examples are chocolate chip cookies, superglue, Velcro tape, etc. 

These examples demonstrate that accidents and unintended events have played a significant role in scientific and technological progress. 

That also highlights the importance of observation and curiosity in making new discoveries. 

But we also believe that everything happens for a reason, and it happens in God's time and in God's plan. 

When we reflect deeper on this, we can also see that discoveries don't happen by mere accident. 

It is by God's revelation that discoveries are made, and human beings are involved in this revelation by observation and with reflection. 

Today, the Church celebrates Holy Trinity Sunday. 

The mystery of the Holy Trinity is a divine revelation that tells us that there is one God, and in that one God there are three Persons. 

It is a revelation of the very nature and essence of God, which is unity, family and charity. 

And who the Holy Trinity is, the Church is called to be. 

We, the Church are called to be like the Holy Trinity, called to be in unity, called to be family and called to charity. 

That is what the Church is called to be, so that the Church will be a sign of God's divine presence in the world. 

But as we know, the Church can be messy. 

The many Christian denominations say it all about Christian unity. 

It also says much about the unity in the Church, so praying for Christian unity is not an option but an obligation. 

And when we think about Church as family, it could be that the Church is like the “Tate Family”. 

The Tate family is a rather humorous portrayal of the Church as family. 

There is the old man “Dic Tate”, because he wants to run everything. 

There is that uncle “Ro Tate” who tries to change everything. 

And there is that aunty “Agi Tate” together with her husband “Irri Tate” who are always stirring up trouble.

And there is that “Decapi Tate” who is even worse, because he is always going after whoever is in charge. 

And when someone proposes a new project or event, it is impossible to get “Hesi Tate” or his wife “Vege Tate” to be interested, because they always want to wait and wait. 

And there is that “Regurgi Tate” who always wants to bring up the same thing again and again. 

And there's also a “Resusci Tate” who wants to bring new life into the Church. 

And there's that “Imi Tate” who wants the Church to be like that of another Church. 

So much about the Church that is like the “Tate Family”. 

And when it comes to charity, much is said and much needs to be done. 

We take the love of others for granted, and others take our love for granted. 

Oh yes, we take our father's love for granted, and when we become fathers, we know how our love can be taken for granted, but we will still love anyway. 

But as God reveals to us the mystery of His nature as unity, family and charity, He also calls us to enter into that mystery. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells His disciples this: I still have many things to say to you, but they would be too much for you now. 

But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth. 

So, truth and love are what God has revealed to us in the Church. 

We may not understand now, or we may understand later, but this poem of “The Folded Page” may help us to understand. 

“The Folded Page”.

“Up in the attic of an old house,

as raindrops pattered down on the roof,

I sat paging through my old schoolbook.

“I came to a page that was folded down.

Across it was written in my own childish hand:

‘The teacher says we should leave this for now.

It’s too hard to understand.’

“I unfolded the page and read it. 

Then I smiled and nodded my head and said, 

‘The teacher was right; now I understand.’

“There are many pages in the book of life

that are hard to understand.

All we can do is fold them down and write:

‘The Master says to leave this for now.

It’s too hard to understand.’

“Then, someday in heaven,

we’ll unfold the pages, reread them, and say, 

‘The Master was right; now I truly understand.’

And as we let God reveal in His time what we need to know about God and about life, love and truth, let us remember that Serenity Prayer which goes like this:

O God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, 

the courage to change the things I can, 

and the wisdom to know the difference. 

Pentecost, Year C, 08.06.2025

 Acts 2:1-11 / Romans 8:8-17 / John 20:19-23

Generally speaking, life unfolds in two ways. 

One is when we plan out the schedules for the day, but at the end of the day, at least half if not all the schedules were disrupted or displaced. 

The other way in which life unfolds is when the unexpected happens, and expected did not. 

Whether it is one way or the other, it all tells us that life is such a mystery, and we need to prepare for surprises. 

But we, who are logical and rational beings, want life to be predictable and manageable. 

We like, and we want, things to happen as expected and according to plan. 

And when it doesn't because of interruptions, disruptions and surprises, then we get flustered and frustrated. 

We see this kind of reaction when the MRT breaks down, or when there are flash floods, or when there are sudden road closures because of accidents. 

But we need to remember that we are intelligent beings, and we have the ability to read the signs, and we are able to adapt and adjust to the situation. 

As the Church celebrates the Feast of Pentecost, it can be said that it is a celebration of the feast of the Spirit of surprises. 

The 1st reading describes how the first Pentecost happened. 

The disciples were all gathered in one room, then suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven. 

Then something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire that came to rest on their heads. 

They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak foreign languages, as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech to proclaim the marvels of God. 

All that happened suddenly and unexpectedly. But it was a wonderful and an awesome surprise. 

And those with a spiritual sense would know that it is not the work of man but the work of God. 

It was the Spirit of God manifesting and expressing the work of God. 

The gospel scene was much quieter, but no less dramatic. 

It was evening on the first day of the week, and the doors were locked in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. 

Then without notice, Jesus came and stood among them and said: Please be with you. 

The disciples were certainly surprised, and their fear turned into joy. 

And then, in an act which recalled that moment in the story of creation when God breathed into the nostrils of man, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. 

In a quiet but profound way, the disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

But whether it is a quiet and profound way, or dramatic and spectacular way, it was unexpected, it was surprising, and it all pointed to the marvellous ways of God. 

As we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, Jesus is also pouring out the Holy Spirit on us. 

In the voices of prayer and singing of hymns at Mass, Jesus breathes on us the Holy Spirit. 

In the recently concluded conclave, 133 cardinals came from all over the world, from various countries with various cultures and languages.

They were to be guided by the Holy Spirit to choose the next Pope, according to the will of God. 

And now we know, that Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected and he took the name of Leo XIV.

The interesting thing is that he is an American cardinal that even the American cardinals didn’t really know about.

And if the American cardinals don’t really know much about him, then much less the cardinals of the other countries.

So, how was cardinal Robert Prevost elected to be Pope, that, we must say, is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The 2nd reading tells us that our interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made His home in us. 

With the Spirit of God in our hearts, we will be able to see that the interruptions and disruptions of our lives are revelations and manifestations of the marvellous love of God. 

With the Spirit of God in our hearts, we will face the trials and tribulations of life and turn them into triumphs for the glory of God. 

And with the gentle breath of the Holy Spirit, may we speak the language of love that will bring comfort and consolation to those in need of God's forgiveness and healing.