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.

1st Sunday of Advent, Year A, 27.11.2022

 Isaiah 2:1-5 / Romans 13:11-14 / Matthew 24:37-44

Going by how we make plans for our lives and how life happens, we can say this, and that is “expect the expected”. 

Of course, we have heard the saying “expect the unexpected”, but let us remember that it is the exception to the norm. 

By and large, in life, we can expect the expected, and from that we will have some stability and maintain some balance in life. 

So, we come to church for Mass, and we expect to have Mass and there is Mass. We wouldn't like to have too many surprises, especially unpleasant surprises that leave us flustered and frustrated. 

So, if no changes have been announced earlier, we would come at this time for Mass and expect to have Mass as usual. 

It is not going to be like, we come at this time for Mass, and then be told that Mass was earlier and the next Mass is later in the evening. 

We will certainly not be pleasantly surprised, and we will have something to say about that. 

So, we can expect the expected, unless we have ignored some notices or announcements that were made earlier. 

Nevertheless, life has its surprises and here is where we have to expect the unexpected. 

But as we think deeper about it, even the unexpected will usually give out some signs and signals before it happens. 

In the gospel, Jesus talks about the Flood which was recorded in the Book of Genesis. 

Jesus said that in those days before the Flood, people were eating and drinking, taking wives and taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away. 

So, was the Flood expected? Was there no warning or were there no signs at all? 

Before it began to rain for 40 days and 40 nights, God had instructed Noah to build the ark. 

The ark was certainly big enough and cannot be missed, because it was to take in two of every species of all the animals, from the elephants to the ants, with the mosquitoes included. 

And even to this day, there are some people who are searching for the remains of that ark. 

So the ark was big enough not to be missed. So the people saw it. But they didn't wonder about it. They thought that Noah was crazy to build such a thing, and they didn't even bother to ask why. 

In short, they ignored the signs and the warnings. And then the Flood came. 

So, the Flood was not unexpected. There were warnings and there were signs. But the people ignored it. And for that they were all swept away. 

Jesus continues by saying that when the Son of Man comes, then of the two who are in the fields or at the millstone grinding, one will be taken and the other will be left. 

Whether who is taken or who is left behind, did they expect it, or were there no signs or warnings to indicate what was going to happen? 

As we begin a season of Advent, we are called to be like Mary, to ponder and to treasure what God is saying to us. 

We have also received a little booklet to help us in our reflection and to help us to be sensitive to the signs that God is showing us. 

And we are also given a card to write down our promises to Jesus as we embark on a new beginning in our spiritual lives. 

Yes, let us ask Mary our Mother to help us ponder and to be sensitive to the signs that God is revealing to us. 

Let us remember, that before we fall sick, our body will whisper about its pains. 

Before we break up, our spouse or friend will whisper about their frustrations. 

Before the business goes bankrupt, the customers will whisper about their complaints. 

If we don't listen to the whispers, then we will be forced to hear the screams. 

God speaks to us, softly and tenderly, and with Mary, we listen so that we can follow God's directions. 

As we begin this season of Advent, let us be silent so that we can listen. 

Then we can expect, not so much the unexpected, but more so the expected.

Christ the King, Year C, 20.22.2022

 2 Sam 5:1-3 / Col 1:12-20 / Luke 23:35-43

Whenever the topic of leadership is discussed, we will have our expectations of what a leader is like. 

In our minds, a leader should have some abilities and capabilities that are above the ordinary. 

Probably our expectations of a leader are influenced by movies and even fairy tales. 

In movies and fairy tales, the leader is the hero who is the winner and everyone cheers for him as he leads his people to victory, and he saves his lady and they live happily ever after. 

The leader is a brave warrior who charges into battle and fights the bad guys. Though he may get injured and wounded, he will always make a comeback and overcome his enemies. 

Yes, these are what we imagine or expect a leader to be. 

And to be a king, it is to be a leader of all leaders. To be a good king means that he is able to govern his people wisely and justly. A good king will protect and provide for his people so that they will have peace and prosperity. 

With these ideas and expectations of a king and kingship, and as we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, let us look at what the gospel says about Jesus as king. 

In the gospel, the notice on the Cross says that Jesus is the King of the Jews. And that is where our ideas and expectations of a king begin to fizzle and crumble. 

Obviously, the notice was to mock and insult Jesus as He was nailed to the Cross and condemned to die as a criminal. 

The people were not cheering for him, and the leaders of the people were jeering at Him. Even the soldiers mocked Him as they said: If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself. 

Jesus, nailed to the Cross, and insulted and jeered at, did not look anything like a king and much less a leader; in fact, He looked like a loser. 

Yet it has to be said that on the Cross, Jesus is truly the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 

His most astounding statement to the repentant criminal is this: Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in Paradise. 

No matter how powerful a king is, no matter how great a leader is, he can't promise anyone entry into heaven, or the reward of eternal Paradise. 

A true king is able to protect his people and save them from their enemies. 

Jesus is the Universal King because He overcame evil and conquered sin and death. 

Jesus is the true Saviour because He not only saves us from sin and death, He leads us from this world to be with Him in paradise. 

We all want to go to our eternal home in Heaven. We believe that there is an eternal Paradise awaiting us where we will be with Jesus forever. 

Jesus our King will lead us there. Let us obey our King and serve Him by doing what He wants of us. 

So, we ask Jesus to remember us and we also ask Jesus to remember those who acknowledge Him as their King and Saviour. 

May we journey together with them to be with Jesus in Paradise. 

For those who mock and insult Jesus, let us also ask Jesus to remember them. 

They too need to be saved. They can only understand what salvation is when we offer them kindness and compassion. 

Let us remember that Jesus also wants to see them in Paradise.

And Jesus is asking us to help them by leading them to Him so that He can make that astounding promise to them, that same promise that He made to the repentant criminal, that same promise that He also makes to us.

33rd Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 13.11.2022

 Malachi 3:19-20 / 2 Thess 3:7-21 / Luke 21:5-19

When God created man, God set man above all creation by creating man in His image. 

And we can see that image of God when we look at what we are endowed with and how human beings are unique. 

We have intellect and will, we have creativity and other abilities that set us apart and above all other creatures. 

So naturally, we want to be healthy and strong, we want to look good, feel good, and of course be good. 

And we want to face adversities and difficulties, bravely and courageously. 

But no matter how healthy and strong we are, no matter how brave and courageous we may be, we have one common adversary. 

And that adversary is none other than fear, which can be anything from a paralyzing fear, to a bone chilling fear to a fear of being alone. 

There can be the fear of insects like lizards or cockroaches or spiders. There can also be a fear of heights, or that something may seem normal to most people but causes phobia in some people. 

Whatever it is, the effects of fear can be anything from worry and anxiety, to panic and chaos. 

In life, there are fears that keep recurring, like the fear of poverty, which may make us obsessed with getting financial security. 

Or the fear of losing our jobs, or the fear of illness and diseases, and all sorts of other fears. 

In the gospel passage, Jesus addressed three realities that are rather disturbing. 

First, He talks about the passing of things, that not one stone will be left on another. In other words, nothing lasts forever. 

Then He talks about turmoil and distress, about natural disasters, plagues and famine. 

And then He talks about persecution and mortal danger and death. 

But despite all that, the last sentence of Jesus gives us the hope that God will protect and save us as He says: Your endurance will win you your lives. 

Endurance is to hold on to our faith in God as our Protector and Saviour, especially in the darkest and most frightening moments of our lives. 

To have faith means that we must trust in God that He has His ways of protecting and saving us.

There is this story that during World War II, a soldier was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire, he had lost touch with his comrades.

Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. 

Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed. 

As he waited, he prayed, “Lord, if it is your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen.”

After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy drawing close. He thought, “Well, I guess the Lord isn’t going to help me out of this one.”

Just then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

“Hah” he thought, “what I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor.”

As the enemy drew closer, he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to him, he got ready to make his last stand. 

To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on.

Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance of the cave, it looked as if no one had entered it for quite a while.

“Lord, forgive me,” prayed the young man, “I had forgotten that in You, a spider’s web is stronger than a brick wall.”

We all face times of great trouble, distress and turmoil. It is so easy to fear and forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways.

But let us endure, let us keep believing, let us keep hoping and let us keep praying.

God is our Protector and our Saviour. We will not be lost as long as we put our trust in Him.

32nd Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 06.11.2022

  2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 / 2 Thess 2:16 – 3:5 / Luke 20:27-38

It is a human desire to live to a ripe old age. So, what do we think is a ripe old age? 

In the Bible, the Book of Psalms (90:10) has this to tell us: The lifespan of a man is 70 years, and 80 for those who are strong. 

So, if our lifespan on earth is 70 or 80 years, would that be considered a short time or a long time? 

If life is good and comfortable, if we are healthy and happy, then 80 years might seem a bit short. We would like to enjoy life a bit longer. 

But if life is difficult and tough, and we are unhappy and stressed out, then 80 years might be enough. 

Of course, it is not up to us to decide how long we would live. That is for God to decide. 

But whether the life is short or long, we know that we live life in this world only once. 

And how we live our life in this world is a preparation for life in the next world, which is our eternal life. 

In the Bible, the Book of Wisdom says that the life of a person is not measured by the number of years, or how many grey hairs, but how faithful that person is to God. 

In the 1st reading, the seven brothers had their lives cut short because they rather lose their lives than to lose their faith. 

And their faith is that God will reward them for laying down their lives for Him, and so they faced death as they put their hope in God. 

We know that we pass by this world only once, and we will not come back again to this world. 

If we really believe that, then it really doesn't matter whether life is short or long. 

Rather we will live the life that God wants us to live, and that is to do whatever good we can, to be kind and gentle and loving. 

We will live by faith and good works, as we prepare ourselves for the eternal life that is to come. 

In the gospel, the Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection or in eternal life, approached Jesus and presented Him with an imaginary case of seven brothers and woman whom each of them had married because of a particular stipulation in the law of Moses. 

They tried to trap Jesus so that He would be unable to give an answer, and that would enable the Sadducees to reinforce their belief that there is no resurrection or eternal life. 

But instead of getting entangled with a slippery question, Jesus gave a teaching about the God of life and love. 

So, if we truly believe that we will rise to eternal life, then how we live life in this world begins to matter. 

Because if we are not loving in this life, then what makes us think that we will be loving in the eternal life? 

If we don't put God first in this life, then where will He be in the eternal life? Or actually where will we be in the eternal life? 

The same would be for what Jesus taught us, about being kind and gentle, about compassion and forgiveness. 

As we give in this life, so will we receive in the eternal life. 

So, let us move away from anger and bitterness, from unforgiveness and revenge, from selfishness and greed. 

We don't want to live a long life of sadness and sorrow. 

We want to be happy in this life and eternally happy in the next. 

Jesus came to give us life and life to the full, so that we will be able to love God and to love others in this life. 

We believe in the God of life and love, and salvation means living a loving life. 

So, what can we say about life on earth? It is this: It is not about adding days to our life, but adding life and love to our days.