Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 / Colossians 3:12-21 / Luke 2:22-40
Today the 31st December is certainly not just another day. Today, we have come to the end of the calendar year 2017, and we stand on the threshold of a new calendar year.
Here, as well as in other places all over the world, people will be participating in the countdown to the new year with parties and merry-making. The idea is to start the new year with a “bang” and on a high note.
But on this day, as we prepare to welcome the new year, the significance of this day also beckons us to look back at what lies behind us, to look at what has happened in 2017 as it comes to a close.
Certainly there are many significant events on the local and international scene. Maybe we can recall that the US has a new president; maybe we can recall there was flooding in the MRT tunnel.
Maybe we can recall that 4 churches are opened after extensive and expensive renovation and building programs – Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, Church of the Transfiguration and Novena Church.
Yes, as we look back and recall the events that shaped 2017, we remember with thanksgiving. Yes, we thank God for His blessings and for being with us and bringing us to the last day of 2017 and that we can look forward to 2018 with hope in more blessings to come.
Today, the Church also celebrates a significant feast, the feast of the Holy Family, and the gospel begins with this:
“When the day came for them to be purified, as laid down by the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ...”
For Mary and Joseph, much had happened and as they present the child Jesus to the Lord, they would surely want to give thanks that they were still holding on together.
From the Annunciation to the Presentation, there were events there were so significant and filled with mystery that is beyond reality.
Mary had a visit from the angel Gabriel who had a mission for her and she said “Yes”. Joseph had dreams and he also said “Yes”. They had to go to Bethlehem and together they said “Yes”. They accepted the stable as the place of birth for Jesus. And now, in obedience to the Law of Moses, they presented Jesus to the Lord.
But much had happened, and more is to come. The upright and devout Simeon came along and took the child Jesus in his arms. For him, at last, his eyes have seen the promised Saviour and his eyes can now rest in peace.
For Anna, the 84 year old widow, her vigil is over and she can now look forward to a peace-filled sunset.
But as for Mary and Joseph, they have to be prepared for what is to come. Especially for Mary, that sword will pierce her soul.
But the experiences of Mary and Joseph with the child Jesus are not just confined to themselves in the celebration of the feast of the Holy Family. Because it makes us think about the experiences of our own families.
We might remember that this feast is termed the “Holy Family” and not the “perfect family” or the “ideal family”.
And that is also the reality of our families isn’t it? Our families are neither perfect nor ideal, whatever perfect or ideal might mean.
But our families must strive to be holy, and here is where the Holy Family is the model for our families.
In spite of their trials and tribulations and having to care for and protect Jesus, they radiated holiness and brought peace to people who encountered them.
Simeon saw what his eyes longed to see and for Anna her waiting was over, and peace came upon them.
As we look at the senior members of our families, do we know what they are longing to see and do we know what they are waiting for? Are they waiting for us to visit them, and to bring the grandchildren to see them? May their waiting not be in vain, and may their eyes close peacefully with the sunset.
And about our children, are we forming them to love God first above all things? Do we bring them for Mass and Catechism classes on Sundays? It is not either-or; it is Mass and Catechism class.
Yes, it is tough to juggle Mass and Catechism class on a Sunday morning. But these are the formative years. If we choose Catechism class over Mass just because no one checks their attendance at Mass, then when they are done with Catechism class after Confirmation, they will also be done with Church.
Because if in their growing-up years, Mass is seen as optional, then in their later years, Church will also be optional.
It is certainly more beneficial to take the trouble and bear with the inconvenience now than to have the sword pierce our hearts later on.
As this feast tells us, it is about holiness in the family and the difficult and challenging task of formation in holiness.
Let us listen to this passage and see if it sounds familiar:
“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”
We may think it is some parent lamenting or the older generation complaining about the younger generation.
But that passage was quoted from Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher (469–399 B.C.)
Seems like nothing much has changed. But something must change.
Mary and Joseph formed Jesus in holiness and He changed the thinking of the world.
But we can’t just keep thinking about it; we need to get it going. Like the Holy Family, let us strive for holiness as we look forward to the new year.
Let holiness be our focus, and God’s blessings will be abundant.
Click the links under My Blog List to get to Chinese and English weekday homilies.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 23, 2017
4th Sunday of Advent, Year B, 24.12.2017
2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-11, 16 / Romans 16:25-27 / Luke 1:26-38
Very soon we will be opening up our Christmas presents, if we have not opened them up already.
Regardless of whether we were naughty or nice, a Christmas present has a sense of surprise, or mystery.
Because it says something about the recipient and it also says something about the giver.
But nowadays the mystery or surprise is often taken away because to make the task easier we might be asked “What do you want for Christmas?” That makes it easy for the giver. But we better be specific about what we ask for.
A story goes that an angel appeared to a pious and devout man and told him that he will be rewarded with two wishes for being faithful to his prayers and good deeds.
The man thought for a while and said, “My first wish is to have the best wine.” And “poof!” there was a bottle of wine, he tasted the wine and it was very good. Then he said, “My second wish is to have the best woman.” And “poof!” and guess who? - St. Mother Teresa! (Who was he thinking of?)
Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent, and this time round, Christmas is just a day away. And as we come for Mass today, have we ever thought of asking God for a Christmas present? And if we are, then what are we asking for?
Whether or not we are asking God for a Christmas present, He has something to give us, and we don’t have to wait till Christmas Day to know what it is.
And if we are guessing what it is, well, it is not the best wine, not the best woman, but none other than Mother Mary.
Yes, God wants to present to us the gift of Mary on this 4th Sunday of Advent so that we can take a moment to think about what God wants to give us at Christmas.
But to begin with, the whole Christmas event began at the Annunciation, which was the account that we heard in the gospel.
The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel Gabriel had a surprise for Mary. He had a present for her.
It was a surprise but in a way, also not a surprise. The present is to be opened nine months later. But the angel Gabriel had all the details of the present.
And it goes like this: “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.”
So would Mary accept this present? Well she was disturbed and confused and so she said, “But how can this come about, since I am a virgin.”
And the angel Gabriel gave her even more astounding details like the Holy Spirit covering her with His Shadow, Elizabeth in her six month of pregnancy, and that nothing is impossible for God.
As Mary listened to all this, she could be thinking, “This is not what I wanted or expected. And why me?” And probably many other things were going on in her mind.
But here is where Mary has something to teach us. As much as she had her apprehensions and questions, she chose to listen. She listened to what the angel Gabriel had to tell her. And she believed, and blessed is she because she believed.
But of course, accepting that divine present was not without challenges and difficulties. Would Joseph believe her? And then the census were held and being heavy with child, she and Joseph had to make their way to Bethlehem, only to have doors shut to their faces, and giving birth in a manger, and then almost immediately having to flee from the evil Herod.
But she listened, she accepted the gift, she believed in the gift, and now Mary wants us to have that gift too. But like her, we must listen, we must believe that it is a divine gift.
A young man graduated from university with honours. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted for Christmas.
As Christmas Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of Christmas Day, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. Then he handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. He got angry, and he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” and he stormed out and left home.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but he also realised his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that Christmas Day.
Before he could make arrangements, he received news telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to go through his father’s important papers and then saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With a heavy heart, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse from the gospel of Matthew, 7:11, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was written “Merry Christmas”, and the words PAID IN FULL. If he had only listened to what his father said before giving him the gift.
Just a story to help us realize how many times we miss God’s blessings and gifts just because we can’t see past our own ideas and desires.
But today we are presented with the gift of Mary, who listened to what the angel Gabriel had to say. Mary chose to listen to what God had to say, though she had her own ideas and plans.
Mary listened and received the divine gift. May we also like Mary listen to what God is saying in the depths of our hearts so that Christmas will be indeed a celebration of the divine gift of Jesus in our hearts.
Very soon we will be opening up our Christmas presents, if we have not opened them up already.
Regardless of whether we were naughty or nice, a Christmas present has a sense of surprise, or mystery.
Because it says something about the recipient and it also says something about the giver.
But nowadays the mystery or surprise is often taken away because to make the task easier we might be asked “What do you want for Christmas?” That makes it easy for the giver. But we better be specific about what we ask for.
A story goes that an angel appeared to a pious and devout man and told him that he will be rewarded with two wishes for being faithful to his prayers and good deeds.
The man thought for a while and said, “My first wish is to have the best wine.” And “poof!” there was a bottle of wine, he tasted the wine and it was very good. Then he said, “My second wish is to have the best woman.” And “poof!” and guess who? - St. Mother Teresa! (Who was he thinking of?)
Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent, and this time round, Christmas is just a day away. And as we come for Mass today, have we ever thought of asking God for a Christmas present? And if we are, then what are we asking for?
Whether or not we are asking God for a Christmas present, He has something to give us, and we don’t have to wait till Christmas Day to know what it is.
And if we are guessing what it is, well, it is not the best wine, not the best woman, but none other than Mother Mary.
Yes, God wants to present to us the gift of Mary on this 4th Sunday of Advent so that we can take a moment to think about what God wants to give us at Christmas.
But to begin with, the whole Christmas event began at the Annunciation, which was the account that we heard in the gospel.
The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel Gabriel had a surprise for Mary. He had a present for her.
It was a surprise but in a way, also not a surprise. The present is to be opened nine months later. But the angel Gabriel had all the details of the present.
And it goes like this: “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.”
So would Mary accept this present? Well she was disturbed and confused and so she said, “But how can this come about, since I am a virgin.”
And the angel Gabriel gave her even more astounding details like the Holy Spirit covering her with His Shadow, Elizabeth in her six month of pregnancy, and that nothing is impossible for God.
As Mary listened to all this, she could be thinking, “This is not what I wanted or expected. And why me?” And probably many other things were going on in her mind.
But here is where Mary has something to teach us. As much as she had her apprehensions and questions, she chose to listen. She listened to what the angel Gabriel had to tell her. And she believed, and blessed is she because she believed.
But of course, accepting that divine present was not without challenges and difficulties. Would Joseph believe her? And then the census were held and being heavy with child, she and Joseph had to make their way to Bethlehem, only to have doors shut to their faces, and giving birth in a manger, and then almost immediately having to flee from the evil Herod.
But she listened, she accepted the gift, she believed in the gift, and now Mary wants us to have that gift too. But like her, we must listen, we must believe that it is a divine gift.
A young man graduated from university with honours. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted for Christmas.
As Christmas Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of Christmas Day, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. Then he handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. He got angry, and he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” and he stormed out and left home.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but he also realised his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that Christmas Day.
Before he could make arrangements, he received news telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to go through his father’s important papers and then saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With a heavy heart, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse from the gospel of Matthew, 7:11, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was written “Merry Christmas”, and the words PAID IN FULL. If he had only listened to what his father said before giving him the gift.
Just a story to help us realize how many times we miss God’s blessings and gifts just because we can’t see past our own ideas and desires.
But today we are presented with the gift of Mary, who listened to what the angel Gabriel had to say. Mary chose to listen to what God had to say, though she had her own ideas and plans.
Mary listened and received the divine gift. May we also like Mary listen to what God is saying in the depths of our hearts so that Christmas will be indeed a celebration of the divine gift of Jesus in our hearts.
Saturday, December 16, 2017
3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B, 17.12.2017
Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11 / 1 Thess 5:16-24 / John 1:6-8, 19-28
I came across a group of children in a play-school playing a game. I guess the name of the game is “Who took the cookie from the cookie pot?”
Each child in the group is given a number except for one child who is the “cookie pot”. So the “cookie pot” will say “who took the cookie from the cookie pot” followed by “Number 3 (or whatever number) took the cookie from the cookie pot!”
The child who is number 3 will say “Who me?” Cookie pot will reply “Yes, you!” Number 3 will say “Couldn’t be!” Cookie pot will say “Then who?” and then Number 3 will say “Number 5 (or whatever number) took the cookie from the cookie pot.”
From there, the Cookie Pot and Number 5 will repeat the same question and reply.
Then whoever fumbles in the dialogue or forgets his number becomes the next “Cookie Pot”. And when there is a new Cookie Pot, the children are assigned new numbers. Young children will find it exciting, but for adults, this is children’s game.
Even though it may be children’s game, it may be a mean to train memory and the children have to remember their numbers and their lines. Otherwise, they will be the “Cookie Pot” and keep asking questions until someone fumbles.
In the gospel, the conversation between the priests and the Levites, and John the Baptist was like a “children’s game”.
- Are you the Christ? Who me? Yes, you! Couldn’t be! Then who?
- Are you Elijah? Who me? Yes, you! Couldn’t be! Then who?
- Are you the Prophet? Who me? Yes, you! Couldn’t be! Then who?
The priests and the Levites are like the “Cookie Pot” who kept asking questions and getting dead end answers from John the Baptist.
In their frustration, they said to him: Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?
John the Baptist stated clearly that he was not the Christ, not Elijah, not the Prophet, and then he said that he is “the voice that cries out in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.”
John the Baptist said that he was just a voice in the wilderness. But we know he was more than that. He came as a witness to speak for the Light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the Light, only a witness to speak for the Light.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus the true Light, we too like John the Baptist, are to be witnesses to speak for the Light.
And we can’t say “Who me? Couldn’t be! ” because if not we, then who? Our preparation in Advent is to witness and speak for the Light of lights, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.
It’s not just about putting up Christmas decorations and singing Christmas carols. There is more than just that.
A missionary priest told of how a few years ago, he made a visit to China where he met an elderly couple who were both doctors.
They had studied together in medical school, fallen in love and got married. She was a Catholic, he was not. She wanted to convince him to join the Church but he did not wish to be baptized. A short time later she had a child.
Then during one of China’s political movements, her husband with several other intellectuals, was arrested and sent to a labour camp. The separation was very difficult for the wife, who had to work long hours at the hospital during the day and care for her son at night.
In addition to her loneliness, she was under pressure from the government to divorce her husband and renounce her religion, so that she could gain political advantages.
But she refused. Every night after she returned home, she and her son knelt down to pray and ask strength from God to endure the difficulties.
At the end of the 1970s, she heard that her husband and other intellectuals were to be allowed to come home. When the day came, she and her son went to the railway station. The strange thing was that they were the only family members on the platform to welcome the men.
Then came the realization. All the other women were unable to endure the long separation, and had divorced and remarried. But that woman remained faithful to her husband. Deeply moved by her fidelity and her faith, her husband took instructions and was later baptized.
That woman and her son bore witness to the Light and her husband saw the Light and embraced the Light.
For many people in the world today, Jesus is a dim and abstract figure. Even “Merry Christmas” is being replaced with “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings”.
In the words of John the Baptist “there stands among you, unknown to you”. Yes, Jesus needs witnesses to make Him known. The world may know about Christmas but may not know who Christ is.
So, who are to be the witnesses of Christ at Christmas? Who else but us. If not we, then who?
Like John the Baptist, we must bear witness and speak for the Light so that everyone might believe and come to embrace the Light.
I came across a group of children in a play-school playing a game. I guess the name of the game is “Who took the cookie from the cookie pot?”
Each child in the group is given a number except for one child who is the “cookie pot”. So the “cookie pot” will say “who took the cookie from the cookie pot” followed by “Number 3 (or whatever number) took the cookie from the cookie pot!”
The child who is number 3 will say “Who me?” Cookie pot will reply “Yes, you!” Number 3 will say “Couldn’t be!” Cookie pot will say “Then who?” and then Number 3 will say “Number 5 (or whatever number) took the cookie from the cookie pot.”
From there, the Cookie Pot and Number 5 will repeat the same question and reply.
Then whoever fumbles in the dialogue or forgets his number becomes the next “Cookie Pot”. And when there is a new Cookie Pot, the children are assigned new numbers. Young children will find it exciting, but for adults, this is children’s game.
Even though it may be children’s game, it may be a mean to train memory and the children have to remember their numbers and their lines. Otherwise, they will be the “Cookie Pot” and keep asking questions until someone fumbles.
In the gospel, the conversation between the priests and the Levites, and John the Baptist was like a “children’s game”.
- Are you the Christ? Who me? Yes, you! Couldn’t be! Then who?
- Are you Elijah? Who me? Yes, you! Couldn’t be! Then who?
- Are you the Prophet? Who me? Yes, you! Couldn’t be! Then who?
The priests and the Levites are like the “Cookie Pot” who kept asking questions and getting dead end answers from John the Baptist.
In their frustration, they said to him: Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?
John the Baptist stated clearly that he was not the Christ, not Elijah, not the Prophet, and then he said that he is “the voice that cries out in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.”
John the Baptist said that he was just a voice in the wilderness. But we know he was more than that. He came as a witness to speak for the Light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the Light, only a witness to speak for the Light.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus the true Light, we too like John the Baptist, are to be witnesses to speak for the Light.
And we can’t say “Who me? Couldn’t be! ” because if not we, then who? Our preparation in Advent is to witness and speak for the Light of lights, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.
It’s not just about putting up Christmas decorations and singing Christmas carols. There is more than just that.
A missionary priest told of how a few years ago, he made a visit to China where he met an elderly couple who were both doctors.
They had studied together in medical school, fallen in love and got married. She was a Catholic, he was not. She wanted to convince him to join the Church but he did not wish to be baptized. A short time later she had a child.
Then during one of China’s political movements, her husband with several other intellectuals, was arrested and sent to a labour camp. The separation was very difficult for the wife, who had to work long hours at the hospital during the day and care for her son at night.
In addition to her loneliness, she was under pressure from the government to divorce her husband and renounce her religion, so that she could gain political advantages.
But she refused. Every night after she returned home, she and her son knelt down to pray and ask strength from God to endure the difficulties.
At the end of the 1970s, she heard that her husband and other intellectuals were to be allowed to come home. When the day came, she and her son went to the railway station. The strange thing was that they were the only family members on the platform to welcome the men.
Then came the realization. All the other women were unable to endure the long separation, and had divorced and remarried. But that woman remained faithful to her husband. Deeply moved by her fidelity and her faith, her husband took instructions and was later baptized.
That woman and her son bore witness to the Light and her husband saw the Light and embraced the Light.
For many people in the world today, Jesus is a dim and abstract figure. Even “Merry Christmas” is being replaced with “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings”.
In the words of John the Baptist “there stands among you, unknown to you”. Yes, Jesus needs witnesses to make Him known. The world may know about Christmas but may not know who Christ is.
So, who are to be the witnesses of Christ at Christmas? Who else but us. If not we, then who?
Like John the Baptist, we must bear witness and speak for the Light so that everyone might believe and come to embrace the Light.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
2nd Sunday of Advent, Year B, 10.12.17
Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 / 2 Peter 3:8-14 / Mark 1:1-8
By now the unmistakable sounds of Christmas music will be dominating the airwaves.
As early as the beginning of November and even before the Orchard Road light-up, Christmas music is heard in supermarkets and shopping malls.
And the repertoire can be anything from party-music “Jingle Bells” to the holier “Little Town of Bethlehem”.
For those of us (like myself) who are from the CD era when we collected music on compact discs, we would be taking out those discs and playing our favourite Christmas songs or converting them to MP3.
And it is a nice, warm, sentimental feeling, hearing those songs. After all, it is only at this time of the year that we play this kind of music.
And these Christmas songs are like the evergreens of holly and pine. We don’t seem to get tired of hearing them. I too, have my favourite collection of Christmas songs, I play them year after year, I am so familiar with them but I still love to hear them over and over again.
But more than just a nice, warm sentimental feeling, these Christmas songs bring about some reflection and reminiscing.
They give a portrait of how we have celebrated, or survived, past Christmases, and they also prepare us for a Christmas that is to come, 14 more days, to be exact.
Maybe there is a voice in those Christmas carols or songs, a voice that reminds us of the past as well as reminds us that there is a future.
In the 1st reading, as the people of God lived in the wilderness of exile, the prophet Isaiah is the voice of God as he spoke these words, “Console my people, console them” says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her time of service is ended, that her sin is atoned for, that she has received from the hand of the Lord double punishment for all her crimes.
The consoling voice of the prophet brings the Word of God to His people, and the voice of consolation also gives a direction: Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord. Make a straight highway for our God across the desert.
So, in the wilderness of exile where life is as barren as the desert, the Lord consoles His people and promises to bring them home. They just have to prepare themselves by making a straight highway for the Lord to bring them out of the land of exile and back to their homeland.
In the gospel, in the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, it declared that God is going to send a messenger and he will prepare the way for His people.
John the Baptist was the messenger and his voice cries out in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
But his call for repentance is also with a voice of consolation that though the past was in sin, the future is salvation.
It is the voice of consolation that gave the people their hope in God’s Word, and in repentance they turned towards salvation.
Over the past week, I had the privilege to be the voice of consolation for two people.
One was to a lady who, six months ago, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Six months ago, when she came to see me and talked about her situation, she raised this question: Will I do her funeral?
It was a difficult question but I knew I had to give her a reply and so I said yes. It brought her much consolation, but I remembered that I had to ask Jesus to help me fulfill this obligation.
Last Thursday was her funeral and I told her children I had come to fulfill a promise. It was not just my promise to her but the Lord’s promise to her. I can only thank God that I was able to fulfill it.
I told her children that their mother is going to spend her first Christmas in heaven and that consoled them.
On Wednesday evening, I went to visit Fr. John Baptist Tou in the hospital. He was in the ICU and critically ill. The doctors had earlier advised that Fr. Tou may not have much time left.
When I saw him, I too felt that there was not much time left for him, so I administered the Last Rites and I told him, though he was unconscious, to hold on to Jesus’ hand and He will bring him home.
And I left a picture of the Sacred Heart next to his pillow. He passed on peacefully the next day. The funeral will be on Monday, at the Church of St. Bernadette.
In the wilderness of sickness, the Word of the Lord came upon those two people. Like John the Baptist, I was just the voice that brought them the consolation that they needed.
And like John the Baptist, I also knew that I am just the messenger who must proclaim the Word of God, for the voice of the messenger will fade and disappear but the Word of God will remain.
In this time of Advent, as we hear these Christmas carols, let us also listen to the voice in them. May that voice bring us consolation in the wilderness of our lives so that we will turn to the Word of God and find hope, and in turn let us be messengers of the Word of God and be a voice of consolation for others.
By now the unmistakable sounds of Christmas music will be dominating the airwaves.
As early as the beginning of November and even before the Orchard Road light-up, Christmas music is heard in supermarkets and shopping malls.
And the repertoire can be anything from party-music “Jingle Bells” to the holier “Little Town of Bethlehem”.
For those of us (like myself) who are from the CD era when we collected music on compact discs, we would be taking out those discs and playing our favourite Christmas songs or converting them to MP3.
And it is a nice, warm, sentimental feeling, hearing those songs. After all, it is only at this time of the year that we play this kind of music.
And these Christmas songs are like the evergreens of holly and pine. We don’t seem to get tired of hearing them. I too, have my favourite collection of Christmas songs, I play them year after year, I am so familiar with them but I still love to hear them over and over again.
But more than just a nice, warm sentimental feeling, these Christmas songs bring about some reflection and reminiscing.
They give a portrait of how we have celebrated, or survived, past Christmases, and they also prepare us for a Christmas that is to come, 14 more days, to be exact.
Maybe there is a voice in those Christmas carols or songs, a voice that reminds us of the past as well as reminds us that there is a future.
In the 1st reading, as the people of God lived in the wilderness of exile, the prophet Isaiah is the voice of God as he spoke these words, “Console my people, console them” says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her that her time of service is ended, that her sin is atoned for, that she has received from the hand of the Lord double punishment for all her crimes.
The consoling voice of the prophet brings the Word of God to His people, and the voice of consolation also gives a direction: Prepare in the wilderness a way for the Lord. Make a straight highway for our God across the desert.
So, in the wilderness of exile where life is as barren as the desert, the Lord consoles His people and promises to bring them home. They just have to prepare themselves by making a straight highway for the Lord to bring them out of the land of exile and back to their homeland.
In the gospel, in the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, it declared that God is going to send a messenger and he will prepare the way for His people.
John the Baptist was the messenger and his voice cries out in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
But his call for repentance is also with a voice of consolation that though the past was in sin, the future is salvation.
It is the voice of consolation that gave the people their hope in God’s Word, and in repentance they turned towards salvation.
Over the past week, I had the privilege to be the voice of consolation for two people.
One was to a lady who, six months ago, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Six months ago, when she came to see me and talked about her situation, she raised this question: Will I do her funeral?
It was a difficult question but I knew I had to give her a reply and so I said yes. It brought her much consolation, but I remembered that I had to ask Jesus to help me fulfill this obligation.
Last Thursday was her funeral and I told her children I had come to fulfill a promise. It was not just my promise to her but the Lord’s promise to her. I can only thank God that I was able to fulfill it.
I told her children that their mother is going to spend her first Christmas in heaven and that consoled them.
On Wednesday evening, I went to visit Fr. John Baptist Tou in the hospital. He was in the ICU and critically ill. The doctors had earlier advised that Fr. Tou may not have much time left.
When I saw him, I too felt that there was not much time left for him, so I administered the Last Rites and I told him, though he was unconscious, to hold on to Jesus’ hand and He will bring him home.
And I left a picture of the Sacred Heart next to his pillow. He passed on peacefully the next day. The funeral will be on Monday, at the Church of St. Bernadette.
In the wilderness of sickness, the Word of the Lord came upon those two people. Like John the Baptist, I was just the voice that brought them the consolation that they needed.
And like John the Baptist, I also knew that I am just the messenger who must proclaim the Word of God, for the voice of the messenger will fade and disappear but the Word of God will remain.
In this time of Advent, as we hear these Christmas carols, let us also listen to the voice in them. May that voice bring us consolation in the wilderness of our lives so that we will turn to the Word of God and find hope, and in turn let us be messengers of the Word of God and be a voice of consolation for others.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
1st Sunday of Advent, Year B, 03.12.2017
Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1, 3-8 / 1 Cor 1:3-9 / Mark 13:33-37
The season of Advent officially begins today with the 1st Sunday of Advent.
Advent is an exciting time especially for children. Because as they see Christmas decorations appearing at Orchard Road and shopping malls and everywhere else, they also want to be part of this decoration excitement.
They too would want some Christmas decoration at home, so parents would have to drag out the Christmas tree and untangle the lights and search for those other Christmas decorations tucked away somewhere in the house.
But as much as most Christmas decorations have some kind of spiritual meaning, there is one that stands out from the rest and it symbolizes the season of Advent.
At the beginning of the Mass, we blessed the Advent wreath and we lighted the first candle of the wreath.
The Advent wreath is rich in symbols. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent in which we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
The circular wreath symbolizes the eternity of God who is without beginning or end, and that He loves us with an everlasting love.
The evergreens of holly and pine represent our hope in the saving love of God, a hope which is fulfilled in the birth of the Saviour and the hope of eternal salvation.
As Advent progresses, from the 1st week to the 4th week, the number of candles are lighted accordingly.
This has a profound spiritual meaning in that Jesus, the light of world is coming to scatter the darkness of our sins, and with each passing week, the light of the candles in the Advent wreath grows brighter in preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the true light.
So in Church, the Advent wreath is the symbol of the Advent season and it is placed within the sanctuary to remind us of the need to prepare ourselves spiritually for the celebration of Christmas.
And as in Church, so it should be at home. Especially with the children on school holidays, we the parents and adults must keep the spiritual traditions alive and find meaning and direction for our faith in the Advent season.
With the stress and busyness of life, the family hardly has time for prayer, and if parents and adults do not lead the way and show the way, the children would not have any spiritual directions to follow.
So Advent is like a spiritual alarm clock that rings into our hearts and bids us to wake up and prepare ourselves for the coming of our Saviour.
Yes, we must wake up but as like most mornings, the alarm clock wakes us up and then we put it to snooze and we fall back to sleep.
That’s why in the gospel, Jesus urges us to stay awake, and be on our guard against complacency and carelessness.
More so in this time of Advent when we should be preparing ourselves with prayer, we will be tempted to busy ourselves with shopping for gifts and just getting materially prepared for Christmas but neglecting the spiritual aspects.
So if we don’t have an Advent wreath, then it would certainly be meaningful to get one, either from a Catholic bookshop or from the department store. It is quite easily available actually.
Jesus wants to come into our lives with His light and blessings.
He wants to bring us healing from the darkness of our sins and help us be reconciled with one another especially in the family.
He wants to be in our families so that we can experience His love and joy and peace with each other.
But we must invite Him, and the Advent wreath would be the means to bring the family together in prayer and to let the light of Christ shine in our hearts and bring about the warmth of love and peace that we always wanted for our families and for ourselves.
We only need to stay awake and be vigilant in prayer. Lighting the candles of the Advent wreath and praying together as a family may be a little and humble act but the blessings that Jesus gives will be bountiful.
We just have to stay awake in prayer to receive true blessings.
The season of Advent officially begins today with the 1st Sunday of Advent.
Advent is an exciting time especially for children. Because as they see Christmas decorations appearing at Orchard Road and shopping malls and everywhere else, they also want to be part of this decoration excitement.
They too would want some Christmas decoration at home, so parents would have to drag out the Christmas tree and untangle the lights and search for those other Christmas decorations tucked away somewhere in the house.
But as much as most Christmas decorations have some kind of spiritual meaning, there is one that stands out from the rest and it symbolizes the season of Advent.
At the beginning of the Mass, we blessed the Advent wreath and we lighted the first candle of the wreath.
The Advent wreath is rich in symbols. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent in which we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
The circular wreath symbolizes the eternity of God who is without beginning or end, and that He loves us with an everlasting love.
The evergreens of holly and pine represent our hope in the saving love of God, a hope which is fulfilled in the birth of the Saviour and the hope of eternal salvation.
As Advent progresses, from the 1st week to the 4th week, the number of candles are lighted accordingly.
This has a profound spiritual meaning in that Jesus, the light of world is coming to scatter the darkness of our sins, and with each passing week, the light of the candles in the Advent wreath grows brighter in preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the true light.
So in Church, the Advent wreath is the symbol of the Advent season and it is placed within the sanctuary to remind us of the need to prepare ourselves spiritually for the celebration of Christmas.
And as in Church, so it should be at home. Especially with the children on school holidays, we the parents and adults must keep the spiritual traditions alive and find meaning and direction for our faith in the Advent season.
With the stress and busyness of life, the family hardly has time for prayer, and if parents and adults do not lead the way and show the way, the children would not have any spiritual directions to follow.
So Advent is like a spiritual alarm clock that rings into our hearts and bids us to wake up and prepare ourselves for the coming of our Saviour.
Yes, we must wake up but as like most mornings, the alarm clock wakes us up and then we put it to snooze and we fall back to sleep.
That’s why in the gospel, Jesus urges us to stay awake, and be on our guard against complacency and carelessness.
More so in this time of Advent when we should be preparing ourselves with prayer, we will be tempted to busy ourselves with shopping for gifts and just getting materially prepared for Christmas but neglecting the spiritual aspects.
So if we don’t have an Advent wreath, then it would certainly be meaningful to get one, either from a Catholic bookshop or from the department store. It is quite easily available actually.
Jesus wants to come into our lives with His light and blessings.
He wants to bring us healing from the darkness of our sins and help us be reconciled with one another especially in the family.
He wants to be in our families so that we can experience His love and joy and peace with each other.
But we must invite Him, and the Advent wreath would be the means to bring the family together in prayer and to let the light of Christ shine in our hearts and bring about the warmth of love and peace that we always wanted for our families and for ourselves.
We only need to stay awake and be vigilant in prayer. Lighting the candles of the Advent wreath and praying together as a family may be a little and humble act but the blessings that Jesus gives will be bountiful.
We just have to stay awake in prayer to receive true blessings.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Christ the King, Year A, 26.11.2017
Ezk 34:11-12, 15-17/ 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28/ Mt 25:31-46
Whenever it comes to Friday, some ideas will come to our minds.
For most, it is “TGIF” – Thank God it’s Friday. The work week has ended and the weekend is here.
For priests, it’s “ONIF” – “Oh No it’s Friday”. Especially if the Sunday homily is not yet done!
We know what is Good Friday. It’s called Good Friday because Jesus died for our good.
And then last Friday is called “Black Friday”. It may sound like some kind of unlucky day, like “Friday the 13th” which is thought of as unlucky for whatever reasons.
But Black Friday is a day where retailers offer discounts of up to 50% or even higher. So it’s a day of savings for shoppers and a day of sales for retailers.
But why is it called Black Friday? When shops lose money, the losses are written in red. But on Black Friday, they have the opportunity to make so much sales that the shops make a profit and are “in the black”, as in contrast with “in the red”. Hence, the term “Black Friday”, and this is also a day of savings for consumers.
And talking about savings, there is only one Black Friday that offers eternal savings, and that is on Good Friday.
And coincidentally, this year, on Black Friday, the PSLE results were released and there were not many “in the red” as the news reported that 98.4% of the students made it to secondary school.
So Black Friday can be called a happy day for most shoppers, retailers and students.
But life is certainly more than just shopping for savings and passing exams to get into choice schools.
Today’s gospel brings us back to the basics of being human and it is the gospel text chosen for the feast of Christ the King.
More than just about the basics of being human, it is also the basic examination for our eternal destiny.
The question of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the poor, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked and visiting the imprisoned seems so secular and there seems to be no religious aspect to it.
None of the above is specifically religious, but that is where having a religion and being a human is connected.
Having a religion, should and must make us more human, so that we can feel the needs of other human beings and respond to them with a faith that is expressed in love.
Faith and love are needed to recognise the presence of Jesus hidden among the poor and the needy. Where their needs are met, Jesus is acknowledged and served.
When the hungry are fed, the thirsty given a drink, strangers are offered hospitality, the naked are clothed with dignity, the sick are attended to, and prisoners are visited, then Jesus the King is being served with love. And it takes faith to see all that and do all that.
As in the gospel, the king would say: I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.
So there are no random or meaningless acts. We are all connected in one way or another and our lives meet in Christ just like all the spokes of a wheel meet at the hub. We cannot separate ourselves from each other just as the wind cannot be separated from the breeze.
This fact and reality in addressed in today’s gospel, and a rather interesting reflection of this is in a novel “The Five People You Meet In Heaven” by Mitch Albom.
The novel begins on the last day of Eddie's life. He is 83 years old and works as the maintenance manager at Ruby Pier amusement park, the same job his father once held. Eddie is resigned to his position, even though he swore to never follow in his father's footsteps. Most of the people he loved have passed away and the knee injury he sustained during World War II still plagues his every movement. However, Eddie is loved at Ruby Pier. Eddie is proud of Ruby Pier's spotless safety record, but that all changes when a missing car key damages the machinery on a ride and cart begins to fall off the track. Moving as quickly as he can, Eddie tries to save a young girl from being crushed by the falling cart. He remembers grasping her small hand and then - his life is over.
He goes to heaven and the first character he meets is Blue Man, who was part of the Ruby Pier sideshow when Eddie was eight years old. The Blue Man reveals to Eddie that he was responsible for the Blue Man's death. Young Eddie dashed in front of the Blue Man’s car chasing a runaway baseball, and the Blue Man swerved his car and it crashed and killed him.
Then Eddie meets the second of his "Five People": the commanding officer of his World War II platoon, whom he calls Captain. Eddie recalls being held captive by the enemy in a village, along with the Captain and four others. Then they managed to escape when the village caught fire, but as they were running off, Eddie thought there was a child trapped inside a hut and wanted to save the child. However, a bullet shattered his knee, stopping him in his tracks. Eddie learnt that it was the Captain who shot him in order to prevent him from losing his life in the fire.
Then, Eddie meets Ruby - the third of his "Five People." Ruby reveals that her husband Emile was the founder of Ruby Pier, which he named after his beloved wife. Ruby offers Eddie a new perspective on the circumstances surrounding his father's death. Eddie used to think that his alcoholic and abusive father caught pneumonia after making a drunken decision to jump into the freezing river. However, it turns out that Eddie's father was saving the life of his oldest friend. Eddie's father had many faults, Ruby explains, but he was loyal. She tells Eddie that his father called to his family out the hospital window right before his death. Ruby knows this because she was tending to Emile in the very same room.
Then he met Marguerite, who is the fourth of Eddie's "Five People," and she is there to teach him about eternal love. She shows him that their love was always there, even after she died.
Eddie's fifth and final meeting is with a young girl named Tala. Tala reveals that she was the child Eddie saw in the burning hut as he was escaping, and she died that day. Eddie falls apart upon realizing that he was responsible for this young girl's painful and untimely death, but Tala comforts him.
Tala asks Eddie why he was so unhappy on earth, and Eddie responds that he never did anything meaningful in his life. But Tala tells him that he was meant to be at Ruby Pier to keep all the children safe on the rides. She also reveals that Eddie did save the little girl from the falling cart on the day of his death - he pushed her out of the way.
The novel brings out a point that to understand what happened in our lives and to have it explained and connected together may bring about a peace in our hearts.
But Jesus tells us in the gospel that whatever we do or don’t do, for better or for worse, is done in Him and done to Him.
Those five words “you did it to me” will tell us that we are all connected in one way or another and no act is a random act or a meaningless act.
Those five words “you did it to me” will help us to remember the basics of being human and to live out our faith with love on earth so as to be numbered among the blessed in heaven.
Whenever it comes to Friday, some ideas will come to our minds.
For most, it is “TGIF” – Thank God it’s Friday. The work week has ended and the weekend is here.
For priests, it’s “ONIF” – “Oh No it’s Friday”. Especially if the Sunday homily is not yet done!
We know what is Good Friday. It’s called Good Friday because Jesus died for our good.
And then last Friday is called “Black Friday”. It may sound like some kind of unlucky day, like “Friday the 13th” which is thought of as unlucky for whatever reasons.
But Black Friday is a day where retailers offer discounts of up to 50% or even higher. So it’s a day of savings for shoppers and a day of sales for retailers.
But why is it called Black Friday? When shops lose money, the losses are written in red. But on Black Friday, they have the opportunity to make so much sales that the shops make a profit and are “in the black”, as in contrast with “in the red”. Hence, the term “Black Friday”, and this is also a day of savings for consumers.
And talking about savings, there is only one Black Friday that offers eternal savings, and that is on Good Friday.
And coincidentally, this year, on Black Friday, the PSLE results were released and there were not many “in the red” as the news reported that 98.4% of the students made it to secondary school.
So Black Friday can be called a happy day for most shoppers, retailers and students.
But life is certainly more than just shopping for savings and passing exams to get into choice schools.
Today’s gospel brings us back to the basics of being human and it is the gospel text chosen for the feast of Christ the King.
More than just about the basics of being human, it is also the basic examination for our eternal destiny.
The question of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the poor, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked and visiting the imprisoned seems so secular and there seems to be no religious aspect to it.
None of the above is specifically religious, but that is where having a religion and being a human is connected.
Having a religion, should and must make us more human, so that we can feel the needs of other human beings and respond to them with a faith that is expressed in love.
Faith and love are needed to recognise the presence of Jesus hidden among the poor and the needy. Where their needs are met, Jesus is acknowledged and served.
When the hungry are fed, the thirsty given a drink, strangers are offered hospitality, the naked are clothed with dignity, the sick are attended to, and prisoners are visited, then Jesus the King is being served with love. And it takes faith to see all that and do all that.
As in the gospel, the king would say: I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.
So there are no random or meaningless acts. We are all connected in one way or another and our lives meet in Christ just like all the spokes of a wheel meet at the hub. We cannot separate ourselves from each other just as the wind cannot be separated from the breeze.
This fact and reality in addressed in today’s gospel, and a rather interesting reflection of this is in a novel “The Five People You Meet In Heaven” by Mitch Albom.
The novel begins on the last day of Eddie's life. He is 83 years old and works as the maintenance manager at Ruby Pier amusement park, the same job his father once held. Eddie is resigned to his position, even though he swore to never follow in his father's footsteps. Most of the people he loved have passed away and the knee injury he sustained during World War II still plagues his every movement. However, Eddie is loved at Ruby Pier. Eddie is proud of Ruby Pier's spotless safety record, but that all changes when a missing car key damages the machinery on a ride and cart begins to fall off the track. Moving as quickly as he can, Eddie tries to save a young girl from being crushed by the falling cart. He remembers grasping her small hand and then - his life is over.
He goes to heaven and the first character he meets is Blue Man, who was part of the Ruby Pier sideshow when Eddie was eight years old. The Blue Man reveals to Eddie that he was responsible for the Blue Man's death. Young Eddie dashed in front of the Blue Man’s car chasing a runaway baseball, and the Blue Man swerved his car and it crashed and killed him.
Then Eddie meets the second of his "Five People": the commanding officer of his World War II platoon, whom he calls Captain. Eddie recalls being held captive by the enemy in a village, along with the Captain and four others. Then they managed to escape when the village caught fire, but as they were running off, Eddie thought there was a child trapped inside a hut and wanted to save the child. However, a bullet shattered his knee, stopping him in his tracks. Eddie learnt that it was the Captain who shot him in order to prevent him from losing his life in the fire.
Then, Eddie meets Ruby - the third of his "Five People." Ruby reveals that her husband Emile was the founder of Ruby Pier, which he named after his beloved wife. Ruby offers Eddie a new perspective on the circumstances surrounding his father's death. Eddie used to think that his alcoholic and abusive father caught pneumonia after making a drunken decision to jump into the freezing river. However, it turns out that Eddie's father was saving the life of his oldest friend. Eddie's father had many faults, Ruby explains, but he was loyal. She tells Eddie that his father called to his family out the hospital window right before his death. Ruby knows this because she was tending to Emile in the very same room.
Then he met Marguerite, who is the fourth of Eddie's "Five People," and she is there to teach him about eternal love. She shows him that their love was always there, even after she died.
Eddie's fifth and final meeting is with a young girl named Tala. Tala reveals that she was the child Eddie saw in the burning hut as he was escaping, and she died that day. Eddie falls apart upon realizing that he was responsible for this young girl's painful and untimely death, but Tala comforts him.
Tala asks Eddie why he was so unhappy on earth, and Eddie responds that he never did anything meaningful in his life. But Tala tells him that he was meant to be at Ruby Pier to keep all the children safe on the rides. She also reveals that Eddie did save the little girl from the falling cart on the day of his death - he pushed her out of the way.
The novel brings out a point that to understand what happened in our lives and to have it explained and connected together may bring about a peace in our hearts.
But Jesus tells us in the gospel that whatever we do or don’t do, for better or for worse, is done in Him and done to Him.
Those five words “you did it to me” will tell us that we are all connected in one way or another and no act is a random act or a meaningless act.
Those five words “you did it to me” will help us to remember the basics of being human and to live out our faith with love on earth so as to be numbered among the blessed in heaven.
Saturday, November 18, 2017
33rd Sunday, Year A, 19.11.2017
Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 / 1 Thess 5:1-6 / Matthew 25:14-30
The education system in Singapore has gone through much changes and developments. From what used to be just kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, VITB, Polytechnic, Pre-U, and University, now there are pre-school, K1, K2, higher mother-tongue in Primary schools, N levels, O levels, IPs, ITE, Baccalaureate. Schooling is so complex nowadays.
One interesting development is in the area of Special Education. Teachers in this field are trained to help students with special needs like autism, dyslexia, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) etc.
Our educational system recognizes that students with special needs are diverse learners. So by adapting and differentiating the instructions, these students can learn. More time, more effort and more resources may be required but students with special needs, given the correct educational formation, can be an asset and contribute to the growth and development of society.
Here are some examples of famous people with special needs:
OCD: Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, David Beckham, Donald Trump, Harrison Ford
ADHD: Jim Carrey, Michael Phelps, Walt Disney, John Lennon, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison.
Dyslexia: Tom Cruise, Lee Kuan Yew
So although they may have some kind of disorder, but it is not a defect or a disadvantage. They are just different and they can be made into a distinction. They may be different from the rest but they may become one of the bests.
In the gospel parable, we heard about a man who summoned his servants and gave them different amounts of talent. To one he gave 5 talents, to another he gave 2 talents, and to the third he gave one talent.
The one who was given 5 talents made 5 more; the one who was given 2 made 2 more. The attention is then turned to that servant who was given one talent.
Unlike the other two, he did what can be called a quiet funeral service – with that one talent, he buried it in the ground.
And when the time of accounting came, he delivered a lousy “eulogy” to justify himself as to why he buried that one talent. He wanted to absolve himself and indirectly blamed his master for being too demanding.
But what that third servant did not do was to explore the potential of that one talent. As he himself said: I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground.
Yet that servant also knows that his master expects him to do something about that one talent. As his master said, he should have deposited it with the bankers and recover that capital with interest.
So the Lord also expects us to do something with our gifts and talents. And the more we are given, the more will be expected of us.
On the one hand we use our gifts and talents to glorify the Lord, and on the other, we also must help others to discover their talents. That is our service and duty to those who are deemed as liabilities of society, those who are slower, have more difficulties, who seem to be “defective”, those who in the eyes of the world would be buried in the ground and written off and forgotten.
But like those with OCD or ADHD, they are not defective. They are just different, and that difference can be made into a distinction.
A story has it that the famous Michelangelo acquired a block of marble that every sculptor thought was defective and useless. So one sculptor asked him what he was going to do with such a useless block of marble.
Michelangelo replied, “I am going to release an angel out of it.” And from that so-called useless block of marble, he carved out the famous statue of David.
So if God made all things good, and nothing and no one is useless or defective, then we just have to look from a different angle and we will see the distinction.
Not many of us may have disorders like OCD or ADHD, but we often complain that we have disadvantages and difficulties that make us feel lesser than others.
A man said to a priest: Why do I have so many difficulties as compared to others? The priest replied: Shhh … don’t speak so loud, otherwise God might hear it and He might reply – If you want to know why, then come up here and find out!
But whether it is difficulty or disadvantage or disorder, it is not a defect, and a good can come out of it, maybe it can even be made into a distinction.
Many years ago, a sixteen-year old boy he left home to find employment in New York City to help his poor family. He had previously worked in a soap manufacturing shop. When he told the captain of the canal boat upon which he was traveling that he planned to make soap in New York City the man gave him this advice: “Someone will soon be the leading soap maker in New York. You can be that person. But you must never lose sight of the fact that the soap you make has been given to you by God. Be a good man. Give your heart to Christ. Give God all that belongs to Him. Make an honest soap. Honor Him by sharing what you earn. Begin by tithing all you receive.”
Along with that and with his mother’s words of “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God”, he arrived at the city, managing only odd jobs. He remembered the boat captain’s words and so for every dollar he earned, 10 cents would be given to God.
He soon found regular employment in a soap-making company, and then he became the owner and he prospered and his business grew.
And all the while he kept the promise of giving one-tenth of his earnings to the Lord, and more as his business grew along the way.
So what is the name of this 16 year-old boy? William Colgate. And who has not heard of Colgate toothpaste and soap and other products.
William Colgate was poor, that was his difficulty and his disadvantage. His only talent was soap-making. He may not have a disorder like OCD or ADHD, but he had a devotion to the Lord.
He gave to the Lord one-tenth of what he earned, he gave money for education and helped the poor. He turned difficulty and disadvantage into a distinction.
Literally he used that one talent in soap-making, for the glory of God and to help and serve others.
Whether we have one talent or many, whether we have a difficulty or a disadvantage, whether we have a disorder or a devotion, let us not bury it in the ground.
God wants us to use it, and He will turn whatever difficulty or disadvantage or disorder into a distinction for us that Jesus can truly call us His good and faithful servants.
The education system in Singapore has gone through much changes and developments. From what used to be just kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, VITB, Polytechnic, Pre-U, and University, now there are pre-school, K1, K2, higher mother-tongue in Primary schools, N levels, O levels, IPs, ITE, Baccalaureate. Schooling is so complex nowadays.
One interesting development is in the area of Special Education. Teachers in this field are trained to help students with special needs like autism, dyslexia, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) etc.
Our educational system recognizes that students with special needs are diverse learners. So by adapting and differentiating the instructions, these students can learn. More time, more effort and more resources may be required but students with special needs, given the correct educational formation, can be an asset and contribute to the growth and development of society.
Here are some examples of famous people with special needs:
OCD: Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, David Beckham, Donald Trump, Harrison Ford
ADHD: Jim Carrey, Michael Phelps, Walt Disney, John Lennon, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison.
Dyslexia: Tom Cruise, Lee Kuan Yew
So although they may have some kind of disorder, but it is not a defect or a disadvantage. They are just different and they can be made into a distinction. They may be different from the rest but they may become one of the bests.
In the gospel parable, we heard about a man who summoned his servants and gave them different amounts of talent. To one he gave 5 talents, to another he gave 2 talents, and to the third he gave one talent.
The one who was given 5 talents made 5 more; the one who was given 2 made 2 more. The attention is then turned to that servant who was given one talent.
Unlike the other two, he did what can be called a quiet funeral service – with that one talent, he buried it in the ground.
And when the time of accounting came, he delivered a lousy “eulogy” to justify himself as to why he buried that one talent. He wanted to absolve himself and indirectly blamed his master for being too demanding.
But what that third servant did not do was to explore the potential of that one talent. As he himself said: I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground.
Yet that servant also knows that his master expects him to do something about that one talent. As his master said, he should have deposited it with the bankers and recover that capital with interest.
So the Lord also expects us to do something with our gifts and talents. And the more we are given, the more will be expected of us.
On the one hand we use our gifts and talents to glorify the Lord, and on the other, we also must help others to discover their talents. That is our service and duty to those who are deemed as liabilities of society, those who are slower, have more difficulties, who seem to be “defective”, those who in the eyes of the world would be buried in the ground and written off and forgotten.
But like those with OCD or ADHD, they are not defective. They are just different, and that difference can be made into a distinction.
A story has it that the famous Michelangelo acquired a block of marble that every sculptor thought was defective and useless. So one sculptor asked him what he was going to do with such a useless block of marble.
Michelangelo replied, “I am going to release an angel out of it.” And from that so-called useless block of marble, he carved out the famous statue of David.
So if God made all things good, and nothing and no one is useless or defective, then we just have to look from a different angle and we will see the distinction.
Not many of us may have disorders like OCD or ADHD, but we often complain that we have disadvantages and difficulties that make us feel lesser than others.
A man said to a priest: Why do I have so many difficulties as compared to others? The priest replied: Shhh … don’t speak so loud, otherwise God might hear it and He might reply – If you want to know why, then come up here and find out!
But whether it is difficulty or disadvantage or disorder, it is not a defect, and a good can come out of it, maybe it can even be made into a distinction.
Many years ago, a sixteen-year old boy he left home to find employment in New York City to help his poor family. He had previously worked in a soap manufacturing shop. When he told the captain of the canal boat upon which he was traveling that he planned to make soap in New York City the man gave him this advice: “Someone will soon be the leading soap maker in New York. You can be that person. But you must never lose sight of the fact that the soap you make has been given to you by God. Be a good man. Give your heart to Christ. Give God all that belongs to Him. Make an honest soap. Honor Him by sharing what you earn. Begin by tithing all you receive.”
Along with that and with his mother’s words of “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God”, he arrived at the city, managing only odd jobs. He remembered the boat captain’s words and so for every dollar he earned, 10 cents would be given to God.
He soon found regular employment in a soap-making company, and then he became the owner and he prospered and his business grew.
And all the while he kept the promise of giving one-tenth of his earnings to the Lord, and more as his business grew along the way.
So what is the name of this 16 year-old boy? William Colgate. And who has not heard of Colgate toothpaste and soap and other products.
William Colgate was poor, that was his difficulty and his disadvantage. His only talent was soap-making. He may not have a disorder like OCD or ADHD, but he had a devotion to the Lord.
He gave to the Lord one-tenth of what he earned, he gave money for education and helped the poor. He turned difficulty and disadvantage into a distinction.
Literally he used that one talent in soap-making, for the glory of God and to help and serve others.
Whether we have one talent or many, whether we have a difficulty or a disadvantage, whether we have a disorder or a devotion, let us not bury it in the ground.
God wants us to use it, and He will turn whatever difficulty or disadvantage or disorder into a distinction for us that Jesus can truly call us His good and faithful servants.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)