21st Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 25.08.2024

 Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 / Ephesians 5:21-32 / John 6:60-69

Generally speaking, people follow leaders by what they say and also how the leaders say it. 

So, one of the basic requirements of a leader is to be good at public speaking. 

They must also be able to give speeches that are inspiring and motivating. 

And whatever they are saying, they also need to say it with conviction and with clarity. 

And it is not only in what a leader says that shows the character of the leader. 

It is also what the leader writes that will be open to public scrutiny. 

With such demands and expectations, a leader can have recourse to some assistance. 

The rise and rapid development of AI (Artificial Intelligence) that can be of some help. 

We can input some requirements or a draft of a speech, and the AI would generate quite an impressive text. 

So the AI can be of assistance in giving a factually correct, as well as a grammatically correct text for our consideration in giving a speech or writing an article. 

But when we think about what Jesus had been saying in the gospels for the past few weeks, we wonder what the AI would do to it.

Jesus had been teaching about the Bread from heaven. 

He went on to say that He is the Bread that came down from heaven, and that He is the Bread of life. 

And anyone who eats of this bread would not die but live forever. 

And then Jesus says that the Bread He gives is His flesh for the life of the world. 

The gospel tells us that His listeners thought that it was intolerable language. 

And yet, Jesus didn't know explain or clarify or justify what He said. 

He went on to declare that the words He have spoken are spirit and they are life. 

After that, many of His followers left him and stopped going with Him. 

As for us, we come weekly for Mass, and we listen to the teachings of Jesus. 

We partake of the Bread of life that Jesus gives us, which is the Body of Christ. 

Yes, we believe in the message of eternal life and we also partake of the bread of eternal life. 

Others may not accept the message and that the Body of Christ may sound like intolerable language. 

That is a story of St. Mother Teresa who went around to beg for food for the children at her orphanage. 

She came to a bakery and approached the owner for some bread. 

But the owner of the bakery was not favorable to Christians, and he insulted St. Mother Teresa and spat at her. 

St. Mother Teresa then responded calmly: That was for me. Is there anything for the children? 

The owner of the bakery was stunned by her response, and realizing his bad behaviour gave St. Mother Teresa what she needed for her children. 

In life, we may be faced with intolerable language from those who do not believe in Jesus. 

Let us respond to that intolerable language with words of life and love. 

Jesus is a Divine wisdom and He has the message of eternal life.

Let us learn from Him to speak words of life and love, so that others will hear the message of eternal life.

20th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 18.08.2024

 Proverbs 9:1-6 / Ephesians 5:15-20 / John 6:51-58

When we talk and speak with others, the words and their meaning depend on the situation and the context. 

It also depends on who we are speaking with or talking to. 

For example, when we are in a courtroom, and we are speaking to the judge and the lawyers, we have to be precise and correct in what we say. 

To use the wrong word or wrong phrase may put us in a difficult spot. 

But when we are at a shop or at the market, we can speak casually and informally. We can even joke around and use slang and even switch between languages and dialects. 

So, how we speak and talk at a business meeting is different from how we speak and talk when we are at home or socializing with friends. 

Another consideration would be the topic that we are talking about. 

Some topics like health and finance would require precise and defined vocabulary. 

Other topics like recreation and lifestyles can be more flexible and informal. 

In the gospel, the topic that Jesus was talking about is bread, which is a type of common food. 

And He also said that He is the living bread which has come down from heaven, and anyone who eats this bread will live forever. 

That really made His listeners wonder what He was talking about. 

And while they were still wondering, Jesus made another statement that made them even more confused. 

Jesus said that the bread that He shall give is His flesh for the life of the world. 

For His listeners, that was beyond imagination. 

Because the reality of a common food like bread cannot be connected to the reality of human flesh. 

And yet, Jesus did not stop to clarify and explain about what He said and meant. 

Jesus said it as it is, and meant it as it is. 

As for us, we accept what Jesus said and meant. We believe that the sacred hosts that we receive is the Body of Christ, and we say “Amen” to that. 

But what does that mean in the reality of our lives as we come for Mass? 

Maybe this short story can help us understand the Mass as a divine banquet of the Body of Christ. 

Back in the year 1765, an innkeeper name Dossier Boulanger opened an eatery in Paris, and hung a sign at the door. The sign was written in Latin, in English it read as: “Come into my house, men of weary stomachs, and I will restore you.” 

That phrase was so successful because of the word “restore”, which in Latin was “restauro”,  and since then, all eateries worldwide are called restaurants. 

The word restaurant quickly became established, and reputable chefs who had worked for the royalty and rich families began to open their own restaurants. 

Many stories have emerged from that phrase, and especially the word restaurant. 

One of which is that those who work and serve in a restaurant has the mission to restore the spirit, the smile and the health of those who come to eat. 

So, the chef, or the cook, or the waiter or waitress, have that special mission of restoring the human spirit, the smile and the wellbeing of the diners. 

We have come to Church for the divine banquet, and we are served the Body of Christ. 

We come to be restored in body, in mind and in spirit. 

And we are sent forth on the mission of restoration. 

With our smile, with our kind words, with our good needs, we restore relationships with the love of God. 

Yes, the love of God that is in the Body of Christ's restores us. 

And we are sent forth in turn to restore relationships in our families, in our Church and in our world.

19th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 11.08.2024

 1 Kings 19:4-8 / Ephesians 4:30 – 5:2 / John 6:41-51

We need to eat in order to live and stay alive. Food is one of the basic human needs. 

Food not only helps us to stay alive, it also nourishes our body and keeps us strong and healthy. 

In other words, we eat to live. 

But when there is food in abundance, we won't just eat any and every kind of food. 

We will eat what we like to eat, and we will also be choosy about what we want to eat. 

So, we eat to live. But when there is plenty of food, then we will also begin to live to eat. 

Eating becomes a pleasure, and we want our food to be tasty, and maybe even look pretty. 

And we will have our favourite foods, and we may even travel to the ends of the island, to eat some reputable food. 

When we live to eat, food is no longer for sustenance. Food becomes a substance, which we will categorize into like and don't like, as well as tasty and not tasty. 

And of course, when the food is not to our liking, and not to our expectation, we will certainly complain. 

We complain, not because there is no food, but because the food is not to our liking, or not to our expectation. 

In the gospel, the people were complaining about Jesus because He said this: I am the bread that has come down from heaven. 

The people were expecting some kind of special bread from heaven. 

Their ancestors had manna to eat when they were wondering in the desert for 40 years. 

But now, that they have settled down, and their standing of living is better, their expectations were also higher. 

So, they were expecting some kind of special bread from heaven, bread that will be a pleasure to their taste buds. 

But when Jesus said that He is the bread that has come down from heaven, the people were disappointed. 

They knew Jesus as the son of Joseph, and He was too ordinary.

So, they cannot accept it when Jesus said that He is the bread that comes down from heaven. 

So, the people complained, because Jesus was too ordinary. He couldn't have come down from heaven, and they didn't understand this bread that He was talking about. 

As for us, we know and we believe that Jesus came down from heaven to be the bread of life which we receive at Holy communion. 

We ought to partake with thanksgiving and gratefulness that bread of life, because it is the bread of love. 

Jesus sacrificed Himself in order to give us that bread of life and love. 

We in turn are to be the bread of life and love for others, so that they can taste and see the goodness of the Lord. 

There was one lesson that I learned at home, and that is about not taking for granted the meals my mother cooks. 

I was eating away at lunch when my mother asked me about how is the food. 

I said “okay”, and then she said something like she thought I didn't like the food because I said nothing about it. 

Immediately, I learned my lesson, that I have taken my mother's cooking for granted, whereas I would compliment other people's cooking. 

Through her cooking, my mother offered me the bread of her life and her love. 

Let us take nothing for granted, especially when our mothers, or others, cook a meal for us. They have put in their life and their love to it. 

And may we also never take the Eucharist for granted. 

In it, Jesus gave us all of His life and His love.

18th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 04.08.2024

 Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 / Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 / John 6:24-35

The recommended amount of time for sleeping is 8 hours. 

For most of us to be able to sleep for 8 hours at night is like a luxury. Because, most of us may be sleeping less than that, maybe 5 or 6 hours. 

Besides, our sleeping time may also be interrupted every now and then. And at times, insomnia may also cut down our sleeping time. 

But whether it is 8 hours or lesser, we will know whether we have rested well by the state when we wake up. 

If the alarm rings and we have difficulty waking up, that already tells us whether we have rested enough. 

And if we can't even hear the alarm, and we oversleep, then we may need to do a check-up. 

But often, we are forced to sacrifice our sleeping or resting time because of the busyness of our work. 

We spend quite an amount of time at work. And even after working hours, we are busy with other matters like family and personal matters. 

So, we cut away our sleeping and resting time in order to try to finish our work. 

But no matter what, there will always be work, and maybe even more work to be done. 

But, we should pause and ask ourselves, why are we working so hard and tiring ourselves and yet not sleeping enough. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us not to work for food that cannot last, but to work for food that endures to eternal life. 

And like the people, we too will ask, what must we do to do the work that God wants. 

Jesus gave this answer: This is working for God; you must believe in the One He has sent. 

That might sound quite simple, but let us not think that what is simple is easy. 

Because to believe in Jesus is indeed hard work. 

To believe in Jesus means that we have to carry our cross in order to follow Him. 

To follow Jesus is to follow His way of love. And that means to love others just as He has loved us. 

It also means that we forgive others just as Jesus forgave His enemies when He was nailed to the Cross. 

It also means that we put into practice what Jesus taught us. 

Like, praying for enemies; like, returning a blessing when others are cursing us; like, to give and not to ask back. 

And just as we will sacrifice sleep in order to get some work done, we too will cut down our prayer time in our busyness. 

But, Psalm 127 reminds us of this: 

“If the Lord does not build the house,

in vain do its builders labour;

if the Lord does not watch over the city,

in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,

your going later to rest,

you who toil for the bread you eat,

when He pours gifts on His beloved while they slumber.”

Let us do that work of believing in Jesus by praying and loving God and others. 

And when we rest for the night, we will have a peaceful sleep, and we will wake up fresh the next day to keep believing in Jesus and loving God and others.

17th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 28.07.2024

 1 Kings 4:42-44 / Ephesians 4:1-6 / John 6:1-15

By the expectations of the world, there are at least two things that will capture attention. 

One is this: the bigger the better. In other words, size does matter. 

The other is this: the more the better. 

So, attention will be given to something big, whether it is a car, or a house or a building. 

And when it comes to more, that is measured in terms of numbers. 

Like how much is a business is worth, or how much is a celebrity is worth.

By current expectations, even millions are considered ordinary, because it is those in the billions that will get the attention. 

So, the bigger the better, the more the better. That is the influence and the expectation of the world, that is the measurement and the direction of the world. 

And as Christians in the world, we can also be influenced by such expectations, and even conform to such measurements and directions. 

Today's gospel points out some of these worldly influences. 

But today’s gospel also reveals the mysterious love of God in the simple and humble. 

In the gospel, a large crowd was following Jesus because they were impressed with the signs He gave by curing the sick. 

And the gospel tells us that the large crowd numbered around 5,000. That is quite a crowd. 

And then Jesus asked His disciples if they could buy some food for the crowd to eat. 

One of His disciples, Philip, looked at their finances, and told Jesus that they could hardly buy enough bread to feed the crowd. 

Another of His disciples, Andrew, said that there is a small boy with five barley loaves and two fish. 

But that is obviously not enough for such a large crowd. 

And here is where the mysterious power of God's love is revealed beyond human reckoning. 

Jesus took the five Loaves and the two fish, gave thanks to God, and gave it out to the crowd. 

The crowd ate as much as they wanted, and what was even more surprising was that 12 baskets of leftovers were collected. 

The crowd was so impressed by it, that they wanted to take Jesus by force and to make Him king. 

The crowd wanted to make Jesus king because they saw that He could provide more for them. 

They see Him with worldly expectations, but they did not see the sign. 

They did not see that in the simplicity and humility of that small boy with five loaves and the two fish, God's blessings came in abundance. 

In the simple and humble, God reveals the mysterious power of His love and providence. 

There's this story of Pope Francis when he visited a particular country. As expected, there were detailed preparations, and an impressive altar was constructed for the celebration of the Mass. 

When Pope Francis arrived at the venue, it started to rain heavily, and strong winds blew the rain onto the altar. 

Finally, the rain stopped, and it was possible for Mass to commence. 

But that impressive and elaborate altar and it's surrounding area was drenched and soaking wet. 

The alternative was the Credence table, or the side table, which is used to put all the accessories for the Mass. 

So that simple and humble side table became the altar for the Pope’s Mass. 

That is one of the many instances when the simple and humble became a sign of God's mysterious choice to show His love and providence. 

So, while the world looks at what is more and bigger, let us pay attention to the simple and humble. 

The simple and humble is the sign that God wants us to look at.

16th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 21.07.2024

 Jeremiah 23:1-6 / Ephesians 2:13-18 / Mark 6:30-34

There is a question about life that we wish we could answer, and yet, we can't. 

And that question is this: If we can live life all over again, would our life be different from what it is now? 

As much as we wish we could answer that question, we can only dwell on it with imagination. 

That is because we cannot go back in time and live life all over again.

But there are times when we do imagine about the “what if”question.

What if I were born into a rich family? What would my life be like now? 

What if I were more intelligent and had better qualifications? What would my profession be like now? 

What if I did not respond to God's call to the priesthood? What would I be doing in life now? 

The “what if” question brings us into the imaginary world of imaginary possibilities. 

However, it may also lead us to regret about some choices and decisions that we have made in life. 

But, snapping out of our imagination, and coming back to the reality of our situation, we ask ourselves this question. 

And the question is, what do I feel about life? Am I happy? Am I contented? What is it that I am looking for in life? 

In the gospel, when the apostles rejoined Jesus, they told Him about all they had done and taught. 

Jesus had sent them out to preach repentance, cast out demons and to cure sick. 

With the authority and power of God, they accomplished amazing signs and wonders. 

They were very much sought after by the peoples, so much so that they had no time even to eat. 

It was then that Jesus told them that they are going away to a lonely place by themselves to rest for a while. 

Besides the need for physical rest, there is something else that needs to rest. 

They need to have a spiritual rest, to rest their minds and hearts. 

They need to put to rest their excitement, their ambitions and their imaginations. 

They need to rest so that they can clear away all the distraction and people's attention, and focus on God’s mission. 

We too have our share of distractions, we look for people's attention, and we have our imagination about what we want in life. 

We too need to have a rest, so as to clear our minds and hearts. 

We too need a time to be alone with Jesus, as He shows us the meaning and the mission of our lives. 

There's this story of “The Giving Tree” (by Shel Silverstein). It is a simple story, but it tells us a lot about life as well as about ourselves.

Once there was a tree. And she loved a little boy. And every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves, and make them into crowns and play king of the forest. 

He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches, and when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree very much. And the tree was happy. 

But time went by, and the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said: "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy. 

"I am too big to climb and play," said the boy. "I want to buy thing and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?" 

"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in city. Then you will have money and you'll be happy." 

And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away. And the tree was happy... 

But the boy stayed away for a long time and the tree was sad. And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy, and she said: "Come Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy”. 

"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?" 

"I have no house," said the tree. “The forest is my house," said the tree, "but you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy." 

And so, the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build a house. And the tree was happy. 

But the boy stayed away for a long time and the tree was sad. And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak. 

"Come, Boy, " she whispered, "Come and play."   

"I am too old and sad to play,” said the boy. "I want a boat that will take me away from here. Can you give me a boat?" 

"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away and be happy." And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away. 

And the tree was happy … but not really. 

And after a long time, the boy came back again. "I am sorry, Boy, " said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you — my apples are gone." 

"My teeth are too weak for apples, " said the boy. 

"My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them." 

"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy. 

"My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb." 

"I am too tired to climb," said the boy. 

"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something. . . but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry..." 

"I don't need very much now," said the boy, "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired." 

"Well" said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could. "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down... and rest." And the tree was happy...

And the same can be said of the Boy; he would be happy just to sit and rest.

And that is also what Jesus is telling us today.

Let us come to Him and rest in prayer.

That is really what we need in life to be happy.

15th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 14.07.2024

 Amos 7:12-15 / Ephesians 1:3-14 / Mark 6:7-18

When there is some work to be done, we would look for people who would be able to do the job well. 

So, if we want to renovate our homes, we would look for interior designers and contractors who have a good reputation. 

But of course, we would need to pay for their services. 

But, let's say, if we have a friend who has an interest in interior designing and DIY renovations. 

And he offers to help us with the design and the renovation of our home, would we take up his offer? 

The question is whether our preference is for the work to be done by professionals, or to be handled by amateurs. 

With professionals, we can expect and demand for a job well done. 

As for amateurs, there is certainly an obvious risk. And certainly, we can't entrust an important work or project to amateurs. 

At best, they will be able to deliver a “can-do” or “okay” job.

At worst, they will stumble and fumble, and may even end up creating more problems. 

But that word “amateur” has an interesting origin. The root word is “amare,” which in Latin means love. 

So, it means that amateurs have an interest and an attitude of love in what they do. 

In the gospel Jesus summoned the Twelve, and sent them out in pairs, giving them authority over unclean spirits. 

And He also instructed them to take nothing with them, except a staff, which is the symbol of the authority of Jesus. 

They are to preach repentance, cast out devils, and anoint sick people with oil to cure them. 

So, the Twelve had no instruction manual, no prayer book and no tried-and-trusted medicine. And by Human Resource standards, the Twelve are unqualified and unsuitable for the mission entrusted to them. 

By human expectations and standards, the Twelve look like some odd leftover rag-tag group of amateurs, who won't be able to achieve anything important, or get anything important done. 

We would wonder, why would Jesus choose those kinds of people as His disciples and for such a mission. 

He should have chosen the talented and gifted, the qualified and the certified, for such an important mission. 

But, that is the way of God isn’t it, so unexpected and so mysterious, and yet so enlightening and so unconforming. 

God chooses the lowly and humble, God chooses the amateurs, to show His power and His might. 

God wants to tell us that He will do the best, and we just do the rest. Yes, God will do the best, and we just do the rest.

     There is a story of a conversation between Jesus and an angel, which is purely fictional, but illustrates a good point.

     After Jesus ascended to heaven, an angel approached Him and said, "Master, You must have suffered terribly for men down there." "I did," He said. "And," continued the angel, "do they know all about how You loved them and what You did for them?"

     "Oh, no," said Jesus, "not yet. Right now only a handful of people know." The angel was perplexed. "Then, what have you done to let everyone know about Your love for them?"

     Jesus said, "I've asked Peter, James, John, and the rest of the Twelve apostles to tell other people about Me. Those who are told will in turn tell other people about Me, and My story will be spread to the furthest ends of the world. Ultimately, all of mankind will have heard about My life and what I have done for them."

     The angel frowned and looked rather skeptical. He knew well how weak and poor human beings are. 

"But what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down in the  21st century, people just don't tell others about You? Haven't you made any other plans?"

And Jesus answered, "I haven't made any other plans. I'm counting on them”

Well, twenty centuries later...Jesus still has no other plan!

There is no "plan B". Jesus counted on His Apostles and early disciples, and they somehow delivered.

Jesus is calling us and counting on us, even though we feel that we are unworthy, unqualified, unsuitable amateurs. 

But Jesus is telling us that He will do the best and we just need to pray and do the rest. 

Yes, we just need to pray, and as we do the rest, Jesus will show us the marvels and the wonders that He will work through us, His beloved amateurs.