4th Week of Easter, Monday, 12-05-2025

Acts 11:1-18 / John 10:1-10 

In all aspects of our life, there are certainly many options.

We have a choice of where we want to stay, and what kind of house we want to live in.

We can also choose what we wish to eat, and where to deposit our money and what to invest in.

So, in a world of choices, we have the freedom to choose.

But when it comes to faith and what or who to believe in, we can’t have too many choices or options.

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that He is the gate.

Anyone who enters through Him will be safe.

When we believe in Jesus, then we will also profess Him to be our only Lord and Saviour.

There can be no other besides Jesus.

When we are faithful to Jesus even when the times are hard and the going is rough, He will be faithful in His promises to us.

Jesus promised us that in Him we will have life and life to the full.

Let us believe in Jesus, and in Jesus alone, and we will live life to the full.

4th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 11.05.2025

 Acts 13:14, 43-52 / Apocalypse 7:9, 14-17 / John 10:27-30

Earlier this week, for almost two days, the eyes of the Church, and also the eyes of the world, were looking at something rather ordinary and even archaic. 

The object of interest was a chimney, an ordinary old-fashioned chimney. 

But of course, it is more than just that chimney. It was the smoke, and specifically the colour of the smoke, that comes out of that chimney. 

That chimney goes down to the fireplace where the ballots for the election of the next Pope were burnt. 

And the focus is on the colour of the smoke. Black smoke indicates a negative result. 

White smoke means the next Pope is elected. 

But while the focus was on the chimney and the colour of the smoke, something else appeared, and it lightened up a rather sombre and anxious atmosphere. 

Close to that chimney, three seagulls, including a baby seagull, flew in and perched on the roof. 

So, while all the attention was on that Sistine Chapel's chimney, and on the colour of the smoke, those three seagulls took the attention for a while. 

It seems like those three seagulls got a first row seat as they sat perched on the roof around the chimney, just moments before the chimney bellowed out the white smoke.

The conclave was a moment of deep mystery and spiritual significance. 

But in an age of livestream and news commentaries and interviews, it was the seagulls who seem to know exactly where to look, as well as bringing about a lively and affectionate feeling.

In the gospel, Jesus talked about sheep, and specifically the sheep that belong to Him. 

They will listen to His voice and they will follow Him. 

This weekend, as we give thanks to God for the election of the new Pope Leo XIV, the voice of the Good Shepherd rings out again in the Church. 

Pope Leo XIV listened to the voice of the Good Shepherd and accepted the call. 

We the Church must also listen to that same voice and follow the Good Shepherd. 

And we pray for our mothers and all mothers, that they will listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and echo that voice to their children. 

And we also pray for those whom the Good Shepherd is calling to serve Him in the priesthood and religious life. 

May they respond willingly and generously. 

But the voice of the Good Shepherd is difficult to listen to, and also difficult to follow. 

The world has many noisy voices, but the voice of the Good Shepherd calls us to make a sacrifice of love, just as He Himself made that ultimate sacrifice of love to save us. 

And since seagulls appeared at the recent conclave, here is a story about a man and seagulls. 

Every Friday evening, almost without fail, an elderly man would stroll along the beach to the pier, carrying a bucket of shrimps. 

He would stand at the end of the pier, alone with his thoughts and his bucket of shrimps. 

But after a while, seagulls would appear from the evening sky, flying towards that elderly man. 

And that man, surrounded by hungry seagulls, would toss the shrimps to feed them, and as he does this, he would keep saying, “Thank you, thank you.” 

That elderly man was Eddie Rickenbacker, who was an ace fighter pilot in World War I, and in World War II he was an advisor to the US Air Force in the Pacific. 

While he was flying with a bomber crew over the Pacific Ocean, the plane developed engine trouble and crash landed into the sea. 

Eddie and seven other crew members managed to get on a lifeboat. After 3 days, the food ran out, and life was draining away. 

They prayed for help. On the 8th day, after prayers, Eddie leaned back to rest. 

As he was dozing off, he felt something landed on his head. Instinctively, he knew it was a bird, and he quickly grabbed and caught it. It was a seagull. 

The men ate the bird, and caught fish with the seagull’s remains. They survived with that, and were rescued 16 days later. 

But Eddie Rickenbacker never forgot how that seagull appeared out of nowhere, and saved them, physically and emotionally. 

From then on, every Friday evening, Eddie Rickenbacker would walk along the beach to the pier, and feed the seagulls from his bucket of shrimps, remembering that seagull which he believed was sent by the Lord. 

So those three seagulls on a roof of the Sistine Chapel told us where to look. 

The sheep in the gospel tells us who to listen to and who to follow. 

May Pope Leo XIV show us who to look at and who to listen to. 

And may we respond to God by offering Him our hearts that are filled with love and thanksgiving.

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C, 04.05.2025

 Acts 5:27-32, 40-41 / Apocalypse 5:11-14 / John 21:1-19

The elections of our country are over, and we must thank God that elections in our country are peaceful. 

Yes, there are fiery rallies and there are enthusiastic support for the candidates. 

But the real work begins, now that results are announced. 

The promises made at the rallies will have to be fulfilled. 

As for us, the Catholic citizens of Singapore, our work is to pray for our country, and the elected leaders and ministers. 

It is our duty to pray for peace and for the stability of our country, and that we live up to what we pledge as citizens of Singapore. 

But coming up, there is also an equally important and urgent call for prayer. 

This Wednesday, the 7th of May, 133 Cardinals, our Archbishop, Cardinal William Goh, is one of them, will enter the conclave to pray and to elect the next Pope. 

Conclave means “with keys”, and so it means that the conclave is a room that is lockable. 

So, the Cardinals will enter that big room, which is the Sistine Chapel, and then it will be locked. 

And locked away from the world, the Cardinals pray and cast their votes for the next Pope. 

And we, the Church, will also pray that guided by the Holy Spirit, the Cardinals will elect a Pope according to the will of God. 

And we will also pray that the next Pope will lead the Church with the Heart of Jesus. 

And what is the Heart of Jesus like? 

It is the Heart of love and mercy, a Heart that cares for the lowly and the neglected, a Heart that heals the wounded and the hurting. 

And we see that Heart of Jesus in today's Gospel. 

The disciples caught nothing after working all night, and then Jesus came along to tell them where to catch the fish. 

And it is not just catching some fish, but a lot of fish, and that showed the abundance of God's blessings. 

And when they came ashore, the disciples saw that Jesus had prepared breakfast for them. 

And it was after the meal and when their hearts are calmed down, that Jesus asked Peter those three questions. 

Those three questions were not that difficult because it is all about love. 

At this point in time when we stand between the outcome of one election and the outcome of another election, let us come to the core of our faith. 

And the core of our faith is Peter's response to the questions of Jesus: Yes, Lord, You know I love You. 

We love the Lord, and so we pray for our country and our country's leaders, that God will bless us with peace, stability and progress. 

Like the disciples, may we have fish to catch, bread to eat, and love to care and share. 

We love the Lord, and so we pray for the Church and for the next Pope. 

May God bless the next Pope to lead the Church with the Heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd. 

May we always respond with a firm “Yes” to God's love and may we have the courage to go where Jesus is leading us to. 

So, whoever leads our country, and whoever leads the Church, let us always have recourse to prayer, and to remember this:

The will of God will not take us to where the grace of God will not protect us.

2nd Sunday of Easter, Year C, 26.04.2025

 Acts 5:12-16 / Apocalypse 1:9-13, 17-19 / John 20:19-31 

Yesterday afternoon, most of the world's attention was focused on Rome, or more specifically at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City. 

As for us Catholics who couldn't be at the St. Peter's Square, we would be watching the funeral Mass that was being streamed live. 

Together with the Church, we want to bid farewell to our beloved Pope Francis and to pray for him. 

We want to thank God for Pope Francis who led the Church for 12 years. 

We want to thank God for the great blessing of having Pope Francis visiting us in Singapore, and giving us an experience of unity and hope. 

Now that the funeral of Pope Francis is over, the attention will be on the coming Conclave.

The Church, and the world, will await the election of the next Pope. 

But the memory of Pope Francis will linger on, and the legacy that he left behind will still be remembered. 

Pope Francis held the highest office of the Church for 12 years, which was not really a long time. 

But his simple, humble and ordinary lifestyle resonated with many of us. 

After his election as Pope, he took the bus back together with the other Cardinals instead of taking the papal limousine.

 He continued to stay in Casa Santa Martha, which was a guest house for clergy. 

That choice of residence symbolized Pope Francis’ papacy, which was defined by humility, accessibility and the rejection of luxury. 

He also died there, and the Church, and the world, was reminded of how he transformed the papacy and the Church through his living arrangements as much as through his words. 

Little things mattered to Pope Francis. 

After his election as Pope, he called up his newspaper vendor in Argentina to tell him to cancel the newspaper subscription. 

He also personally called up some people to tell them that he won't be coming back to Argentina, and they all thought it was a prank call. 

Pope Francis also taught us that when we give money to the poor, it is not just about putting money into their hands, but also looking into the eyes of the poor. 

Pope Francis brought the Church to regain her core purpose and core mission, and to recover the image of a Church for the poor. 

Yes, little, simple and humble things matter to Pope Francis. 

But, we are tempted and attracted by the big, the grand and the spectacular things. 

In a way, we are quite similar to Thomas in the gospel reading. 

Thomas was not contented with what the rest said about having seen the Risen Christ. 

He not only wanted to see the Risen Christ, he demanded to put his finger and his hand into those wounds. 

Thomas was demanding, he wanted certainty, he wanted it to be spectacular, so that it will be like the biggest news, or like breaking news. 

So, when Jesus appeared again, He addressed those demands of Thomas. 

Whether or not Thomas put his finger into those holes and his hand into the side, the gospel did not say. 

But Thomas made this simple and humble proclamation: My Lord and my God. 

Pope Francis has taught us to move away from the big, the grand, the spectacular and the attractive, and to go back to the core of our humanity, and to the core of our Christianity. 

Like Thomas, we too must say: My Lord and my God. 

And with simplicity, humility and with charity, let us say what we mean, and mean what we say, when it comes to those words “my Lord and my God”.

Easter Sunday, Year C, 20.04.2025

 Easter Sunday C-2025                                                                                                 20-04-25

Life is ironic, and yet surprising. 

Because it takes sadness to know what happiness is. 

It takes noise to appreciate silence. 

And it takes absence to value presence. 

Yes, life is ironic, and the surprise is in the opposite. 

This weekend is what is often called a “long weekend”. 

Since Friday was a holiday, then it can be quite tempting to go for a short trip or do something exciting over the weekend.

But Friday is a religious holiday, and for us Catholics, that means it was a day of fasting and also coming to church. 

It may seem rather ironic to spend a holiday with fasting and praying instead of doing something exciting. 

But the irony is that in giving up what seems exciting that we receive something inspiring. 

We came to church on Good Friday, and there is one thing that we will remember doing. 

We will remember that we came forward to venerate the cross. 

Parents brought their children along and as they kissed the cross, their children did likewise. 

Whether ordinary or celebrity, they went down on their knees to kiss the cross. 

Elderly aunties and uncles took great effort to get down and to kiss the cross and to get up again. 

It is amazing, as well as inspiring. 

It is ironic that the cross of suffering and pain is the majestic object of our veneration and adoration. 

And it is also ironic that in the instrument of death is the symbol of life and love. 

The mystery of the Resurrection is often symbolized in the empty tomb. 

But the irony of the mystery is not in the empty tomb. 

The question the angels had for those who went to the tomb is this: 

Why look among the dead for the One who is alive? 

The question that people may ask us is this:

Why kiss the cross on Good Friday? Why kiss an object of pain and suffering when we can enjoy the holiday and have fun and do something exciting. 

But the irony is that in the symbol of pain and death, we encounter life and love. 

But it is not because of the cross, but because of Jesus who died on it. 

We believe in the Resurrection, not because of the empty tomb, but because of Jesus who rose from the dead, and rolled away the stone of sin and death. 

So, we don't look among the dead for the One who is alive. 

And Jesus lives, not in the empty tomb, but in our hearts. 

With Jesus, let us roll away the stones of sin and death. 

And may our faith in the Resurrection of Christ, bring out the love and life from us, so that others will also come to believe in Jesus who rose from the dead, and will give them life and love.   

5th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 06.04.2025

 Isaiah 43:16-21 / Philippians 3:8-14 / John 8:1-11 

One ordinary item that can be found almost everywhere is the mirror. 

Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes. 

It can be found in bedrooms and in the restrooms. 

It can be found in hairdressing saloons and in boutiques. 

So, mirrors can be found in high and mighty places, as well as in ordinary and lowly places. 

Regardless of where it may be found, if there is a mirror, we would certainly want to look at it or at least glance at it. 

That is because we like to look at ourselves in the mirror. 

It may be out of vanity to see how good we look. 

Or it may be out of curiosity to see if we look good. 

But most of the time, we are concerned with the externals, we are concerned with our appearances. 

Mirrors don't show us the emotional and psychological state of ourselves. 

In the gospel, scribes and Pharisees brought before Jesus, a woman who was caught committing adultery. 

They said that according to the Law, that woman is to be condemned to death by stoning. 

When the scribes and the Pharisees persisted with their question, Jesus made this stunning statement: 

If there is one of you who have not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. 

There was probably silence after that statement. There is no need for any further discussion or questions. 

No stones were thrown, and no one wanted to be around to see if anyone would throw a stone. 

All went away until only Jesus and the woman were left alone. 

That statement of Jesus was like a mirror that each one had to look at. 

What they saw, they had to look away and walk away. 

While they may judge other people's sins, they could not and would not want to look at their own sins.

So, that statement from Jesus was like the mirror of truth that reveals, and yet also conceals. 

We may recall this phrase “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” 

That phrase is from the fairy tale Snow White and the Seven dwarfs, and it was said by the evil queen. 

While that mirror told the truth that the evil queen was the fairest of all, the time came when Snow White was born and that mirror had to say that Snow White was now the fairest of all. 

So, what reflections and thoughts do we have about that statement from Jesus: 

If there is one of you who have not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. 

That statement could be like the mirror of truth that reveals to us that we all have sinned. 

But we may also want to conceal the truth and direct the attention to other people's sins. 

So, even when we look into the mirror of truth, we may accept it for what it reveals. 

Or we can turn it around and let the truth be concealed. 

The problem with this is that we would rather be ruined by praise than to be saved by criticism. 

As we reflect and think about that statement of Jesus, may the Lord God turn the stones of our sins into stepping stones that will lead us to God's mercy and forgiveness.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, RCIA 2nd Scrutiny

 1 Sam 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 / Ephesians 5:8-14 / John 9:1-41 (Year A readings)

When it comes to the sensitive and fragile parts of our body, we will certainly take extra care of them. 

So, to protect the soles of our feet, we have footwear. 

And if our skin is sensitive to strong sunlight, we can wear protective clothing and apply skin lotion. 

But there is a rather sensitive and fragile part of our body that is often left unprotected and exposed. 

It is none other than our eyes.

For those who don't need to wear spectacles, then the eyes are quite exposed and vulnerable. 

On the other hand, there are those who wear dark glasses for one reason or another. 

There is something about our eyes that is necessary in our function as a human being, and in our relationship as a person. 

Our sight is one of our senses, and we use our eyes to see, and then we judge, and then we act. 

But there is something more about our eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul. 

We look into the eyes of a person whom we are in a comfortable relationship. 

But we avoid eye contact with a person whom we feel uneasy with, or that we just want to keep a distance from. 

The gospel began by saying that as Jesus went along, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 

Whenever the Scriptures mentions a seemingly ordinary sentence, like the verse earlier, then usually a divine revelation is about to happen. 

When the gospel mentions that Jesus saw the blind man, that also brings us back to the 1st reading. 

In the 1st reading, God says this to Samuel: God does not see as man sees. Man looks at appearances, but the Lord looks at heart. 

Jesus saw the heart of the blind man, and He saw a man of faith and courage, despite his blindness. 

And indeed, after when the man received his sight, he bore witness to Jesus and spoke up for Him, despite being ridiculed and rejected. 

As the RCIA Elects enter deeper into the period of Purification and Enlightenment with the Second Scrutiny, the Lord is also looking into their hearts, and the Lord is also looking into our hearts. 

But the Lord looks into our hearts to strengthen our faith and courage, so that we can purify our hearts and to make a home in our hearts for Jesus. 

And the Lord also looks into our hearts to enlighten us, so that with our hearts that are filled with light, we will be able to see clearly. 

To see clearly is to see as God sees, and not as man sees. Man looks at appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart. 

So, with our eyes purified and enlightened, let us look at our own hearts. 

And may we look from the things of earth, to the things of above, where God is. 

May we see clearly, may we act wisely, and may we be holy.