21st Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 24.08.2025

 Isaiah 66:18-21 / Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 / Luke 13:22-30 

Life is often said to be like a race and a competition. 

It is all about being the first, being the best, and being the most. 

And there is no doubt where the spotlight will shine on. 

It shines on the first, the best and the most. 

Another way of looking at it is like that of a lighted candle. 

What attracts is the flame of the candle that gives out light. 

But what goes unnoticed is the darkness at the base of the candle. 

The same can be said of a lighthouse. In the darkness of the night, only the light at the top of the lighthouse is seen shining brightly. 

And like the candle, it is dark at the foot of the lighthouse. 

So, even the brightest light casts a shadow at its base. 

Adding on to that, when the light is brightest, the shadows are also the darkest. 

The gospel passage begins with Jesus going through the towns and villages, and He went about teaching. 

And then someone asked Him: Sir, will there be only a few saved? 

That question is like asking a teacher: How many students will score an A? 

This weekend, the Church in Singapore highlights Catholic education in Catholic schools. 

Whenever education is discussed, the general inclination is about examinations and results. Good results will mean entry into good schools, and also towards a bright career path. 

But education is more than just a means to making a living. 

Education is a means to living life with dignity and meaning. 

So, as much as results are an indication, the formation of character and integrity of life is important. 

There is a story of two professors who were discussing about their lectures. 

One professor said: They are about 200 students attending my lectures. How many students are there in your lectures? 

The other professor replied: There are also about 200 who are attending my lectures, but I don't know how many are really my students. 

This may help us to understand what Jesus said: Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because many will try to enter and not succeed. 

So, to attend the lectures does not mean that that is true knowledge and understanding. 

To hear the gospel does not mean we have listened to the voice of Jesus. 

To be in the spotlight, or to be in the limelight, does not mean that we are enlightened. 

As we reflect on Catholic education in Catholic schools, we pray for the teachers and the students. 

The mission of the teacher is to proclaim the light of truth and love in the sharing of knowledge and understanding. 

Teachers are like a lighted candle. The light may not be seen by everyone, but it will reach those who are seeking it. So, keep shining.

Because there are students who need to see the light. 

They need to know that it is dark at the base of the candle. 

They need to know that the first can become the last, and the last can become the first. 

They need to be shown the narrow door, but it is the door that leads to life and love.

May teachers and students, and parents, be blessed with wisdom, knowledge and understanding by Jesus, who is our Teacher and who is the Light of the world.

20th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 17.08.2025

 Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 / Hebrews 12:1-4 / Luke 12:49-53 

It is often said that we live in a small world, a small world in the figurative sense of the word. 

We will see how true this is when we realize, and are amazed, at how closely we are connected to each other. 

We may have a friend, who is related to someone else, who in turn is related to someone else, and then that someone else is also related to us. 

So, from being a friend, we suddenly realise that we are distant relatives. 

Indeed, this is a small world, and we are more closely connected than we think. 

With these close connections, then people's views and opinions spread faster and further. 

On a personal level, we can't deny that we can be affected by how others see us, and what they think of us. 

And we will be concerned and anxious about people's views and opinions about us, especially when it is not that pleasant.

In the 1st reading, the prophet Jeremiah's reputation was not favourable to the king’s leading men. 

They wanted to put him to death for disheartening the people with the so-called bad news. 

Even the king wasn't able to stop the leading men from throwing Jeremiah into the well. 

Such is the fate of a true prophet who proclaims the Word of God to those who are not willing to listen. 

In the gospel, what Jesus said would certainly disturb us, and make us wonder about what He meant. 

Jesus talks about bringing fire to the earth, and how He wished it were blazing already. 

Obviously, this fire is in the figurative sense, and it has a deeper meaning. 

It is a spiritual fire that burns away impurities and it is also a fire that enlightens. 

In our interactions and connections with family, relatives and friends, we are very much concerned about their views and opinions. 

Very often, the question that we ask ourselves is this: What will others say? What will people say? 

So yes, we are concerned about what others say and think about us. We are concerned about public opinion. 

So, we will go with the flow, we will conform, we will stay with the majority. 

But, the question is not “What will others say?”, or, “What will people say?” 

The burning question is this: What will God say? 

In order to hear what God will say, we will have to pray. 

In prayer, we will remember how Jesus responded to others, especially with their snide and disparaging remarks. 

When He was nailed to the Cross, the crowd taunted Him by saying: If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross and save yourself. 

And the other criminal also abused Jesus by saying: If you are the Son of God, save yourself, and us as well. 

But Jesus remained silent and did not do what they wanted Him to do. 

Jesus did what God wanted Him to do, and that is to bear with the abusing and disparaging. 

In listening to God, and obeying God, Jesus won salvation for us. 

The 2nd reading urges us with this: Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection. 

May the fire of God's love enlighten us to listen to what He is saying to us.

And may we obey and follow Jesus, and walk with Him towards salvation.

19th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 10.08.2025

 Wisdom 18:6-9 / Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 / Luke 12:32-48

Sixty years ago, a small little island country began her journey of independence. 

That little island country was hardly noticeable in the world map. 

With no hinterland, no natural resources, and no advantages, there was not much of a future to think about. 

The independence was also nothing much to celebrate, because it came on quite suddenly. 

The future of the nation, and survival became a priority and a necessity. 

Needless to say, we are talking about our own country, and yesterday we celebrated sixty years of independence on a bright and high note. 

But we must not forget how we started off as an independent nation. 

We had nothing to speak of, but now we are rather well off. 

In retrospect, we can say that God looked upon our country with compassion and kindness. 

In the opening lines of today's gospel, Jesus said to His disciples: There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. 

That seems to remind our country that sixty years ago, God was gracious, and our country grew and developed and progressed with God's blessings. 

That is what the Church in Singapore must believe in, and we must also believe that the Church, in that early independence era, prayed for the country and for the nation. 

That is also similar to what the 1st reading is saying, as it recalls how God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. 

When the people put their trust in God, they joyfully took courage at what lies ahead. 

The 2nd reading reiterated this when it said that only faith can guarantee the blessings we hope for. 

So, as the Church in Singapore, we pray that our country will grow and develop in the ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. 

But we the Church must also be reminded to pray for ourselves. 

As life becomes more settled and comfortable, our faith will also become less fervent. 

We will begin to rely more and more on material security and worldly resources. 

Prayer becomes less fervent and less urgent. 

And here, Jesus reminds us with this: See that you are dressed for action, and have your lamps lit. 

Jesus reminds us to keep vigil and to be on the watch with prayer. 

Already, there are gaps and cracks in the faith of the Church as there is little or no family prayer. 

Also, married couples are facing difficulties and problems in their marital relationships. 

Stress levels are rising with the cost of living, and affecting physical and mental health. 

The situation seems to be tensed, anxious and worrisome as it was sixty years ago. 

But like sixty years ago, let us hold tight to our faith and fortify ourselves with prayer. 

With faith and prayer, we will have hope. 

With faith in God and with fervent prayer, we will be signs of hope to our country, to our Church, and also to the next generation.

18th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 03.08.2025

 Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 / Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 / Luke 12:13-21 

It is not a pleasant experience to be reprimanded or scolded. 

We would also feel embarrassed and offended if we are reprimanded or scolded in public. 

Very often heated arguments and even fist-fights are a consequence of some reprimanding or scolding. 

But that also reveals this fiery anger within us that can erupt into a sudden violence. 

And we don't only react when we are reprimanded or scolded. 

We also have a few sharp things to criticize about others. 

We may not like the behaviour or attitude of some people, or how they talk, or what they wear. 

We wish we can just tell them off, even publicly, so as to teach them a lesson. 

But of course, we are smarter than that, and we also don't want to get ourselves into trouble. 

So, we will use third-party means to hit at those we want to reprimand or scold. 

In other words, we want to get others to do the dirty work for us. 

And that is like what we heard in the gospel. 

A man in the crowd said to Jesus: Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance. 

And Jesus replied: My friend, who appointed me to be your judge or arbitrator of your claims? 

In effect, Jesus was telling that man to go and resolve that matter himself. 

But Jesus went on further to give a teaching on avarice, which is an extreme greed for wealth or material gain. 

And He also told a parable to emphasize that a man's life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than enough. 

In that parable, the rich man wanted to hoard more and more so as to be secure and comfortable for the rest of his life. 

And then in the parable, God spoke: Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul. And this hoard of yours, whose will it be then? 

It is not often that Jesus would portray God as reprimanding with such sharp words. 

The one word that summarizes the teaching in the parable is the word “Fool”. 

The 1st reading would call that vanity. Whether it is foolishness or vanity, in the end it comes to nothing. 

Because without God, everything comes to nothing. 

A story has it that a grandfather was teaching his grandson about good and evil. 

The grandfather said: There are like two lions within me. One is a white lion and the other is a black lion, and they are always fighting against each other. 

The grandson asked: So, grandpa, who will win? 

The grandfather replied. The one that I feed, that one will win. 

In the spiritual life, we have to make a decision between God and greed. 

The 2nd reading says that greed is the same thing as worshiping a false god.

In our greed, we want to possess things. But what we want to possess, will eventually possess us.

But when we turn to God and put our lives in His hands, then we will focus on the heavenly riches of love, kindness, generosity, gentleness, understanding and compassion. 

May we also share these heavenly riches with those who need to be freed from foolishness and greed.

17th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 27.07.2025

  Genesis 18:20-32 / Colossians 2:12-24 / Luke 11:1-13

The art of communication is indeed a form of art. It has to be learned, it has to be practiced, it has to be refined, in order to be good at it. 

Another way of looking at the art of communication is to call it the art of negotiation. 

Practically speaking, it is a way of turning a NO into a YES, or YES into a NO. 

Maybe this example will give us the idea:

Father says to his son: I want you to marry a girl of my choice. 

Son says: No. 

Father says: The girl is Bill Gate’s daughter. Son says: Then okay. 

Father goes to see Bill Gates and says: I want your daughter to marry my son. 

Bill Gates says: No. 

Father says: My son is the CEO of the World Bank. 

Bill Gates says: Then okay. 

Father goes to the President of the World Bank and says: Appoint my son as CEO of your bank. 

President says: No. 

Father says: He is the son-in-law of Bill Gates. President says: Then okay. 

Call that the art of communication, or the art of negotiation, or the art of confusion, or whatever, there is one important factor that needs to be noted. 

And that is, we have to know who we are talking to. 

In the 1st reading, we can say that Abraham was pushing all the buttons as he seems to be bargaining with God for the lives of the people of the two wicked towns. 

Abraham knew that God is merciful and compassionate. 

So, he asked questions like, “Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner? Will the Judge of the whole earth not administer justice?” 

This conversation between God and Abraham revealed a couple of truths. 

Abraham spoke daringly, but he also knows who he is, and he knows that God is merciful and forgiving. 

He expressed it in statements like, “I am bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am just dust and ashes. I trust my Lord will not be angry.” 

That conversation between God and Abraham also revealed the nature of God. 

Besides being merciful and forgiving, God listens to His people, and even allows them to speak daringly to Him. 

That 1st reading tells us how intimate God is to His people. 

And in the gospel, Jesus also tells us how much God loves us. 

Jesus tells us to ask and it will be given to us, to search and we will find, to knock and the door will be opened to us. 

And Jesus goes on further to say that the one who asks always receives, the one who searches always finds, and the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. 

But we know that from experience, when we pray to God for need, the answer is either a Yes, or a NO, or a LATER. 

A “Yes” is when God wants us to act immediately. 

A “No” is because God has something better for us.

And a “Later” means that it is not yet time. 

We may be able to understand what it means by “Later”, but there can also be a “yes and no” answer, a so-called “in-between” kind of answer. 

The following story may help us understand this. 

A priest was sharing that when he was discerning his call to the priesthood, he decided to ask God for a difficult sign. 

He decided to ask God to show him a blue moon, which he thought will never happen. 

Then one day, as he was driving and listening to the radio, out came this song: “Blue moon, you saw me standing alone …” 

Immediately he stopped the car and he knew he had to say yes to God. 

So, that priest asked for a difficult sign from God.

He did not get exactly what he asked for, but yes, he knew it when God gave him the sign.

So let us ask, let us search, and let us knock.

God will listen to our prayer, and every prayer that is uttered is also every prayer answered. 

And when God speaks, when God shows, may the Holy Spirit help us to listen, to see and to do what God is asking of us.

16th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 20.07.2025

Genesis 18:1-10 / Colossians 1:24-28 / Luke 10:38-42

One of the things in life that creates problems for us is that we expect the expected. 

And because we expect what we are expecting, then we begin to imagine our expectations. 

Even if our imagination doesn't run that wild, we would already have built up our expectations. 

A story goes that with her birthday approaching, a woman was expecting a gift from her husband. 

She wanted a specific gift, a diamond necklace, and so she hinted to her husband that she had a dream, that she received a diamond necklace for her birthday. 

The husband replied, “We will see” and then he went to work. 

That day the wife kept imagining and dreaming about the diamond necklace. 

In the evening, the husband came back from work with a parcel and gave it to his wife. 

The wife was so excited and she quickly opened up the parcel. 

In it was a book, and the title is: The meaning of dreams. 

In life, we spend quite a bit of time dreaming and imagining our expectations. 

Although there is this saying, “Expect the unexpected”, the reality is that we expect the expected. 

In other words, we want life to happen the way we expect it to happen. 

And when it doesn't, then we get flustered and frustrated. 

So, actually, we created our own problems with our own expectations. 

In the gospel, when Martha welcomed to Jesus into her home, she had expected Mary, her sister, to help in the serving. 

But when Mary sat at the Lord's feet, listening to Him speaking, Martha became distracted. 

So, Martha complained to Jesus, and she expected Him to tell Mary to help out in the serving. 

The reply of Jesus was rather unexpected, and caught Martha by surprise, and it would also make us think. 

We too worry and fret about so many things because we have high expectations of others. 

From our children we expect academic excellence.

From our parents, we expect our share of the inheritance. 

From our spouse, we expect dedication and affection. 

From our superiors, we expect understanding and compassion. 

From our subordinates, we expect agreement and compliance. 

And from God we expect providence. 

So instead of saying “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”, it becomes “Listen Lord, your servant is speaking”. 

In the 1st reading the Lord appeared to Abraham, but not in the usual way that Abraham expected. 

Abraham had been expecting the fulfillment of the promise of God for a son. 

Then that day, when he was sitting at the entrance of his tent at the hottest time of the day, he saw three men nearby. 

They appeared unexpectedly, and they came at an unexpected time, which is the hottest time of the day. 

Still, Abraham got up and welcome them, and in doing so, God answered Abraham's prayer and fulfilled His promise. 

But it was so unexpected, and certainly not in a way Abraham expected. 

The 2nd reading would call it the mysterious ways of God, His ways which are beyond human understanding and expectation. 

So, when unexpected events happen, when unexpected people come our way, and all that happening at an unexpected time, let us not worry and fret. 

Let us look and listen to what the Lord Jesus is saying and showing us. 

And let us remember that spiritual saying: Peace begins when expectation ends.

Whether we are expecting the expected, or expecting the unexpected, let us know what it is that we really want and what we are really longing for.

What we long for, what we really want, is peace in our hearts.

We don’t want to waste our lives burning away with worry and fret.

We don’t want to waste our time expecting this or expecting that.

We want peace. And peace begins when expectation ends.

15th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 13.07.2025

 Deuteronomy 30:10-14 / Colossians 1:15-20 / Luke 10:25-37

The word “convenient” is a nice sounding word, and with it comes certain expectations. 

Convenient means that the situation or the circumstances fit well into our needs, into our schedules and into our plans. 

Convenient may also mean involving little trouble or effort. 

And we like it when life has its conveniences and makes us comfortable. 

Just think about the 24-hour convenience stores that are also conveniently located. 

If we ever need something like an instant meal or some common grocery at an odd hour, those convenient stores would probably have what we are looking for. 

And in our country, we are spoiled with convenience. 

There are those 24-hour petrol stations, 24-hour food outlets and 24-hour department stores. 

So, it is like whatever we want and whenever we want it, it is conveniently there for us. 

All these conveniences of life, however, create an attitude in us. 

It makes us take things for granted and feel entitled.

In the gospel, a lawyer wanted to disconcert Jesus, and he asked Him about what needs to be done to inherit eternal life. 

The lawyer wanted to unsettle Jesus. Since he was a lawyer, Jesus asked him about what is written in the Law. 

And the lawyer was precise: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart come up with all your soul, with all the strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.

But the lawyer still didn't let go, and was anxious to justify himself, and so he asked a rather questionable question: And who is my neighbour. 

And out of the lips of Jesus, came this beautiful parable of what is commonly known as the parable of the Good Samaritan. 

More than just a Good Samaritan, he can also be called a Strange Samaritan. 

Like the priest and the Levite, he also can be excused for not helping the injured man. 

The priest and the Levite had to keep themselves ritually clean for their religious duties, and cannot be defiled with blood. 

Samaritans and Jews had a hostility towards each other, so the Samaritan was not obligated at all to help the injured man. 

But whether it was the priest, or the Levite or the Samaritan, there is no doubt that it would be very inconvenient to help the injured man. 

But as the parable shows us, the response to inconvenience is compassion. 

The Samaritan traveller was moved with compassion when he saw the injured man. 

The Samaritan could have gone the way of convenience, and looked away, and walked away. 

But he looked at the injured man, and he was moved with compassion towards him. 

In a world where we go with convenience and what is convenient, we may not want to think about compassion. 

As we heard in the parable, to be moved by compassion would mean that it is going to be inconvenient, is going to be troublesome, and we may even have to fork out money to pay for someone else's problem. 

And it is also not convenient to be a Christian. 

Just as the Samaritan is commonly called “good”, we too have an adjective before our religious identity, and that is “compassionate Catholic”. 

The second reading says that Jesus is the image of the unseen God, and we are the image of the compassion of Christ. 

In the first reading, Moses tells the people that God's Word is very near to them, it is in their mouths, it is in their hearts, for their observance. 

So is the compassion of Christ. It is in our heart, in our soul, in our mind and in our strength.

It was compassion that moved the Samaritan. 

It is the compassion of Christ that will also move us. 

May the compassion of Christ move us away from our desire for convenience and for what is convenient. 

And may the compassion of Christ move us to be compassionate and loving, and to look at that neighbour whom we have been conveniently avoiding.

14th Ordinary Sunday, Year C, 06.07.2025

 Isaiah 66:10-14 / Galatians 6:14-18 / Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

We have heard of the Seven Wonders of the world, or to be exact, the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. 

Of these seven wonders of the ancient world, only one remained, and that is the Great Pyramids in Egypt. 

The other six wonders exist only as drawings of artists’ imagination. 

Following after the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, now there are more wonders. 

So, there are wonders of the modern world, wonders of the technological world, the wonders of the scientific world, the wonders of the industrial world. 

While each may be a wonder of its own, the common factor about all of them is that they are man-made. 

Mankind, as well as individuals of the human race, have this tendency to make a name for themselves, as well as to leave a legacy behind. 

Even though they came into this world with nothing, and will leave this world with nothing, yet somehow, they want to leave something behind. 

Some want to conquer and build empires so that their names will be remembered. 

Some want to be ultra rich and have buildings and businesses named after them. 

Some want to be popular and famous, so that their names will be echoed into the future. 

In the end, it is about wanting to make a name for themselves, so as to be remembered. 

But like the wonders of the ancient world, or even like the wonders of this present world, it will be a name without a memory, and a name without a legacy. 

In the gospel, Jesus sent 72 disciples out for mission as labourers in the Lord's harvest. 

The 72 disciples were not named, but we know what they were told to do. 

They were to bring peace to whatever house they go into. 

They were to cure the sick and to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. 

The disciples came back rejoicing and reported to Jesus that even the devils submit to them when they call upon His name. 

Jesus affirmed them, and then He said: Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you. Rejoice rather than your names are written in heaven. 

The disciples did wonderful work, but they could also be tempted to be a wonder in themselves, and make a name for themselves. 

What is important is not to make a name for ourselves on earth. 

Jesus will write our names in heaven when we do what He tells us. 

Like the 72 disciples, we are to bring the peace of Jesus to wherever we go. 

For those in pain and suffering, we bring comfort and healing with the power of the Good News of God's Kingdom. 

And we have to believe that this peace and power are already given to us by Jesus. 

We just have to be what He wants us to be, and we don't have to try too hard to be wonderful. 

There is a story of the wind having a discussion with the sun about who is stronger. 

The wind saw a man with a coat, and the wind said to the sun: I will blow the coat off the man. 

So, the wind blew with all its might, but the more it blew, the tighter the man clung on to his coat. 

So, the wind gave up and said to the sun: Now you try to take off his coat. 

Without a word, the sun just shined brightly, and the man felt warm, and so he naturally took off his coat. 

Very often, we just have to believe who we are because of Jesus who is with us, and we will naturally bring peace to others.

We are like a lighted candle. We don't have to tell others we are shining. 

It is enough to be the light of Christ shining in the darkness, and bringing peace and hope for others. 

A priest asked a parishioner, what does she expect of the Church. 

Her reply is this: I want a simple and a quiet Church, a Church where I can pray and be at peace, a Church where I am strengthened by the gentle power of Jesus Christ. 

Let us be that Church, a Church of peace and prayer, a Church that is like a lighted candle shining quietly in the darkness. 

A Church that is wonderful because we proclaim the name of Jesus.

Sts Peter and Paul, Year C, 29.06.2025

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

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

There is something common in all these people. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Corpus Christi, Year C, 22.06.2025

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

There are many reasons why people come to Church. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trinity Sunday, Year C, 15.06.2025

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

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

These are most obvious in the engineering and technological areas. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today, the Church celebrates Holy Trinity Sunday. 

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

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

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

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

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

But as we know, the Church can be messy. 

The many Christian denominations say it all about Christian unity. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The Folded Page”.

“Up in the attic of an old house,

as raindrops pattered down on the roof,

I sat paging through my old schoolbook.

“I came to a page that was folded down.

Across it was written in my own childish hand:

‘The teacher says we should leave this for now.

It’s too hard to understand.’

“I unfolded the page and read it. 

Then I smiled and nodded my head and said, 

‘The teacher was right; now I understand.’

“There are many pages in the book of life

that are hard to understand.

All we can do is fold them down and write:

‘The Master says to leave this for now.

It’s too hard to understand.’

“Then, someday in heaven,

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

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

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

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

the courage to change the things I can, 

and the wisdom to know the difference. 

Pentecost, Year C, 08.06.2025

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

Generally speaking, life unfolds in two ways. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 1st reading describes how the first Pentecost happened. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 01.06.2025

  Acts 7:55-60 / Apocalypse 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 / John 17:20-26

If we know that something is going to happen, then we will surely make preparations for it. 

Of course, we can't predict the future, and there is no need to read about what the horoscopes say. 

But there are obvious indications of what we need to plan and what to prepare for the future. 

For example, we need financial security and insurance coverage for what might happen in life. 

So, we save up for a rainy day, and we will buy life insurance, health insurance and hospital insurance. 

What we think is necessary, and if we are able to afford it, we should get it done. 

Because if we don't help ourselves to plan and prepare for the future, then there will be no one to help us when we are in need. 

And there's no need to plan too much. 

What is necessary and obvious, we should know. 

It is a matter of pondering and thinking about it, and getting it done. 

The gospel is part of a long prayer of Jesus. Jesus prayed that we, His church, will be united as one. 

Just as He and the Father are one, Jesus prayed that we, His Church, will also be one in God. 

Jesus said this prayer at the Last Supper, so it was His last prayer before He was arrested. 

Jesus knew what was going to happen soon. One of His disciples will betray Him, another will deny Him, the others will desert Him. Because He knew what was going to happen, He prayed that His disciples will be reunited, and united with love and in love. 

But that prayer is not just for His disciples. 

It is also for the many generations of Christians to come. 

Throughout the history of the Church, there were heresies and schisms which have broken up and torn the Church apart. 

Besides the division from within, there were also threats of persecution resulting in some Christians giving up and renouncing their faith. 

One such external threat was in the 5th century when the merciless barbarian Attila the Hun ravaged Italy and was about to attack the city of Rome. 

The pope then, Pope Leo I, or Leo the Great, went to meet at Attila to persuade him not to attack Rome. 

The historical fact is that Attila the Hun turned back and did not attack Rome. 

It was said that Pope Leo had prepared for the meeting with Attila by first celebrating the Eucharist, and then he went out in procession with the faithful, chanting prayers and singing hymns. 

There are many reasons as to why Attila turned back and did not attack Rome. 

There is also a legend that when Attila saw Pope Leo, he reportedly also saw two huge figures with Pope Leo. 

Those two figures were said to be St Peter and St. Paul, and they threatened Attila, and so he got frightened and retreated. 

But what is important for us to know is that Pope Leo prepared himself with prayer, and it was the hand of God that drove Attila away. 

This Sunday is in that period of time between the Ascension and Pentecost Sunday. 

Jesus told His disciples and the Church before He ascended, to pray and to wait to be clothed with the power from on high. 

That power from on high is none other than the gift of the Holy spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, our Protector, who will help us and lead us and guide us as we journey on in faith. 

The Holy Spirit will teach us all that we need to know, and He will prompt us as to what to prepare and what to do. 

So, we need to pray so as to be able to listen to the Holy Spirit and to be aware of His promptings. 

It is the Holy Spirit who will unite us to God and to one another in love and in peace.

6th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 24.05.2025

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 / Apocalypse 21:10-14, 22-23 / John 14:23-29

Outward appearances give impressions, and often they may have lasting impressions. 

So, in order to make impressions, and if so desired, then the attention will be focused on the image and appearances. 

And grooming the image and the appearance is big business. 

But it must be said that what we see is not all there is. 

There is more to what we see, there is more than just image and appearances. 

For example, in one of the comic book superheroes, his suit has a letter “S” which is encased in a diamond shaped frame. 

Almost immediately we will associate it with Superman, but that logo or emblem is more than just that.

Or, let us talk about food. It is said that the presentation is as important as the taste. 

But one of our favourite local dishes goes contrary to that saying. 

We are talking about “char kuey teow”. It fails in looks, appearance and presentation, but it is fabulous in taste. 

So, there are many things in life that have much more to tell us. 

And it is not just things, but there are also many people that we come across in our lives, who have many things to tell us. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that He will send the Holy Spirit who will teach us everything and also remind us of all that Jesus had taught us. 

But in order for the Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us and to prompt us, there is one requirement. 

Our hearts must be made to be the home for God, and then in the depths of our hearts, the Holy Spirit will speak God's Word to us. 

And God’s Word will remind us, teach us, prompt us and reveal to us what we need to know. 

And what God's Word will remind us, teach us, prompt us and reveal to us is the gift of peace. 

Only Jesus can give us this peace, and it is a peace that the world cannot give, nor can we create it for ourselves. 

With the peace of God in our hearts, we will not be troubled or afraid, even though we may not know what the future is going to be like. 

With peace in our hearts, we know that we are saved by the love of God, and not by any superpower or superhero. 

Anyway, talking about that superhero with the “S” emblem on his suit, the story behind the emblem is that it does not stand for Superman. 

Rather, the story is that the “S” in the Superman emblem represents the Kryptonian symbol for hope, and it is the family crest of the house of El, which is Superman's family.

So, it is not a simple “S” but a stylized Kryptonian symbol for hope and justice. 

So, even the comic book superheroes have something to reveal about hope and justice, and also about truth, love and salvation. 

Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit, who will teach us about the ways of God. 

The Holy Spirit will remind us that we are saved by the love of God. 

The Holy Spirit will also reveal what God wants us to see, so that we can understand deeper the marvels of God. 

And Holy Spirit will also prompt us to do the will of God and to speak the words of God. 

Let us believe in God's gifts of peace, love and the Holy Spirit. 

And we will see the wonders and the marvels of God.

5th Sunday of Easter, Year C, 18.05.2025

Acts 14:21-27 / Apocalypse 21:1-5 / John 13:31-35

The word “goodbye” is a common word, and it is also a word that is used daily. 

It is usually shortened to “bye”, and we say to our loved ones when we leave the house.

We say it to our colleagues after work, we say it to our friends after a gathering, and we say it because it is customary to do so.

The word “goodbye” or “bye” is so common and used so often that it is said casually. 

It is with an expectation that we will meet again, sooner or later, in the future. 

It is not expected to be a final goodbye, or with the knowledge that the goodbye means that we will not be meeting again. 

But there are occasions when the goodbye is the final goodbye. 

And then there are some people who may not have the opportunity to say the last goodbye to us. 

But whether the goodbye is said or not, their memory lingers on in our minds. 

In the gospel, when Judas left the group, he did not say goodbye to anyone. 

He was so obsessed with betraying Jesus, that his mind was focused on carrying out that plan of betrayal. 

When Judas had left, Jesus talked about Himself being glorified and God being glorified. 

For Jesus, He knew that His hour had come, and that by His suffering and death, it would be His hour of glory. 

But His disciples did not know that, and so He had to prepare them for His departure. 

So, He told them that He will not be with them much longer. 

But He will leave them with something to remember, and that is to love one another, just as He has loved them. 

And by that love for one another, others will know that they are His disciples. 

The disciples remembered those words. They also realized later that those were the departing words of Jesus. 

Those were His final words of goodbye. 

And those parting words of Jesus were understandable, practical and spiritual. 

The early disciples like Paul and Barnabas in the 1st reading carried out their mission with those words. 

With those words of Jesus, they put fresh hearts into the other disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. 

Yes, we must remember those words of Jesus, and that is to love one another as Jesus has loved us. 

And we also remember the parting words of those who have loved us with the love of Jesus. 

We remember the late Pope Francis who said to his personal health assistant, “Thank you for bringing me to the Square.” 

It was there at St. Peter's Square, on Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis imparted his final apostolic blessing on the Church and on the world. As we know Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday.

So, as much as it seemed that Pope Francis said to his personal health assistant, “Thank you for bring me to the Square”, it could also be that he said that to Jesus to thank Jesus for being able to say goodbye to the people and to bless them.

And we also remember our loved ones and what they said to us before parting. 

Many people say “hi” and “bye” in our lives, but there are some who have left echoes of love in our hearts. 

They echo the words of Jesus: Love one another just as I have loved you. 

It is when we love one another as Jesus has loved us, that He will be present to wipe away the tears of our eyes, and there will be no mourning or sadness, but only the joy of loving one another with the love of Jesus.

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.

4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, 30.03.2025

 Joshua 5:9-12 / 2 Cor 5:17-21 / Luke 15:1-3, 11-32  

Whenever we think about jewellery, a few things will come to mind. 

One of which is the precious metals that make up most of the jewellery. 

And these precious metals are mostly gold and silver. So, there are earrings, bracelets, necklace, rings and brooches that are made from these precious metals. 

Besides that, there are also jewellery made with precious stones, and it is usually diamonds, as well as other precious stones. 

These precious metals and stones are not just valuable, they are also beautiful. 

But in the original form, they look far from precious or beautiful. 

For example, gold and silver are mined from the Earth. They go through a long process of purification before becoming precious and beautiful. 

Similarly for diamonds, they are also mined from the Earth. 

In the raw form, they are rough stones, which will go through a process of cutting and polishing before becoming valuable and beautiful. 

The gospel parable, which is also known as the parable of a prodigal son, began on a rather tensed situation. 

The tax collectors and sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what He had to say to them. 

The Pharisees and the scribes complained about Jesus being in the company of sinners, and so He told them this parable. 

The parable touches on family relationships and the main focus is on that younger son. 

That younger son was rough enough to ask for his share of the inheritance, and then went on to squander it away in a far off country. 

He had to go through a cutting and grinding experience of hunger and humiliation that made him come to his senses. 

And he had the humility and the sensibility to go back to his father in repentance and ask for forgiveness. 

There is no doubt that the younger son was a pain for the father, as well as for the elder brother. 

But pain can be transformed into something precious. 

It made that prodigal son realized how precious is his father's love for him. 

As for the father, the pain of his son leaving him transformed it into a precious lesson for us. 

So out of pain, something precious can come about. 

This is what the parable is teaching us, and this is also the reality of how those precious pearls come about. 

We may know that pearls are produced by oysters, and those pearls are produced because the oyster experience some kind of pain, or because it was irritated in some way. 

A pearl is actually a healed wound. It is formed when an irritant, like a grain of sand or a parasite, enters into the shell of the oyster. 

To protect itself, the oyster secretes layers of a smooth, shiny substance called nacre, coating the intruder over time. 

Layer by layer, this process continues until a beautiful pearl is formed. 

So, those beautiful pearls are a product of pain. 

It is about transforming something unwanted into something precious and beautiful. 

This also brings to mind the pain and the suffering of Jesus that He went through for us. 

By His wounds we are healed, and His pain brought about the precious love of God for us. 

Let us put the pains of our lives into the hands of Jesus, so that He can transform those pains into beautiful pearls of blessings for us.

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C, 23.03.2025

 Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15 / 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 / Luke 13:1-9

There is one common characteristic in all living beings. 

And that is all living beings can feel pain.

This is most evident in human beings and animals. 

Plants are living things and they may not feel pain like the sentient beings. 

But something usually happens when a branch or stem is cut off from a plant or tree. 

That part of the plant or tree oozes out some sap or liquid. 

We may wonder if that is a sign of pain from the plant or tree. 

Generally speaking, pain is a sign that is calling for attention. 

So, if it is physical pain, then medical consultation is needed. 

And there are also other pains like mental or psychological pains. 

It is said that when we can feel pain, we are alive. And when we can feel other people's pain, then we are human. (Leo Tolstoy) 

So, as much as we want to avoid pain, yet, pain makes us human, and enables us to empathize and have compassion for others who are in pain. 

In the gospel parable, the owner of the vineyard told the gardener to cut down that fig tree that did not bear fruit for 3 years. 

But the gardener felt for that fig tree and asked for one more year. 

In a way, that parable tells us that God is like the gardener who feels our pain. 

Jesus was sent to save us and heal the pain caused by our sins. 

As for us, we can choose to ignore, or to pay attention to our physical and spiritual pains. 

To ignore is to be indignant and to even ask for trouble. 

To pay attention to our pains would make us alive and also to be attentive to what the Lord is showing and telling us. 

And when we heed the call to repentance, then we are also becoming more human. 

We begin to feel the pain of the faults and failings of others, and to feel compassion for them. 

And we have also become like the gardener in the parable; we will also pray and plead for mercy and forgiveness for others and especially for sinners. 

In doing so, we unite ourselves to Jesus in His pain and suffering on the Cross, to save humanity from their sins.

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C (RCIA 1st Scrutiny), 23.03.2025

  Exodus 17:3-7 / Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 / John 4:5-42 (Year A readings)

There are photographs of the planet Earth taken from outer space. 

These photos show a beautiful planet with bluish and whitish shades. 

The reason for this is that our Earth is covered by a large amount of water. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, which gives it a beautiful appearance from outer space. 

Indeed, our Earth, the blue planet, is beautiful because of the water in it. 

Not only is the Earth beautiful because of the water in it, the human body has about 70% of water, and so, human beings, like the Earth, are beautiful. 

Water is a common substance, and yet, it is so vital for life. 

Water washes and cleanses, it also refreshes and hydrates the human body. 

Besides that, other interesting and fascinating aspects of water is that it can exist in three states, that is, as a liquid, as a gas and as ice. 

And water is also flexible in that it takes on the shape of the vessel that it is poured into. 

Indeed, there are many lessons about life that we can learn from water. 

In the gospel, Jesus began conversation with a Samaritan woman by asking for water to drink. 

And from her understanding of water as vital for life, Jesus then talked about living water. 

From her need of water to quench her thirst, she became interested in the living water that will give her eternal life. 

On this third Sunday of Lent, the RCIA Elect begin the period of purification and enlightenment, by reflecting on the physical and spiritual meaning of water as they prepare for baptism. 

They will be baptized with water which will wash away their sins. 

The waters of Baptism is also a living water that will give them eternal life. 

For the Elect, and for us the baptized, we reflect deeper on this common substance of water, as well as Baptism. 

At Baptism, we become like who we are baptized in, and we are baptized in Christ, and therefore we become like Christ. 

We also become like what we are baptized with, and we are baptized with water, and so, we become like water. 

We become not like ordinary water, we become like living water. 

Like water that takes the form of the vessel that it is in, we are like living water that will flow to where and to who Jesus will send us to. 

Also, in the encounter between a stone and water, the lesson that we learn is that the water will prevail. 

The flowing water will smoothen out the rough edges of the stone, and even make the stone beautiful. 

May we let the Living Water from Jesus Christ flow into our minds and hearts, and quench the thirst of our lives. 

And may the Living Water from Jesus Christ cleanse and purify us and also enlighten us. 

May we see that in the soft and gentle water is the power of the love of God, which will forgive us, heal us, sanctify us and make us into living waters for others.