1 Kings 19:9, 11-13/ Romans 9:1-5/ Matthew 6:41-51
Last week, I made a discovery, although it was not that fantastic a discovery.
And that discovery came about through an advertisement – it was an advertisement for mooncakes.
When I saw the advertisement on the papers, I thought to myself – Oh it’s time for mooncakes and those little piglets.
But then I remembered that before the mooncakes come in, there is something else happening before that.
Do you know what that is? Yes, it is the Chinese seventh month. Do you know when it started? Yes, last Sunday!
And along with the Chinese 7th month are the bright and loud “ge-tai”s and also the auctions. You can hear them more than a mile away.
And also there are those spooky stories, because it is the popular belief that the gates of the underworld are opened and the spirits roam the earth.
So the Chinese 7th month is also called the Hungry Ghosts Month, for whatever reason.
But it is actually a time to offer prayers for the deceased and to make other offerings for the deceased.
Also during this time, we seem to hear a bit more of those kind of spooky stories – people see white shadows or black shadows.
But let me tell you this – if you see someone, and that someone has got no shadow, then you better quickly walk away.
Better to see white shadow or black shadow than to see someone with no shadow!
Well, these so-called ghost stories always give us the creeps, and undeniably we get affected especially when we come across dark and lonely places.
Yes, those dark, lonely and deserted places are famous for those kinds of spooky appearances.
But have we ever heard of a ghost walking on water during a storm at sea?
Somehow, those conditions don’t seem right for any kind of ghostly appearances.
In the gospel, we heard that the disciples were in the boat and trying to keep afloat during the storm.
Then when Jesus came to them walking on the water, their first reaction was that they thought it was a ghost and they cried out in fear.
Why would they think it was a ghost? What made them think it was a ghost?
Well, essentially it is just one word, a 4-letter word, and it begins with “F”, but it’s not that word we might be thinking of.
The word is fear. Yes, that primal enemy of man that cripples us as human beings and as disciples of Jesus.
Fear caused chaos in the disciples as they faced the uncontrollable powers of the sea and immediately they were terrified.
In the storm, the wind, the waves, and the figure walking on the water, fear gripped them and made them think of ghosts.
In the gospel, the word “ghost” is used to mean “an apparition” (phantasma), a seeing of something unknown, something that we do not have control over.
And there are many things in life we do not have control over.
Like for e.g., we can’t control what others want to say to us, especially those sarcastic and disparaging remarks.
There was a pious woman who always took her Bible and Rosary along with her wherever she went so that she could pray.
One time, she was in a ferry when a storm began to blow up.
She took out her Bible and Rosary and began to pray.
A man who was sitting next to her looked at her and after awhile he turned to her and asked, "You don't really believe all that stuff in the Bible, do you?"
The woman replied, "Of course I do. It is the Bible."
He said, "Well, what about the guy that was swallowed by that whale?"
She replied, "Oh, Jonah. Yes, I believe that, it is in the Bible."
He asked, "Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?"
The woman said, "Well, I don't really know. I guess when I get to heaven, I will ask him."
"What if he isn't in heaven? What if he’s in hell?" the man asked sarcastically.
"Then you can go there and ask him," replied the woman.
The reality of life is that there are many things that we do not have control over.
And because of that, our hearts are troubled with fears, and we create the ghosts of our lives.
One ghost that will haunt us and even break us is the ghost of shame and humiliation.
A church organist was sharing with me about his experience of the first time he played for Mass, and it was just a weekday evening Mass.
To prepare for that Mass, he took the day off and practised at the organ in the morning and the afternoon.
He felt confident enough, so he decided to go for a tea-break before Mass.
He came back just in time for Mass, and when the Mass started, he began to play the opening hymn.
To his horror, the notes sounded different, sounded out of tune, and it just didn’t sound right.
The priest looked at him, the parishioners looked at him, a storm was brewing in him, he messed up his fingering, in a word it was a disaster.
And he couldn’t go on after that and he got up and left. He wished he could just disappear, evaporate or be invisible.
Well, it seemed that someone came to practice on the same organ when he took a break and adjusted a few knobs and he didn’t realize it.
It haunted him so much that he didn’t touch the organ or the next two months or so.
But as it usually happens, our greatest fears will come true, he happened to bump into the priest who celebrated that evening Mass that was his disaster.
The priest urged him to try again and give himself another chance, otherwise it was such a waste of talent.
So after some persuasion, he gave it another try and this time he was at the organ an hour before Mass, no tea-break, and just to make sure that everything was right and nobody touched the knobs.
Well, for that organist, his nightmare turned into sweet melodies for the Lord, a classical case of failure being turned into success.
He sank into shame and humiliation, but Jesus pulled him up.
Just as Peter sank, when he felt the force of the wind and took fright, but Jesus pulled him up and saved him.
Our own experiences of failure, shame and humiliation will drag us down and make us sink.
But like Peter, we just have to call out : Lord! Save me!
And Jesus will hold us by the hand as He says : Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.
For all that lies behind us and for whatever that lies ahead of us, let us be assured that Jesus is always with us.
For all our fears and failures, let us also have the faith that Jesus is with us to face it.
Not that there will be no more storms or that we won’t sink and go down into the murky darkness and even think of ghosts.
But Jesus will always be there to hold our hand and say to us: Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.
Click the links under My Blog List to get to Chinese and English weekday homilies.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
17th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 24.07.2011
1Kings 3:5, 7-12/ Romans 8:28-30/ Matthew 13:44-52
Last week, from Monday to Friday, the priests of the diocese had their annual retreat.
Thanks for your prayers, we priests had a good and spirit-filled retreat, and we prayed for you too.
We had enough to eat, enough of sleep; and most importantly we had time for prayer.
Yes, we had so many intentions to pray for, and so many other things to reflect and think about.
But it was a nice and comfortable five days of retreat.
So much so that we wished that we could have another five more days of retreat.
Seemed like the days passed by so quickly when we are having a good time.
Yet deep in our hearts, we priests know that we must go back to our parishes.
One point of reflection for us towards the end of the retreat was, what kind of parish are we going back to?
Is it our dream parish? Are we looking forward to going back to our parish?
Or are we secretly wishing that we could go to another parish?
So I am going to ask you a sensitive question but it’s a rhetoric question, i.e. no answer is required.
So what do you think? Do you think that Fr. JJ, Fr. Stanley and myself wish to be back in this parish? Or are we dreaming of going to another parish?
Just a rhetoric question, and maybe I share with you this story for reflection.
When a wheat farmer heard that gold was discovered in another state, he became discontented with the golden grain he harvested year after year.
He thought of leaving his farm and even his family in search of the golden fortune.
When his wife came to know what he was thinking, she was frantic.
They had five young children to feed and she knew that her farmer husband could never be successful in discovering gold.
So, very reluctantly, the farmer stayed home but he kept dreaming about the gold.
Then one night he had a dream. He saw himself in a room filled with gold.
After gleefully running the gold nuggets through his hands, he felt hungry.
When he looked for something to eat, he found only gold.
He called for his wife, hoping to be comforted by the warmth of her love, but there was only the coldness of the gold.
He longed to look into the sparkling eyes of his children, but the only sparkle he saw was that of his lifeless gold.
Then he woke up with a start, and he realized what his true riches were.
Yes, the farmer realized that his true riches were right where he was, right under his nose literally, and he already possessed it. There was no need at all to even search for it.
Just a simple story, but it illustrates a very profound truth.
What we long for, what we dream of, what we yearn for, we already have it, and it’s right where we are. It only takes some wisdom to realize it.
Well, back to the rhetoric question – Do you think that Fr. JJ, Fr. Stanley and myself like it here in this parish?
Or do you think we are dreaming of being in another parish?
Well, if anything, the priests retreat made us count our blessings and to be grateful.
And indeed, to be in this parish is a blessing.
For myself, to be with Fr. JJ and Fr. Stanley is indeed a blessing.
Well, in Fr. JJ there is wisdom and experience, and in Fr. Stanley there is calmness and steadiness.
So you see, like that, I can relax, I can even rest and relax.
Yet we need to pray for that wisdom to see the truth of life that the 2nd reading is telling us.
And that is: God will turn all things good for those who love Him.
So be it in this parish, or at home, or at the work place, we must believe that God has placed us there and He wants us to be there.
Because His plans for us are always for our good and nothing less.
Because when we love God, everything becomes the best case scenario, and never the worst case scenario.
So in our homes, we may have our misgivings about our family members.
We may be disappointed and even resentful with our parents, our spouse and our children.
But do we love God enough to believe that this is where God wants us to be, yes, with our parents, our spouse, our children.
Yes, when we love God, He will turn all things for the good of those we are living with, those whom we call family.
Or at the workplace, there may be all that wheeling and dealing, those who cut corners at our expense, the devious scheming and disparaging remarks that makes us so sick with the workplace.
But when we love God, He will turn all things for the good of those whom we are working with, as well as for ourselves.
Yes, when we love God, it will always be the best case scenario, never the worst case scenario.
Anyway, we celebrated our feast day about three weeks ago right?
Now, let me ask you this : Do you remember the theme for our feast day celebration? (Home is where the heart is)
For Fr. JJ, Fr. Stanley and myself, this is our home and this is where our hearts will be.
But in the first place, this is your home, and with your heart you have welcomed us and shared your home with us.
Well, this is not a perfect parish, nor is this a dream parish.
But wait, a perfect and a dream parish doesn’t exist at all.
But there is a treasure that is buried deep in this parish.
This parish is dedicated to the heart of Mary.
And if home is where the heart is, then this is Mary’s home, and we are her treasures.
And in Mary’s home, let us learn this from her.
Let us learn how to love one another.
Let us learn to forgive one another.
Let us learn to bear with the failings of one another and to help those in need.
Let us consecrate ourselves to Mary so that we can love God as much as she loves God.
Let us make this parish a house of God’s blessings, and where our hearts are really at home.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Trinity Sunday 19.06.2011
Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9/ 2 Cor 13:11-13/ Jn 3:16-18
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Sounds like a heavy and serious kind of feast.
But not knowing how to start the homily seriously, I can only think of starting with a joke.
But I was warned not to use this joke unless the congregation is matured enough, and also they may not laugh.
But I will take the risk and see how. So here it goes.
Jesus asked his disciples – Who do people say I am?
His disciples answered – Some say you are John the Baptist, some say you are Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets.
And Jesus said – But you, who do you say I am?
Simon Peter answered – Oh, you are the Word made flesh, you are fully human and fully divine, you are the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made and one in being with the Father.
And Jesus looked at Simon Peter with those eyes and said – Huh???
Well, if someone were to ask us – What is the Holy Trinity? How would we reply?
We will probably have recourse to some textbook answer like – The Holy Trinity is 3 persons, one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
After that we might not know what else to talk about, and we might also not be too sure what we are talking about.
Or we might just start reciting the Creed, an easy way out, but people will still not know what we are talking about.
Well, today’s feast is not about words, or description or definition.
The Holy Trinity is essentially a mystery. But that mystery is revealed – we know that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
But that mystery is revealed and yet it is also revealing. In other words, we know something about God, but yet not everything.
Today’s gospel gives us another revelation of the mystery of God. It’s a profound revelation and it is this :
God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
Now, do we know what that means essentially?
But before we start to give serious answers, let me share with you another joke.
After being married for 25 years and intending to make their silver anniversary a memorable one, the wife asked her husband to describe her.
He looked at her slowly, and said – You’re A,B, C,D, E,F,G,H, … and I,J,K.
The wife was puzzled and so she asked – Now what does that mean?
So he said – Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Foxy, Gorgeous, Hot.
The wife smiled and beamed and said – Oh you are such a sweet darling. What about I,J,K?
He said – I’m Just Kidding!
Hope that the wife won’t ask for any more descriptions when it comes to their golden anniversary.
Well, the man was only one letter away from telling his wife what she meant to him.
From A to K, he just have to move on to L, and L would stand for “love”.
And that’s what the feast of the Holy Trinity is telling us.
That God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
To have eternal life means to live in the Spirit of God’s love, which is the love of the Father for the Son, and the Son for the Father.
And what does that mean practically? The 2nd reading would put it as this – help one another, be united, live in peace.
Today is also Father’s Day, and we thank God for our fathers and the love they give to us.
Myself being a spiritual father to this spiritual family, I can say that I understand what a father feels for his family.
Fathers want to protect and provide for their family.
They may not show that kind of tender love which is associated with mothers, but fathers give that assuring presence of love.
As I was reflecting on the presence of the father in the family, a childhood memory came to mind.
There was a time when my father had to work the night shift, and at that time I was in my early primary school age.
So after dinner, my father would rest for awhile, and then leave for work around 9pm.
I remembered that everytime he left the door of the house, I had this sad feeling that I would really miss my papa, and I didn’t want him to go.
But yet, all I could say was “bye bye”.
I guess that to our fathers, we are not so emotionally expressive.
But I can certainly say that the presence of the father in the home brings about a sense of love and security.
So fathers may not be Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Foxy, Gorgeous, Hot.
But for them, we can say it’s I,J,K, and it’s not I’m Just Kidding.
But I,J,K as in I Just Know. Know what? I Just Know that my father loves me.
Yes, we just know that our fathers love us.
We call God our Father. We also know that God our Father loves us.
We also know that God will empower all fathers to be living reflections of His love for us.
With all the fathers present here, we give thanks to God.
And with all the fathers present here, we also want to proclaim that God is Trinity, and that God loves us eternally.
Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. Sounds like a heavy and serious kind of feast.
But not knowing how to start the homily seriously, I can only think of starting with a joke.
But I was warned not to use this joke unless the congregation is matured enough, and also they may not laugh.
But I will take the risk and see how. So here it goes.
Jesus asked his disciples – Who do people say I am?
His disciples answered – Some say you are John the Baptist, some say you are Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets.
And Jesus said – But you, who do you say I am?
Simon Peter answered – Oh, you are the Word made flesh, you are fully human and fully divine, you are the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made and one in being with the Father.
And Jesus looked at Simon Peter with those eyes and said – Huh???
Well, if someone were to ask us – What is the Holy Trinity? How would we reply?
We will probably have recourse to some textbook answer like – The Holy Trinity is 3 persons, one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
After that we might not know what else to talk about, and we might also not be too sure what we are talking about.
Or we might just start reciting the Creed, an easy way out, but people will still not know what we are talking about.
Well, today’s feast is not about words, or description or definition.
The Holy Trinity is essentially a mystery. But that mystery is revealed – we know that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
But that mystery is revealed and yet it is also revealing. In other words, we know something about God, but yet not everything.
Today’s gospel gives us another revelation of the mystery of God. It’s a profound revelation and it is this :
God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
Now, do we know what that means essentially?
But before we start to give serious answers, let me share with you another joke.
After being married for 25 years and intending to make their silver anniversary a memorable one, the wife asked her husband to describe her.
He looked at her slowly, and said – You’re A,B, C,D, E,F,G,H, … and I,J,K.
The wife was puzzled and so she asked – Now what does that mean?
So he said – Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Foxy, Gorgeous, Hot.
The wife smiled and beamed and said – Oh you are such a sweet darling. What about I,J,K?
He said – I’m Just Kidding!
Hope that the wife won’t ask for any more descriptions when it comes to their golden anniversary.
Well, the man was only one letter away from telling his wife what she meant to him.
From A to K, he just have to move on to L, and L would stand for “love”.
And that’s what the feast of the Holy Trinity is telling us.
That God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
To have eternal life means to live in the Spirit of God’s love, which is the love of the Father for the Son, and the Son for the Father.
And what does that mean practically? The 2nd reading would put it as this – help one another, be united, live in peace.
Today is also Father’s Day, and we thank God for our fathers and the love they give to us.
Myself being a spiritual father to this spiritual family, I can say that I understand what a father feels for his family.
Fathers want to protect and provide for their family.
They may not show that kind of tender love which is associated with mothers, but fathers give that assuring presence of love.
As I was reflecting on the presence of the father in the family, a childhood memory came to mind.
There was a time when my father had to work the night shift, and at that time I was in my early primary school age.
So after dinner, my father would rest for awhile, and then leave for work around 9pm.
I remembered that everytime he left the door of the house, I had this sad feeling that I would really miss my papa, and I didn’t want him to go.
But yet, all I could say was “bye bye”.
I guess that to our fathers, we are not so emotionally expressive.
But I can certainly say that the presence of the father in the home brings about a sense of love and security.
So fathers may not be Adorable, Beautiful, Cute, Delightful, Elegant, Foxy, Gorgeous, Hot.
But for them, we can say it’s I,J,K, and it’s not I’m Just Kidding.
But I,J,K as in I Just Know. Know what? I Just Know that my father loves me.
Yes, we just know that our fathers love us.
We call God our Father. We also know that God our Father loves us.
We also know that God will empower all fathers to be living reflections of His love for us.
With all the fathers present here, we give thanks to God.
And with all the fathers present here, we also want to proclaim that God is Trinity, and that God loves us eternally.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
6th Sunday of Easter, Year A, 29.05.2011
Jn 14:14-21
I wonder if we know what is the hottest news in town. Any idea what is the hottest news in town?
Whatever we think it might be, the hottest news in town is certainly the weather report!
Over the radio, over the tv, over almost every media, there is always the weather report.
And I must say, the weather over the past few days is just hot and hotter.
But even without the weather report, how will we know when it’s really hot?
Maybe let me speculate on some possible indications.
It’s really hot when …
You want to buy milk and all they have is evaporated milk
Beads of sweat appear on the statue of Stamford Raffles
The public swimming pools are now protected areas
The chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs
Anyway all those extremes aside, what precautions are there to take in such a hot and humid weather?
What will we do or say in such a weather condition?
Of course we will say things like …
Drink more water, but that does not mean can drink more beer!
Eat more fruits, but that does not mean eat more durians!
Don’t eat fried or heaty food, you will get sore throat, as well as sore somewhere else
Wear light clothing, but that does not mean wearing shorts or spaghetti straps to Mass!
Yes, in any and in every situation, we will somehow know what we should do.
So be it hot weather, cold weather, sunny day, rainy day, we will have a set of mental rules to follow.
And these rules, although not set in stone, and also more like common sense, these rules help us, as well as remind us of what to do in a given situation.
So rules are helpful, and they remind us of what to do even if it’s about a trivial matter like hot weather.
So if rules are helpful, then how about commandments?
Certainly, the very word itself “commandments” indicate that it is essential, fundamental and even critical.
In today’s gospel, Jesus said : If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
So even though we may not know the Bible by heart, or quote Bible verses, yet we know what Jesus has taught us.
His teachings are His commandments for us.
And just like we know the dos and don’ts for hot weather, we also know the dos and don’ts of the commandments of Jesus.
So we know we should forgive and love our enemies; we should be kind and compassionate and generous.
We know we must pray and be faithful to God; we know we should tell the truth always and to keep our promises.
We also know that we should not lie or cheat, we should not be devious or malicious.
We know we should not judge or condemn or slander others. We know we should not bear hatred or take revenge.
Yes, these are the commandments of Jesus, and we know it.
Or do we know it? And if we know it, are we teaching it?
When it comes to teaching the commandments of Jesus, it is not just to children or to youth. Even adults need to be taught.
But whether it is children, or youth or adults, they need more than teachers. They need witnesses.
Pope Paul VI said that modern man listens more to witnesses than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are first and foremost witnesses.
So how do we witness to the commandments of Jesus?
Someone by the name of Dr. Kent Keith wrote this :
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
So, in the FINAL analysis, it is more than what we say. It is about what we do. It is about actions speaking louder than words.
So if our children don’t pray anymore, then we must show them that we will still pray, anyway.
If we think that some people come to church dressed inappropriately or dressed anyhow, then we must show them what is dressing appropriately. Or we will just turn the aircon colder, anyway.
If we think that some of us don’t behave like Catholics, then we must show them what it means to be a good Catholic.
If we truly love Jesus, then we will keep His commandments, and witness to it in our actions.
Hot weather, cold weather, rain or shine, we must know what to do if we truly love Jesus.
And if we know what to do, then it’s either we do it, or we do it.
And as Jesus said in the gospel, the Holy Spirit will help us do it, anyway.
I wonder if we know what is the hottest news in town. Any idea what is the hottest news in town?
Whatever we think it might be, the hottest news in town is certainly the weather report!
Over the radio, over the tv, over almost every media, there is always the weather report.
And I must say, the weather over the past few days is just hot and hotter.
But even without the weather report, how will we know when it’s really hot?
Maybe let me speculate on some possible indications.
It’s really hot when …
You want to buy milk and all they have is evaporated milk
Beads of sweat appear on the statue of Stamford Raffles
The public swimming pools are now protected areas
The chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs
Anyway all those extremes aside, what precautions are there to take in such a hot and humid weather?
What will we do or say in such a weather condition?
Of course we will say things like …
Drink more water, but that does not mean can drink more beer!
Eat more fruits, but that does not mean eat more durians!
Don’t eat fried or heaty food, you will get sore throat, as well as sore somewhere else
Wear light clothing, but that does not mean wearing shorts or spaghetti straps to Mass!
Yes, in any and in every situation, we will somehow know what we should do.
So be it hot weather, cold weather, sunny day, rainy day, we will have a set of mental rules to follow.
And these rules, although not set in stone, and also more like common sense, these rules help us, as well as remind us of what to do in a given situation.
So rules are helpful, and they remind us of what to do even if it’s about a trivial matter like hot weather.
So if rules are helpful, then how about commandments?
Certainly, the very word itself “commandments” indicate that it is essential, fundamental and even critical.
In today’s gospel, Jesus said : If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
So even though we may not know the Bible by heart, or quote Bible verses, yet we know what Jesus has taught us.
His teachings are His commandments for us.
And just like we know the dos and don’ts for hot weather, we also know the dos and don’ts of the commandments of Jesus.
So we know we should forgive and love our enemies; we should be kind and compassionate and generous.
We know we must pray and be faithful to God; we know we should tell the truth always and to keep our promises.
We also know that we should not lie or cheat, we should not be devious or malicious.
We know we should not judge or condemn or slander others. We know we should not bear hatred or take revenge.
Yes, these are the commandments of Jesus, and we know it.
Or do we know it? And if we know it, are we teaching it?
When it comes to teaching the commandments of Jesus, it is not just to children or to youth. Even adults need to be taught.
But whether it is children, or youth or adults, they need more than teachers. They need witnesses.
Pope Paul VI said that modern man listens more to witnesses than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are first and foremost witnesses.
So how do we witness to the commandments of Jesus?
Someone by the name of Dr. Kent Keith wrote this :
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
So, in the FINAL analysis, it is more than what we say. It is about what we do. It is about actions speaking louder than words.
So if our children don’t pray anymore, then we must show them that we will still pray, anyway.
If we think that some people come to church dressed inappropriately or dressed anyhow, then we must show them what is dressing appropriately. Or we will just turn the aircon colder, anyway.
If we think that some of us don’t behave like Catholics, then we must show them what it means to be a good Catholic.
If we truly love Jesus, then we will keep His commandments, and witness to it in our actions.
Hot weather, cold weather, rain or shine, we must know what to do if we truly love Jesus.
And if we know what to do, then it’s either we do it, or we do it.
And as Jesus said in the gospel, the Holy Spirit will help us do it, anyway.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
4th Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday), Year A, 15.05.2011
I wonder how many of us appreciate art, or that some of us are artists in the general sense of the word.
Art, or drawings, are very different from photographs.
Photographs capture the snap-shot moment of a reality.
So there are snap-shot moments of people being baptized, or a bridegroom kissing a bride on their wedding day, or children gathered around their mother to celebrate Mother’s Day, which was just last week.
Yes, photographs capture those snap-shot moments of life.
But art and drawings capture a different aspect of reality.
So if I want to have a picture of your faces as I preach, I can take it with a camera.
Or if I have some artistic talent, then I can draw the expressions of your faces according to how I perceive it.
But what I will draw may not be the same as the photograph that I have taken with the camera.
Surely I will draw a much nicer picture isn’t it. Certainly those faces that look like as if the sun is setting in their eyes, I will draw them with faces like the rising sun and look fully alive.
Those faces with a blank look, I will draw them like as if they are laughing all the way to the bank.
So photographs show the snap-shot moment of reality, but art and drawings will give the aspect of imaginary.
So maybe let us now imagine Jesus, and we imagine Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
What kind of picture is forming up in our minds?
Probably a neat and tidy Jesus in His long flowing robes, with His long hair nicely combed, carrying a lamb in His arms, with other sheep grazing in the meadows.
A nice, serene, tranquil imagery of Jesus the Good Shepherd and His sheep. All is calm and peaceful.
That is the picture that most religious art pieces will portray.
But what is the reality? Well, I have yet to see any photographs of a shepherd and his sheep that looked similar to what is portrayed in religious art.
One thing for certain is that there is a close and intimate relationship between the shepherd and his sheep.
Because out there in the country side and away from the city, the shepherd has only his sheep for company.
Hence, for the shepherd, the sheep are his priority, and in many ways, the sheep are also a cause of his anxiety.
Unlike what we see in religious art, not all is peaceful and calm.
Out there in the country side and in the open fields, there is danger lurking somewhere.
The gospel which we have just heard mentioned about thieves and brigands, with the devious motives of stealing, killing and destroying.
So if the shepherd cares enough for his sheep, he must be prepared to bleed, yes, bleed for his sheep.
Religious art seldom portray the Good Shepherd with bleeding wounds, or lying on the ground with a mortal wound.
But the reality is that the Good Shepherd suffered wounds, and was eventually nailed to the cross to die.
Today is also Vocation Sunday, and the emphasis is on the call to the priesthood and to serve as shepherds of the people of God.
For this Vocation Sunday, the diocese has printed a brochure, and it’s about “All you wanted to ask about the Diocesan Priesthood but were afraid to ask”.
In this brochure are 14 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with corresponding answers, and also some nice photographs about life in the Major Seminary.
But one question that is not asked is this: As a priest, will I have to bleed for the sheep, just like the Good Shepherd?
Well, bleed … yes! But maybe in another way.
I came across this poem of sort, and the title is: No one wants to be a priest!
It goes like this: No one wants to be a priest because …
If he begins Mass on time, his watch is fast;
If he begins a minute later, he keeps people waiting.
If he preaches too long, he makes people get bored;
If his homily is too short, he is unprepared.
If his voice is strong when preaching, he is shouting;
If his voice is normal,
people do not understand what he is preaching about;
If he goes to visit families, he is always out:
If he does not, he does not care for them.
If he asks for donations, he is a money-face;
If he does not do it, he is too proud and lazy.
If he takes time in the confessional, he is too slow;
If he makes it too fast, he has no time for his penitents.
If he renovates the church, he throws away money;
If he does not do it, he allows everything to rot away.
If he is with the youth, he forgets the old.
If he warms up to old women, he must be missing his mummy.
If he keeps distance from all of them, he has a heart of stone.
If he is young, he has no experience;
If he is old, he should retire.
As long as he lives, there are always people who are better than him;
BUT IF THE PRIEST DIES....THERE IS NOBODY TO TAKE HIS PLACE!
Because no one wants to be a priest!!!
So in many small n little ways, the priest is called to follow the Good Shepherd and to bleed for the sheep.
But just as the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep, the priest bleeds for his flock so that his sheep can have life and life to the full.
So what is the priest called to do, or what is he called to be like, so that his sheep can have that fullness of life?
The 2nd reading gives a very profound and challenging direction in the understanding of the call to the priesthood.
It is not actually about the priesthood, but rather it is about the Good Shepherd. But it is a good direction for priests. It goes like this :
This is what you are called to do, because Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow the way He took.
He has not done anything wrong, and there was no perjury in his mouth.
He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults;
When he was tortured, he made no threats, but he put his trust in the righteous judge.
He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness.
Through his wounds, you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:20-25)
Yes, by the wounds of the Good Shepherd, we are healed and given life.
Personally, I know that my life and my call to the priesthood has to be lived out in the way of the life of the Good Shepherd.
It is only when we priests live out the way of the life of the Good Shepherd that we can lead the flock to green pastures and feed the sheep.
So my dear people of God, pray for us priests, pray for vocations to the priesthood.
We have a critical situation. This is certainly not just imaginary, and it is more than just the reality.
This is an urgency. And it's more like an emergency.
We must pray for priests and for vocations to the priesthood.
Otherwise we will all go astray. And thieves and brigands will just come to steal, kill and destroy.
Art, or drawings, are very different from photographs.
Photographs capture the snap-shot moment of a reality.
So there are snap-shot moments of people being baptized, or a bridegroom kissing a bride on their wedding day, or children gathered around their mother to celebrate Mother’s Day, which was just last week.
Yes, photographs capture those snap-shot moments of life.
But art and drawings capture a different aspect of reality.
So if I want to have a picture of your faces as I preach, I can take it with a camera.
Or if I have some artistic talent, then I can draw the expressions of your faces according to how I perceive it.
But what I will draw may not be the same as the photograph that I have taken with the camera.
Surely I will draw a much nicer picture isn’t it. Certainly those faces that look like as if the sun is setting in their eyes, I will draw them with faces like the rising sun and look fully alive.
Those faces with a blank look, I will draw them like as if they are laughing all the way to the bank.
So photographs show the snap-shot moment of reality, but art and drawings will give the aspect of imaginary.
So maybe let us now imagine Jesus, and we imagine Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
What kind of picture is forming up in our minds?
Probably a neat and tidy Jesus in His long flowing robes, with His long hair nicely combed, carrying a lamb in His arms, with other sheep grazing in the meadows.
A nice, serene, tranquil imagery of Jesus the Good Shepherd and His sheep. All is calm and peaceful.
That is the picture that most religious art pieces will portray.
But what is the reality? Well, I have yet to see any photographs of a shepherd and his sheep that looked similar to what is portrayed in religious art.
One thing for certain is that there is a close and intimate relationship between the shepherd and his sheep.
Because out there in the country side and away from the city, the shepherd has only his sheep for company.
Hence, for the shepherd, the sheep are his priority, and in many ways, the sheep are also a cause of his anxiety.
Unlike what we see in religious art, not all is peaceful and calm.
Out there in the country side and in the open fields, there is danger lurking somewhere.
The gospel which we have just heard mentioned about thieves and brigands, with the devious motives of stealing, killing and destroying.
So if the shepherd cares enough for his sheep, he must be prepared to bleed, yes, bleed for his sheep.
Religious art seldom portray the Good Shepherd with bleeding wounds, or lying on the ground with a mortal wound.
But the reality is that the Good Shepherd suffered wounds, and was eventually nailed to the cross to die.
Today is also Vocation Sunday, and the emphasis is on the call to the priesthood and to serve as shepherds of the people of God.
For this Vocation Sunday, the diocese has printed a brochure, and it’s about “All you wanted to ask about the Diocesan Priesthood but were afraid to ask”.
In this brochure are 14 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with corresponding answers, and also some nice photographs about life in the Major Seminary.
But one question that is not asked is this: As a priest, will I have to bleed for the sheep, just like the Good Shepherd?
Well, bleed … yes! But maybe in another way.
I came across this poem of sort, and the title is: No one wants to be a priest!
It goes like this: No one wants to be a priest because …
If he begins Mass on time, his watch is fast;
If he begins a minute later, he keeps people waiting.
If he preaches too long, he makes people get bored;
If his homily is too short, he is unprepared.
If his voice is strong when preaching, he is shouting;
If his voice is normal,
people do not understand what he is preaching about;
If he goes to visit families, he is always out:
If he does not, he does not care for them.
If he asks for donations, he is a money-face;
If he does not do it, he is too proud and lazy.
If he takes time in the confessional, he is too slow;
If he makes it too fast, he has no time for his penitents.
If he renovates the church, he throws away money;
If he does not do it, he allows everything to rot away.
If he is with the youth, he forgets the old.
If he warms up to old women, he must be missing his mummy.
If he keeps distance from all of them, he has a heart of stone.
If he is young, he has no experience;
If he is old, he should retire.
As long as he lives, there are always people who are better than him;
BUT IF THE PRIEST DIES....THERE IS NOBODY TO TAKE HIS PLACE!
Because no one wants to be a priest!!!
So in many small n little ways, the priest is called to follow the Good Shepherd and to bleed for the sheep.
But just as the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep, the priest bleeds for his flock so that his sheep can have life and life to the full.
So what is the priest called to do, or what is he called to be like, so that his sheep can have that fullness of life?
The 2nd reading gives a very profound and challenging direction in the understanding of the call to the priesthood.
It is not actually about the priesthood, but rather it is about the Good Shepherd. But it is a good direction for priests. It goes like this :
This is what you are called to do, because Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow the way He took.
He has not done anything wrong, and there was no perjury in his mouth.
He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults;
When he was tortured, he made no threats, but he put his trust in the righteous judge.
He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness.
Through his wounds, you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:20-25)
Yes, by the wounds of the Good Shepherd, we are healed and given life.
Personally, I know that my life and my call to the priesthood has to be lived out in the way of the life of the Good Shepherd.
It is only when we priests live out the way of the life of the Good Shepherd that we can lead the flock to green pastures and feed the sheep.
So my dear people of God, pray for us priests, pray for vocations to the priesthood.
We have a critical situation. This is certainly not just imaginary, and it is more than just the reality.
This is an urgency. And it's more like an emergency.
We must pray for priests and for vocations to the priesthood.
Otherwise we will all go astray. And thieves and brigands will just come to steal, kill and destroy.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter Vigil, Year A, 23.04.2011
Today we celebrate the deepest and the most profound mystery of our faith.
Yes, the Resurrection is indeed the core and the center of our faith, the very reason why we are here, the very reason why we are Church, the very reason why we believe in God.
Yet, having said that, the stark reality is the finality of death.
So even though we may believe in the Resurrection, do we dare to take death lightly?
Yes, preparing for death is a serious matter, but let’s see if we can take this story lightly.
An elderly woman was getting her earthly matters in order.
So she prepared her will, and made her final arrangements.
As part of the arrangements, she went to see the priest to talk about the type of funeral service she wanted, the hymns to be sung, etc.
She told the priest that she wanted 2 things done.
Firstly, she wanted to be cremated. That’s well and good.
Secondly, she wanted her ashes to be scattered over every golf course in Singapore.
The priest was so puzzled that he had to ask why.
The elderly woman explained – Well, in that way, I will know that my son will visit me whenever he goes to play golf.
Yes, death is a serious matter, whether we are prepared for it or not.
Yet, whether prepared or otherwise, we will have to face it, and accept it.
The disciples of Jesus were not prepared for His sudden and violent death on the cross. It was just too fast, too furious.
When Mary Magdalene (and the other Mary) came to the tomb and saw that the stone was rolled away, her (their) reaction was not one of immense relief or joy, that Jesus was not dead.
In fact, she (they) came to the tomb to finish the embalming of the crucified and dead Jesus.
Mary Magdalene saw how Jesus died and her only conclusion was that the dead body of Jesus was stolen.
So the reality of the death of Jesus was accepted and sealed, and there was no question about it.
But, it was from the reality of His death that came about the resurrection.
God accepted the death of His Son. But God did not leave Him for dead.
In raising Jesus from the dead, God did not allow death to have the final say.
God will always have the final word and that word is the resurrection.
God loved His only Son, and He won’t leave Him for dead.
Indeed nothing could ever separate the love God has for His Son, not even the reality and finality of death.
It was with God’s love that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death and sin.
The letter to the Romans 8 will ask us this – What will separate us from the love of God? Trials? Tribulation? Anguish? Persecution? The sword of death?
But because of the Resurrection, we now know that nothing could ever separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord!
Just as nothing could ever separate God’s love for His Son, nothing could also separate the love that our Risen Lord has for us.
Yes, God accepted the death of His Son. But through the Resurrection, God saved Him, not from death, but out of death (Hebrews 5:7-9).
So for us who believe in the Resurrection of Easter Sunday, we also have to accept the crucifixion of Good Friday.
We have to accept that life is going to be a series of dyings.
It is essentially a dying to self – dying to our pride and ego, dying to be a perfectionist and a control freak, dying to be acknowledged and praised, dying to be looked up to.
Dying to be remembered and visited by our descendents, long after our ashes are frozen in the columbarium or scattered in the golf course or whatever.
Come to think of it, we so carelessly use the phrase “dying to”, for e.g. we might say later “I am dying to sleep”. Well you may just end up with eternal rest.
Maybe we should say – I am dying to live, and mean it.
Because the truth is that it is in our dying to our old life that we rise to a new life.
That is what the Resurrection is telling us. That is what God is telling us.
Maybe let me just tell you a little joke about death, so that we can have some humour about life.
One morning, a man opened the newspapers and he was shocked to see his obituary. He was surely not pleased at all.
So he called up his best friend and said to him – Hey! Did you read about my obituary in the papers?
His friend replied – Ya, I just saw it ……… Err… by the way, where are you calling from? (That’s what friends are for!)
Yes, Jesus Christ is risen. He is calling the Elect to be baptized into His death so that they can rise to a new life.
And the Risen Lord is also calling us who are already baptized to accept our dying, so that we can truly go on living.
Because we believe that Christ is risen, we can truly say, we are dying to live. And it’s not a joke.
Yes, the Resurrection is indeed the core and the center of our faith, the very reason why we are here, the very reason why we are Church, the very reason why we believe in God.
Yet, having said that, the stark reality is the finality of death.
So even though we may believe in the Resurrection, do we dare to take death lightly?
Yes, preparing for death is a serious matter, but let’s see if we can take this story lightly.
An elderly woman was getting her earthly matters in order.
So she prepared her will, and made her final arrangements.
As part of the arrangements, she went to see the priest to talk about the type of funeral service she wanted, the hymns to be sung, etc.
She told the priest that she wanted 2 things done.
Firstly, she wanted to be cremated. That’s well and good.
Secondly, she wanted her ashes to be scattered over every golf course in Singapore.
The priest was so puzzled that he had to ask why.
The elderly woman explained – Well, in that way, I will know that my son will visit me whenever he goes to play golf.
Yes, death is a serious matter, whether we are prepared for it or not.
Yet, whether prepared or otherwise, we will have to face it, and accept it.
The disciples of Jesus were not prepared for His sudden and violent death on the cross. It was just too fast, too furious.
When Mary Magdalene (and the other Mary) came to the tomb and saw that the stone was rolled away, her (their) reaction was not one of immense relief or joy, that Jesus was not dead.
In fact, she (they) came to the tomb to finish the embalming of the crucified and dead Jesus.
Mary Magdalene saw how Jesus died and her only conclusion was that the dead body of Jesus was stolen.
So the reality of the death of Jesus was accepted and sealed, and there was no question about it.
But, it was from the reality of His death that came about the resurrection.
God accepted the death of His Son. But God did not leave Him for dead.
In raising Jesus from the dead, God did not allow death to have the final say.
God will always have the final word and that word is the resurrection.
God loved His only Son, and He won’t leave Him for dead.
Indeed nothing could ever separate the love God has for His Son, not even the reality and finality of death.
It was with God’s love that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death and sin.
The letter to the Romans 8 will ask us this – What will separate us from the love of God? Trials? Tribulation? Anguish? Persecution? The sword of death?
But because of the Resurrection, we now know that nothing could ever separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord!
Just as nothing could ever separate God’s love for His Son, nothing could also separate the love that our Risen Lord has for us.
Yes, God accepted the death of His Son. But through the Resurrection, God saved Him, not from death, but out of death (Hebrews 5:7-9).
So for us who believe in the Resurrection of Easter Sunday, we also have to accept the crucifixion of Good Friday.
We have to accept that life is going to be a series of dyings.
It is essentially a dying to self – dying to our pride and ego, dying to be a perfectionist and a control freak, dying to be acknowledged and praised, dying to be looked up to.
Dying to be remembered and visited by our descendents, long after our ashes are frozen in the columbarium or scattered in the golf course or whatever.
Come to think of it, we so carelessly use the phrase “dying to”, for e.g. we might say later “I am dying to sleep”. Well you may just end up with eternal rest.
Maybe we should say – I am dying to live, and mean it.
Because the truth is that it is in our dying to our old life that we rise to a new life.
That is what the Resurrection is telling us. That is what God is telling us.
Maybe let me just tell you a little joke about death, so that we can have some humour about life.
One morning, a man opened the newspapers and he was shocked to see his obituary. He was surely not pleased at all.
So he called up his best friend and said to him – Hey! Did you read about my obituary in the papers?
His friend replied – Ya, I just saw it ……… Err… by the way, where are you calling from? (That’s what friends are for!)
Yes, Jesus Christ is risen. He is calling the Elect to be baptized into His death so that they can rise to a new life.
And the Risen Lord is also calling us who are already baptized to accept our dying, so that we can truly go on living.
Because we believe that Christ is risen, we can truly say, we are dying to live. And it’s not a joke.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A, 27.03.2011
Exodus 17:3-7/ Roman 5:1-2, 5-8/ John 4:5-42
Well, that is a long gospel, and I am sure you are tired from standing, and I am also trying to catch my breath.
Normally I won’t say such mundane and trivial things as I begin a homily. Normally.
But when there are changes, then the behaviour also changes.
And when these changes create a need, then our behaviour also changes to satisfy the need.
Maybe one example could be how we use the restroom (or what we commonly call the toilet)
We won’t go to the toilet if there is no need, right?
But when there is a need, and if it’s an urgent need, then our behaviour somehow becomes a little altered, our behaviour changes.
What won’t normally bother us, somehow becomes an issue for us, in that time of need.
For e.g. the smell will bother us, the floor is wet, and if we have to do some serious potty business, then the toilet paper, whether have or don’t have, whether smooth enough or not, the toilet seat is clean or not, all these will become major issues.
Talking about toilet seats, women are often irritated when men don’t put down the toilet seats after they are done with their “local calls” as different from “trunk calls”.
What’s even worse is that the men don’t even lift up the toilet seats when they are doing their local calls.
This really irritates the women, for obvious reasons.
But do you know what it takes to get men to lift the toilet seat before they start and to put the seat down after they are done?
Nothing less than a sex-change operation. Then the men will get it. (but by which time they are not exactly men anymore)
So in a time of need, what normally doesn’t bother us or what we don’t normally care much about, somehow becomes an issue and a cause of complaint for us.
All because there is a need, and with that need, our behaviour changes.
In the gospel, we saw how a need changes the behaviour of a person.
And of all people, that person was Jesus. He had a need. He was tired and He was thirsty.
There was the well, but He can’t get the water.
So when a Samaritan woman came along with a bucket, He threw aside all restrictions and barriers and asked her for a drink.
That was why the Samaritan woman was surprised, maybe even shocked, and her first word was “What!”, and even the gospel took the trouble to explain what was the problem.
Jesus had a need – He was thirsty – so He couldn’t be bothered about restrictions and barriers.
But the Samaritan woman also had a need. And it was shown implicitly in her behaviour.
She came to the well at the 6th hour – meaning at noon – the hottest time of the day.
It’s an awkward time to draw water because everyone would want to be at home under shelter. But that tells us that the Samaritan woman wanted to avoid people.
But as she talked with Jesus, her other needs became obvious. She was also thirsty.
She was thirsting for dignity and self-worth, so that she won’t have to keep avoiding people and drawing water in the noon-day sun.
She was thirsting for love and relationship. Well, she had had five husbands, and still counting.
So when people thirst, their behaviour changes, and can even change drastically, especially in the hot and dry desert, as we heard in the 1st reading.
Tormented by thirst, the Israelites didn’t care about who God is and their words were as scorching as the hot desert sands.
Yes, when people thirst, their behaviour changes.
And they will say things which they won’t usually say.
Earlier on, I said that the toilet is a place where we will go only when we are in need.
But have you heard of toilet talk?
Well the story goes that a man went to a pub for a drink.
After a few drinks, he felt the need to go to the toilet.
When he was in the cubicle, he heard a voice from the next cubicle : Hi, how are you doing?
The man was a bit surprised, but he replied : Oh, I’m fine. Things are going smoothly, literally.
And then the voice said : So what are you doing this evening?
Feeling a bit awkward now, the man nonetheless replied : Oh I’m just here for a few drinks.
Then the voice said : Tell you what, I will call you back later. There is this guy in the next cubicle who is answering all my questions. (so be careful what you say in the toilet; better still don’t talk in the toilet)
In the gospel there was no mention that Jesus got His drink.
There was also no mention of the Samaritan woman drawing water from the well.
But Jesus started the conversation, and they began talking. And it was certainly no toilet talk.
They talked about water, about relationships, about God, they talked about the things that mattered in life. It was a heart to heart talk.
In a way, Jesus asked the right questions and the Samaritan woman gave the answers that revealed her need.
What we need in life are also conversations that will refresh us.
Have we ever noticed that when we are engaged in a meaningful conversation, we forget about our thirst and we don’t even need a drink. Even if there is a drink around, it is just like an ornament, a decoration.
Because meaningful conversations with words spoken in love refreshes our hearts, like cool water that soothes the parched throat.
Let us ask the Lord to quench our hearts with His living water, so that our conversations with others will refresh them and lead them to Jesus who will quench their thirst.
Well, that is a long gospel, and I am sure you are tired from standing, and I am also trying to catch my breath.
Normally I won’t say such mundane and trivial things as I begin a homily. Normally.
But when there are changes, then the behaviour also changes.
And when these changes create a need, then our behaviour also changes to satisfy the need.
Maybe one example could be how we use the restroom (or what we commonly call the toilet)
We won’t go to the toilet if there is no need, right?
But when there is a need, and if it’s an urgent need, then our behaviour somehow becomes a little altered, our behaviour changes.
What won’t normally bother us, somehow becomes an issue for us, in that time of need.
For e.g. the smell will bother us, the floor is wet, and if we have to do some serious potty business, then the toilet paper, whether have or don’t have, whether smooth enough or not, the toilet seat is clean or not, all these will become major issues.
Talking about toilet seats, women are often irritated when men don’t put down the toilet seats after they are done with their “local calls” as different from “trunk calls”.
What’s even worse is that the men don’t even lift up the toilet seats when they are doing their local calls.
This really irritates the women, for obvious reasons.
But do you know what it takes to get men to lift the toilet seat before they start and to put the seat down after they are done?
Nothing less than a sex-change operation. Then the men will get it. (but by which time they are not exactly men anymore)
So in a time of need, what normally doesn’t bother us or what we don’t normally care much about, somehow becomes an issue and a cause of complaint for us.
All because there is a need, and with that need, our behaviour changes.
In the gospel, we saw how a need changes the behaviour of a person.
And of all people, that person was Jesus. He had a need. He was tired and He was thirsty.
There was the well, but He can’t get the water.
So when a Samaritan woman came along with a bucket, He threw aside all restrictions and barriers and asked her for a drink.
That was why the Samaritan woman was surprised, maybe even shocked, and her first word was “What!”, and even the gospel took the trouble to explain what was the problem.
Jesus had a need – He was thirsty – so He couldn’t be bothered about restrictions and barriers.
But the Samaritan woman also had a need. And it was shown implicitly in her behaviour.
She came to the well at the 6th hour – meaning at noon – the hottest time of the day.
It’s an awkward time to draw water because everyone would want to be at home under shelter. But that tells us that the Samaritan woman wanted to avoid people.
But as she talked with Jesus, her other needs became obvious. She was also thirsty.
She was thirsting for dignity and self-worth, so that she won’t have to keep avoiding people and drawing water in the noon-day sun.
She was thirsting for love and relationship. Well, she had had five husbands, and still counting.
So when people thirst, their behaviour changes, and can even change drastically, especially in the hot and dry desert, as we heard in the 1st reading.
Tormented by thirst, the Israelites didn’t care about who God is and their words were as scorching as the hot desert sands.
Yes, when people thirst, their behaviour changes.
And they will say things which they won’t usually say.
Earlier on, I said that the toilet is a place where we will go only when we are in need.
But have you heard of toilet talk?
Well the story goes that a man went to a pub for a drink.
After a few drinks, he felt the need to go to the toilet.
When he was in the cubicle, he heard a voice from the next cubicle : Hi, how are you doing?
The man was a bit surprised, but he replied : Oh, I’m fine. Things are going smoothly, literally.
And then the voice said : So what are you doing this evening?
Feeling a bit awkward now, the man nonetheless replied : Oh I’m just here for a few drinks.
Then the voice said : Tell you what, I will call you back later. There is this guy in the next cubicle who is answering all my questions. (so be careful what you say in the toilet; better still don’t talk in the toilet)
In the gospel there was no mention that Jesus got His drink.
There was also no mention of the Samaritan woman drawing water from the well.
But Jesus started the conversation, and they began talking. And it was certainly no toilet talk.
They talked about water, about relationships, about God, they talked about the things that mattered in life. It was a heart to heart talk.
In a way, Jesus asked the right questions and the Samaritan woman gave the answers that revealed her need.
What we need in life are also conversations that will refresh us.
Have we ever noticed that when we are engaged in a meaningful conversation, we forget about our thirst and we don’t even need a drink. Even if there is a drink around, it is just like an ornament, a decoration.
Because meaningful conversations with words spoken in love refreshes our hearts, like cool water that soothes the parched throat.
Let us ask the Lord to quench our hearts with His living water, so that our conversations with others will refresh them and lead them to Jesus who will quench their thirst.
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