Catholic writer

by

Wednesday, 28 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard from the Holy Scriptures the calling of Jesus our Lord to all of us. Yes, He Who had created us calls us to follow Him and to walk in His path. He called His disciples, His Apostles and all those who were willing to listen to Him and wanted to follow Him, and He called them to abandon their past lives and follow Him to where He is leading them to, the salvation in God.

Many followed Him and left behind their past lives, but there were also many who were reluctant to do so, as shown in today’s Gospel, when some of those who wanted to follow Jesus made excuses that they wanted to settle their worldly matters first before they would follow Him. Jesus rebuked them and reminded them that those who were not fully committed and not fully sincere in their dedication to Him will not be able to follow Him as they have not placed their faith fully in God.

And the path to the kingdom of God will be closed for them because they have themselves closed it by their own doubts, their own lack of faith, their own ignorance and lack of commitment, and not by the action of God. God wants us all to be saved, and that is why He made calls after calls, constantly urging and calling us to follow Him. Yet, we hesitate because of the many temptations and hurdles present in our life, in this world that prevented us from truly finding our way to God.

We are all called to reflect on this even as we proceed to continue our lives in this world, even as we continue to live as how we used to live everyday. Let us all ask ourselves, how have we lived our lives in faith? Have we truly been faithful to the Lord our God? Have we devoted ourselves to the ways of the Lord? Or are we distracted by our many distractions in this life? Are we distracted by all the allures and the pleasures of this life, the busy schedules of our work life that we are not able to devote ourselves?

That is why sometimes it is important for us to take a step back and find some time even amidst our busy lives and works, that we should look at our actions and see how they have been shaped either by our faith or by our lack of faith. Are we Christians in name only? Or are we true Christians ready to take up our crosses in this life and follow the lead of our Lord? These are the questions that we ought to ask ourselves.

And thus, now, let us all look at the example of the holy saints and martyrs who have followed in the footsteps of the Lord, going all out in their devotion and commitment, even to give their lives for the sake of the Lord. St. Wenceslaus the martyr was a renowned saint from the land of Bohemia in central Europe, once the Duke and ruler of Bohemia, who helped to propagate the faith in his lands, despite the opposition of the pagans and all those who still refused to believe in God.

He ruled fairly and with justice, caring for the poor and the sick, the weak and the less fortunate in his domains, and he promoted the Christian faith wherever and whenever he could. Rightly, his many enemies and opposers gathered and resisted him and his rule wherever and whenever they could, but he prevailed and pushed harder for reform and for the faith in God to be in the hearts of all his people.

Thus, those enemies of the Lord plotted against St. Wenceslaus and murdered him, a martyr of the faith, dying defending the truth that he had believed in and worked so hard for. Yet, many followed in his footsteps, and he was revered immediately as a saint after his death, as a role model to many of the faithful who came after him.

Meanwhile, St. Lawrence Ruiz was a Filipino who lived a few hundred years ago, who due to a false accusation, was accused of murder and thus had to flee his homeland, and eventually reached the land of Japan. At that time, the government was launching a particularly vicious oppression and attack on the Christian faith and all those who professed their faith in God.

Many of the faithful were arrested, tortured and forced to choose between abandoning their faith and living, or to keep their faith in God and perish in terrible suffering and pain. Many refused to let go of their faith and thus remained true to their faith in God, including St. Lawrence Ruiz and his fellow companions in faith. They were tortured and made to go through various torture forms and sufferings unimaginable to the human mind.

They were eventually martyred, refusing to give up to the very end, calling for others to remain strong in their faith and persevere despite of the difficulties facing them. It was told that St. Lawrence Ruiz said that when he was about to die, he proclaimed, “I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God. Had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.”

In all the examples of the holy saints and martyrs we have heard, and all others whom we are familiar with, we can see that they devoted their whole lives, their whole beings to serve the Lord, to serve His purpose and His will, and to give their whole heart, mind and soul in bringing forth the good works of God to the whole world, to all the peoples by example, by action and good deed.

We can also follow their examples and good deeds, by practicing them in our own lives. Let us all reflect on how we live our lives, and whether we have been truly faithful to God or not. Let us all walk from now on, in the path of the Lord, devoting our time and efforts for the Lord, and committing ourselves wholly to Him alone. May God help us in this endeavour. Amen.

by

Wednesday, 28 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Luke 9 : 57-62

At that time, as Jesus and His disciples went on their way, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

To another Jesus said, “Follow Me!” But he answered, “Let me go back now, for first I want to bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, leave them, and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Another said to Him, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” And Jesus said to him, “Whoever has put his hand to the plow, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of God.”

by

Wednesday, 28 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Psalm 87 : 10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15

Spreading out my hands to You, I call upon You every day, o Lord. Are Your wonders meant for the dead? Will ghosts rise to give You thanks?

Is Your live and faithfulness remembered among those gone to the netherworld? Are Your wonders known in the dark, Your salvation in the land of oblivion?

But to You, o Lord, I cry for help; every morning I pray to You. O Lord, why do You reject me, why do You hide Your face?

by

Wednesday, 28 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, Martyr and St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Job 9 : 1-12, 14-16

Then Job answered, “Very well I know that it is so. But how can a mortal be just before God? If one were to contend with Him, not once in a thousand times would He answer. His power is vast, His wisdom profound. Who has resisted Him and come out unharmed?”

“He moves mountains before they are aware; He overturns them in His rage. He makes the earth tremble and its pillars quake. He commands the sun, and it does not shine; He seals off the light of the stars. He alone stretches out the skies and treads on the waves of the seas.”

“He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and every constellation. His wonders are past all reckoning, His miracles beyond all counting. He passes by, but I do not see Him; He moves on, but I do not notice Him. If He snatches away, who can stop Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?'”

“How then can I answer Him and find words to argue with Him? If He does not answer when I am right, shall I plead with my Judge for mercy? Even if I appealed and He answered, I do not believe that He would have heard.”

by

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we have listened to the words of God from the Holy Scriptures, when He spoke to us about the tale of Job the holy man of God, who was tormented and troubled by the acts of Satan who brought calamities and difficulties, one after another, crushing him under the cumulative sorrow and despair.

By nature, it is normal for someone to complain and grumble about that kind of state of life, as what Job had done, when in our first reading today he spoke of how he regretted having been born, and complained why he was allowed to live on and exist in the first place. But nowhere was it that he blasphemed or cursed God for His condition. He remained true and faithful to the Lord despite of his doubts and sufferings.

What we heard from the Gospel today will then show to us how God in fact does not desire our demise or destruction, but instead, He is willing to give us opportunities and chances, one after another, encouraging each and every one of us to repent and change our ways. In that Gospel passage, we saw how a Samaritan village refusing to welcome Jesus, and His disciples asked for His permission to destroy the people there with fires from heaven itself, but Jesus refused to do so.

What we heard from the Book of Job in the first reading today is just part of the overall story. If we read the entirety of the Book of Job from its beginning to the very end, and then understood the message behind what we heard in the Gospel today, we should realise that in the first place, God is a loving and caring God. He does not want us to suffer or to perish in the darkness, but instead, His intention has always been good for us.

He showed mercy and love for His beloved ones, caring for them and encouraging them to find their way back to Him, abandoning their sinfulness and leaving behind their past lives of sin. God Himself does not bring upon us our destruction, although He is perfectly capable of doing so. It is in fact we ourselves who brought upon our own beings, the destruction and harm which we inflict upon ourselves because of our sins.

Sin leads to death, and death brought about the separation between us and the Lord our God. And that is not the fate which God wants to happen to us. He has destined us all to live forever in joy and harmony with Him, that we who are His beloved ones may live in perfect harmony and joy together with Him in paradise. Rather, our disobedience and sins brought about that painful separation and the many sufferings we now endure.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all look at the example of St. Vincent de Paul, the renowned saint and holy man of God whose feast we celebrate today. Through his examples, we will be better able to understand how to live like people who belong to the Lord our God. He is a devoted priest of the Lord, serving the spiritual needs of the people, and at the same time, he also cared for their earthly well-being, caring and giving generously to them, that he was even known as the Great Apostle of Charity.

While we mankind tend to complain about our conditions and become bitter at our situation, St. Vincent showed us all that if we keep our faith in the Lord and remain firm in our ways, devoted to the Lord our God, then the way forward is opened for us. St. Vincent de Paul himself had suffered a lot during his life, enduring difficulties when he was abducted by pirates in his youth days, who sold him as a slave to be traded with from masters to masters, regarded as a mere commodity and not as a human being.

But he did not lose his resolve and his faith, and instead, through his faith and examples, even his last master would eventually come to his senses and repented from his sinful ways, and he came back to the faith after many years as a lapsed Christian. And St. Vincent de Paul was set free, and eventually devoted his life serving the Lord and His people as a priest.

He gave generously to the poor, encouraging others to do the same, caring for the needs of the poor farmers and workers who had little or none with them to sustain themselves. He founded several religious congregations dedicated to a life of service to God and to the Church, especially those sharing his charitable approach and examples. He helped many younger priests and many others to develop their calling to be good and devoted Christians, who know how to love others generously as he had done.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all devote ourselves to the Lord in the same manner as St. Vincent de Paul had done. When calamities, difficulties and troubles come our way, let us all learn to persist and to devote ourselves instead to help one another, as St. Vincent de Paul and the other holy saints of God had done, that those who have more may share with those who have less, and everyone may have enough for themselves.

May God bless us and help us in our endeavours. May He strengthen our faith and our dedication to the Lord, giving us all in order to love Him and in the same manner, loving and caring for our fellow brethren with genuine love. May the Lord be with us always. Amen.

by

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White
Luke 9 : 51-56

At that time, as the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, He made up His mind to go to Jerusalem. He sent ahead of Him some messengers, who entered a Samaritan village to prepare a lodging for Him.

But the people would not receive Him, because He was on His way to Jerusalem. Seeing this, James and John, His disciples, said, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to reduce them to ashes?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went on to another village.

by

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 87 : 2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8

O Lord, my God, I call for help by day; before You I cry out by night. May my prayer come to You; incline Your ear to my cry for help.

My soul is deeply troubled; my life draws near to the grave. I am like those without strength. Counted among those going down into the pit.

I lie forsaken among the dead, like those You remember no more, cut off from Your care.

You have plunged me into the darkest depths of the pit. With Your wrath heavy upon me, You have battered me with all Your waves.

by

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White
Job 3 : 1-3, 11-17, 20-23

At length it was Job who spoke, cursing the day of his birth. This is what he said : “Cursed be the day I was born, and the night which whispered : A boy has been conceived. Why did I not die at birth, or come from the womb without breath? Why the knees that received me, why the breasts that suckled me?”

“For then I should have lain down asleep and been at rest with kings and rulers of the earth who built for themselves lonely tombs; or with princes who had gold to spare and houses stuffed with silver. Why was I not stillborn, like others who did not see the light of morn? There the trouble of the wicked ceases, there the weary find repose.”

“Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the embittered? To those who long for death more than for hidden treasure? They rejoice at the sight of their end, they are happy upon reaching the grave. Why give light to a man whose path has vanished, whose ways God blocks at every side?”

by

Monday, 26 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we heard the Scripture passage taken from the Book of Job, the faithful servant of God, whom the devil or Satan had persecuted and troubled, because he was jealous of the great faith and devotion that this man of God is showing the Lord and the world. Satan is told to be our accuser and our enemy before God, casting out our sins and our wickedness, our shortcomings and evils before Him that we will be condemned to eternity with Satan and his angels in hellfire.

Indeed, Satan and his allies desire our destruction and demise, but then we may be confused as to why God would allow the devil then to have his ways on us as he had done with Job, the faithful man of God? After all, he had been faithful all of his life, and then God would allow Job to be tested by Satan, who destroyed all of his possessions, all of his cattle and herds, stole away all of his belongings and even destroyed his beloved ones, his sons and daughters.

It is easy for us all to accuse God of wrongdoing in this manner, that He had deliberately abandoned His servant in his time of need, allowing an enemy to strike at him and destroy him, crushing him with sorrow and despair. However, if we look through the entirety of the Book of Job, we should realise that it was not God Who desired our destruction, and neither would He deliberately allow us to be crushed, as if that was the case, He could have easily just cast Job into hell to be tormented for eternity.

But that was not what God had done to Job, and neither had He done that to any of us mankind. After all, He Who created us all out of love would not have destroyed us without good reason, and there is truly no reason good enough for each and every one of us has that same potential for conversion and change. But no, we all suffer in this world because of none other than ourselves, because of our sins and our disobedience against God which had made us to go astray from the Lord.

In the first place, God created us to enjoy forever the bliss and happiness with Him in Eden, where everything was created good and perfect, and then it was our ancestors’ inability to hold and bridle their desires which led them to disobedience and sin, and as a result, by their own actions they had brought suffering upon themselves, and as a result as well, death becomes a part of our life. Death is the consequence for our sins, but it was not the intention of the Lord to burden us with it.

And our death is not going to last forever, because we who believe in the Lord know that He is the Life-giving Lord, Who blesses all of His faithful ones with the promise of everlasting life, which He Himself had declared through Jesus Christ His Son, by His death on the cross, as well as then through His glorious resurrection from the dead, which led to the hope for each and every one of us, that there is a way out of our suffering in this world.

And that way is through believing in God, putting our trust in Him as Job had done. Job has remained true to his faith in God throughout all those sufferings and difficult years, and even amidst all the persuasions and the pressures from others to do otherwise. He did complained against God as being unjust in dealing with his situation, but nonetheless, he remained truly faithful to the very end.

Because of his obedience and faith, God rewarded Job with much more than what he had once lost, a proof of God’s ever-present love for His beloved people. Indeed He will not abandon us to the darkness, but He will ever love us with ever more and more care and attention, so long as we too learn how to love Him and show Him our faith and appreciation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we should also heed the examples of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, the two saints and holy martyrs whose memory we remember and celebrate today. St. Cosmas and St. Damian were told to be brothers who were good physicians who often tended to the sick and to the poor in their community, who often tended to these people without asking for money or payment.

For their great and sincere love for their brethren, many were touched and inspired by their examples, and came to believe in the Lord as these brothers had as well. They have brought many into the embrace of the Lord, and many were saved because of them. But eventually, they were found out by the local authorities, who at that time, at the height of the last great persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, arrested and tortured these two saints, and martyred them.

The good works and the perseverance of these two saints, the obedience and faith of Job should be inspiration to all of us. Let our faith be like that of a child’s faith, pure and true, unbridled and unlimited by our desires and worldly wants, but instead, we should learn to welcome the Lord into our hearts, that just like how Jesus welcomed the children brought to Him, He too may embrace us and welcome us all into His presence.

May God bless us all and keep us in His love always, and may He grant us the gift of grace and life everlasting He has promised to all of us, His beloved and faithful ones. Amen.

by

Monday, 26 September 2016 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)
Luke 9 : 46-50

At that time, the disciples were arguing about which of them was the most important. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so He took a little child and stood him by His side. Then He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My Name, welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me, welcomes the One Who sent Me. And listen : the one who is found to be the least among you all, is the one who is the greatest.”

Then John spoke up, “Master, we saw someone who drives out demons by calling upon Your Name, and we tried to forbid him, because he does not follow You with us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him. He who is not against you is for you.”