Catholic

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Monday, 22 April 2013 : 4th Week of Easter (Scripture Reflection)

God, our Father, knows us, dear brothers and sisters. He knows us truly inside out. He knows everything that we do in our lives, whether it is done in the open, or done in secret. He knows our hearts and know our thoughts. Is he not our shepherd and we His sheep? He knows us and chose us, and justifies us.

It is not up to us and not our right to judge others, especially based on our perceptions and prejudices on them, which clouds our own judgment. The Lord, who is our shepherd, is also the Chief Judge who deems the ones worthy to enter the Kingdom of God, because He knows us and He knows if we are worthy for Him.

That was why He showed to Peter, and through Peter to the apostles, how He made all the people, His children worthy of Him, by showing that the ancient laws of unclean foods is no longer essential for the faithful ones in Him. Just as Christ Himself had rebuked the Pharisees, that one can only be made unclean by what comes out of that person, and not by something that the person takes into himself, therefore God made it clear that who a person is, and that person’s characteristics does not affect one’s prospect of salvation in God.

For God loves all mankind, and He sent Christ His Son, not only to the Jews, but in fact to all mankind, to save all of them, and not just the Jews, God’s first chosen people, from the slavery of sin and Satan. He did not discriminate between the Jews and the Gentiles, but as long as those whom He had chosen among the nations loves Him just as much as He had done, He would shower them with all graces and blessings, and promise them salvation that is due to them.

For it is one’s own faith and belief in the Lord, and their trust in Him that justifies someone, whom the Lord, as our shepherd, can see in all those who believe in Him, as the ‘good sheep’, as compared to the ‘bad sheep’ that is those who disobeyed the Lord’s commandments and refused to love Him just as He had done. Many of the Jews at the time of the Acts of the Apostles believed in God and converted to the faith, but there are even more who opposed the Lord and persecuted God’s faithful ones.

This being amidst growing conversion among the Gentiles, who were called to receive the Good News of the Lord, who having never heard of God and His love and teachings before, now hearing the message through the apostles, felt the true feelings of love and desire for God in their hearts and soul. Therefore, it is not right to discount them by the fact that they were not Jews, and therefore as some Jews would argue, did not belong to the ‘chosen people’ of God.

For being the chosen people of God, entails obedience and love, which God had always shown to His people, and yet Israel often rebelled and disobeyed God’s will, and preferred worldly gods and temptations instead of God’s love. God, our Good Shepherd knows His sheep, and conversely, all of us who truly have faith in Him, and therefore His sheep, knows Him, and answers only to Him. We ought not to be swayed by the call of the false shepherds, who are the agents of Satan, the evil one, who tried in vain to snatch the people of God and drag them into hell and damnation with him.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us strive to rebuke Satan and his temptations, and answer only to Christ, our one and true Good Shepherd, and put ourselves ever closer into God’s infinite love. Let us remain in God’s love, and remain His faithful children, and let ourselves be led by Him in our daily lives. Let us not judge one another by appearance or by our backgrounds, but rather look deeper into each one of us, and surely we will find that all of us has God’s love in us, that makes all of us truly beautiful, especially in the eyes of God. Amen.

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Monday, 22 April 2013 : 4th Week of Easter (First Reading)

Acts 11 : 1-18

News came to the apostles and the brothers and sisters in Judea that even foreigners had received the Word of God. So, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, these Jewish believers began to argue with him, “You went to the home of uncircumcised people and ate with them!”

So Peter began to give them the facts as they had happened, “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when, in a trance, I saw a vision. Something like a large sheet came down from the sky and drew near to me, landing on the ground by its four corners. As I stared at it, I saw four-legged creatures of the earth, wild beasts and reptiles, and birds of the sky.”

“Then I heard a voice saying to me : ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ I replied, ‘Certainly not, Lord! No common or unclean creature has ever entered my mouth.’ A second time the voice from the heavens spoke, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call unclean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all drawn up into the sky.”

“At that moment, three men, who had been sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were staying. The Spirit instructed me to go with them without hesitation; so these six brothers came along with me and we entered into the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and telling him : ‘Send someone to Joppa and fetch Simon, also known as Peter. He will bring you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.'”

“I had begun to address them when suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon them, just as it had come upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said : ‘John baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ If, then, God had given them the same gift that He had given us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to resist God?”

When they heard this, they set their minds at rest and praised God saying, “Then God has granted life-giving repentance to the pagan nations as well.”

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Sunday, 21 April 2013 : 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, World Day of Prayer for Vocations (50th Anniversary) (Scripture Reflection)

It is always sad when we hear about those who reject the Lord, and who refused to believe in God and His message through Christ our Lord, who had died on the cross and risen, and had shown Himself to many of the faithful, that many would have hope of eternal life in God. That was exactly what happened during the mission of St. Paul to the faithful in the pagan lands of Antioch and beyond, when the Jews, blinded in their hatred and jealousy, spread falsehood and lies in rejection of the Lord.

God is our Lord, and He is our shepherd, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep. He died on the cross, as our shepherd, that we, who are His sheep, may gain life through Him, and that the wolves, led by Satan, would not be able to attack us and snatch us from His hands. He as our shepherd gave Himself in sacrifice to the hands of the agents of Satan, so that we would be safe and would live.

As Christ had said to the disciples and to the people in His teaching, that His sheep would know Him, just like the sheep knows the true shepherd, and not those paid to be shepherds or the thief, He said that to show that all of us who truly believe in Him and those who belong to Him would recognise Him as their shepherd, their Lord, and God.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in our world today, there are many false shepherds who would want to deceive the faithful and lead the sheep of the Lord away from the true path and pasture of the Lord. There are many temptations and evil in this world, that shake even faithful shepherds that the Lord had chosen for His sheep, His people. Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, be careful, that we will not fall into the trap of Satan that he sprang through his false agents and prophets, proclaiming falsehood instead of truth.

Today, we mark the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, and it is indeed appropriate, for the Fourth Sunday of Easter is also Good Shepherd Sunday, and priests, who we pray for today, and those aspiring to the priesthood and service of the Lord had been chosen by the Lord as shepherds for His people. Today happened to be the fiftieth anniversary of this prayer day, which was promulgated in 1963, during the Second Vatican Council.

Sadly, in recent decades, we saw the vocations to the priesthood in rapid decline, and the number of priests often no longer sufficient to serve all the needs of the faithful as it was in the past. Imagine a large flock of sheep with a single, poor shepherd to herd all of them and guide them! It is not an impossible task for them to do, but certainly many of our priests are burdened with ever greater task, both to administer to the growing number of the faithful in Christ, and on the other side, to combat the rising secularism and evils in our world today.

We need more good, holy, faithful, and dedicated priests to harvest the good harvest of the Lord, which had been bountiful in the wake of the evangelisation attempts of the past decades, especially in Asia and Africa, where our Church is rapidly growing, and with more and more people turning towards the Lord. The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the labourers are few. But the laity too can play a part in providing support to our shepherd priests in various ways and means available to us.

Parents should cultivate good faith and morale in their children, that they will grow up to be good and devoted children of God. Then in the future, these children will become good husbands and wives, caring for one another in love, and for their children. And if God wills it, some of those would be called to serve Him and the people of God either through the sacred priesthood or religious life.

We who are parents should be happy if one of our children are chosen by God to be His shepherds to guide His flock. The community too should provide care and support, ensuring that the children would grow up in a fertile soil for their faith, that would allow them later to be dedicated, faithful, and obedient shepherd of the flock of the Lord. Do not be judgmental and prevent your children from choosing the path of vocation, as if it is the Lord’s will that this happens, you will be against God yourself.

Many of us are too fixated with achievements in life, and therefore, placed too much emphasis on results and material possessions. This is one very major reason, especially in Asia, why many parents oppose, either openly or discreetly, on their children’s decisions to dedicate themselves to God. We are too fixated on the idea of our children’s success, which we often attribute to wealth and possessions, and affluence, to the point that we often dismiss priesthood as a ‘career’ that has no prospect, and therefore is not for our children to take.

There was a story of a young man who was rejected from entering the seminary, just because the decision to enter the seminary was not his own, but his own parents’, who decided that because he was rather ‘useless’ in life and unable to achieve anything of good, he should be entering the seminary and become a priest instead. While this may not be true anymore today, but I am sure, many of us whose children are aspirants to the priesthood and religious life are reluctant to ‘let them go’ because of reasons similar to the one mentioned.

Our priests and those who serve the Lord must be of good quality, well prepared and trained, and also having a good intellect and knowledge, both of the faith and the vocation which he is about to embark into, but most importantly, they must be dedicated, loving, and faithful, to God, and to His children to whom they are about to give themselves entirely to, as the bride of the Church of God.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today, as we commemorate this Good Shepherd Sunday, and the fiftieth anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us take a step back and reflect, that many of us are called to serve the Lord, in various ways, some of us as laity, and others as priests and servants of the Lord, through the Church.

Let us not say no to the Lord, and let us not close our hearts and our minds to His calling. Let us open ourselves fully to God’s love, and allow Him to lead us in our path, that we will be able to maximise the life that we had been granted, that in this life, we would be able to improve the life of others, through prayer and service, and through dedication into works of love, for the sake of our most beloved brethren.

Pray for one another, and pray for more vocations in the Church, pray for more good and holy priests to serve the Lord and His people, and never cease to continue our own roles and works in helping one another, physically and spiritually. When we see a growing vocation, let us support instead of chastising or badmouthing the person to the point that such a potential be wasted. Trust in the Lord, and do not worry, for God will take care of everything. He is our shepherd, and He cares for us. He will not leave us hungry nor thirsty, because by His death and resurrection, He gave us an eternal spring and bread of life. Amen.

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Sunday, 21 April 2013 : 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, World Day of Prayer for Vocations (50th Anniversary) (Gospel Reading)

John 10 : 27-30

My sheep hear My voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life. They shall never perish , and no one will ever steal them from Me. What the Father has given Me is above everything else, and no one can snatch it from out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One.

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Sunday, 21 April 2013 : 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, World Day of Prayer for Vocations (50th Anniversary) (Second Reading)

Revelation 7 : 9, 14b-17

After this I saw a great crowd, impossible to count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue, standing before the throne and the Lamb, clothed in white, with palm branches in their hands.

They are those who have come out of the great persecution; they have washed and made their clothes white in the blood of the Lamb. This is why they stand before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His sanctuary. He who sits on the throne will spread His tent over them.

Never again will they suffer hunger or thirst or be burned by the sun or any scorching wind. For the Lamb near the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will bring them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away their tears.”

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Sunday, 21 April 2013 : 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, World Day of Prayer for Vocations (50th Anniversary) (Psalm)

Psalm 99 : 2, 3, 5

Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God; He created us and we are His people, the sheep of His fold.

For the Lord is good; His love lasts forever and His faithfulness through all generations.

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Sunday, 21 April 2013 : 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, World Day of Prayer for Vocations (50th Anniversary) (First Reading)

Acts 13 : 14, 43-52

While they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After that, when the assembly broke up, many Jews and devout God-fearing people followed them and to these they spoke, urging them to hold fast to the grace of God.

The following Sabbath almost the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose with insults whatever Paul said.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, “It was necessary that God’s word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it and judge yourself to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people. For thus we were commanded by the Lord : ‘I have set you as a light to the pagan nations, so that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.’

Those who were not Jews rejoiced when they heard this and praised the message of the Lord, and all those destined for everlasting life believed in it. Thus the Word spread throughout the whole region.

Some of the Jews, however, incited God-fearing women of the upper class and the leading men of the city, as well, and stirred up an intense persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Finally they had them expelled from their region.

The apostles shook the dust from their feet in protest against this people and went to Iconium, leaving the disciples filled with joy and Holy Spirit.

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Saturday, 20 April 2013 : 3rd Week of Easter (Scripture Reflection)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard the story of the miraculous resurrection of the lady Tabitha, who had died but then resurrected in a new life, in a miracle that many would believe in Christ and His apostles. This also show the truth of the words that Christ Himself had spoken and which we had heard in today’s Gospel, that He has the message of eternal life, and that all who believe in Him and His message, would not die but would live in a blissful eternal life with God.

Indeed, Christ is not just the bearer of the message of eternal life, but He is life Himself, the way, the truth, and the life, for outside Christ, and for those who do not receive Him nor His message, there is no hope for life. In Christ lies the truth of life, and the truth about God and His works, and how much He loves us to the point of sending His own, beloved and only Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour.

Many yet find it hard to believe in Christ, not because the language that Jesus used was too harsh, as what the apostles said, but instead, it was because the hearts of the people had been hardened against Him, and their hearts and minds were deaf against the truth that the Lord offered them. The truth that Christ had brought with Him knocked hard on the door of their hearts, and many would not answer the call and that knock on the door. They did not open the doors for Christ, but instead slammed those doors in front of Christ.

Many among us today also find it hard to believe in Christ, that we choose to be what can be called as ‘market Christians’ as we choose what we want to believe, and what we would like to believe. We do not take the teachings of Christ in the Church as it is. We believe as we would like to believe, and in our pride and arrogance, we would not admit the Lord into our hearts.

Many of us would not put our trust in the Lord, and choose to put our trust in men. But if we do not put our full trust in God, we would not be part of His redemption and His salvation. He offered Himself freely for us, so that we may have life in Him, and that just like Tabitha, we may also be risen in glory with Him.

Yet, we remain in our sinful ways, and we did not put our trust entirely in God. We prefer this world and Satan to God, and if we do not change our ways, we would not gain life, but lose it, and just like the people who refused to believe that Christ is the bread of life, we too would refuse to believe in Him and accept Him fully as our Lord and God.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us today strive to be better Christians, to be better faithful ones in Christ, that we can transform ourselves with God’s love and true and unconditional faith in Him, that we will then be able to put our trust in Him who loves us, and gain eternal life as our due reward. Let us also renew our commitment to spread the Good News of the Lord to many in all the nations, that those who hear the Good News and believe, will not die, but live eternally with God. Amen.

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Saturday, 20 April 2013 : 3rd Week of Easter (Gospel Reading)

John 6 : 60-69

After hearing this, many of Jesus’ followers said, “This language is very hard! Who can accept it?”

Jesus was aware that His disciples were murmuring about this, and so He said to them, “Does this offend you? Then how will you react when you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the spirit that gives life, not the flesh. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. But among you there are some who do not believe.”

From the beginning, Jesus knew who would betray Him. So He added, “As I have told you, no one can come to Me unless it is granted by the Father.”

After this many disciples withdrew and no longer followed Him. Jesus asked the Twelve, “Will you also go away?” Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the word of eternal life. We now believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”

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Saturday, 20 April 2013 : 3rd Week of Easter (Psalm)

Psalm 115 : 12-13, 14-15, 16-17

How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord.

I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. It is painful to the Lord to see the death of His faithful.

O Lord, I am Your servant, truly Your servant, Your handmaid’s son. You have freed me from my bonds. I will offer You a thanksgiving sacrifice; I will call on the Name of the Lord.