glory of God

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Sunday, 26 January 2014 : 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

God came unto us, to be our Light, the guiding light that enlighten our paths, that we may walk true and upright on His way, that we will not fall into temptation or walk towards the wrong ends. The Light of the world Himself had come in Jesus, that through Him, we who once were aimless and lived in darkness, may now know which direction to go, and how to reach towards salvation in God.

And in order to do so, it is important, as rightfully highlighted by St. Paul in his letter to the Church in Corinth, which was bitterly divided into factions at that time, that they stay united and strong in faith, rather than being divided by petty differences and human ambitions. Yes, this ties in perfectly with how the last week was the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, when we prayed sincerely for the Lord to help His Church to reunite once more, as One and only Church.

We have been divided far too often, ever since the time of the Apostles and the early Church fathers. Brothers and sisters in faith were divided against each other and could not agree on what the faith constitute, and resulting sometimes even in violence and bitter divisions, which sadly endured until this day. Indeed, it can be said that, many times, the Light of the world had come into this world to save it, but mankind continued to rebel against Him, and prefer to dwell in the false light that is Lucifer, Satan! The Devil!

It is important therefore that we all remember that our faith is all about Christ, and is all about devoting ourselves without division or distraction towards He who came to be our Saviour, and who liberated us from the chains of death. Our faith cannot be separated from Christ, or it may risk division as St. Paul had rightly warned the people.

The devil can easily corrupt mankind, and he can easily come into our hearts and sow the seeds of dissension and divisions, that we argue and hate one another, with the goal of separating us from Christ, and veil from us the truth represented by the light of God. That was how many of the divisions in the Church originated from, that is from human ambitions, from human arrogance and pride, and from human stubbornness, much like the stubbornness of the people of Israel of old.

God came to this world to be its Saviour, but His coming was not a leisurely walk in the park. Instead, it was filled with rejection and suffering. Mankind preferred to stay in their state of ignorance and darkness, rather than repenting their sins and walk once again with their God. And yet, Jesus continued to love them, and taught them the truth about Himself and about what God had put in place for all of them.

And lastly, He gave up Himself, and shedding His own Body and Blood, He offered Himself as the perfect Lamb of sacrifice, in atonement for our sins, that we all are made worthy and pure again through that sacrifice. And through His glorious resurrection, He defeated death forever, and released mankind from their bond and slavery to death and evil. It was this fact and this truth, which St. Paul tried very hard to project and spread to all peoples, together with the other disciples and apostles of Christ.

And many still refused to truly believe in the message of salvation. Many of them believed but many also did so halfheartedly. They did not give their total devotion to God, but instead keeping themselves at a distance from truly reaching out towards the Lord. That was why Satan was able to come and influence them, and as a result divisions, hatred, and conflict easily arose among the people of God.

And this had happened many times in the long history of the Church and the faith. Many, lured by the temptations of worldly power and corrupted by the sin of ambition, greed and pride, tore apart the unity of the Church, and spread false teachings that came not from God but from Satan, the false lightbringer. They spread chaos and confusion among the faithful, and often even taking advantage of the chaotic situation of the time, to spread their seeds of heresy.

Many examples of such dissension and heresies as we all know happen throughout the history of the Church, and they remain a very serious problem even today, and even as it will be in the future. Many people think that they are even better than God and His truth, and end up becoming false Messiah, bearing false news and false teachings that misled many and condemned many to damnation together with them.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, amid this increasingly difficult times, we should always hold firm our faith in God, that is in Jesus, the one and only true Light of the world, from whom we gain light and revelation of the truth, against all the falsehoods that Satan had placed in all of us. Jesus is our beacon of light, and the One who guides our way towards God the Father. If we do not turn to Him and devote ourselves entirely, seriously, and completely to Him, then we too may fall.

It is also our duty, brethren, to bring the Light of Christ to all peoples, especially to those who had been lost in darkness of this world and to those who had turned their back on Him. But we cannot do so, if we ourselves are divided against each other, and if we hate one another, because of the divisions and dissensions that separated us.

Even though the week of prayer for Christian unity is over, but we should not stop praying and working just there. Instead, day after day, month after month, and year after year we should continue to work hard for the unity of the faithful, and then, after that had been achieved, to bring the Light of Christ to the hearts of many, opening them to the Light, and hope that they may be redeemed in Christ, rejecting their past lives of sin and embracing new life in God.

May our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, and continue to bless us and shine upon our way with His light, that we will be able to continue to proceed on the way towards salvation, until the end when we reach Him, and together, we will enjoy forever the fruits of eternal glory with God. Amen.

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Sunday, 26 January 2014 : 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Isaiah 8 : 23b – Isaiah 9 : 3

He has just afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the future He will confer glory on the way of the sea, on the land beyond the Jordan – the pagan’s Galilee.

The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death. You have enlarged the nation; You have increased their joy. They rejoice before You, as people rejoice at harvest time, as they rejoice in dividing the spoil.

For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors, You have broken it as on the day of Midian.

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Friday, 24 January 2014 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 56 : 2, 3-4, 6 and 11

Have mercy on me, o God, have mercy, for my soul takes refuge in You; I will find shelter in the shadow of Your wings till the disaster has passed.

I call on God the Most High, on God who has done everything for me : may He send from heaven a Saviour and put my oppressors to shame. May God send me His Love and faithfulness.

Be exalted, o God, above the heavens! Your glory be over all the earth! For Your love reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness, to the clouds.

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Wednesday, 22 January 2014 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Memorial of St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard the famous story of David versus Goliath, the well known biblical story based on how the young David, before he was made the king of Israel, fought against the giant Philistinian warrior Goliath, much larger than David himself, and he won a surprising victory.

Many did not believe at first that David would even have any remote chance of winning the encounter, and they ridiculed David for his attempt. The King of Israel and his advisors and servants ridiculed him, and his enemies mad fun of him. They did not know that the Lord God was with David, and guided Him with His strength.

Mankind could not rely on their own power and hope to win. Many do not know that strength or power alone could not save them, that is because true strength lie only in God. The giant Philistine warrior Goliath certainly made use of his huge size to physically intimidate his enemies and boast over them. But he was powerless when David with the wisdom and strength of God humbled him and killed him with mere sling and stones.

There are many lessons that we can learn from the story of David versus Goliath. One is that we should not fear any thing or any challenges that face us, no matter how daunting or challenging they may be. If we acknowledge defeat before we even try, then indeed we have already been defeated. We have to always keep up faith in all things, because the Lord is indeed with us.

Yes, that is another lesson we should learn, that without God we are nothing, but with God, everything is possible. We should not put our trust in our own strength alone, but we should rather put our trust in God. That is because as Goliath’s defeat had shown us, that the power of men may fail, but the power of God never fails.

And finally, just as King David had been faithful and righteous, true to his calling as the servant of God, we too should be faithful in God as he was. Follow the Lord, understand His ways and obey Him. Do not trust in the fallibility and the vulnerabilities of men, as Jesus had shown in the Gospel today, as He rebuked the Pharisees who criticised Him and tried to block His good works for mankind.

The Pharisees were the learnt ones, those who supposedly were knowledgeable about the Lord and His laws. Yet, they have given in to their pride and arrogance, thinking of themselves as the judges and arbiters of God’s people, imposing on them strict rules and regulations that were based not on true understanding of the meaning behind the Law, but based on their human interpretation of it.

They were hell bent on maintaining their superiority and position, as well as teaching authority, of their version of the Law, that they openly confronted Jesus and blocked Him at every possible opportunity, including what they did as covered in today’s Gospel. They failed to see, through their veil of pride and ignorance, the truth about Christ, and how true His teachings were.

Indeed, the laws and the rules especially regarding Sabbath did not make the people of God slaves to the law. The law was given to them to guide them, so that they may understand the Lord and His ways better, and not to burden them unnecessarily with punishments and censures, as the Pharisees tried to do in their flawed understanding of the law.

What Jesus said is true, while it is definitely not permissible to do evil or harm on Sabbath, and indeed not just on Sabbath but also at any other time, it is not right to prevent or block any attempts to do good on that day. For doing something good towards others is equivalent to doing it for God, and for His glory. To deny someone from doing good, even on Sabbath is tantamount to denying God the glory He is to obtain from those actions.

Today, brothers and sisters, we celebrate the feast day of St. Vincent, a deacon of the early Church and a martyr of the faith. He was also known as St. Vincent of Saragossa, who lived in the Roman Hispania during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, the infamous Emperor who was the last great persecutor of the faith. St. Vincent was a deacon of the city he was known with, and he was arrested together with his bishop by the governor of Hispania.

St. Vincent spoke both for himself and for his bishop due to the latter’s speech impediment. St. Vincent spoke so bravely and courageously in the defense of his faith, that he was tortured and put to death by the governor, with punishment even greater and more severe than that dealt to his bishop and the other prisoners. Yet, he never gave up and persevered for his faith until the end.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the example of St. Vincent showed us that it is important for us to understand the true meaning of our faith. Our faith is not just about following the laws and precepts of the Lord, but we have to really devote ourselves to God in the same way that St. Vincent had done. Maybe not in facing martyrdom and death in the same way as St. Vincent, but in our life, that we show concretely the zeal and the faith we have in us.

How to do so? Simply by making ourselves available to others who need us. Love one another genuinely, and show forgiveness for those who have done us wrong. Be loving and be genuine in that love. Through that, God will see our faith in Him, a genuine faith based in love, and He will reward us.

Let us therefore understand our faith better, and devote ourselves ever more deeply in God. Let us not be distracted by the concerns of this world. May the Lord our God strengthen our faith and empower the love we have in ourselves. God be with us all. Amen.

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Wednesday, 22 January 2014 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Memorial of St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 143 : 1, 2, 9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.

My loving God, my Fortress; my Protector and Deliverer, my Shield where I take refuge, who conquers nations and subjects them to my rule.

I will sing a new song to You, o God, I will make music on the ten-stringed harp, for You who give victory to kings and deliver David, Your servant.

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Sunday, 19 January 2014 : 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, World Day of Migrants and Refugees (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 39 : 2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

With resolve I waited for the Lord; He listened and heard me beg. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

Sacrifice and oblation You did not desire; this You had me understand. Burnt offering and sin offering You do not require. Then I said, “Here I come!”

As the scroll says of me, to do Your will is my delight, o God, for Your law is within my heart.

In the great assembly I have proclaimed Your saving help. My lips, o Lord, I did not seal – You know that very well.

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Saturday, 18 January 2014 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green or White (Saturday Mass of our Lady)

Today brethren, we heard about how God had chosen Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, to be the king over His people Israel, and how He instructed Samuel, His prophet and servant, to deliver His will to Saul and later on, to let it be known to the people.

He anointed Saul through His servant Samuel, that Saul be filled with His own Spirit bearing power and authority, that He be granted wisdom and power, which came from God, to lead the people of God through righteous life and obedience to the Lord, and make sure that the people of God faithfully keep the laws and commandments of God without turning from them or abandoning them.

But sadly, Saul, and many other kings of Israel did not remain faithful to God, and followed their own ways and desires, in ruling the people, misusing the power given to them and the authority entrusted to them. They became tyrants and abusers of power, serving their own needs and desires instead of serving the people of God.

The people of Israel were eventually lost and were scattered all over the world, after their kingdoms of Israel and Judah were destroyed by their enemies. They went into exile, and only a portion would eventually return to their Promised Land, and began anew, trying to once again obey the will of God and not walk the path of sinfulness as their ancestors had under the rule of the corrupt kings.

God resolved to show His infinite love for His people and for all mankind, the most beloved of all His creations, by sending to us His ultimate form of love, that is, Jesus Christ, His own Son, the Logos, the Word of God, who was made man, by the power of God, and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus, as Lord, is the true King of all, for God is the true King over all creations, the Lord and King over all the universe. From God all authority and power comes.

But Jesus showed all of us, that true kingship is not one based on the abuse of power or tyranny. Even though He was Lord of all and King of all kings, and have all the power and authority He needed, He never showed them off or used them to push things to His advantage. The kingship of Jesus is one of true service for His people, to care and love them very, very much, so much that He even was willing to lay down His own life for them.

He also came to seek the lost and the ones without hope. He came to bring light to those who live in the darkness, especially those who were deeper and even deeper in darkness. That was why, when He came, He sought those who were sinful and considered the troubles of the society, the hated enemies of the people. Yes, people such as tax collectors, prostitutes, and those possessed by illnesses and the evil spirits.

Jesus came to bring them to the comfort of the light of God, and to show that they too deserve redemption, even more so because they were so deep in the risk of damnation. He also made the point that these people were truly capable of great deeds and great piety, even more than those who outwardly showed brilliant faith, but inside were not as brilliant as they seemed to be.

That was why, He as the King who has authority over us, and who is like a father to all of us, came to correct things as well as perceptions of the society, that we should not judge others based on their appearance or their deeds in the past. Yes, the likes of Saul, who was very tall and handsome, who seemed like the perfect choice for a regal king, and yet failed miserably, and the likes of the Pharisees, who outwardly showed faith in God but in their hearts there were no love for God, but only for themselves.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are called by our King, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be the beacons of light shining the way for those who have been lost in the darkness of this world. Let us imitate Jesus and seek out those who have been condemned and villified by the society, those ostracised and hated. Let us not hate or be prejudiced against them, but instead embracing them, that we show to them the love of God, that they too may believe and therefore be saved together with us.

May the Lord put in our hearts, the courage to embrace the least of our brothers and sisters, especially those who are looked down upon by the society, and those who are unloved and rejected. May God be with all of us, that together, we may help one another to find a way to seek the light, our King, the One and only True King, Jesus Christ our Lord and God! Amen.

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Wednesday, 15 January 2014 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 39 : 2 and 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

With resolve I waited for the Lord; He listened and heard me beg. Blessed is the one who relies on the Lord and does not look to the proud nor go astray after false gods.

Sacrifice and oblation You did not desire; this You had me understand. Burnt offering and sin offering You do not require. Then I said, ” Here I come!”

As the scroll says of me, to do Your will is my delight, o God, for Your Law is within my heart.

In the great assembly I have proclaimed Your saving help. My lips, o Lord, I did not seal – You know that very well.

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Tuesday, 14 January 2014 : 1st Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

1 Samuel 2 : 1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

My heart exults in YHVH, I feel strong in my God. I rejoice and laugh at my enemies for You came with power to save me.

The bow of the mighty is broken but the weak are girded with strength. The well-fed must labour for bread but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has borne seven children, but the proud mother is left alone.

YHVH is Lord of life and death; He brings down to the grave and raises up. YHVH makes poor and makes rich, He brings low and He exalts.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust, and raises the poor from the ash heap; they will be called to the company of princes, and inherit a seat of honour.

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Friday, 10 January 2014 : Friday after the Epiphany (Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today we see the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Saviour of the world. Jesus needs no fame or human praise, because in Him lies all the glory and all praise, as the Lord of all. He sought not popularity or human praise, by doing His miracles, but He did them because of His love for us all, for all mankind.

Yes, brethren, in the past few days we have heard from the Scriptures how Jesus fed the multitudes of more than five thousand men not counting women and children, and how Jesus healed the sick, the lepers and those with illness, restoring them to full health and show the love that God has for them all. He did these to show mankind that He cared for them, and wanting them to be perfectly cured of their maladies, most important of which, is the malady of the soul.

Yes, sin, the malady of the soul. Sin tainted mankind with impurity and unworthiness, which separated us from God. Sin made us unable to comprehend God’s love for us. And it is sin that our Lord came down to us, in order to correct and address this problem, this darkness that prevented us from seeing and living in the Light of God.

The Lord had no need of advertisement to promote Himself, for the Holy Spirit testified for Him, and the people could see that He is One with authority and power. It is clear enough that no one is like Him, and He is not a mere man or a mere prophet of God, for He is the Son of God Most High endowed with power, and with the authority over all diseases and illnesses, as well as over all the forces of this world.

Yet many people continued to refuse to believe in Him or doubt in His presence. They put their trust more in human and worldly powers rather than in the Lord. The devil is hard at work everyday to convince the people that his way is better and more appealing than that of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

And yet, the path of the evil one is death and destruction, while the path of the Lord is life and true joy. Only in the Lord can we find the source of life, just as St. John the Evangelist told us in his letter. True life and hope for life is not in us if we do not believe in God and His Son, or put our trust in Him, the Lord of life. Jesus made it plainly enough throughout His teachings.

Jesus repeated the words eternal life very often in His ministry, and a lot of His teachings revolved on, and focused on the fact that whoever believes in Him and has Him in themselves, shall not suffer death or the consequences of death, but will gain the eternal reward of life with God. He did not make this promise lightly, for He truly imparted to all of us, as He had promised, with His own Body and Blood, sacrificed for our sake and offered freely to us.

Yes, those of us who receive the Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist and believe in Him wholeheartedly, is assured of life in God. Brethren in Christ, it is important that while we live in this world, that we do not get too engrossed with the world and forget what the Lord had asked of us. Yes, because believing in God is not merely just making promises or empty proclamation of the faith. If we believe in God, we must show it concretely through our actions, words and deeds.

Therefore brethren, let us now truly profess our faith in the Lord, that we show Him true faith and dedication, not just in words but also in action. Let the Lord see that we are truly His faithful and loving children, and that we reject the lies of the evil one. May the Lord therefore, then bless us with the abundance of blessings and graces, that in Him, we may find the joy of eternal life in true happiness. God bless us all. Amen.