Lenten season

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Tuesday, 26 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (Psalm)

Psalm 49 : 8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23

Not for your sacrifices do I reprove you, for your burnt offerings are ever before Me. I need no bull from your stalls, nor he-goat from your pens.

What right have you to mouth My laws, or to talk about My Covenant? If you hate My commands and cast My words behind you.

Because I was silent while you did these things. You thought I was like you. But now I rebuke you and make this charge against you.

Those who give with thanks offerings honor Me, but the one who walks blamelessly, I will show him the salvation of God.

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Tuesday, 26 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (First Reading)

Isaiah 1 : 10, 16-20

Hear the warning of YHVH, rulers of Sodom. Listen to the word of God, people of Gomorrah : “Wash and make yourselves clean. Remove from My sight the evil of your deeds. Put an end to your wickedness and learn to do good. Seek justice and keep in line the abusers; give the fatherless their rights and defend the widow.”

“Come,” says the Lord, “let us reason together. Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they be as crimson red, they will be white as wool. If you will obey Me, you will eat the goods of the earth; but if you resist and rebel, the sword will eat you instead.” Truly the Lord has spoken.

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Monday, 25 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (Scripture Reflection)

We hear today, the call to do upon others, what we want to be done to ourselves. To show mercy and love to others, if we ourselves want to be shown mercy and to be loved. To care for others if we want to receive such care too, and to forgive others if we are to be forgiven. God wants us to love one another just as He has loved us, and through Christ, His Word, He taught us how to do so.

Many of us prefer to keep to ourselves and delve in our own pride and strength, and we often even bring harm to others either intentionally or unintentionally, in our quest to make ourselves better and better. We think that we ourselves are better and above the others. That we are above reproach, and that is why we like to judge others, comparing between us and them. It is very common that we look highly on ourselves, but this is what caused us to begin to judge and have prejudices against others around us.

But the Lord has brought with Him His commandments of love, which He taught us through Christ, His Son. What is this commandment of love? It is the command for us to love one another just as we love ourselves. We like to love ourselves, and we like to indulge in ourselves, but too often we neglect to see the plight in those around us, just because we are simply too focused on ourselves. There are much suffering in this world, and it is only us who can made a difference.

It is not easy to forgive someone who has done harm to us, and it is not easy to share our love with our enemies and those who hated us. It is definitely not easy to not to be prejudiced and be judgmental on someone, as very often we just jump to conclusions and form rapid judgment based on our flawed insight on others and what they do. It is also difficult for us to give, not only materially, but also in the form of spiritual gift, that is love to others. However, God wants us to begin to do all these, and to abandon our past, sinful ways. For if we do not begin to do all these, even from the smallest of steps, we will forever be mired in the cycle of sin, and therefore, death.

Through the Church, we have learnt the values of forgiveness, mercy, justice, and love. Let us therefore brothers and sisters, learn to do as the Lord has taught us to do. Not to wait for others first to forgive us or show love to us, but be proactive, for our Church is not a passive one, but an active and living one, and through our active actions, we can indeed make plenty of difference in our world today, beginning from those nearest to us, our families, our friends and relatives, and eventually those beyond, and most importantly those who hated us and disliked us.

Let us take the first step in all things, and very importantly, not to expect reciprocal behaviour from the other party. When we do things, do them sincerely, and out of pure love on others, on those who loved us, and on those who hated us. If we expect reciprocality, then we end up doing it out of reward and therefore we are being insincere. Rather, just do what we can, because first we love all our fellow brothers and sisters just as we love the Lord, and because we obey the Lord’s commandments. The things that Jesus mentioned today in the Gospel will come in due time, and will the Father not forgive us if we forgive those who sinned against us? Remember the Lord’s prayer.

For whatever good we do in this world, and when we do it in secret and humility, and when we do it for the greater glory of God, great is our reward in heaven. Do not wait for it, and do not look for it, for it will come only when we do not pause to seek our own glory, but continue in persistence and faith, to do what is good for our brothers and sisters in Christ. May God bless us, our missions, and all those around us, that all of us will be able to love one another in the love that is God, and forgive the faults of one another, that all of us will be found worthy of Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Monday, 25 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Luke 6 : 36-38

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Don’t be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over.

For the measure you give, will be the measure you receive back.

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Monday, 25 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (Psalm)

Psalm 78 : 8, 9, 11, 13

Do not remember against us the sins of our fathers. Let Your compassion hurry to us, for we have been brought very low.

Help us, God, our saviour, for the glory of Your Name; forgive us for the sake of Your Name.

Listen to the groans of the prisoners; by the strength of Your arm, deliver those doomed to die.

Then we, Your people, the flock of Your pasture, will thank You forever. We will recount Your praise from generation to generation.

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Monday, 25 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (First Reading)

Daniel 9 : 4b-10

“Lord God, great and to be feared, You keep Your Covenant and love for those who love You and observe Your commandments. We have sinned, we have not been just, we have been rebels, and have turned away from Your commandments and laws. We have not listened to Your servants, the prophets, who spoke in Your Name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and to all the people of the land.”

“Lord, justice is Yours, but ours is a face full of shame, as it is to this day – we, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in all the lands where You have dispersed us  because of the infidelity we have committed against You. Ours is the shame, o Lord, for we, our kings, princes, fathers, have sinned against You. We hope for pardon and mercy from the Lord, because we have rebelled against Him. We have not listened to the voice of YHVH, our God, or followed the laws which He has given us through His servants, the prophets.”

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Sunday, 24 February 2013 : 2nd Sunday of Lent (Scripture Reflection)

The Lord, Jesus Christ, who was transfigured on the mountain, as we heard in the Gospel today, we know to be both fully human and fully divine. He is fully human, having been incarnate into flesh through the Blessed Virgin Mary and the power of the Holy Spirit, and also being fully divine, as He is the Word of God, through whom all things were created by God the Father. Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent, by the Father to us, so that all of us can be saved, and can have hope to return to God who loves us, and not be lost to Satan and death.

Elijah and Moses appeared to Jesus on the mountain, because they represented the two aspect of the Old Testament, that Jesus had come to fulfill, and perfect through His new covenant, as told in the New Testament. Elijah represents the prophets, whom had come through the centuries before the coming of Christ, to proclaim His coming, and the prophecies that through Jesus were fulfilled, and all telling of the coming salvation of the people of God from the tyranny of sin, and the end of the separation that had separated God from mankind.

Moses represents the Law, which was given by God Himself at Mount Horeb, the holy mountain, to Moses during his 40 days stay there. This Law includes the Ten Commandments of love, and the other laws of the people of Israel. Christ had come to perfect this Law by explaining the Law, and based them on the very nature of God Himself, which is love. That the Law is made out of God’s love for mankind, and that mankind must not blindly subject themselves to the Law, but rather understand them and carry them out in love for the good of their fellow men.

In today’s transfiguration story, it is indeed noteworthy how, we humans prefer things that are good, and we always hope that things will stay our way, and we like to stay within our comfort zone, that is the sphere that keeps us from the harms and dangers of the outside world. Such was why Peter suggested to Jesus, that they stay there in Christ’s glory, and not come down from the mountain. To come down from the mountain for Jesus, as mentioned that He spoke about that mission to both Elijah and Moses, was to be death for Him, as He would die on the cross, but would rise again on the third day.

He chose to come down, and the Lord too told the disciples to obey Him, through the voice in the cloud, not to be tempted to stay on in glory, but to descend and continue the mission. In this case, Christ lowered Himself such from His glory revealed at the Transfiguration, and in perfect humility and obedience to God, laid down His life for all His sheep, the children of God, for their salvation. It is Christ’s obedience that allow God to exercise the greatest work of all, that is the salvation of all mankind, and the salvation of the world.

Similarly, Abram, who is later to be known as Abraham, was rewarded by God with the promise that his descendants will be numerous as the stars and will receive the Promised Land, all because of Abram’s great faith, obedience, and love to God. Later on, we are told that such is his great faith and obedience, he was willing to sacrifice his own son, Isaac, the son of the promise, to obey the Lord’s will. The Lord saw his faith, and rewards him greatly.

If Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son, how much more would the Lord therefore then do for our sake? That is to give His own Son, which is part of Him in the Holy Trinity, to be a man and then die so that we can live?

We too, today therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, should imitate Abram/Abraham and Christ, who do not just stay in their comfort zone, and rather do their best to fulfill the mission entrusted to them by God, no matter how difficult it was. Jesus had to face suffering and death, and Abram had to later to face the fact that the beloved son he was given to by the Lord, he had to sacrifice to the Lord. We do not face such difficult challenges, but we too have our own challenges in accepting and fulfilling the missions God has entrusted us with.

Too many times that we have failed to fulfill these missions simply because, we are content with our comfort zone, with whatever abundance we already have in this world, and in our own circles, either in our own family, with our own friends, or in our own career and workplace, and in the achievements and glory that we have achieved and made. We have to make sure that we step out of this comfort zone, as we ourselves are not Christians and not baptised just to be idle in our faith.

Our Catholic faith teaches us that we have to be proactive and do good for the sake of our brethren. Many people have need for our help and actions, and just as Coadjutor Archbishop William Goh mentioned in his recent ordination speech, our Church cannot be just a ‘maintenance church’, but rather must be a vibrant and powerful Church, that exerts its influence and love into this world.

Just like Abram, who was greatly rewarded by God out of his love and obedience to God, shall we then also obey God’s will, that is to help others around us, spread the Gospel and the Good News of our Lord, especially to those who seek for it, and to give the love of God that flows through us, to all mankind, that everyone too can become the children of God, and just like Abram, to be rewarded eventually with grace from God, which for us, is the promise of life eternal with Him in heavenly glory.

For no glory can come without hard work, and no glory exists without its sufferings and humility. The glorious Christ humbled Himself that all of us have hope through Him, by offering His own Body as the bridge between us and God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, today, let us be transfigured, and transformed just like Christ was, but not the way Christ was, rather, let us shed our old, passive, and idle path, our idle and dormant faith. Instead, let us boldly step forward into this world, bringing into it, the message of the Good News of our God, and to serve all peoples humbly with sincerity and love, both love for our fellow men, and for our Father who loves us. May God bless us today in all our works, in all our actions, and in all our dealings, that in all things that we do, we will always bring life and love to others, and to glorify God’s Name at all times. Forever and ever. Amen.

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Sunday, 24 February 2013 : 2nd Sunday of Lent (Gospel Reading)

Luke 9 : 28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the aspect of His face was changed, and His clothing became dazzling white. Two men were talking with Jesus : Moses and Elijah. Appearing in the glory of heaven, Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus about His departure from this life; which was to take place in Jerusalem.

Peter and his companions had fallen asleep; but they awoke suddenly, and they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. As Moses and Elijah were about to leave, Peter – not knowing what to say – said to Jesus, “Master, how good it is for us to be here! Let us make three tents, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

And no sooner had he spoken, than a cloud appeared and covered them; and the disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then these words came from the cloud, “This is My Son, My Beloved, listen to Him.” And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was there alone.

The disciples kept this to themselves at the time, telling no one of anything they had seen.

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Sunday, 24 February 2013 : 2nd Sunday of Lent (Second Reading)

Philippians 3 : 17 – Philippians 4 : 1

Unite in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and look at those who walk in our way of life. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. I have said it to you many times, and now I repeat it with tears : they are heading for ruin; their belly is their god and they feel proud of what should be their shame. They only think of earthly things.

For us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like His own Body, radiant in Glory, through the power which is His to submit everything to Himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for; you my glory and crown, be steadfast in the Lord.

 

(Alternative Reading – shorter form, Philippians 3 : 20 – Philippians 4 : 1)

For us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like His own Body, radiant in Glory, through the power which is His to submit everything to Himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for; you my glory and crown, be steadfast in the Lord.

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Sunday, 24 February 2013 : 2nd Sunday of Lent (Psalm)

Psalm 26 : 1, 7-8, 9abc, 13-14

The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the rampart of my life; I will not be afraid.

Hear my voice when I call, o Lord, have mercy on me and answer. My heart says to You, “I seek Your face, o Lord.”

Do not hide Your face from me nor turn away Your servant in anger. You are my protection, do not reject me.

I hope, I am sure, that I will see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living. Trust in the Lord, be strong and courageous. Yes, put your hope in the Lord!