Thursday

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Pope Benedict XVI will retire, effective on Thursday, 28 February 2013, at 20:00 Rome time due to old age.

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end

If there is a news that will shake the world, this is it. I myself was very surprised, but I can rather expect the news. It is not the first that a Pope has resigned, although extremely rare (Canon Law does allow Popes to retire), and the last to resign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415 who resigned to end the Great Schism in the Church, and allow the Church to formally reunite again, and another Pope to resign was the great Pope St. Celestine V, who was elected as Pope at a very old age, just like our current Pope Benedict XVI, and showed example through his great leadership and great holiness. He also resigned due to old age, and wished to spend the rest of his life in prayer and quietness, just like our current Pope Benedict XVI wished to do.

Pope Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger before his election as the Bishop of Rome, has repeatedly asked the late Pope John Paul II then to be allowed to retire and return to his native Bavaria, which because of his election as the Bishop of Rome, was not able to do so. Now that Holy Father will retire at the end of this month, let us all pray for him, that he can have a great and fulfilling holy life dedicated in prayer to God, and may God be with him always, and also with his successor, whoever it will be. Amen!

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Thursday, 7 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Scripture Reflection)

The Lord in today’s reading sent out His disciples to begin spreading His work across broader spectrum of the society of Israel. This is also the base of the authority that our priests and bishops today have, since the Lord has commissioned the Apostles to heal the sick and cast out demons, with authority that came directly from Himself. Through the Apostles, in an unbroken chain of succession, this authority is passed down to our bishops today, and thus to all our priests. It is in this authority that our priests today exercise many of the similar faculties as those of the Apostles.

Our priests are also important in the Church, since they administer to us spiritual healing of our soul, they listen to our sins and by the authority given to them by our Lord through the Apostles, our sins can be forgiven in the confession, if we truly repent and vow to change our sinful ways. They also can cast out demons with the authority of the Lord, in what we know as exorcism. Although this rarely happen today, but it does still happen, and we must always keep each other strong in faith that we do not allow evil to dwell within us, and exploit the absence of light in our hearts.

Sadly, despite the good works that Christ has commissioned the Apostles to, and therefore, the missions that our priests and missionaries have, many still reject the approaches that the Lord has made. Ironically, even many of these rejections also come from ourselves, from those who believe in the Lord. It does not mean that once we are baptised and in the Church, that we no longer need to listen to the Word of God, and receive God’s good graces and work through the priests. We still need these, and indeed, it is important that we read the Scripture and reflect on it daily, in order to gain our daily ‘food’ of the Word of God.

The priests too, by the same power and authority, conduct the Transubstantiation, which is the turning of the bread and wine into the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the same Sacrifice that the Lord made once and for all in Calvary, the very blood that Christ, the Lamb of God, poured down on us, and being a blood more worthy than all others, even that of Abel’s, this perfect offering is accepted by God, and thus, also the Precious Body and Blood on the Altar at the Mass, for our salvation and redemption from sin.

Therefore, let us strive to regularly and frequently receive the Lord into ourselves, and make ourselves always ready and worthy to receive Him into ourselves. That Jesus will be in us, and we in Him, and through Him, we are justified in our faith. Let the Lord to reside in us, and keep ourselves also nourished always with the words of the Holy Scripture, keep ourselves holy, and anchor all our actions in love, in the love that is of the Lord.

Let us pray together too, my brothers and sisters in Christ, that the Lord will ignite the hearts of those whom He called, to be priests of the Lord, and ministers to all the faithful in Christ. Remember that while the harvest is truly plentiful, but we do not have good labourers and workers to harvest them. We need holy, young, and faithful young men blessed and called by the Lord to be His missionaries, just like how Jesus sent the Twelve Apostles. We pray for all the seminarians and those who are on their journey towards the priesthood, that God will bless them and keep them holy and faithful in their journey.

We also pray for ourselves, that all of us can also increase further in faith, in love, and in our dedication to God and to the mission that has been entrusted to all of us. Help one another, and support one another in faith, through love. May God bless all of us, and bless His most holy Church, all the priests, religious, and our Pope, Benedict XVI. Amen.

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Thursday, 7 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Mark 6 : 7-13

He called the Twelve to Him, and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over evil spirits. And He ordered them to take nothing for the journey, except a staff : no food, no bag, no money in their belts. They were to wear sandals and were not to take an extra tunic.

And He added, “In whatever house you are welcomed, stay there until you leave the place.” If any place doesn’t receive you, and the people refuse to listen to you, leave after shaking the dust off your feet. It will be a testimony against them.”

So they set out to proclaim that this was the time to repent. They drove out many demons and healed many sick people by anointing them.

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Thursday, 7 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Psalm 47 : 2-3a, 3b-4, 9, 10-11

Great is the Lord, most worthy of praise in the city of God, His holy mountain. Beautifully elevated, it is the joy of all the earth.

Mount Zion, heavenly mountain, the city of the great King. Here within her lines of defense, God has shown Himself to be a sure fortress.

As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God, the city God founded forever.

Let us recall Your unfailing love, o God, inside Your temple. Let Your praise as does Your Name, o God, reach to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is ever victorious.

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Thursday, 7 February 2013 : 4th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Hebrews 12 : 18-19,21-24

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses : nor heat of a blazing fire, darkness and gloom and storms, blasts of trumpets or such a voice that the people pleaded that no further word be spoken.

The sight was so terrifying that Moses said : I tremble with fear. But you came near to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem with its innumerable angels. You have come to the solemn feast, the assembly of the firstborn of God, whose names are written in heaven. There is God, Judge of all, with the spirits of the upright brought to perfection.

There is Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, with the sprinkled blood that cries out more effectively than Abel’s.

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Thursday, 31 January 2013 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (Scripture Reflection)

The Lord today asks us both to be pure in heart, faithful to Him, and also to show this faith and purity to others, as a beacon of light to bring the true Light of God to all mankind, especially those who still live in darkness. We have to be active in our faith, and do our best to practice it, as faith that is not lived and practiced is the same as a dead faith.

That’s why the Lord says that to whom have produced something, more will be given, and to those who produce nothing, what is his will be taken away. Similarly, in the parable of the coins, Jesus praised those who invested in the money that the master gave to the servant, and bear profits, and admonished the one who did nothing with the money but hid it and let us stay as what it is. Therefore, our faith, as often symbolised by light and salt, must indeed be true light and true salt. True light that it shines brightly for all people to see, that they too will believe in God and in turn becoming even more beacons of light that is of God, to shine a light in the darkness of this world.

True salt that we truly have taste and the saltiness, that our faith is not just an empty faith, but faith filled with flavour, that is dedication to God, and filled with actions made out of love of both our God and our neighbour.

It is indeed through faith that we are justified, but faith without action is dead. Those who just call “Lord, Lord” all the time will receive nothing, but to those who dedicate themselves to Him in prayer, and in active action in helping the last, the lost, and the least of our society, alleviating the suffering of many, will receive indeed the rewards that the Lord has promised us. We are justified by faith that is made alive by real action, just like a light that is placed on a pedestal, as an example to all others, that they too will follow to live their lives filled with actions based on their faith in God, to make our world a better one indeed, for everyone.

Today is the feast day of St. John Bosco, a very well known saint, who is the patron saint of the youth and publications. He was a nineteenth century priest, who was known for his holiness, and his miraculous works, but most importantly because through education, he was able to attract many youths and adults alike, to educate them and form them properly in the faith. His works with these people had transformed the lives of many, bringing many closer to God.

St. John Bosco also found the congregation of religious now known as S.D.B. or the Salesians of Don Bosco, simply known as the Salesians. Many of these Salesians have worked in missionary works in different parts of the world, and many have worked in areas such as China as well, where the Church is currently struggling to hold on against the active persecution and direct attacks against the faith made by the secular world. Pray for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ there too.

Our Cardinal Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone; Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; Cardinal Joseph Zen, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong; Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-fai, Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, are all members of the Salesian order. We pray for them and all the priests in the world, that God will guide them in their ministry, and we wish all Salesians around the world, happy feast day and happy St. John Bosco day. May St. John Bosco pray for all of us, that we too may, like many that he has touched directly, be brought much closer to the Lord, and be inspired to be like him, and all other saints. Amen.

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Thursday, 31 January 2013 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Mark 4 : 21-25

Jesus also said to them, “When the light comes, is it put under a tub or a bed? Surely it is put on a lampstand. Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. Listen then, if you have ears!”

And He also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive, and still more will be given to you. For to the one who produces something, more will be given, and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

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Thursday, 31 January 2013 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (Psalm)

Psalm 23 : 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord, the world and all that dwell in it. He has founded it upon the ocean and set it firmly upon the waters.

Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in His holy place? Those with clean hands and pure heart, who desire not what is vain, and never swear to a lie.

They will receive blessings from the Lord, a reward from God, their saviour. Such are the people who seek Him, who seek the face of Jacob’s God.

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Thursday, 31 January 2013 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest (First Reading)

Hebrews 10 : 19-25

So, my friends, we are assured of entering the Sanctuary by the Blood of Jesus, who opened for us this new and living way passing through the curtain, that is, His Body. Because we have a High Priest in charge of the House of God, let us approach with a sincere heart, with full faith, interiorly cleansed from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast to our hope without wavering, because He who promised is faithful. Let us consider how we may spur one another to love and good works. Do not abandon the assemblies as some of you do, but encourage one another, and all the more since the Day is drawing near.