Saturday, Sep 30 – The Fountain Of Youth

30 Sep – Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor

The measure of our advancement in the spiritual life should be taken from the progress we make in the virtue of mortification; for it should be held as certain that the greater violence we shall do ourselves in mortification, the greater advance we shall make in perfection.

- Saint Jerome

St. Jerome (347-419) was born to a rich pagan family, and he led a misspent youth. He studied in Rome and became a lawyer. Converted in theory and baptized in 365, he began his study of theology which led him to a true conversion, and he became a monk, living for years as a hermit in the Syrian deserts. He was reported to have drawn a thorn from a lion’s paw, and the animal stayed loyally at his side for years.

Jerome was also a priest and a student of St. Gregory of Nazianzen. He became secretary to Pope Damascus I, who commissioned him to revise the Latin text of the Bible. The result of his 30 years of work was the Vulgate translation, which is still in use today.

Jerome was a friend and teacher of St. Paula, St. Marcella, and St. Eustochium, an association that led to so much gossip that he left Rome to return to the desert solitude. He lived his last 34 years in the Holy Land as a semi-recluse.

Jerome wrote many translations, of Origen, histories, biographies and many more. He was pronounced a Doctor of the Church, and is one of the Fathers of the Church as well. Since his own time, he has been associated in the popular mind with scrolls, writing, cataloging, translating, and so on. This led to those who work in such fields taking him as their patron – a man who knew their lives and problems.

- Source: Patron Saint Index
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Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8

Rejoice in your youth, you who are young;
let your heart give you joy in your young days.
Follow the promptings of your heart
and the desires of your eyes.
But this you must know: for all things God will bring you to judgement.

Cast worry from your heart,
shield your flesh from pain.

Yet youth, the age of dark hair, is vanity. And remember your creator in the days of your youth, before evil days come and the years approach when you say, “These give me no pleasure”, before sun and light and moon and stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain;

the day when those who keep the house tremble
and strong men are bowed;
when the women grind no longer at the mill,
because day is darkening at the windows
and the street doors are shut;
when the sound of the mill is faint,
when the voice of the bird is silenced,
and song notes are stilled,
when to go uphill is an ordeal
and a walk is something to dread.

Yet the almond tree is in flower,
the grasshopper is heavy with food
and the caper bush bears its fruit.

while man goes to his everlasting home. And the mourners are already walking to and fro in the street

before the silver cord has snapped,
or the golden lamp been broken,
or the pitcher shattered at the spring,
or the pulley cracked at the well.

or before the dust returns to the earth as it once came from it, and the breath of God gave it.

Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. All is vanity.
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Luke 9:43-45

At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, “For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: The Son of man is going to be handed over into the power of men.” But they did not understand him when he said this; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about what he just said.
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The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that is supposed to restore the youth of anyone who drinks from its waters. In August, the famous magician David Copperfield, now 50, claimed to have discovered this fountain on an island he purchased in the Bahamas.

Throughout history, mankind has been seeking immortality. From the elixir of life that alchemists of old tried to make, to legends of vampires said to live forever, to futuristic science of cryonics (preserving humans by freezing) made popular by movies such as Demolition Man, to present day cosmetics like plastic surgery where men and women desperately want to look younger, it is clear that we fear ageing. We fear ageing because we fear death.

In today’s gospel, we read of the disciples not being able to understand, or perhaps not wanting to understand, that their Lord and master, Jesus, was going to be handed over to other men and that he was going to die. In another passage, Peter takes Jesus aside and tells him not to speak of such things.

But Jesus has never feared death, because he knows what comes after death. In the gospel according to John, Jesus asks Martha: Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? Does that teaching of the church mean anything to us? Do we sincerely believe that after our mortal body dies, our soul will live on eternally?

Throughout our lives we will experience the deaths of various people in our lives. Already we know something to be true – those who do not fear death, but welcome it instead, are those who have lived a holy life; they are those who have had a close relationship with God, and they know that death is the only way that they are ever going to meet God face to face. Hence they do not fear death; they welcome it, like St. Francis of Assisi did when he added the final verse of his Canticle of the Sun praising Sister Death.

Death.

Just that word itself seems to send chills down your spine, doesn’t it? But to us who have faith in Jesus, death poses no threat to us, but is instead the doorway to meeting God. The question is: are we ready to meet him? If we are not trying our best to live holy lives, and to have a loving and total relationship with God, then no wonder we’re afraid of death.

Death is coming for you. You never know when, where, or how, but it’s going to come for you. What on earth are you doing to prepare yourself to meet God?
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Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we place our faith in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting in you, for you, O Lord, are the resurrection and the life. Help us Lord Jesus, to become friends, close friends, with you, so that when death finally comes for us, we will be ready and eager to welcome it and meet you face to face at last. Amen.

Thanksgiving:
We praise you, Lord, for Sister Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in their sins!
Blessed are those that She finds doing Your will.
No second death can do them harm.

- Canticle of the Sun, final verse

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this e-mail are the writer’s own. They may not necessarily reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless we should all be able to learn something from it.

Friday, Sep 29 – Born Out Of Love

29 Sep – Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, archangels

St. Michael the Archangel is the leader of the army of God during the Lucifer uprising. Devotion is common to Muslims, Christians, and Jews with writings about him in all three cultures. He is considered the guardian angel of Israel.

The feast of the Apparition of St. Michael (May commemorates the sixth century appearance of the archangel on Mt. Gargano near Manfredonia in southern Italy. Michael requested a church built in his honour at the site. If you find medals or holy cars with “relics” of Michael, they are probably rock chips from the cave, or pieces of cloth that have touched it.

St. Raphael, also known as Azariah, is one of the three angels mentioned by name in Scripture, and one of the seven that stand before God’s throne. He is the lead character in the deuterocanonical book of Tobit in which he travelled with (and guarded) Tobias, and cured a man’s blindness; hence his connection with travellers, young people, blindness, healing and healers. He is traditionally considered the force behind the healing power of the sheep pool mentioned in John 5:1-4.

St. Gabriel is a messenger of God who appeared to the prophet Daniel to explain the prophet’s visions relating to the Messiah (Daniel 8:16-26, 9:21). He also appeared to Zecharias in the temple to announce the coming of Zecharias’ son, John the Baptist, and to strike him mute for his disbelief (Luke 1:11-20). The angel also appeared to Mary to let her know she’d been selected to bear the Saviour (Luke 1:25-38).

“You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels, and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.

And so it was not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary. It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages… So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary. He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers. Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle.

- from a homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great

- Source: Patron Saint Index
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Revelation 12:7-12a

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world – he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
‘Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah,
for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
And by the word if their testimony,
For they did not cling to life even in the face of death.
Rejoice then, you heavens
And those who dwell in them!’
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John 1:47-51

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
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There are many stories, songs, movies, comics about angels. There are many representations of angels too, some that are supposed to be authentic, others that have been born out of philosophy, folklore or imagination. Angels are generally thought of as white-winged spiritual beings that physically look similar to humans. If we take the literal meaning of humans being made “in the image of God”, then angels could perhaps too have been made in the image of God. But that’s just my own pure supposition. In recent times, mostly in comics and anime, black-winged angels have also appeared to symbolize what would be called ‘dark angels’. The following is what I have heard about angels. I do not know whether these are accurate or whether there is actual evidence about what I will say.

Angels are – should be – very powerful beings. However, it is said that they have one less things compared to us humans – free will. They were created with the sole purpose to serve God. They are also supposed to be less important than humans, or have a lower rank compared to humans. Whether there is a hierarchy between angels and humans in heaven, I do not know. That is supposed to be one of the reasons why Lucifer rebelled against God.

Now, angels were created only to serve God. They never question his intentions, they faithfully follow all his commands. Unlike us humans who doubt him, who disobey his commands, who sin against him, who do as we please. But in heaven, we are still greater than angels who have never done any wrong. Doesn’t that speak volumes about how much God values us, how much he loves us? We even have guardian angels to look over us.

Which father would favour a son who never followed his commands or turned against him over another who always did what he asked? But that’s the kind of Father God is. And even then, it is said that angels will never be called sons of God, but always be known as servants. But that’s how God planned it all. Even though he knew we would turn against him and disobey him, he still created us as his sons and daughters. That in itself shows how much he loves us. To disregard whether we will hurt him or praise him, turn against him or love him, he still created us. Similarly, a married couple who, in true love, decide to have a child does not think about whether the child will be born with physical or mental disabilities, or whether that child will love them or turn against them in the future. The decision to have a child and to love that child is the main reason. However we turned out to be, doesn’t the fact that we are here on earth prove that God loves us?

(Today’s OXYGEN by Lyndley Ah Qune)
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We pray for those who feel insecure, abandoned, unloved. That they may find hope and comfort and discover God’s love.

Thanks be to God for all of us, born out of love.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 30 Sep – Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8; Luke 9:43b-45; Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this e-mail are the writer’s own. They may not necessarily reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless we should all be able to learn something from it.

Thursday, Sep 28 – What’s New?

28 Sep – Memorial for St. Wenceslaus, martyr / Memorial for St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs

Wenceslaus (907-929) was a duke of Bohemia, the grandson and student of St. Ludmilla. He ascended to power when his father was killed during a pagan backlash against Christianity, which he fought with prayer and patience.

He was a man of utmost faith, charitable to the poor, and he would clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and offer hospitality to travellers according to the summons of the gospel. He would not allow widows to be treated unjustly; he loved all his people; he also provided for the servants of God, and he adorned many churches.

Eventually, he was murdered by his brother Boleslaus at the door of a church. He was killed for political reasons, but is normally listed as a martyr since the politics arose from his faith, and also because miracles were reported at his tomb.

Since the year 2000, today is a public holiday in the Czech Republic, as Wenceslaus is the patron saint of the Czech people and the Czech Republic. It is celebrated as Czech Statehood Day. He is best known in the English-speaking world, outside of the Czech Republic, as the subject of the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslaus”.

Lorenzo Ruiz (1600-1637) was born from Christian parents. His father was Chinese; his mother Filipino. He learnt Chinese and Tagalog from them, and Spanish from the Dominicans who he served as altar boy and sacristan. He was a professioanl calligrapher and documents transcriptionist, and a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary. He was a married layman, and the father of two sons and a daughter.

For unknown reasons, Lorenzo was accused of murder. He sought asylum on board ship with three Dominican priests, St. Antonio Gonzalez, St. Guillermo Courtet, and St. Mugeul de Aozaraza, a Japapnese priests, St. Vincent Showozuka de la Cruz, and a layman named St. Lazaro of Kyoto, a leper. Only when they were at sea did he learn that they were going to Japan during a time of intense Christian persecution.

Lorenzo could have gone to Formosa (modern Taiwan), but feared the Spaniards there would hang him, so he stayed with the missionaries as they landed at Okinawa. The group was soon exposed as Christians, arrested, and taken to Nagasaki. They were tortured in several ways for days. Lawrence and the Japanese priest broke at one point, and were ready to renounce their faith in exchange for release, but after their moment of crisis, they reclaimed their faith and defied their tormentors.

Lorenzo was then crushed over a period of three days while hanging upside down. His body was burned and his ashes thrown into the Pacific Ocean. He was the first Filipino saint to be canonized. In addition, his canonization in 1987 by Pope John Paul II during a trip to Manila was the first to take place outside the Vatican.

- Sources: Patron Saint Index, Wikipedia
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Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil, his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it?

A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm for ever. The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; back then to its circling goes the wind. Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go. All things are wearisome. No man can say that eyes have not had enough of seeing, ears their fill of hearing. What was will be again; what has been done will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun. Take anything of which it may be said, “Look now, this is new.” Already, long before our time, it existed. Only no memory of remains of earlier times, just as in times to come next year itself will not be remembered.
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Luke 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, “John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?” And he was anxious to see Jesus.
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What’s new in the world today? Today many people read the news and start to be afraid of global warming. But this is not new. The scientists who tell us that the earth is heating up and polar ice caps will melt also tell us that this has happened in the earth’s lifetime many times.

We read the news and we see war and terrorism. But this too is not new. War has been taking place ever since mankind discovered weapons. The only difference is that the technology used is more advanced, but the purpose is still the same – kill others, preserve yourself.

We watch the news and hear about bird flu and other diseases spreading through the world. This too is not new, since we know of plagues that spread through many nations and killed many people. We see space exploration taking place, but mankind has been exploring for all his existence, except that now mankind is exploring further.

So what’s new? There really hasn’t been much change in the world since mankind became aware of himself. Sure we have made progress in the fields of medicine, technology, philosophy, and so on, but history shows that history does repeat itself.

“There is nothing new under the sun,” says the writer of Ecclesiastes. Whatever is new is not really new; it’s just that it was forgotten that it was once in existence. Even God himself is not new. He has always been and always is. Is there any point of time, any event at all in history that has not repeated itself? Yes, there is one.

At a certain point of mankind’s history and existence in the world, God himself was incarnated into a human being and he lived among his people. He came to love them, and it was this love that drove people to kill him. But even when mankind treated God the worst, God treated mankind the best by turning that blackest point of time in the history of mankind into the brightest point of time.

So if someone asks you then, “What’s new in your life?”, tell them! Tell them of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is God. Tell them of the Good News, for this is the only thing that’s really new because it has never been repeated, and will always be remembered.
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Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help us to always remember your love for us. Give us the grace to always be mindful of your presence in our lives, that we may share the Good News of your kingdom to all that we meet, in thought, word and deed. Help us to live as though we are made new in your blood, for indeed we are. We are not the same people as we once were before knowing you. In your name, we pray that we will always remember this. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 28 Sep – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9; Memorial for St. Wenceslaus, martyr / Memorial for St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Fri, 29 Sep – Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14 or Revelation 12:7-12a; John 1:47-51; Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, archangels
Sat, 30 Sep – Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8; Luke 9:43b-45; Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this e-mail are the writer’s own. They may not necessarily reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless we should all be able to learn something from it.

Wednesday, Sep 27 – Are You Contented?

27 Sep – Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul, priest, religious founder

St. Vincent de Paul is probably one of the first saints that we hear of, if we are cradle Catholics. Brought up to go for Mass every Sunday, I always saw the members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul do a second collection every month. I remember it clearly because my mother used to give me $2 to give to the normal collection, but $10 to give to the St. Vincent de Paul people. Let’s find out more about this saint today.

St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) was born to a peasant family. A highly intelligent youth, he spent four years with the Franciscan friars at Acqs, France, getting an education. For a while, he was a tutor to a gentleman in Acqs before beginning divinity studies in 1596 at the University of Toulouse, and was ordained at the age of 20.

It is written that he was taken captive by Turkish pirates, and sold into slavery. He was freed in 1607 when he converted one of his owners to Christianity.

Returning to France, he served as parish priest near Paris where he started organizations to help the poor, nursed the sick, found jobs for the unemployed, etc. He was also a chaplain at the court of Henry IV of France. With St. Louise de Marillac, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. He also instituted the Congregation of Priests of the Mission (Lazarists).

Vincent de Paul adopted Father (later Cardinal) Pierre de Berulle and Father Andre Duval (a professor at Sorbonne) as his spiritual mentors. These two men were “spearheading” the spiritual and ecclesiastical reform in Paris. Duval introduced Vincent to the Rule of Perfection, written by the English Capuchin Benet of Canfield. From this work, Vincent came to a fuller understanding of doing the will of God and the importance of waiting for God to leave.

He always worked for the poor, the enslaved, the abandoned, the ignored, and the outcasts. He is the patron saint of charitable societies; charitable workers; hospitals and their workers; Societies of St. Vincent de Paul, and volunteers.

Prayer:
Dear Saint, the mere mention of your name suggests a litany of your virtues: humility, zeal, mercy, self-sacrifice. It also recalls your many foundations: Works of Mercy, Congregations, Societies. And the Church gratefully remembers your promotion of the priesthood. Inspire all charitable workers, especially those who minister to the poor – both the spiritually and materially poor. Amen.

- Sources: Patron Saint Index, Wikipedia
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Proverbs 30:5-9

Every word of God is unalloyed,
he is the shield of those who take refuge in him.
To his words make no addition,
lest he reprove you and known you for a fraud.

Two things I beg of you,
do not grudge me them before I die:
keep falsehood and lies far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches,
grant me only my share of bread to eat,
for fear that surrounded by plenty, I should fall away
and say, “The Lord – who is the Lord?”
or else, in destitution, take to stealing
and profane the name of my God.
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Luke 9:1-6

Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread nor money, and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, it it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.” So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.
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Imagine if Jesus said to you today what he said to the Twelve: go out and proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal; take nothing for the journey… Would you do it? Chances are, if you’re anything like me, you wouldn’t. This is because we are attached to too many things or people in our lives. We have a family, we have a place to stay, we have more than enough to eat, we have a computer, etc. Why would we want to leave all this behind to go out and do something not knowing whether we will have a place to stay, not knowing whether we’ll have enough to eat, far from all the luxuries of life?

While the Twelve were with Jesus, they had nothing to fear. There was always a place to stay (because of Jesus’ popularity among the people), and there was always enough to eat (hey, the man could multiply bread!) But now that he was sending them out, they had to learn that it is God, not the Jesus they thought they knew, that provides for them. They had to learn how to place their trust in God, and in Jesus, that in asking anything from God in the name of Jesus, in accordance with their mission, God will provide.

What was their mission? It was simply to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. There will be people who do not accept them. Rather than persistently because a cause of irritation to them, Jesus advised them to just drop it; move on to the next town, do not be attached to wanted to make someone listen to you. After all, the whole mission was an exercise of detachment from their own strength and capabilities, and an attachment to God’s providence and grace.

For some of us, God has called us to a life of poverty, but this is not something that we choose on our own. No idiot would choose to live a life of poverty unless he or she strongly believes that this is what God is calling them to. Even so, they do not choose poverty for poverty’s sake, but for God’s sake. On the other hand, some of us are not called to poverty. Some of us are, in fact, given great riches. There is nothing wrong with that, provided that we are rich not for the sake of riches, but for God’s sake.

If the focus of our lives is God, there is nothing to fear. If our lives revolve around Jesus, not our riches, then there is nothing to be afraid of… for even the rich have their insecurities. Security is found in God alone. We are given riches to aid in our particular mission in life. Whether called to poverty or riches, both are means by which God uses to develop us to our fullest potential and to proclaim the kingdom of God to the world, and to heal those who are ill.
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Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we pray that our lives be centered on you, that we may always focus on you in whatever we do, in whatever situation we find ourselves in. Dear Jesus, we place our trust in you, and we believe that we are secure in your love. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Contentment.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 28 Sep – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9; Memorial for St. Wenceslaus, martyr / Memorial for St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Fri, 29 Sep – Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14 or Revelation 12:7-12a; John 1:47-51; Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, archangels
Sat, 30 Sep – Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8; Luke 9:43b-45; Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this e-mail are the writer’s own. They may not necessarily reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless we should all be able to learn something from it.

Tuesday, Sep 26 – Importance of Familiarisation

26 Sep – Memorial for Sts. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs

Sts. Cosmas and Damian (d. 303) were twin brothers born in Arabia. Both were physicians who accepted no payment, which brought many to Christ.

During the persecution under Diocletian, they were arrested by order of the Prefect of Cilicia, who ordered them under torture to recant. The two stayed true to their faith and suffered no injuries from water, fire, air, nor on the cross during their tortures. Finally, they were beheaded. Antimo, Leonzio, and Euprepio, their younger brothers, who were inseparable from them throughout life, shared in their martyrdom.

Many fables grew up about them, connected in part with their relics. Their most famous miraculous exploit was the grafting of a leg from a recently deceased Ethiopian to replace a patient’s ulcered leg, was the subject of many paintings and illuminations.

- Sources: Patron Saint Index, Wikipedia
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Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13

Like flowing water is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord
who turns it where he pleases

A man’s conduct may strike him as upright,
the Lord, however, weighs the heart.

To act virtuously and with justice
is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice.

Haughty eye, proud heart,
lamp of the wicked, nothing but sin.

The hardworking man is thoughtful, and all is gain;
too much haste, and all that comes of it is want.

To make a fortune with the help of a lying tongue,
such the idle fantasy of those who look for death.

The wicked man’s soul is intent on evil,
he looks on his neighbour with dislike.

When a mocker is punished, the ignorant man grows wiser,
when a wise man is instructed he acquires more knowledge.
The Just One watches the house of the wicked:
he hurls the wicked to destruction.

He who shuts his ear to the poor man’s cry
shall himself plead and not be heard.
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Luke 8:19-21

The mother and brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.” But he said in answer, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
______________________

Today’s gospel passage is often taken out of context and used by some to say that Jesus has blood siblings, and that Mary was not a virgin. But that’s missing the point of the gospel passage. The point of the gospel passage anyone who listens to Jesus and puts his words to practice, Jesus welcomes into his family.

But from the first reading, we see that it is not enough simply to do something good; we must think good, speak good, feel good, and do good. We must be true to ourselves, such that our actions speak what our heart is feeling, and what our mind is thinking.

The way we do this is firstly to hear the Word of God and receive it into our hearts. Let the Word purify our hearts, and from there, we will be able to do good from the bottom of our hearts.

I received the gift of a tea cup last week. On it are the words: A man is not one who does good, but one who does good all the time. Without the Word of God in our hearts, it is very difficult to do good all the time. In addition, without familiarising ourselves with the Word of God, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to have the Word of God in our hearts. How then, can we put it into practice?
_____________________

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, please grant us the grace to be able to familiarise ourselves with you, the Word of God. Help us to learn more about you through reading the Bible, the Word of God. Finally, help us to receive you into our hearts, so that whatever we speak or do may be done in your name. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The God who is with us.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 27 Sep – Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6; Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul, priest, religious founder
Thu, 28 Sep – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9; Memorial for St. Wenceslaus, martyr / Memorial for St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Fri, 29 Sep – Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14 or Revelation 12:7-12a; John 1:47-51; Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, archangels
Sat, 30 Sep – Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8; Luke 9:43b-45; Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this e-mail are the writer’s own. They may not necessarily reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless we should all be able to learn something from it.

Monday, Sep 25 – More and More

25 Sep

The following announcement was requested by one of our readers:

The Life Direction Team is organising a series of conferences called “Tending The Holy in our lives”. Conference A is titled “Walking together in God’s presence”.

It is an appreciation and basic understanding of spiritual direction: for the people of God and for any one who would like to know more about spiritual direction, for those who are sponsors, teachers, catechists, and leaders in church ministries and RCIA, and for those who accompany others in their Christian vocation, i.e. you.

This conference is highly recommended for RCIA sponsors, teachers, catechists, and for those who accompany others in their faith vocation. There are still many vacancies left, so please don’t let the facilitators’ visit here be a waste. The conference is open to all members of the public. Two venues and dates are given for your convenience:

Date 1: Sat, Nov 4
Time: 2.30-5.00pm
Venue: Toa Payoh Methodist Church (480, Lorong 2 Toa Payoh)

Date 2: Mon, Nov 6
Time: 7.15-9.45pm
Venue: Church of the Holy Spirit (248 Upper Thomson Road)

Contribution: S$15
Early registration (before Oct 1): S$10

What is spiritual direction?
Many people find it difficult to notice God’s action in their daily lives, even if they had a sense of God, just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus did.

The spiritual companion is a person of faith, depth, warmth and empathy, an excellent listener, aware of his own spiritual journey, and committed to being with another person in their faith journey, formally or informally. Help someone discover and experience God’s presence and grace in their lives.

Facilitators:
Sister Mary Ann Scofield, RSM, is a Mercy Center staff member, Ph.D. Theology, M.A. in Spiritual Direction, founding member of Spiritual Directors International. She has extensive experience in spiritual direction, retreat direction, formation of spiritual directors, retreat directors and supervision.

James Keegan, SJ, was staff of various ministry and spirituality centers conducting spiritual direction sessions and practicum programmes for development of spiritual directors. He is also a member of the Coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International.

For more enquiries, please contact:
M: +65-8201-7022
T: +65-6565-2895
F: +62-6565-3875
E: lifedirectionteam@yahoo.com.sg
W: www.veritas.org.sg/lifedirectionteam 

_________________

Luke 8:16-18

Jesus said to his disciples: “No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light. So take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.”
____________________

Last week, I met an interesting person. As she shared with me her life story, one particular line struck me. She was speaking about her own faith and sharing it with others: “The more I shared, the more it grew; the more I shared, the more I received.”

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is not talking about a person’s gifts or talents; he is speaking about faith. Our faith is not meant to be hidden; it is meant to be seen. When we share our faith with other people, we discover that it grows with each telling, so that we have more to share in future.
____________________

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help us to be unafraid to share our faith with those who are interested in knowing you. Give us the courage to share your story with other people, to share our experiences of your presence and love in our lives. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The opportunity to meet friends of Jesus.

Upcoming Readings:
Tue, 26 Sep – Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13; Luke 8:19-21; Memorial for Sts. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs
Wed, 27 Sep – Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6; Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul, priest, religious founder
Thu, 28 Sep – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9; Memorial for St. Wenceslaus, martyr / Memorial for St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Fri, 29 Sep – Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14 or Revelation 12:7-12a; John 1:47-51; Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, archangels
Sat, 30 Sep – Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8; Luke 9:43b-45; Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Sunday, Sep 24 – An Example In Humility

24 Sep – Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Christ, The Son of God

We worship the Son of God, the wisdom that came down from above and became the servant of men.

- The Sunday Missal
____________________

Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

The godless say to themselves,
“Let us lie in wait for the virtuous men, since he annoys us
and opposes our way of life,
reproaches us for our breaches of the law
and accuses us of playing false to our upbringing.
Let us see if what he says is true,
let us observe what kind of end he himself will have.
If the virtuous man is God’s son, God will take part
and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies
Let us test him with cruelty and with torture,
and thus explore this gentleness of his
and put his endurance to the proof.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death
since he will be looked after – we have his word for it.”
____________________

James 3:16 – 4:3

Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.

Where do these wards and battles between yourselves first start? Isn’t it precisely in the desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you haven’t got it; so you are prepared to kill. You have an ambition that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by force. Why you don’t have what you want is because you don’t pray for it; when you do pray and don’t get it, it is because you have not prayed properly, you have prayed for something to indulge your own desires.
____________________

Mark 9:30-37

After leaving the mountain Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, because he as instructing his disciples; he was telling them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hand of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.

They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
____________________

The biggest news in the Catholic Church this week has been that concerning the pope’s apparent mistake during his lecture at the University of Regensburg. Even in the secular newspapers, we see 3-4 articles on it almost everyday. Among our Catholic circles, and even among other Christians and Muslims, this is a big topic.

In the course of the week, I have seen several emails flying back and forth, but the one that left the biggest impact on me was one supposedly from a Catholic, who seemed very happy that the Catholic Church is going through these. He wrote that he found it “interesting to see how Rome wriggles out of this one”.

As I read today’s first reading, I can’t help but think of the sender of this particular email, because there are many around the world like him who carefully watch influential Christians, patiently waiting for them to make a mistake and then pounce on them and say, “See! This man helped others, now let him help himself!” (cf. Luke 22:35)

Around the world there have been Islam extremists who did the same too, threatening violence against churches and Catholics, and the pope himself. But the media tends to sensationalize the issue and it drowns out the voices of other Muslims who wholeheartedly agree with what the pope said in his lecture at the university.

When the pope realized that his words had made such a big impact among the Muslim community around the world, he didn’t say, “I said nothing wrong. I have nothing to apologize for.” I was deeply impressed that he came out and personally apologized for the reactions caused by his words. That certainly took great humility.

The pope did not have to do it, but he did it. He did it not because he was caving to external pressure or because he feared a violent backlash. He did it out of humility and as his position of Servant of Servants. He served the world’s Muslims by providing them the apology that they asked for.

This call to humility is not just reserved to the pope. As Brother Michael Broughton writes in this issue of the Catholic News, “All Catholics should be prepared to imitate the example of our spiritual leader and humbly apologize and express the pope’s regret that his illustration should have caused such upset among Muslims, something that was never his intent.”

Now that the pope has apologized, many Muslim leaders around the world have accepted this apology, and they have begun to take a closer look at what Pope Benedict really meant, if he didn’t intend to offend them. In so doing, this has led the Catholic Church, interestingly, to dialogue with Muslims at a meeting on Monday.

However, there are still those who continue to promise violence against the pope, saying that his apology is insufficient and calling for a full retraction of his words. This disharmony does not come from the pope’s “incitement”, but is a disharmony that reflects the inner state of these people, mainly extremists.

The Muslims who have responded positively to the pope’s invitation to dialogue are truly peacemakers, working for peace. Just as the pope has displayed great humility in apologizing, these Muslims too have displayed great humility in accepted his apology. As Catholics, let us indeed follow the exemplary display of humility given to us by our spiritual leader, and continue to work for peace and holiness in our lives and the lives of those around us.
____________________

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we ask you to send your Holy Spirit to inspire and guide our world leaders, that they may always work towards peace, both in their own countries and in the world. Help each of us to realize that if we truly desire world peace, we must start where we are, finding peace within ourselves, and letting that peace, a peace that only you can give, radiate outwards and bear fruit in holiness. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: An example in humility.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 25 Sep – Proverbs 3:27-34; Luke 8:16-18
Tue, 26 Sep – Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13; Luke 8:19-21; Memorial for Sts. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs
Wed, 27 Sep – Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6; Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul, priest, religious founder
Thu, 28 Sep – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9; Memorial for St. Wenceslaus, martyr / Memorial for St. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Fri, 29 Sep – Daniel 7:9-10, 13, 14 or Revelation 12:7-12a; John 1:47-51; Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, archangels
Sat, 30 Sep – Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:8; Luke 9:43b-45; Memorial for St. Jerome, priest and doctor
Sun, 1 Oct – Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Saturday, Sep 23 – Christian Idol

23 Sep – Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest

Padre Pio was one of the first saints whose lives I took an interest in finding out more. He was a man who had many spiritual enemies. The devil would sometimes appear to him as an ugly animal, to fill him with terror; young girls, nude and provocative, to test his chastity; but to Padre Pio, the greatest danger was when the devil appeared to him in the form of one of his religious superiors, or in a sacred form such as Jesus, Mary, or St. Francis. More about him can be found here: http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=1021 

Padre Pio (1887-1968) was born Francesco Forgione to a southern Italian farm family, the son of Grazio, a shepherd. At 15, he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars in Morcone, and joined the order at 19. He suffered from several health problems, and at one point his family thought he had tubercolosis. At 22, he was ordained in 1910.

While praying before the cross on Sep 20, 1918, he became the first priest ever to be blessed with receiving the stigmata. As word spread, especially after American soldiers brought home stories of Padre Pio following the Second World War, the priest himself became a point of pilgrimage for both the pious and the curious. He would hear confessions by the house, and was reportedly able to read the consciencs of those who held back. He was also reportedly able to bilocate, levitate, and heal by touch.

In 1956, he founded the House for the Relief of Suffering, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920s, he started a series of prayer groups that continues today with over 400,000 members worldwide.

When Matteo Pio Colella, age 7, the son of a doctor who works in the House of Relief of Suffering, was admitted with meningitis to the intensive care unit of the hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo (founded by Padre Pio), his condition deteriorated such that by morning, doctors had lost hope for him as nine of the boy’s internal organs had ceased to give signs of life.

That night, during a prayer vigil attended by Matteo’s mother and some Capuchin friars or Padre Pio’s monastery, the child’s condition suddenly improved. When he awoke from his coma, Matteo said that he had seen an elderly man with a white beard and a long, brown habit, who said to him, “Don’t worry, you will soon be cured.” The miracle was approved by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and on Dec 20, 2001, he was canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Prayer:
Oh Jesus, full of grace and charity, victim for sinners, so impelled by your love of us that you willed to die on the cross, I humbly entreat you to glorify in heaven and on earth, the servant of God, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who generously participated in your sufferings, who loved you so much and laboured so faithfully for the glory of your heavenly Father and for the good of souls. With confidence, I beseech you to grant me, through his intercession, the grace of ________ , which I ardently desire.

Say three Our Fathers, three Hail Marys and Glorias.

- Source: Patron Saint Index
__________________

1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49

Someone may ask, “How are dead people raised, and what sort of body do they have when they come back?” They are stupid questions. Whatever you sow in the ground has to die before it is given new life and the thing that you sow is not what is going to come; you sow a bare grain, say of wheat or something like that. It is the same with the resurrection of the dead: the thing that is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; the thing that is sown is weak but what is raised is powerful; when it is sown it embodies the soul, when it is raised it embodies the spirit.

If the soul has its own embodiment, so does the spirit have its own embodiment. The first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul; but the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit. That is, first the one with the soul, not the spirit, and after that, the one with the spirit. The first man, being from the earth, is earthly by nature; the second man is from heaven. As this earthly man was, so are we on earth; and as the heavenly man is, so are we in heaven. And we, who have been modelled on the earthly man, will be modelled on the heavenly man.
_____________________

Luke 8:4-15

With a large crowd gathering and people from every town finding their way to him, Jesus used this parable:

“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell on the edge of the path and was trampled on; and the birds of the air ate it up. Some seed fell on rock, and when it came up it withered away, having no moisture. Some seed fell amongst thorns and the thorns grew and produced its crop a hundredfold.” Saying this he cried, “Listen, anyone who has ears!”

The disciple asked him what this parable might mean, and he said, “They mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to you; for the rest there are only parables, so that

    they may see but not perceive,
    listen but not understand.

“This, then, is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God. Those on the edge of the path are people who have heard it and then the devil comes and carries away the word from their hearts in case they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are people who, hen they first hear it, welcome the word with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of trial they give up. As for the part that fell into thorns, this is people who have heard, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life and do not reach maturity. As for the part in the rich soil, this is people with a noble and generous heart who have heard the word and take it to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance.”
____________________

Do you watch Singapore Idol? Even if, like me, your answer is ‘no’, you must have heard of it. Singapore Idol is talent and popularity contest where thousands of Idol hopefuls audition for a chance to be chosen by four judges to have a shot at being Singapore’s next music idol. As the series of shows progress, the idol hopefuls are coached by the producers of the show and those who take the advice gradually improve with time and become more appealing to the public, who will vote to eliminate one or a few contestants each week.

Of course, with every batch of idol hopefuls, there are those who listen to the advice of the coaches and the judges, but they do not act on it, preferring to “do it my way”. Before long, these are eliminated, because they have disregarded the judges’ well-meaning criticism.

Then there are those who do listen to the judges and act on it, but due to public pressure or for one reason or another, maybe due to family commitments, drop out of the competition. Also, there are those who do well in the competition, but choose to drop out in order to further their studies or to complete university etc. In addition, there are those who let their new-found popularity go to their heads, and instead of concentration on rehearsing and performing well at the next show, they are busy doing something else. In the end, they get eliminated as well for poor performance.

Finally, there are those who listen to the advice of the judges and coaches, sincerely put in effort to improve, and the transformation over time is significant. You can really see how at first, they were just wannabes, and now they have honed their talents and really become stars, whose are so popular that they are even known by those who do not watch the show.

Even if they do not end up being the Singapore Idol, they are not the same person they used to be; they have become new people because of all their experiences, and they will never be completely the same as they used to be; they are better people now, because of their experiences, and certainly they see the world, particularly the television and music industry in Singapore, for what it really is.

In the same way, when we listen to the Word of God, and we apply it to our lives, and sincerely put in time and effort to improve our spiritual lives, we too will become stars that shine brightly in the world. Some of us truly are “light of the world” and even known by those who are not Christians.

These people, once they become “new” people, can never go back to being the same as they were before because of all the spiritual experiences that they have had. These too, because of their experiences, see the world, particular life and death, God, and the resurrection, for what it really is. With this insight, it is impossible to go back to what they were before.

And that is really the purpose of our life on earth. It is one big Idol competition, where we are all striving to become better people than when we were brought into the world. Some of us listen to the good advice of spiritual leaders, but prefer to do it our way. We won’t get far this way. Others face external pressure and give up on their spiritual development. Still others choose to stop growing spiritually in favour of other matters such as career advancement etc.

Finally, there are those who listen to the Word of God and as it is explained by spiritual leaders, and they do their best to apply it to their daily lives, all the while seeking to grow spiritually and to develop themselves to their fullest capacity. These are the ones who will one day reach spiritual maturity and “yield a harvest through their perseverance”, shining the light of Christ brightly in the world, so much so that even those who do not know Christ will know him because of his light that shines through us.
____________________

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we ask for the grace to continue to persevere in growing more fully in our spiritual lives. Help us to listen and understand what it is that you are revealing to us each day as we reflect on your Word to us. May our perseverance and humility be blessed with spiritual fruits so that more people will come to know you. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: A new perspective on an old parable.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 24 Sep – Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9:30-37; Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Friday, Sep 22 – What Ifs

22 Sep

Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented. – Georges Braque
_____________________

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Now, if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ – whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
_____________________

Luke 8:1-3

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Chuza and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
_____________________

Imagine someone who believes a person has done one great important thing, for instance, a child who believes that a certain man has saved another from death. Imagine the child admiring the man in a “Singapore Idol” manner. Imagine then that after a few years, the child discovers that the man she had been admiring all that time had not in fact saved the other person. It would have been a case of mistaken identity, or that she had understood the situation wrongly – the man had not been there to save the other person, but had just been seen beside the person after the person had already been saved. Imagine what the reaction of that child would be.

Now, imagine if someone discovers that the whole story of Christ is fake. What would happen if it were proven that Christ had died and not been raised to life again? What would happen if some other person other than the apostles, the guards at the tomb, or the women coming to visit the tomb had in fact removed the body without anybody knowing and that evidence to that occurrence suddenly appeared? What would happen if people started believing that Jesus died, and the whole resurrection part had been fabricated? What would happen if psychologists started saying that the accounts of the events after the death of Jesus (the disciples walking to Emmaus, seeing Jesus walking with them on the road and explaining scriptures to them; or the time when Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples first, then to Thomas and the 11 disciples) were events of mass hysteria or mass hallucination/illusion?

We Christians would really be the most to be pitied since we base everything on Jesus’ resurrection. Because Jesus is raised from the dead, we are able to proclaim God’s power over death, God’s foresight and wisdom in allowing His son to die for us. We are able to proclaim that Christ’s sacrifice brought our salvation, and many more things. All these would be empty proclamations if Christ was not raised from the dead.

With every passing day, it is harder to believe in God, in his message of goodness and love. The secular world proclaims a message of self-love and individuality. We proclaim that Christ died for our salvation and all, but after some time, do we still remember the meaning of it all or do the words only become words? Every teaching of the Catholic Church requires that tiny (or huge) bit of faith. Which teaching/s is/are we having difficulty coming to terms with? Would doubt in some of the Church’s teachings be able to shake our faith? And would it shake it into a better form, or make it crumble?

All these questions are not for us to doubt ourselves, but to make us question our relationship with Him to see where we lie and, as a result, to be able to know where we can strengthen our faith.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Lyndley Ah Qune)
_____________________

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we thank you for giving us the grace to say this prayer and believe. We ask you to send us your Holy Spirit to inspire us and to grant us the wisdom to see God’s plan in our lives today. Help us to understand that all things happen for a reason, and sometimes that reason is known to you alone. Help us to accept this and continue to trust that you love us and only want what’s best for us. Amen.

Thanks be to God for family and friends to support us every moment of our life.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 23 Sep – 1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49; Luke 8:4-15; Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
Sun, 24 Sep – Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9:30-37; Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Thursday, Sep 21 – An Open & Loving Relationship

21 Sep – Feast of St. Matthew, apostle, evangelist

Matthew was a tax gatherer, born at Capernaum, called by Jesus, for whom he left everything and turned to a new life. His Gospel was written in Hebrew. Tradition tells that he preached in the East.

- the Weekday Missal
____________________

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear wit one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unit in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.
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Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus was walking on he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When he heard this he replied, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.”
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Sometimes when chatting with other Catholics, we hear things like, “I don’t know where God is calling me to serve.” The first thing that pops into my mind when I hear this is, “Are you listening?”

We often think that unless we are serving God in some way, we are not good Christians. We develop a guilty complex and try to find some way that we can serve God in. But often, this type of service doesn’t last long, because God is not the focus of the service; we are. We serve because we feel bad that we are not serving.

As a continuation from yesterday’s sharing, service is nothing without love. The first and most important thing is to have a loving and open relationship with God, one in which you can talk to God and he listens, and in which he talks to you and you listen. Obviously this means having quiet time for prayer everyday, if possible. God’s not going to pounce on you when you miss a day because you’re tired and can’t focus. But the important thing here is that the focus is on God, not on ourselves.

Only in an open relationship in which all things can be honestly shared between you and God can you slowly begin to discover where God is calling you. Today’s readings are not the only ones that tell us that each of us has a specific place in the Body of Christ that has been reserved for us; only we can fit that role perfectly, no one else can.

The difficulty of course is finding out what that role is. What are some of the reasons that we cannot find where God is calling us to? As mentioned, the first is lack of prayer and a open and loving relationship with God. The second reason we find in the gospel reading of the day.

When God chooses a person for a certain role, he deliberately chooses the unqualified, or at least those who know that they are unqualified. This is so that his glory can make itself known in their service. A person who knows he is qualified, or even overqualified will be tempted to depend on their own qualifications to get the job done. It then becomes something which comes from himself or herself, and not from the loving relationship with God.

This is why when we try to discern where God is calling us to, we must make God the centre of our discernment, not ourselves. By being loving, that is, directing our love towards God, we focus our attention on God, not ourselves. By being open, we give God the necessary quiet time and space each day to speak to us, telling us each day how he is calling us to serve him.

Discernment isn’t a one-off thing; it’s a life-time thing. Every day, we are called to discern how God is calling us to serve him. Thus, every day, we must try to reserve some quiet time to spend with God, to nurture this open and loving relationship with him. Only then will we know just how God is calling us to serve him with love.
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Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help us to manage our priorities. Give us time to sit down with you, to sort out what’s really important in our lives, and to find out where we place you in our lives. Help us to realise how much we need you, and with your Holy Spirit guiding us, teach us how to manage our time better, so that we can always reserve some time each day to spend with you. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Telling me what he wants my relationship with him to be.

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 22 Sep – 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Luke 8:1-3
Sat, 23 Sep – 1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49; Luke 8:4-15; Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
Sun, 24 Sep – Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9:30-37; Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this e-mail are the writer’s own. They may not necessarily reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless we should all be able to learn something from it.