Friday, June 29 – Keeping the faith

29 Jun – Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, apostles

We celebrate the feast of the princes of the apostles, from whom we derive our Christian faith. The Lord stood by them and gave them power, so that through them the whole message might be proclaimed for all the world to hear.

- the Weekday Missal
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In case you haven’t heard, Pope Benedict XVI, successor of Peter, has declared the year June 2008 – June 2009 the year of St. Paul in celebration of the Apostle’s 2,000th birth anniversary.
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Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11

King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four solders each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.

On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. “get up!” he said, “Hurry!” – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, “Put on your belt and sandals.” After he had done this, the angel next said, “Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.” Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. “Now I know that it is all true,” he said. “The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.”
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2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have long for his Appearing.

The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he said, “who do you say I am?” Then Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Christ,” he said, “the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.”
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Today we celebrate two very important persons in the history of the Church. In the gospel reading, we see that Jesus built his Church on Peter. However, Jesus didn’t just intend to build a Church that lasts only for Peter’s generation; the Church founded by Jesus is meant to last till the end of time. Therefore, the keys to the kingdom of heaven belong not only to Peter, but to all who succeed him. In other words, the person who now holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven in the same capacity that Peter held them, would be Pope Benedict XVI, the 264th successor of Peter.

Also in the gospel reading, we see that Peter proclaimed and acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ. Did this ensure Peter’s salvation? We look to the second reading for the answer. We see that it is not only enough to proclaim and acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, but it is equally important to “run the race to the finish” all the while keeping the faith, the faith that has been given by Jesus to his Church through Peter.

Paul tells Timothy in his first letter to “wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience”, explaining that “by rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith”. To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God (read and reflect on scripture); we must beg the Lord to increase our faith (pray); it must be “working through charity” (do good works), abounding in hope, and rooted in the faith of the Church. Indeed, if we are to be filled with faith that provides salvation, we need be faithful to the Church established by Christ on Peter.
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Prayer:
God our Father, today you give us the joy of celebrating the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul. Through them your Church first received the faith. Keep us true to their teaching, that we will remain true to the faith of the apostles. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The Church which preserves the faith of the apostles so that the whole message may be proclaimed for all to hear.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 30 Jun – Genesis 18:1-15; Matthew 8:5-17; Memorial for the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sun, 01 Jul – 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-61; Thirteenth 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, June 28 – The universal grace

28 Jun – Memorial for St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr

St. Irenaeus (C.130-202) was a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. He became a priest in 177, and later bishop of Lyons, France. He worked and wrote against Gnosticism, basing his arguments on the works of St. John, whose gospel is often cited by Gnostics. He is considered the first great Western ecclesiastical writer, emphasizing the unity of the Old and New Testaments, and of Christ’s simultaneous human and divine nature. He is a Father of the Church, and a martyr.

“The glory of God is man fully alive.” – St. Irenaeus

- Patron Saint Index
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Genesis 16:1-12,15-16

Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no child, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘Listen, now! Since the Lord has kept me from having children, go to my slave-girl. Perhaps I shall get children through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai had said.

Thus after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years Sarai took Hagar her Egyptian slave-girl and gave her to Abram as his wife. He went to Jagar and she conceived. And once she knew she had conceived, her mistress counted for nothing in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘May this insult to me come home to you! It was I who put my slave-girl into your arms but now she knows that she has conceived, I count for nothing in her eyes. Let the Lord judge between me and you.’ ‘Very well,’ Abram said to Sarai, ‘your slave-girl is at your disposal. Treat her as you think fit.’ Sarai accordingly treated her so badly that she ran away from her.

The angel of the Lord met Hagar near a spring in the wilderness, the spring that is on the road to Shur. He said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai’ she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will make your descendants too numerous to be counted.’ Then the angel of the Lord said to her:

‘Now you have conceived, and you shall bear a son,
and you shall name him Ishamael,
for the Lord has heard your cries of distress.
A wild-ass of a man he will be,
against every man, and every man against him,
setting himself to defy all his brothers.’

Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave to the son that Hagar bore the name Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
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Matthew 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work miracles in your miracles name.” Then I shall them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!

‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against the house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people because he taught them with authority, and not like their own scribes.
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The unity of all Christians was mentioned on Tuesday’s sharing, also mentioning that the Church teaches about the salvation of non-Christians. Today’s readings relate to this latter issue.

The first reading introduces us to the conflict between Sarai (soon to be Sarah) and Hagar which resulted in the branching of the Abram’s (soon to be Abraham) descendants. Even though Hagar and her son were were eventually exiled from the camp, Abram loved them no less. Greater still than this love, they were blessed by God Himself who promised that Ishmael would be the father of a nation. Notice that this was similar promise to the one given to Abram. In fact, Abram was deemed to become the father of nations. Ishmael’s branch played a major role in this prophecy.

The Gospel reading raises two points. The first is how it is more important to be in the service of good in deed rather than in name. A non-Christian who does selflessly serves others and a baptised Christian who is a miser. Who does the greater good in the eyes of Christ? I have heard many people remark about how surprised they were that someone is a Christian. The second point raised is that there is wisdom from sources outside our own. We know that Christ taught unlike the scribes and Pharisees. With authority and with great controversy. In a way, what He spread was outside the Jewish faith. Was it invalid just because of this though?

The Church does acknowledge that those outside its physical boundaries can be saved though the conditions for these are quite specific. “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation (CCC #847)”. These actions can be learning points for we who do profess the Catholic faith.

While I have heard of a Catholic nun who learnt Buddhist meditation methods to apply to the practice of the faith, what we learn does not need to be so extreme. Things like being reminded to be considerate when we see a non-Christian brother or sister doing so are equally relevant. God reaches out to our non-Christian sisters and brothers as He does to us. He also uses them to reach out to all His children as He uses us. What then can we learn from our interactions with non-Christians?

(Today’s OXYGEN by Aloysius Ting)
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Prayer: Lord, let us not be closed to those outside the Church.

Give thanks to the Lord for: Extending salvation to the nations.

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 29 Jun – Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19; Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sat, 30 Jun – Genesis 18:1-15; Matthew 8:5-17; Memorial for the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sun, 01 Jul – 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-61; Thirteenth 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, June 27 – False Prophets

27 Jun – Memorial for St. Cyril of Alexandria, doctor, bishop

St. Cyril (376-444) was the nephew of Theophilus the Patriarch. He was a monk, a priest, and bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in 412, and also the Patriarch of Alexandria. He suppressed the Novatians, and worked at the Council of Ephesus. He fought against Nestorius who taught the heresy that there were two persons in Christ. He was a catechetical writer and wrote a book opposing Julian the Apostate. He is a Greek Father of the Church, and a Doctor of the Church.

- Patron Saint Index
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Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Some time later, the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision:

Do not be afraid, Abram!
I am your shield
and shall give you a very great reward.

‘Lord Yahweh,’ Abram replied, ‘what use are your gifts, as I am going on my way childless? … Since you have given me no offspring,’ Abram continued, ‘a member of my household will be my heir.’ Then Yahweh’s word came to him in reply, ‘Such a one will not be your heir; no, your heir will be the issue of your own body.’ Then taking him outside, he said, ‘Look up at the sky and count the stars if you can. Just so will your descendents be,’ he told him. Abram put his faith in Yahweh and this was reckoned to him as uprightness.

He then said to him, ‘I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to give you this country as your possession.’ ‘Lord Yahweh,’ Abram replied, ‘how can I know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, or turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, split the animals down the middle and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not divide. And whenever birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, Abram drove them off.

Now, as the sun was on the point of setting, a trance fell on Abram, and a deep dark dread descended on him.

When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passing between the animals’ pieces. That day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram in these terms:

‘To your descendants I give this country,
from the River of Egypt to the Great River,
and the River Euphrates.’
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Matthew 7:15-20

‘Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.’
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Surely we can see that Abram is a good example of a tree that produces good fruits, a good tree because of his uprightness, and his fruits being the many descendents that God had promised to bless him with.

I’m sure we know how to differentiate between people who are “good trees” and those who are “bad trees”. What about the false prophets within us? Things like our ideals and personal philosophies can be our own false prophets which can bring us away from God. How we deal with moral issues and even innocent situations in our daily lives can be false prophets too.

I always use a lack of sleep as an excuse for my negative feelings. While it is true that having a good sleep can help me deal with a situation better, it doesn’t change the fact that I have been affected by a person’s actions. The person may have hurt me and I decide to do a short-circuit of my feelings, and just “have a good sleep” in the hope that the hurt done unto me will be gone by just sleeping over it. Our hiding from difficult situations can be false prophets, because they prevent us from being found by God in such incidents. Painful as it may be, it is a better alternative for me to acknowledge the full extent of the hurt and allow God to take time to heal the wounds.

How do we know whether something within us is a false prophet? By looking at the effect it has on us. If it prevents you from being a loving person, then it may be time to throw it into the fire so that God can plant more of His goodness in you. If, in your reflection, you find that you have failed to love others in a certain situation, you may want to look at why you acted in a particular manner. That reason would be your false prophet.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Regina Xie)
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Prayer: Lord, let us not be scared of the fire, but to fear You so that we will let You throw into the fire what is false within us.

Give thanks to the Lord for: Warning us against false prophets.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 28 Jun – Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16; Matthew 7:21-29; Memorial for St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr
Fri, 29 Jun – Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19; Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sat, 30 Jun – Genesis 18:1-15; Matthew 8:5-17; Memorial for the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sun, 01 Jul – 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-61; Thirteenth 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, June 26 – Brothers all are we

26 Jun

Fair is fair

This story is told about Kruger, the great South African statesman, who lived at the beginning of this century. He was called upon to settle a dispute between two brothers. This dispute involved the equal division of land between the two. The land contained mines, lakes, rivers, and beautiful scenery, and Kruger knew that no matter how he divided it, he was bound to run afoul of at least one of the brothers.

He pondered the problem at great length, and then he came up with the solution. He called the two brothers together and he gave one of them the task of dividing the land in two. When he had finished, Kruger gave the other brother the choice as to which half he wanted.

- Coming to a fair decision can often be easy; getting people to see and accept the decision is fair, can be virtually impossible.

- Have you ever been in a restaurant and ordered your meal, and were sorry you didn’t order what the person at the next table had just been served?

- taken from “150 More Stories for Preachers and Teachers” by Jack McArdle
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Genesis 13:2, 5-18

Abram was a very rich man, with livestock, silver and gold. Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too. The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to be able to live together. Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot’s. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites were then living in the land.) Accordingly Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no dispute between me and you, nor between my herdsmen and yours, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land open before you? Part company with me: i you take the left, I will go right; if you take the right, I will go left.”

Looking round, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere – this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar. So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastwards. Thus they parted company: Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the towns of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were vicious men, great sinners against the Lord.

The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted company with him, “Look all round where you are towards the north and the south, towards the east and the west. All the land within sight I will give to you and your descendants for ever. I will make your descendants like the dust on the ground: when men succeed in counted the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants! Come, travel through the length and breadth of the land, for I mean to give it to you.”

So Abram went with his tents to settle at the Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
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Matthew 7:26, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.

“So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.

“Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
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Recently, I wrote a summary of an article on my blog on why the book “The Purpose-Driven Life” is un-Catholic. (The original article is here.)

In one part of the article, it says that the author Rick Warren assures his readers that it is very easy to enter into eternal life. All one has to do is to sincerely pray, “Jesus, I believe you and I receive you.” But Jesus makes it clear, in today’s gospel reading, that the way that leads to life is hard, and only a few find it. Could Jesus be wrong about salvation and Rick Warren be right instead?

Of course not. But it is true that no small number of our Christian brethren believe this. I found myself discussing this, and other matters, with a Christian brother on my blog. One of the other things we discussed was the magisterium. Today, I found myself referring several times to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) when I was asked the questions: Do you believe that a Protestant can be saved?

What does the Church really teach about this? We know quite well what the Church teaches about the salvation of non-Christians, because this has been told to us many times, but when it comes to our Christian brethren, what does the Church really teach? Are they saved, despite not being in communion with the Church?

As I found out today, the CCC is remarkably compassionate on the subject of our relationship with our Christian brethren. The word ‘Protestant’ doesn’t even seem to appear in there. What the Church does teach is that faith in Jesus Christ and the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for our own salvation, but what is necessary is also that he who has faith endures it to the end. (CCC #161).

In other words, our Christian brethren are saved on the same conditions as Catholics – that we have faith in Jesus Christ, and we endure to the end. That enduring to the end is the hard road that leads to life. The Church also teaches that Catholics who do not persevere in charity, even though they are incorporated into the Church, are not saved.

In the first reading, we see that Lot and Abraham have a disagreement. As such, they part ways. This is not unlike the Church and our non-Catholic Christian brethren. They too have had disagreements with the Church, and so have parted ways. The Church teaches that divisions are caused by sin, whereas virtue gives rise to harmony and unity.

The Church teaches us that those who are baptized but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter, are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Church. Christians who are born into such non-Catholic Christian communities commit no sin of separation from the Church. If these Christians are brought up in the faith of Christ, the Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers.

It is through dialogue, collaboration, fraternal knowledge of each other, and ecumenical formation of the faithful especially of priests, together with prayer in common and a conversion of heart that unity under one Shepherd can be achieved. It is the Church’s mission that stimulates efforts towards Christian unity.

One thing that must be noted is that for true ecumenism to take place, there must be no compromise on truth. Jesus is the truth, and if we compromise on truth, we are giving what is holy to the dogs.
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Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we pray for the unity of all who believe in you and the One who sent you for our salvation, and we pray that all who hold this faith may endure to the end. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The magisterium which defends the truth.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 27 Jun – Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Matthew 7:15-20; Memorial for St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop, doctor
Thu, 28 Jun – Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16; Matthew 7:21-29; Memorial for St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr
Fri, 29 Jun – Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19; Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sat, 30 Jun – Genesis 18:1-15; Matthew 8:5-17; Memorial for the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sun, 01 Jul – 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-61; Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Monday, June 25 – Judge the action, not the person

26 Jun

Judging!

One day a partially deaf lad was given a note from his teacher to give his mother, suggesting that she take him out of school, because he was too stupid to learn.

The mother’s reaction was to set to it, and begin teaching him herself. The boy grew up, and Thomas Edison, for that was his name, left a wealth of inventions that leaves us all deeply in his debt.

He invented the motion picture, the record player, and the light bulb. When he died, the U.S. as a nation switched off all electric lights for one minute in his memory, at a time decided on at the national level.

- How wrong we can be in our judgements!

- Herb Barks wrote: God don’t make no junk!” How often do people find themselves on the scrap heaps of life through the rejection of others?

- taken from “150 More Stories for Preachers and Teachers” by Jack McArdle
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Genesis 12:1-9

The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

“I will bless those who bless you:
I will curse those who slight you.
All the tribes of the earth
shall bless themselves by you.”

So Abram went as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set off for the and of Canaan, and arrived there.

Abram passed through the land as far as Shechem’s holy place, the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “It is to your descendants that I will give this land.” So Abram built there an altar for the Lord who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the mountainous district east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negeb.
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Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How dare you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye’, when all the time there is a plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.”
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I received an email with a link to an article today titled “Catholic witch-hunt to expose gay clergy”. Here’s how it starts:

Patricia McKeever does not like to be photographed. She does not like people to know where she lives and prefers to communicate with the outside world by letter or e-mail. But, from the security of her home, the 58-year-old former secondary school teacher has co-ordinated a relentless campaign to name and shame gay Roman Catholic priests.

While Ms McKeever might carry hypocrisy and judgements to an extreme, to the point of being anti-Christian even, we cannot deny that she is well-intentioned. Some of us are no less guilty of doing something similar. We judge people when we attempt to determine whether a person is a sinner or whether a person is saved, based on what we know of the person.

The problem with this sort of judgement is that it is imperfect, because we do not know what the person is thinking, or what he or she is feeling. Only God knows, which is why only God is fit to judge a person. Right from the beginning, God tells Abraham in not so many words: “Leave the judging to me.”

We cannot judge people, because we do not know where they are coming from. What we can judge are actions. With the wisdom of the Church, we can judge whether actions are objectively disordered, but we cannot judge people.

Perhaps one way that is most appalling today is when we judge whether another person has the right to life or whether he or she deserves to die. In Singapore (and in other countries), this takes place when we approve of abortion, and when we approve of the death penalty. In one case, we refuse an innocent’s right to life, and in another case, we sentence a guilty person to death. We have become the judges of life and death by determining who lives and who dies.

As appealing as the arguments for both cases are, neither argument can be said to follow the heart of the Gospel. As columnist Ronald Rolheiser writes, “Jesus is clear on this: He challenges us to forgive those who murder our loved ones and who might indeed murder us. The capacity to forgive a murderer is one of the litmus tests for Christian discipleship. This is where Jesus most stretches the heart.

“It’s in the invitation to deeper discipleship where it is clear that we must forgive murderers rather than execute them, that the earth belongs equally to all, and that God alone has the power to decide life and death.”
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Prayer:
Dear Jesus, we pray that we might be able to accept your invitation to deeper discipleship, by choosing to love others by not judging them based on what we know. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: The clear-cut morality of Christian discipleship.

Upcoming Readings:
Tue, 26 Jun – Genesis 13:2, 5-18; Matthew 7:6, 12-14
Wed, 27 Jun – Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Matthew 7:15-20; Memorial for St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop, doctor
Thu, 28 Jun – Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16; Matthew 7:21-29; Memorial for St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr
Fri, 29 Jun – Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19; Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sat, 30 Jun – Genesis 18:1-15; Matthew 8:5-17; Memorial for the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sun, 01 Jul – 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-61; Thirteenth 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.

Sunday, June 24 – Life is a Gift

24 June – Solemnity of St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist (d. 30) was the cousin of Jesus Christ, son of Zachary, a priest of the order of Abia whose job was to burn incense and of Elizabeth, a descendant of Aaron. As Zachary was ministering in the Temple, an angel brought him news that Elizabeth would bear a child filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment of his birth. Zachary doubted and was struck dumb until John’s birth.

John the Baptist was a prophet who began his ministry around age 27, wearing a leather belt and a tunic of camel hair, living off locusts and wild honey, and preaching a message of repentance to the people of Jerusalem. He converted many, and prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. He baptized Christ, after which he stepped away and told his disciples to follow Jesus.

He was imprisoned by King Herod. He died a victim of the vengeance of a jealous woman; he was beheaded and his head brought to her on a platter. St. Jerome says that Herodias kept the head for a long time after, occasionally stabbing the tongue with his dagger.

- Patron Saint Index
___________________

Isaiah 49:1-6

Islands, listen to me,
pay attention, remotest peoples,
the Lord called me before I was born,
from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name.

He made my mouth a sharp sword,
and hid me in the shadow of his hand.
He made me into a sharpened arrow,
and concealed me in his quiver.

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,
in whom I shall be glorified”;
while I was thinking, “I have toiled in vain,
I have exhausted myself for nothing”;

and all the while my cause was with the Lord,
my reward with my God.
I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord,
my God was my strength.

And now the Lord has spoken,
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
to gather Israel to him:

“It is not enough for you to be my servant,
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I will make you the light of the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
____________________

Psalm 138:1-3, 13-15

O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.

For it was you who created my being,
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation.

Already you knew my soul,
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.
____________________

I read this a few weeks ago, and it came rushing back to me when I was at Mass today listening to the psalm:

Diary of an Unborn Baby

1 May: Today my mother and my father showed how much they love one another. They slept together and my life began.

15 May: My blood circulation system is beginning now. My body is beginning to grow; I am now big enough to be seen.

19 May: My mouth is beginning to develop.

21 May: My heart is beginning to beat. Who can say that I am not alive?

22 May: For some reason or another, today my mother began to worry because I am inside of her.

28 May: My two hands and two feet have begun to grow. I can now stretch and straighten my back.

8 June: Little fingers are now appearing at the ends of my hands. That’s wonderful. In a short time I’ll be able to touch and hold things.

15 June: Today my mother felt me moving around and she is sure that I am inside her. How happy I am!

20 June: Now I know I’m going to be a little girl.

24 June: Now organs inside of me are beginning to grow: my stomach and my live and my lungs and things like that. Now I am able to feel pain.

6 July: Now hair is starting to grow on top of my head and above my eyes. Now I am starting to make myself pretty.

8 July: My eyes are ready for use; but they are still both shut. But it won’t be long before I can enjoy the sight of many nice things, and especially the face of my mother.

19 July: My heart is really beating strong now. I am growing in all directions. I am happy and contented.

20 July: Today my mother killed me….

If it had happened to you, you would not be reading this. Aren’t you lucky?

- Medical Journal
____________________

I thank you Lord for the wonder of my being.

We pray for all mothers who are considering abortion, that they may choose the loving decision and give thanks to God for being able to play a part in God’s plan of bringing new life to the world.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 25 Jun – Genesis 12:1-9; Matthew 7:1-5
Tue, 26 Jun – Genesis 13:2, 5-18; Matthew 7:6, 12-14
Wed, 27 Jun – Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Matthew 7:15-20; Memorial for St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop, doctor
Thu, 28 Jun – Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16; Matthew 7:21-29; Memorial for St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr
Fri, 29 Jun – Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19; Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sat, 30 Jun – Genesis 18:1-15; Matthew 8:5-17; Memorial for the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sun, 01 Jul – 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-61; Thirteenth 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.

Saturday, June 23 – Trials and Joys

23 Jun

The robe

There is an interesting contrast between the following two stories, each involving a robe.

The first is the story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar in Luke 10:14-52. When Jesus called Bartimaeus to come to him, Bartimaeus stood up, took his old cloak or robe and flung it to one side, and came to Jesus. It was as if he needed to get rid of something, to let go of something, to stop hiding behind something.

The second story is Lloyd C. Douglas’ novel, “The Robe”. When Marcellus, the Roman soldier, put on the robe of Jesus, which he won after they had cast lots, he experienced a deep sense of unease and disquiet. The thoughts of Jesus just won’t go away. He just cannot rid himself of some deep impression made on his soul by the Galilean, and he has no peace until he becomes a Christian and joins his band of followers.

- Meeting Jesus will always mean a letting go, and a putting on, a stripping down, and a building up.

- “So get rid of the old self, which is being corrupted by its own deceitful desires… and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4:22-24)

- taken from “150 More Stories for Preachers and Teachers” by Jack McArdle
_________________

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Must I go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it? But I will move on to the visions and revelations I have had from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up whether still in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows-right into the third heaven. I do know, however, that this same person – whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows – was caught up into paradise and heard things which must not and cannot be put into human language. I will boast about a man like that, but not about anything of my own except my weaknesses. If I should decide to boast, I should not be made to look foolish, because I should only be speaking the truth; but I am not going to, in case anyone should begin to think I am better than he can actually see and hear me to be. In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said, ‘My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness’. So I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.
___________________

Matthew 6:24 -34

Jesus said, ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money. ‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are we not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’
__________________

Today’s readings hold a very special meaning to me at this point in time in my life because of my internship. They remind me of the need to offer up all troubles to the Lord.

The first reading is one of my favourite passages amongst St. Paul’s epistles. The thorn in the flesh is something that I experience every day. Be it my own sinfulness or my inability to cope with the demands of the office, there will come a point in time where I have to follow what St. Paul mentions in today’s Gospel, “For it is when I am weak that I am strong.”

By acknowledging our own human weakness, we can then choose to accept the healing strength and touch of Christ. By offering up the troubles that we have to suffer as a Christian, we begin to understand the sufferings that Christ had to go through during his Passion and realize how miniscule our problems are.

The Gospel passage is an appropriate reminder for all of us. There have been many times in my life that I focus on the material possessions that I choose; such as what to eat, what clothes to wear, how should I style my hair and many other decisions. Where is the seeking of God in all of these actions?

In today’s working world, conference calls, video conferencing, meetings and appointments fill our calendar for the entire month. We worry about whether we have prepared for the next day. But to all who are working, I hope that you seek solace in Christ’s statement in the last two verses. Every day has its share of troubles and problems. What separates us from the pagans is that we offer them up to the Lord.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nick Chia)
____________________

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage to offer to you all our concerns and worries that we have in our lives to you and let us make you the centre of our lives.

Give thanks: For the gift of life.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 24 Jun – Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80; Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist
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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, June 22 – Give Thanks

22 Jun – Memorial for St. Paulinus of Nola; Memorial for St. John Fisher, bishop

St. Paulinus of Nola (354-431) was a friend of Sts. Augustine of Hippo and Nicetas of Remesiana, and was mentioned for his holiness by at least six of his contemporary saints. He was a distinguished lawyer, and held several public offices in the Empire, before retiring from public ministry with his wife, Therasia, first to Bordeaux, where they were baptized, and then to Therasia’s estate in Spain.

After the death of their only son at the age of only a few weeks, the couple decided to spend the rest of their lives devoted to God. They gave away most of their estates and dedicated themselves to increasing their holiness.

Paulinus later became a priest, and he and Therasia moved to Nola, where they gave away the rest of their property, and dedicated themselves to helping the poor. Paulinus was chosen bishop of Nola by popular demand. He governed the diocese for more than 21 years while living in his own home as a monk, and continuing to aid the poor. His writings contain one of the earliest example of a Christian wedding song.

St. John Fisher (1469-1535) studied theology at Cambridge University, receiving degrees in 1487 and 1491. He was parish priest in Northallerton, England from 1491 to 1494. He gained a reputation for his teaching abilities. He was proctor of Cambridge University, and confessor to Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII, in 1497. He was bishop of Rochester, England in 1504, and he worked to raise the standard of preaching in his see. He was chancellor of Cambridge, and tutor of the young King Henry VIII. He was also an excellent speak and writer.

When in 1527 he was asked to study the problem of Henry’s marriage, he became the target of Henry’s wrath by defending the validity of the marriage, and rejecting Henry’s claim to be head of the Church in England. He was imprisoned in 1534 for his opposition, and spent 14 months in prison without trail. While in prison, he was created a cardinal in 1535 by Pope Paul III, and was martyred the same year.

- Patron Saint Index
____________________

2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30

So many others have been boasting of their worldly achievements, that I will boast myself. But if anyone wants some brazen speaking – I am still talking as a fool – then I can be brazen as any of them, and about the same things. Hebrews, are they? So am I. Israelites? So am I. Descendants of Abraham? So am I. The servants of Christ? I must be mad to say this, but so am I, and more than they: more, because I have worked harder, I have been sent to prison more often, and whipped so many times more, often almost to death. Five times I had the thirty-nine lashes from the Jews; three times I have been beaten by sticks; once I was stoned; three times I have been shipwrecked and once adrift in the open sea for a night and a day. Constantly travelling, I have been in danger from my own people and in danger from pagans; in danger in the towns, in danger in the open country, danger at sea and danger from so-called brothers. I have worked and laboured, often without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty and often starving; I have been in the cold without clothes. And, to leave out much more, there is my daily preoccupation my anxiety for all the churches. When any man has had scruples, I have had scruples with him; when any man is made to fall, I am tortured.

If I am to boast, then let me boast of my own feebleness.
____________________

Matthew 6:19-23

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth or woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

“The lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be all darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that will be!”
____________________

Why boast of our weakness as Paul says? When other people are boasting about their achievements, why do we boast of our weakness? Simple. Because when we boast about our weakness, and the fact that we are still coping with them, we are in fact saying, as the response for the psalm today says: The Lord rescues the just in all their distress.

Yes, when we boast about our weaknesses, we are giving glory to God, for God is the one who gives us the grace to get through our daily weaknesses.

Many of us are ashamed to talk about our weaknesses. We are afraid that other people will look at us differently when we share our weaknesses with them. But from my own experience, and I say this because I can only speak for myself, when I do sincerely share my weaknesses with others, they look at me differently indeed, but not in a bad way. In fact, I have received worse responses when I boast about my achievements than when I boast about my weakness. Why? Because when I boast about my achievements, my focus is myself, and I am not that interesting a person. But when I boast about my weaknesses, my focus is God who gives me grace to overcome my weaknesses, one day at a time. And we all know that God is so much more interesting a person than I am.

Jesus, in today’s gospel reading also talks about the eye. When the eye is diseased, then everything we see will appear wrong. This might not make much sense. But using a real life example, I recently asked some friends the likelihood of Catholics not being virgins when they are married, and some of the responses were in the line of “Oh, most definitely. Everyone’s into pre-marital sex now.” And other responses were in the line of “There are still a good number of Catholics who will be virgins when they are married.”

There is a speaker I like very much which says that when our hearts are tainted by a particular sin, we think that everyone around us are like us. That is to say, if there is something wrong with us, there will be something wrong with the way we look at others, and we think that everyone is as bad as us, when in truth, it is not that everyone is bad, but there is something wrong with the way we perceive others.

If there is something wrong with the way others appear to us, that is, if we think that there is something wrong with everyone, chances are that what is really wrong is the way we are looking at them.
_____________________

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, give us new eyes to look at others as you created them to be. Help us to recognize that we are blind, and we need your healing to become the person that you created us to be. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Realizing that we are blind.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 23 Jun – 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Matthew 6:24-34
Sun, 24 Jun – Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80; Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist
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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, June 21 – An Inconvenient Truth

21 Jun – Memorial for St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious

St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591) was an Italian noble who grew up in a castle, the son of a compulsive gambler. He was the cousin of St. Rudolph Acquaviva, and he was trained from the age of four as a soldier and courtier. He suffered from kidney disease which he considered a blessing as it left him bedridden with time for prayer. While still a boy himself, he taught catechism to poor boys. He received First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo. At the age of 18, he signed away his legal claim to his family’s lands and title to his brother, and became a Jesuit novice. He was a spiritual student of St. Robert Bellarmine. He tended to plague victims in Rome in the outbreak of 1591.

- Patron Saint Index
__________________

Matthew 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’

“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
___________________

My brothers and sisters, do we recall what the priests of Israel did on the morning of the crucifixion? Or rather, do we recall what they did not do? They refused to enter the palace of Pilate as they would be made unclean and unable to eat the Passover. There are other times when similar incidents took place in the Bible. In the time of the Gospels, such ritualism had taken on an aspect of irrationalism. Curing the sick on the Sabbath is bad because it is work? As Christ pointed out, would it better to let them suffer if help could be rendered? Leaving someone on the road in pain because helping him would defile your purity. Would taking the trouble to purify yourself afterwards not be worth helping to save a life?

Practices and plans in our lives are important. But ever so often, we can become caught up in them, so much so that they make little sense and are indeed nonsensical. That in itself might not be such a bad thing. There is however the possibility that our refusal to deviate from the norm causes harm or even withholds help. Would that our avoidance of inconvenience prove detrimental in some way?

Today, we see the teaching of the Lord’s Prayer. A simple prayer that really stands out for its lack of pretence or fastidiousness. A prayer commits our lives to God; each and every moment of our lives. A pledge that asks His providence for every day, presents humility and offers help for our fellows. Quite in opposition to the norms of the Gospel days and, truth be told, almost every moment of history.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Aloysius of Gonzaga, my patron saint. He is the patron too of youth, students and victims of plague. St. Aloysius lived such a remarkable life that many considered him a saint immediately after his death. He leaves behind a legacy including many schools and institutes of learning named for him. How different would all this have been if he choose not to face the difficulties and challenges of religious life in spite of his poor health, instead of simply settling into a prepared life of nobility? In his life, he exemplified the Lord’s Prayer, in living each day by the Grace of God.

My sisters and brothers, it is true that making concessions for unplanned things can be a inconvenient. The Jewish rites of purification after being made unclean can give a good example of this. But let us ponder and reflect on what we fear more, the inconvenience or not doing right by God.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Aloysius Ting)
___________________

Prayer: Lord, help us not to fear inconveniences.

Give thanks to the Lord for: His Body and Blood which purify us.

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 22 Jun – 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21b-30; Matthew 6:19-23; Memorial for St. Paulinus of Nola; Memorial for St. John Fisher, bishop
Sat, 23 Jun – 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Matthew 6:24-34
Sun, 24 Jun – Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80; Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist
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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, June 20 – Give Happily!

20 Jun

Sharing our food

There is a legend told about Abraham in the Mideast. According to the legend, he always held off eating his breakfast each morning until a hungry person came along to share it with him.

One day an old man came along, and of course Abraham invited him to share his breakfast with him. However, when Abraham heard the old man say a pagan blessing over his food, he jumped up, and ordered the man from the table, and from his house.

Almost immediately, God spoke to Abraham. “Abraham! Abraham! I have been supplying that unbeliever with food every day for the past eighty years. Could you not have tolerated him for just one meal?”

- There is a saying about sharing our food with strangers, and unknown to ourselves, actually entertaining angels.

- Even a cup of cold water, shared with another, will not go unrewarded (Mt 10:42).

- Jesus has strong words to say about those who only love or share with those who are friends, or with those who can give in return (Mt 5:47).

- taken from “150 More Stories for Preachers and Teachers” by Jack McArdle
__________________

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

But remember: anyone who sows sparsely will reap sparsely as well—and anyone who sows generously will reap generously as well. Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace, so that you always have enough for every conceivable need, and your resources overflow in all kinds of good work. As scripture says: To the needy he gave without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever.

The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one: you will be rich enough in every way for every kind of generosity that makes people thank God for what we have done.
__________________

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

‘Be careful not to parade your uprightness in public to attract attention; otherwise you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win human admiration. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

‘When you are fasting, do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they go about looking unsightly to let people know they are fasting. In truth I tell you, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put scent on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’
___________________

God wants us to give, passionately and humbly. He loves a cheerful giver—He loves it when we are happy giving!

Some of us might find it difficult to do this in our jobs or studies. We have to wake up early, the hours are long, and we don’t like it where we are. For some reason or another, we’re still here. Then pray—pray when you find yourself dragging your feet, pray when you feel stressed. Give your talents and abilities, if only for the love of God. God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace. It is the same with the ministries we are in when we are asked to do something we don’t like. Pray and believe that He will grant you the strength to complete what He has set you out to do.

On the other hand, those of us who have the privilege to serve with our gifts, and are enjoying it, have Jesus’ words to ponder on. We are called to not show off, and to give in humility. Those of us who are giving in a certain way solely because we’re good at it might want to re-look our intentions. Maybe it is time for us to go to the Father in secret—to rebuild our relationship with Him.

Use your gifts as a prayer today—reverently, joyfully, silently. Let us not seek praises for ourselves but for God. He has promised that He will in turn reward us. The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one: you will be rich enough in every way for every kind of generosity that makes people thank God for what we have done.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Regina Xie)
___________________

Prayer: Lord, help us not to fear or hesitate to give for Your glory.

Give thanks to the Lord for: His love for the cheerful giver, who is happy to give to Him and for Him.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 21 Jun – 2 Corinthians 11:1-11; Matthew 6:7-15; Memorial for St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious
Fri, 22 Jun – 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21b-30; Matthew 6:19-23; Memorial for St. Paulinus of Nola; Memorial for St. John Fisher, bishop
Sat, 23 Jun – 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Matthew 6:24-34
Sun, 24 Jun – Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80; Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist
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