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Sunday, October 14 – Sign of the Faith

14 Oct – Twenty-Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thanksgiving

Today we come to give thanks to God and to offer sacrifice to him for having made known to us his salvation and cleansed us from our sins.

- The Sunday Missal
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2 Kings 5:14-17

Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child. Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. “Now I know,” he said, “that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now, please, accept a present from your servant.” But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing.” Naaman pressed him to accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, “Since your answer is ‘No’, allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry, because your servant will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.”
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2 Timothy 2:8-13

Remember the Good News that I carry, “Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David”; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.

Here is a saying that you can rely on:

If we have died with him, then we shall live with him.
If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.
If we disown him, then he will disown us.
We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful,
for he cannot disown his own self.
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Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, “Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.” When he saw them he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, “Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.” And he said to the man, “Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”
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It is interesting to note that in today’s gospel reading, while all ten lepers are cleansed, only one is saved. That one was saved by his faith, and it is his faith that made him express his thanks to Jesus.

As Catholics, all of us give thanks to God at every Mass that we attend. The word ‘Eucharist’ means ‘thanksgiving’, and it is in celebration of the Eucharist that we give thanks to God for the salvation that he has won for us.

We probably know of Catholics who go for Mass every Sunday not because they want to, but because they feel obliged to do so. Some go because their parents make them go. Some go because if they don’t, they will feel something missing or they feel guilty about missing Mass. And then there are those who go because they want to give thanks to God. They want to thank God for the wonderful week they had. Or they want to thank God for helping them make it through a dreadful week.

As Catholics, we can always find something to give thanks to God for. Our ability to give thanks to God is a direct indicator of how the effect that our faith has on our life. If we find it difficult to find something to thank God for, it is an indication that we are not reflecting deeply enough on our lives. It is an indication that it is time to stop and do something about our relationship with God.

Stop and reflect right now, and give thanks to God for something in your life.
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Prayer:
Lord, teach us to be grateful for all the wonderful things that you have given us. Amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Being able to do His work.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, Oct 15 – Romans 1:1-7; Luke 11:29-32; Memorial for St. Teresa of Jesus, virgin, doctor of the Church
Tue, Oct 16 – Romans 1:16-25; Luke 11:37-41; Memorial for St. Hedwig, religious
Wed, Oct 17 – Romans 2:1-11; Luke 11:42-46; Memorial for St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop, martyr
Thu, Oct 18 – 2 Timothy 4:10-17b; Luke 10:1-9; Feast of St. Luke, evangelist
Fri, Oct 19 – Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7; Memorial for St. Paul of the Cross, priest
Sat, Oct 20 – Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7
Sun, Oct 21 – Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:2; Luke 18:1-8; Twenty-Ninth 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, September 1 – An Unaccepted Free Gift

01 Sep

We all have something to offer

One day a little mouse was caught by a lion. The lion was ready to swallow the tiny creature, when it cried out, “Spare me, great beast! Please don’t eat me. Someday I may be able to repay your kindness.”

The lion, taken aback, let out a roar, threw back his head, and roared with laughter. However, he was so amused at the thought that a tiny mouse could help him, the king of the jungle, that he freed the little animal.

Some time later, the lion was captured by hunters. He was caught in a huge net and secured to a tree, while the hunters went to fetch a truck to carry him. Along came the tiny mouse. When he saw the lion, and the predicament he was in, he began to chew at the rope. He gnawed an opening in the net, and the lion got free.

- God can use any of us.

- The least significant person in my life can help set me free from my selfishness, intolerance, judgement, etc. It all depends on how I relate to them, or treat them.

- taken from “150 More Stories for Preachers and Teachers” by Jack McArdle
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1 Thessalonians 4:9-11

As for loving our brothers, there is no need for anyone to write to you about that, since you have learnt from God yourselves to love one another, and in fact this is what you are doing with all the brothers throughout the whole of Macedonia. However, we do urge you, brothers, to go on making even greater progress and to make a point of living quietly, attending to your own business and earning your living, just as we told you to.
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Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third is one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”. Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”. Last came forward the man who had the one talent. “Sir,” said he “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back.” But his master answered him, “You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have recovered my capital with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the five talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”’
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Christ’s message in today’s Gospel wants us to make use of the various talents that we have. Talents, in this case, need not necessarily refer to money but to a skill or behaviour trait that is positive and brings good and meaning to the lives of people around us. These could be innate abilities or even something that is cultivated with time.

It seems to be very cruel for the king to take the lazy servant’s talent and give it to the person who has more. Yet if you think about it, it seems to be a reflection of what will happen in our judgment before God after we die. We will be asked to account for how we have made us of the talents and skills that God has endowed us with to spread the Good News.

If we hoard this gift for our selfish needs and desires, be prepared that it may be taken away from us at any point in time and we may be left without any talent. This is not something cruel but something that occurs because we chose to take this path.

God’s love is a choice that we have to freely accept and thus we must bear the consequences of not doing so. What will you choose today?

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nick Chia)
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Prayer:
Mother Mary, I pray for all at the crossroads of making a life-transforming decision; that you guide them in whatever they do and make it one that seeks to bring your Son’s name to the world.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the countless talents that we have.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 02 Aug – Sirach 3:19-21, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a; Luke 14:1, 7-14; Twenty-Second 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, July 4 – What God Wants

04 Jul – Memorial for St. Elizabeth of Portugal, religious

St. Elizabeth of Portugal (1271-1336) was a princess, the daughter of King Pedro III or Aragon and Constantia, and the granddaughter of Emperor Frederick II. She was the great-niece of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, for whom she was named. She had a pious upbringing with daily liturgy and praying of the hours, regular religious instruction and education. She was married at the age of 12 to King Diniz of Portugal, and thus became Queen of Portugal before she was a teenager.

The king was known for his hard work, his poetic nature, and his lack of morals. Elizabeth suffered through years of abuse and adultery, praying all the while for his conversion, and working with the poor and sick. She was a mother of two – Princess Constantia and Prince Affonso. She sometimes convinced the ladies of the court to work with her, but most of the time she just incurred their jealousy and ill will. The king appears to have reformed late in life, though whether from Elizabeth’s faith or his imminent death is unknown.

The Prince Affonso rebelled against the favours Diniz bestowed on his illegitimate sons, and in 1323 forces of the king and prince clashed in open civil war. Though she had been unjustly accusing of siding with her son against the crown, Elizabeth rode onto the battlefield between them, and was able to reconcile father and son, and prevent bloodshed. This led to her patronage as a peacemaker, and as one invoked in time of war and conflict.

She was widowed in 1325. After the king’s death, she distributed her property to the poor, and became a Franciscan tertiary, retiring to a monastery of the Poor Clares she had founded at Coimbra.

In 1336 her son, now King Affonso IV, marched against his son-in-law, the King of Castile to punish him for being a negligent and abusive husband. Despite her age and ill health, Elizabeth hurried to the battlefield at Estremoz, and again managed to make peace in her family, and thus maintain peace in her land.

- Patron Saint Index
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Genesis 21:5, 8-20

Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham gave a great banquet on the day Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah watched the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. ‘Drive away that slave-girl and her son,’ she said to Abraham, ‘this salve-girl’s son is not to share the inheritance with my son Isaac.’ This greatly distressed Abraham, because the slave-girl’s child too was his son, but God said to him, ‘Do not distress yourself on account of the boy and your slave-girl. Do whatever Sarah says, for Isaac is the one through whom your name will be carried on. But the slave-girl’s son I shall also make into a great nation, for he too is your child.’ Early next morning, Abraham took some bread and a skin of water and, giving them to Hagar, put the child on her shoulder and sent her away.

She wandered off into the desert of Beersheba. When the skin of water was finished she abandoned the child under a bush. Then she went and sat down at a distance, about a bowshot away, thinking, ‘I cannot bear to see the child die.’ Sitting at a distance, she began to sob.

God hear the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. ‘What is wrong, Hagar?’ he asked. ‘Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s cry in his plight. Go and pick the boy up and hold him safe, for I shall make him into a great nation.’ Then God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well, so she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

God was with the boy. He grew up and made his home in the desert, and he became an archer.
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Matthew 8:28-34

When he reached the territory of the Gadarenes on the other side, two demoniacs came towards him out of the tombs—they were so dangerously violent that nobody could use that path. Suddenly they shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?’ Now some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding, and the devils pleaded with Jesus, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’ And he said to them, ‘Go then,’ and they came out and made for the pigs; and at that the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and perished in the water. The herdsmen ran off and made for the city, where they told the whole story, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Suddenly the whole city set out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw him they implored him to leave their neighbourhood.
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Yesterday, I woke up with a clenched stomach. That is a sure sign of stress. The learning curve at work just got a lot steeper, with higher expectations on the kind of knowledge I should have and the amount of work I have to do. I have always been a slow learner, but I’d expect that it cannot be an excuse for slow, sloppy work. My boss wants me to perform.

When more is demanded of you, what do you do? That was the question facing Hagar when she was left to wander in the desert, and Jesus when He had to cast the two demoniacs away. Perhaps most of us would react like Hagar, despairing or panicking because we are already at our wits’ end. Jesus showed that He could do what the situation required.

I have plans not to harm you but to prosper you, God tells us elsewhere in the Bible. He wants us to be fruitful in using the gifts He has given us, and He will help us with it! When we encounter such situations and let God be God, we are allowing Him to work through us. It could be as simple as calming down, thinking of a solution and then acting on it. That is making use of wisdom we have been gifted with, like Hagar listening to God’s instructions.

God is our boss — He wants us to perform, but not for any monetary profit. It is to further His kingdom, which any soul, upon recognition of such a kingdom, will want to be a part of.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Regina Xie)
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Prayer: Lord, show us Your way when there seems to be no way!

Give thanks to the Lord for: His plan.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 05 Jul – Genesis 22:1-19; Matthew 9:1-8; Memorial for St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, priest
Fri, 06 Jul – Genesis 23:1-4, 19, 24:1-8, 62-67; Matthew 9:9-13; Memorial for St. Maria Goretti, virgin, martyr
Sat, 07 Jul – Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29; Matthew 9:14-17
Sun, 08 Jul – Isaiah 66:10-14c; Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20; Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Bible Sunday
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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, March 24 – Priorities

24 Mar

I met Nick Chia on Thursday, and he’s volunteered to share OXYGEN with us every Saturday. Nick has shared with us before, but for those new to the mailing list, Nick is an SMU undergraduate. We will let him reveal more about himself through his weekly sharings.
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Looking for an escape hatch

There is a story told of W. C. Fields, the comedian. He had reached the top rung of his profession, was wealthy, and very successful. Even to this day, other comedians specialize in mimicking him.

But his lifestyle was often seen to be at variance with gospel living. Towards the end of his life, however, he spent a lot of time reading the Bible. Someone asked him why he did this, and he replied, “I’m looking for any loopholes I can find!”

I have known one or two such people who, when the end approached, left a considerable sum of money to have Masses said for them after they died. Would it be too cynical to refer to this money as some sort of fire insurance – for the next life?

- The road to heaven is heaven, and I am free to choose to travel that road now. It’s not that simple to skip from one road to another. It is a total gift, and presumes a very special attitude of heart in me.

- taken from “150 More Stories for Preachers and Teachers” by Jack McArdle
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Jeremiah 11:18-20

The Lord revealed it to me; I was warned. O Lord, that was when you opened my eyes to their scheming. I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughter-house, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten!’

But you, the Lord of Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence,
who probe the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
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John 7:40-52

Several people who had been listening said, ‘Surely he must be the prophet’, and some said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ be from Galilee? Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?’ So the people could not agree about him. Some would have liked to arrest him, but no one actually laid hands on him.

The police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you brought him?’ The police replied, ‘There has never been anybody who has spoken like him’. ‘So’ the Pharisees answered ‘you have been led astray as well? Have any of the authorities believed in him? Any of the Pharisees? This rabble knows nothing about the Law – they are damned.’ One of them, Nicodemus – the same man who had come to Jesus earlier – said to them, ‘But surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’ To this they answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not come out of Galilee.’
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The prophet Jeremiah in today’s reading tells us of the Lord’s revelation, not him about his dismal future and about his enemies persecuting him. Yet in all that he did, he always trusted in the Lord. This is something remarkable; it takes great faith and courage to trust in the Lord.

When you’re lonely and despondent with nobody to turn to, that is when you realise that you need Him the most. Indeed, God seems to be an end-note in our lives; to be referred to only when we have the luxury of time. In certain ways, we exhibit behaviour like the Pharisees as described in today’s Gospel.

We believe in the authority of science and what our human reason tells us. We follow the laws and teachings of the Church without fully understanding the rationale for these. We apply them in a blanket fashion without understanding the spirit behind it. It is sad to observe that it is those who are supposed to have received the most education and claim to know the most about Church laws tend to be those who challenge the teachings of the Church. Have there been times where we dismissed the corrections pointed out by someone from a lower educational/income status as nonsense and not worthy of listening?

In our obstinate adherence to the selfish desires of our hearts and minds, we stand ready to ridicule others and ignore this trust in the Lord that Jeremiah had. In this time and age, where science and our own moral beliefs are our guiding principles, let us remember the following saying:

“Let God not be your last concern but top priority.”

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nick Chia)
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Prayer:
Dear Lord, you’ve given us the gift of intellect. Let us never forget that we also have the gift of faith. May these two work hand in hand to deepen our relationship with you. Amen

Give thanks to the Lord for: Those who struggle to make sense of this modern world. May they never be alone.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 25 Mar – Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11; Fifth Sunday of Lent
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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, Sep 16 – Firm Foundation

16 Sep – Memorial for St. Cornelius, pope, & Cyprian, bishop, martyrs

You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother…. God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body…. If we are the heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are the sons of God, let us be lovers of peace.

- Saint Cyprian, from The Unity of the Catholic Church

Pope Cornelius (d. 253) was the 21st pope, elected after a year and a half period during which the persecutions were so bad that papal ascension was a quick death sentence. His predecessor Pope Fabian had been assassinated during the persecution.

He worked to maintain unity in a time of schism and apostasy, fought Novatianism and called a synod of bishops to confirm him as rightful pontiff, as opposed to the anti-pope Novatian. Novatian was a priest who opposed Pope Cornelius because of his lax treatment of those who had apostatized (gave up the faith) under persecution. He felt that lapsed Christians, who had not maintained their confession of faith under persecution, may not be received again into communion with the church.

However, Pope Cornelius had the support of Sts Cyprian and Dionysius. He welcomed back those who had apostatized during the persecutions of Emperor Decius (around 250). The documents that settled this matter proved the final authority of the Pope. Cornelius was exiled by Roman authorities to punish Christians in general, who were said to have provoked the gods to send plague against Rome.

Cornelius was eventually martyred for his faith. A document from Cornelius shows the size of the Church in Rome during his papacy – 46 priests, 7 deacons, 7 sub-deacons, and approximately 50,000 Christians.

Cyprian of Carthage (190-258) was born to wealthy pagan parents. He taught rhetoric and literature, was an adult convert in the year 246, and was ordained in 247. He was appointed bishop of Carthage (an ancient city in North Africa) in 249. During the persecution of Decius, beginning in 250, Cyprian lived in hiding, covertly ministering to his flock. For this, his enemies condemned him for being a coward and for not standing up for his faith.

Cyprian was a writer second only in importance to Tertullian as a Latin Father of the Church. He was also a friend of St. Pontius. He was involved in the great argument over whether apostates should be readmitted to the Church (see above). Cyprian believed they should, but under stringent conditions. He support Pope St. Cornelius against the anti-pope Novatian.

In the persecutions of Emperor Valerian I, he was exiled to Curubis in 257, then brought back to Carthage where he was martyred in 258. His name is in the Communicantes in the Canon of the Mass.

“Whatever a man prefers to God, that he makes a god to himself.” – Saint Cyprian

- Sources: Patron Saint Index, Wikipedia
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1 Corinthians 10:14-22

My dear brothers, you must keep clear of idolatry. I say to you as sensible people: judge for yourselves what I am saying. The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all share in this one loaf. Look at the other Israel, the race, where those who eat the sacrifices are in communion with the altar. Does this mean that the food sacrificed to idols has a real value, or that the idol itself is real? Not at all. It simply means that the sacrifices that they offer they sacrifice to demons who are not God. I have no desire to see you in communion with demons. You cannot take your share at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons. Do we want to make the Lord angry; are we stronger than he is?
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Luke 6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples: “There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say?

“Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!”
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There are many Christians today whose faith have weak foundations. They may go to church regularly, but when trouble happens either in their lives or in the Church – they see that the Church has a poor image – they leave the Church and find some other god to worship. Their faith is like a house of cards. Poke it a little and it all collapses. Then they bring their cards elsewhere and set up house again. The cycle repeats itself. After all, there is an old Chinese saying: There will always be another mountain that’s taller, meaning a stronger god will always displace a weaker god.

But there are some Christians who realise that a house of cards will never stand properly for long, and they dig deeper into their faith, trying to find out more about what they believe in, strengthening the roots of their faith. This doesn’t mean that they have never lost faith. It probably means that they have built their faith many times, and every time some problem occurs which their faith cannot address, they dig deeper.

Eventually, after digging deeply, they find the rock of salvation; they find the one on whom their faith is based, the tallest mountain of all. There, they set up their foundation, and no matter what troubles beset them or the Church, they remain steadfast because they know their faith is built on firm, unshakeable ground.

In the face of opposition, they continue to do what they do. But these are people who do not neglect those in need. When trouble besets them and those around them, they will offer shelter to those whose faith have been washed away, and encourage them to try again. They do it probably because others have done it for them in the past.

Recent happenings in the Church in Singapore have led some to question the Church that they belong to. Maybe you are one such person. It is time to dig deeper. In any case, these recent happenings make us, and those around us, question once again the possibility of the existence of demons.

Our secular life has no place for spirits, be they God, angels, or demons. But the Word of God tells us that these are real and they continue to live among us today. Dig deeper into the wealth of knowledge the Church has, and you will not only find answers to those questions, but you will also find firm foundation.
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Prayer: We pray for those whose faith has been shaken for one reason or another, may they find comfort and encouragement in other Christians around them.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Those who stood by us when our own faith was shaken.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 17 Sep – Isaiah 50:5-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35; Twenty-Fourth 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.

To all regular readers of this blog

I will be away on an 8-day retreat from Aug 24 to Sep 2. I’ve not gone for a retreat for over three years, and this one is long overdue. Do keep me in your prayers, that I might have a good vacation with the Lord.

Friday, Jun 30 – When You Believe…

30 Jun – First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

EASTER

It was Wednesday of Holy Week in the last year of the Second World War. I saw her kneeling before Our Lady’s statue, tears running down her face. I whispered, “What’s the trouble?” She sniffled, plunged her hand into her black pocketbook and pulled out a crumpled telegram. Then she really sobbed, “I got this only two hours ago.” It read, “The War Department regrets to inform you that your son is missing in action.”

What could I do but mumble a stumbling word of consolation and promise some really earnest prayers?

The next morning, Holy Thursday, I saw that mother kneeling before the decorated altar, her face now sadder than ever. She seemed to have grown old overnight. She was, like Our Lord, in a garden of agony.

On Good Friday I noticed her seated in a front bench, staring fixedly at the blank altar wt its unveiled crucifix. She was like Mary standing beneath the cross. It was Good Friday in her soul.

Then on Easter Saturday night before we started the Easter vigil ceremonies, she came to tell me the good news. This was not the same woman. This was a new woman with new telegram. Her son was safe, a prisoner of war. She did not tell me; she could not talk; she simply thrust the telegram into my hands. She was crying again – but her tears now made a rainbow of joy. When she left, I called out, “Happy Easter!”… but from the radiant smile on her motherly face, I knew I was wasting my breath. She knew what Easter meant much better than I did. Was it not the resurrection of her son?

- Father Manton (1000 Stories You Can Use, Volume Two by Frank Mihalic, SVD)

How real is God’s presence in the world to you?
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2 Kings 25:1-12

Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it; they built siegeworks against it all around. So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedikiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine became so severe in the city that there was no food for they people of the land. Then a breach was made in the city wall; the king with all the soldiers fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. They went in the direction of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; all his army was scattered, deserting him. Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah; they bound him in fetters and took him to Babylon.

In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month – which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon – Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. Al the army of Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon – all the rest of the population. But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest people of the land to be vinedressers and tillers of the soil.
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Matthew 8:1-4

When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose: Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
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[This is just a story with several parallels to the Catholic faith]

“Once upon a time in a distant land, during the last battle of a long war, a righteous King died. After the battle which they won, the King’s troops carried his body back to the castle. As was tradition, the king was placed on a raft and the raft was burned as it went over the sea. However, out of the burning raft came a jewel radiating with a holy light. The jewel floated across the water and came to rest on the sandy shore, at the King’s son’s feet. News of the magic jewel spread across the land in no time and everybody wanted to see it. The Prince decided to use the jewel in the royal crown, but after many unsuccessful attempts by numerous jewelers, he was told in a dream to place the jewel in the centre of the haven, where everybody would be able to see it. Although skeptic about any possible thefts, the Prince still decided to erect a small glass shrine in which the jewel was placed. And in all the years since then, nobody ever thought of stealing that jewel, since it was a treasure that belonged to all in the land.”

“That was a long time ago. It’s just a fairy-tale for many people, although this shrine can still be seen somewhere in town beside the marketplace. I guess nobody decided to remove the shrine to keep that story going, or maybe as a sign of respect for an unknown king that lived hundreds of years ago. However, some folks rumoured that they had gone to the jewel for guidance, and that they had received help after some time. Others said that they had done just that, but that they never got any help whatsoever.”

“Anyway, that is just part of this land’s history. Just a folktale, nothing more, nothing less. Now to think that a jewel could have magical powers..”

After being told the story by his grandfather, the young boy decided to go and take the jewel out of its shrine to see whether it was really magical. He sneaked out at night, unseen, and made for the marketplace, located the shrine, and forced it open. And there it was, the jewel radiating a faint light in the dark, barely perceptible. But as he was about to take it out of the shrine, a voice spoke from nowhere. Or maybe it was from everywhere.

“Boy, this jewel is made to stay in the shrine for all those who still believe in it. I am the King that lived long before and this jewel is my gift to the people of this land. When the shrine was first built, many came to it, thinking it was magic and asked for many things: healing, fortune, happiness, love. And they came thinking the jewel was a gift from their deceased king. In a way, it was just that. And it still is. All the people that live on this land today are still the people I care for, though none of you know me anymore. They came to the jewel, thinking the jewel was magic, but the jewel was only something material they could relate to. Only very few realized that the jewel was only a symbol for the king that was still looking after them after his death. And as years passed, fewer and fewer people believed in me. Nobody had faith anymore. Or if they had faith, they then asked for things that would only harm them. This jewel is a sign, a symbol to say that I am still looking after them, that they are still my people and that I didn’t leave them alone. If they only choose to believe in me, I will help them, just as I did to all those who came to me when I was still in this world. But as their faith dwindles, the light of my presence in their hearts also fades. The people of this land are free, and as such, I can do nothing that goes against their freedom. But now, boy, do not remove the jewel. For it does not belong to you but to all those who are in need..”

The young boy woke up the next day in his bed, not even remembering how he had come back home. After breakfast, he rushed to the shrine but it was no longer there. He rushed back home to ask his grandfather about the shrine, but his grandfather said that such a shrine had never existed, and that he had never told him such a story. But the young boy believed. A king had lived before, a righteous king who was still looking after his people. And the king would help him one day, if he just believed in him.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Lyndley Ah Qune)
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We pray that, as the leper who believed in Jesus and sought out his help when he was preaching to the people, we may still believe in Him and seek out his help today. “There can be miracles, when you believe..”

Thanks be to God for His presence in the world, in our lives.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 01 Jul – Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19; Matthew 8:5-17
Sun, 02 Jul – Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43; 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, Jun 29 – Presents

29 Jun – Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul

EIGHT GIFTS THAT DON’T COST A CENT

1. THE GIFT OF LISTENING…
But, you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening.
2. THE GIFT OF AFFECTION…
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

3. THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER…
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”

4. THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE…
It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

5. THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT…
A simple and sincere, “You look great in red,” “You did a super job”, or “That was a wonderful meal” can make someone’s day.

6. THE GIFT OF A FAVOUR…
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

7. THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE…
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

8. THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION…
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it’s not that hard, to say, “Hello” or “Thank You”.

Which of these gifts can you afford to give today?
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Acts of the Apostles 3:1-10

Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walking and jumping and praising God. Everyone could see him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were all astonished and unable to explain what had happened to him.
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Galatians 1:11-20

The Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt only through a revelation of Jesus Christ. You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

Then God, who had specially chosen me while i was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have just written is the literal truth.
_____________________

John 21:15-19

Jesus showed himself to his disciples, and after they had eaten he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

‘I tell you solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’

In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
_____________________

Christmas and friends’ birthdays come a close second to studies in activities in which I have to rack my brains over. It is seldom easy to buy that perfect present for someone. This is particularly true for friends who are anything but your best or closest. So I tend to share in the birthday gifts since it is likely I’m not the one making the decision. As for Christmas presents, most of them end up being what I’d call token gifts. I don’t like giving such token gifts though. I myself rather receive something I can use on at least a semi-regular basis and so I try as much as possible to get my friends something like that even if I don’t know what they actually need. Of course, it is always best to get something the person really likes or wants or needs – the smile you see on his/her face is totally worth it. You know you made someone’s day.

Today we celebrate the solemnity of two of the Church’s most prominent individuals. One a minister to his people, the other a missionary to foreign lands, both an inspiration to generations. One the son of a fisherman, the other the son of a Pharisee, both disciples of Christ. It is clear that differences abound between the person of Peter and Paul but what is important is their unity and this unity is shown in the readings for today. Peter and Paul are personally commissioned in their special ministries by Christ Himself, Peter in the Gospel reading and Paul in Acts 9. We see them going about their ministries in the earlier two readings. In the first reading, we see Peter curing a cripple, in the process, bringing the Good News to him and to the spectators. In the second reading, Paul talks about his bringing of the Good News to pagan lands. What is significant is that the acts of Peter and Paul are to give gifts. Not gifts that are token things or unthought buys, but something that is essential to the persons receiving it. This gift is the Good News, something both Peter and Paul were martyred for.

It doesn’t really matter what we give our friends as material gifts, so long as it isn’t something you wouldn’t want to get yourself. What does matter (and this is a question for us to ask ourselves) is whether we are giving or have given to those who matter to us that gift which matters most.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Aloysius Ting)
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Prayer: That we may be like Peter the apostle and Paul the teacher of the Gentiles, who have brought us to know the law of the Lord.

Give Thanks to the Lord for: Ministers and missionaries .

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 30 Jun – 2 Kings 25:1-12; Matthew 8:1-4; First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Sat, 01 Jul – Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19; Matthew 8:5-17
Sun, 02 Jul – Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43; 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, April 25 – Having Faith

25 Apr – Feast of St. Mark, evangelist

GOD ROUNDABOUT

A boat was drifting helplessly in the Amazon estuary. It SOSed for water. A passing ship signalled three times that they should just drop their buckets over the side – all the water was fresh. They thought it a joke – but finally did.

God is all around us; dip your bucket where you are.

- Christian Family (1000 Stories You Can Use, Volume One by Frank Mihalic, SVD)

Looking for God?
____________________

Mark 16:15-20
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
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The other day I had a friend, a non-Christian, who scoffed at the miracles that take place during healing rallies. He remains unconvinced at the authenticity of those supposed "miracles", and attributed them to either some massive conspiracy between the healer and the healed, or some strange psychological effect which makes the healed person think he is already healed. I told him that it was all about faith.

The waters which flows from the spring at Lourdes always has tons of people bottling it greedily, drinking it and using it to wash themselves. At the end of the day, the water is probably just water, not some miracle drug. But in the hands of a believer, it becomes something else, something capable of miraculous deeds. It is our faith in God that gives the water that power.

Signs, wonders and miracles are nothing much in themselves, for they all point to a larger truth, a truth which will become so obvious to us when we possess a simple faith. Not by using our head to rationalise things out, but by letting our heart lead the way.

(Today's OXYGEN by Koh Hsing Dee)
____________________

We pray for: A strong faith to weather the storms in our lives and to bear witness to the joy of the gospel.

We give thanks for: The reassurance that God is always there.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, Apr 26 – Acts 5:17-26; John 3:16-21
Thu, Apr 27 – Acts 5:27-33; John 3:31-36
Fri, Apr 28 – Acts 5:34-42; John 6:1-15; Memorial for St. Peter Chanel, priest and martyr
Sat, Apr 29 – 1 John 1:5 – 2:2; Matthew 11:25-30; Memorial for St. Catherine of Siena, virgin, doctor
Sun, Apr 30 – Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; 1 John 2:1-5a; Luke 24:35-48; Third Sunday of Easter
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