The Solemnity of Christ the King

The first reading from Ezekiel talks about God as the shepherd of Israel. “As a shepherd I am going to look after my flock myself… I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice (Ez 34:16).

That’s why God raised up prophets, like Ezekiel, to warn the kings. When they failed to listen, God decided to get rid of the bad leadership, royalty and nobility by sending them to exile. 

Who is the next? Finally, God has promised to rule His people Himself. We see that this promise is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ whose kingship we celebrate today. Jesus who is our Good Shepherd lays down His life for His people.” He looks after us even today with tender love and care. There are 6 specific actions mentioned in the Gospel (i) feeding the hungry, (ii) giving drink to the thirsty, (iii) clothing the naked, (iv) sheltering the homeless, (v) visiting those in prison, and (vi) taking care of the sick. And these are the works of mercy. 

Today, it is still to some extent these works of mercy, “Out of sight, out of mind”.

Well done, my good and faithful servant!

We all have so many fine qualities given freely to us by God. They are like the talents handed by the master to his servants before he left on his trip as in the parable today (MT 25:14-30). God expects us to develop the talents and gifts. He expects us to put them maximum use for God and for the entire humanity.

The art of loving and developing of any talent requires discipline, concentration, patience and supreme concern for the mastery of the particular talent. Growing and progressing with our talents are never easy. We make progress and then fall back. But we should never give up because the end is so very worthwhile. Tensions come from dull and monotonous routine of looking after family and earning our daily living may not bring much personal fulfillment and satisfaction. When we do with enthusiasm and willing heart and God will make a way for you. In this way we can offer back to God the Father the life given to us more fulfilled and more enriched.

We should not compare our gifts with others jealously and resentfully. Each of us receives God’s gifts in different measures. Each of us born into a different family and different situation and background. But God gave sufficient to all according to our ability. The way to preserve the faith, or any our talent that God has given us, is to put it to work and make it bear fruit.

You are God's Building!

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of St John Lateran, the Pope’s own Cathedral, the Mother Church of all Christian churches. Jesus Christ came to form a people, a community of persons, in communion with him and among themselves. The churches, the temples, have always been important in our faith.  In the Gospel Jesus Himself shows us the respect and the prayerful attitude that we should show when we are in Church, (Jn2:13-22).

“You are God’s building,” (1 Cor 3:17). St. Paul explains that Jesus is the foundation of God’s building (the New Temple promised in the Gospel) and that the Spirit of God dwells in us making us “the Temple of God.” God dwells on earth in His city, the Church. A new Temple where all mankind can worship in spirit and truth, where the Holy Spirit bears fruit and healing, where God dwells on earth – these are all now realised in Jesus and all who live in Him through the living waters of baptism, the Church.

Read how the Catechism of the Catholic Church helps us understand today’s Feast. We are taking the time to remember the very first basilica dedicated in Rome (not in Jerusalem of the Jews but in Rome, the center of civilization at that time), now under the care of the Pope, successor to Peter whom Christ Himself appointed to care for His Church until He returns for us:

 “In its earthly state the Church needs places where the community can gather together. Our visible churches, holy places, are images of the holy city, the heavenly Jerusalem, toward which we are making our way on pilgrimage. It is in these churches that the Church celebrates public worship to the glory of the Holy Trinity, hears the word of God and sings his praise, lifts up her prayer, and offers the sacrifice of Christ sacramentally present in the midst of the assembly.” (CCC nos, 1198-1199).

Where is the Rest to be Found?

On the All Saints Day we have celebrated with all who have attained their eternal reward and are seated with God in heaven. They are our friends in heaven.

On the All Souls Day we commemorate the faithful departed who have not yet been admitted to the company of God, and pray that they will soon attain the joys of eternal life.

We find death such a difficult topic to talk about, to deal with, and we tend to see death as the end of life rather than a part of a journey.

We all suffer in this world more or less, either from anxiety of mind, or sorrow of heart, or pain of body. And nevertheless we all long for rest; we seek it eagerly. Where is rest to be found? Where shall we seek it?

In fact the greater number of men and women and children, seek their rest in the enjoyment of the riches, pleasures, and honors of this life. Do they really find rest in these things? No. Rest is not in these things.

The greatest challenge to a people of faith, is to really believe in life after death where we find eternal rest… to really believe that we actually go onto a better place.

"There is only way we can get ready for immortality and that is to love this life and to live it courageously and cheerfully and as faithful as we can."

On this month of November we shall remember to pray for all the departed souls, forgotten souls and all the poor souls in purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, Lord!

Love God, Love Neighbours

Today’s Gospel reading revolves around the question: “Which commandment of the Law is the greatest?” (MT 22: 34-40). Another way to put this question is to ask, “What do I need to do to achieve salvation?”

“Love God with your whole mind, your whole heart, and your whole soul, and love your neighbor as yourself,” is more an attitude in life than a list of things to do. “God is present when we love Him and when we love our neighbours.

People are either good or bad about questioning things. We are good if we are truly interested in discovering God’s will. We are bad if we are only interested in picking apart God’s Word. Hopefully, we all want to learn and grow and become more in tune with God in every way. Jesus boiled down God’s commandments for us in life: Love God and love people. 

If we get these right, most things will fall into place. But if we get these wrong, most other things will go wrong as well.True love of God and true love of neighbour are two sides of the same coin. We cannot separate them.

“Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20).

We ask the Lord to help us to put Him first in our life. So many times we find ourselves putting other things ahead of Him. We make time for the things we want to do, but we find little time to pray. We shall find time to talk to our parishioners/friends/family members.

Many are Called, Few are Chosen!

“For many are called but few are chosen," (Mt 22:14). Today's gospel sends a message to those who are keeping away from the Lord’s Supper that they are missing out on the joy of life.

The Eucharistic banquet is the symbol of happiness and joy present in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes what keep us away from the joy of the kingdom is not sin but preoccupation with the necessities of life. When the invitation is given - one goes to his farm, another to his business, etc. These are, of course, necessary and useful occupations. To be serious with our job is a good thing and good sign, but when our job keeps us away from attending the Eucharist, then it has become an obstacle. It hinders us from experiencing the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. 

It used to be that people attended Church service to fulfill a “Sunday obligation,” otherwise it would be counted against them as sin. This kind of fear no longer motivates young people today. In the Eucharist we say of ourselves, “... Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” The Lord invites us to a supper, a banquet, a feast. Can you imagine that such a wedding feast calls us to a deepest intimacy with Jesus?

"The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want and surely the goodness and kindness of the Lord shall follow me all the days of my life and in the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever." Amen.

Live by the Truth of God's Word

“Give to Caesar what is belong to Caesar and give to God what is belong to God, (MT 22:22)."

The verb translated "GIVE" here often carries the sense of giving something “BACK” to who it belongs. Our giving unto to Him is an outward sign of our inward condition. It is not just an obligation, but an opportunity for blessing. Hearts that belong to God rejoice in the opportunity to use what God has given them to worship Him; whether it be by the giving of money, time, talents, etc. What we have we gladly give to God and then set back in excited anticipation to see how He will use what we give. 

The Gospel reminds us that we as Christians we not only members of the Church but also members of the society. Tensions can exist between our loyalty to God and our duty to our country especially when political issues touch upon faith, morality and justice. In this case we need to put God and His laws first even if it brings us into conflict with the state.

Integrity starts in the heart, a heart that is fully controlled by God. Once you have examined your heart then you need to examine your actions. If you need to examine your integrity then live truthfully. Live by the truth of God’s word.

The Murderous Tenants

The context of the parable of the murderous tenants of the vineyard is about violence and the abuse of power. The themes of this story of violence and abuse of power remain very much part of our present day world. Parts of this contemporary story are the power struggle going on across the world, as well as the violence and wars we encounter in our neighbourhoods, towns and countries. The consequences of these our lives become: bitter, broken and damaged relationships, a loss of ability to hear what others are saying to us, and a deafness to the voice of God in our lives.

God always gives many opportunities and patiently waits for our conversion. He never cuts us off. A time will come when we will be answerable for the way we choose. We must repent and return to God from all our indifference, ingratitude and selfishness. 

Towards A Better World

Pope's Message for the 100th World Day of Migrants and Refugees:  Towards a Better World.

Our societies are experiencing, in an unprecedented way, processes of mutual interdependence and interaction on the global level. While not lacking problematic or negative elements, these processes are aimed at improving the living conditions of the human family, not only economically, but politically and culturally as well. Each individual is a part of humanity and with the entire family of peoples, shares the hope of a better future. This consideration inspired the theme I have chosen for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees this year:  Migrants and Refugees: Towards a Better World.

What is involved in the creation of “a better world”? The expression does not allude naively to abstract notions or unattainable ideals; rather, it aims at an authentic and integral development, at efforts to provide dignified living conditions for everyone, at finding just responses to the needs of individuals and families, and at ensuring that God’s gift of creation is respected, safeguarded and cultivated. A better world will come about only if attention is first paid to individuals; if human promotion is integral, taking account of every dimension of the person, including the spiritual.

Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity. They are children, women and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, who share a legitimate desire for knowing and having, but above all for being more. While encouraging the development of a better world, we cannot remain silent about the scandal of poverty in its various forms. Violence, exploitation, discrimination, marginalization, restrictive approaches to fundamental freedoms need to be overcome. Working together for a better world requires that countries help one another, in the spirit of willingness and trust, without raising insurmountable barriers.

Finally, in considering the situation of migrants and refugees, I would point to yet another element in building a better world, the elimination of prejudices and presuppositions in the approach to migration. A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifferences and marginalisation – all typical of a throwaway culture - towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world.

Dear migrants and refugees! Never lose the hope that you too are facing a more secure future, that on your journey you will encounter an outstretched hand, and that you can experience fraternal solidarity and the warmth of friendship! To all of you, and to those who have devoted their lives and their efforts to helping you, I give the assurance of my prayers and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing.

Pope Francis (5 August 2014)

Yes! No! May Be!

In today’s gospel Jesus tells the parable of two sons who say one thing and do another, (Mt 21:28-32). 

Asked by the father to go and work in the vineyard the first son says no but later reconsiders his decision and does the work. The second son, on the other hand, courteously says yes to the father but fails to do the work. Who actually did what his father wanted? Clearly it is the first son, the same one who had earlier said no to him.

Today’s Gospel story was meant to shock people who think they're okay spiritually but do not honestly examine how well they do the Father's will. Jesus said that tax collectors and prostitutes were entering the kingdom of God ahead of religious experts!

This text is about how our words match our actions when it comes to obedience to the will of God. It is both our actions and our words that communicate on which side of the fence we are standing whether it be obedient or rebellion.

God doesn't want right answers; he wants righteous actions. God doesn't want dutiful compliance to Church teachings; he wants obedience motivated by love and an enthusiastic attitude of serving in the mission of the Church. 

The Catechetical Sunday (21/9/2014)

Dear Catechism Teachers, Parents and Children,

 

Sunday school is the heart of our parish ministry. Catechism teachers and parents are helping our children to "grow up" in an active faith through the catechism classes and also faith education at home. As inspiring instruments, you have integrated directly in the parish ministry in bringing our kids up in their personal faith and reflecting the very image of God in them. 

This Sunday we celebrate Catechetical Sunday with the theme: "Be Courageous, I Have Conquered the World," (Jn 16:33). 

On this Catechetical Sunday first and foremost, I would like to thank all the Sunday school teachers who have given their precious time to educate our catechism children in their faith education and moral life as well. You are helping our catechism them to grow in steadfast faith and fostering children to be deeply rooted in Christ and its message of love. 

The Church realises the challenges that you face in helping them to overcome hatred in their families and communities and building bridges with love, forgiveness and authentic friendship with each other. You too have been encouraging them through your teaching on Sundays to promote justice, peace, harmony, and better understanding with people of other faiths through inter-religious dialogue and cultural understanding.

Parents, you are the spiritual leaders in your home. Parents, you are the first and primary educators of faith for your child. You have a great role and commitment in the upbringing of your kids spiritually and morally. You have taken great interest till today by sending your kids without fail for Sunday School. Despite all your hectic schedules in your family life, you have tried your very best to make sure your kids go for Sunday class. I believe you are not sending your kids just to achieve the "spiritual graduation" - receiving the sacraments. The important criteria is to help our kids live more religiously and morally in their attitude and grow in the fear of the Lord. 

To my dearest catechism children, do you know that Jesus loves children very much, (cf Matthew 18:2-5). I always admire your great desire in being present every Sunday and you try your very best not to miss any of your class and activity or camp. I do understand you have plenty of home work to catch up on and tuition classes to attend. In spite of these you still have the desire and interest to be present in the class. At times your Catechism class may seem boring and the topics are not relevant to you. At time your teachers are not up to your level of thinking. Do you know that most of the greatest wisdom and insights often come from you and not even from your teachers and parents?

Let us not judge those parents who are not making an effort to send their kids for religious and moral studies every weekend. Let us pray for them so that one day they may realise the great efforts and concern that the Church takes upon their children. The Church hopes that you will be excited to see your sons and daughters embracing his/her faith and celebrate this God-given faith life in a more dynamic way. 

Parents and teachers, we need to model authenticity with our catechism children. Our faith needs to be real to our parish and family. Let us help our children “grow up” in an active faith. My prayer for all of us on this catechetical Sunday is that God will offend our minds in order to get to our hearts.

During my one week silent retreat, I was thinking of what to say to the catechism children, teachers and parents on the Catechetical Sunday and this song inspired me very much. Let us sing together:

Title of Song: Children of God 

(hymn book: Sing Your Praise to God - pg B18)

1. We are children of the Lord,

    Gathered here to pray together,

    We are one within His love,

    This we know we’re certain of.

2. Father, hear the song we sing,

    As we bring our world before you, 

    Soon your word will sow the seed,

    Sow your strength within our need.

3. Sing, O children to the Lord,

    All the world is hushed and waiting,

    As we lift our hearts above,

    Simply living in His love.

Happy Catechetical Sunday to my dear teachers, parents and students.

The Generosity of God

“The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard” speaks of the reward or payment for one’s labor. The landowner is God. The vineyard is the kingdom.

As we listen to today’s gospel we are tempted to react and share the grumble of the workers who have worked since early morning. In human terms it seems a bit unfair that after slaving all day in the hot sun they got the same pay for their efforts as those were taken on the eleventh hour. If we get too uptight about the injustice of the situation, we miss the point of the story. The parable is not dealing with equal rights for all, or an honest day’s work for honest day’s pay. Its main force is to show the generosity of God in throwing open the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven to all sinners – you and I on equal.

This gospel fills us with an inspiring image of God’s generosity, His gracious and forgiving who love for us no bounds and whose mercy extends to those who have worked all their lives in the service of God. We cannot explain His generosity, but one is certain – God’s way are not our ways.

It is not for us to judge anyone. That’s the Lord privilege. Our task is to continue labouring in His vineyard.

The Mystery of the Holy Cross

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

By His Cross we are saved. The Cross has become a source of life, pardon, mercy, a sign of reconciliation and peace. ‘In order to be healed from sin, gaze upon Christ crucified!’ said Saint Augustine.

By raising our eyes towards the Crucified one, we adore Him who came to take upon Himself the sin of the world and to give us eternal life.

“The Gospel for this feast reminds us of the meaning of this great mystery of the Holy Cross: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that men might be saved (John 3:16). 

The Gospel reading tells us that Jesus came down from heaven. That's humility! Would you leave the comforts of heavenly perfection to enter into the bad?

Our psalm response tells us: “Do not forget the works of the Lord!” Today’s feast helps us to remember, not forget, the mighty work of God on the Cross. Our possible response: “We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.”

A Healthy Relationship!

The Gospel passage (Mt 18-15-20) recommends a procedure to build a humble community in 3 steps:

Step 1: Go and show him or her fault, just between the two of you, person to person.


Step 2: If he or she will not listen, go a second time accompanied by one or two trusted companions.

Step 3: Bring the case before the Church.

Jesus said, “Go and Show him or her fault.” Affirm the relationship. Let the person know that you are seeking to resolve the conflict, not to assign blame. Let the person know up front how much they mean to you.

 Make observations, not accusations. That means addressing actions that have occurred, rather than pointing a finger or attacking their character. Use “I” statements instead of “you” statements. “I feel that you did me wrong” is better than “You are a liar! You don’t care about anyone but yourself!” Address what you have seen, perceived, and felt. Don’t accuse and put someone on the defensive. Take ownership of your feelings.

 Get the facts. After you make your observations, allow the other person to respond. There may be things that you have misunderstood or not been aware of. We should never correct out of anger, or a desire to punish. When the other person is responding, keep your ears open and mouth shut. Don’t interrupt! Let the person finish.

 The point is not to fight, win, or prove someone wrong. The point is to restore trust and harmony.

Make the effort to find healing in the relationship.

An Authentic Discipleship

"If anyone wants to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew16: 24).

An authentic discipleship is a lifelong commitment. Jesus asks for the greatest and most determined commitment of your life.

God doesn’t make mistakes when He chooses a man or woman to be Jesus’ disciple. He doesn’t just close His eyes and randomly picks a man or woman regardless of their heart. God chooses every one of us with a purpose. He knows your weaknesses! He knows your strengths! God knows your abilities, God knows your likes and dislikes.

He chooses to use you to be His disciple so that your life may shine as a hope for those around you who don’t know Jesus and who live in a world of absolute darkness. We must put God’s work and the call of God upon our lives ahead of everything else in life. We must put God first then every other need in life and every other desire of life.

To be an authentic Disciples of Christ and following Jesus mean to learn to be like Him in every way. Learning to trust Him, learning to believe in Him, learning to hear and know His voice, learning to know His will for your life, and learning His Word and its proper interpretation and, last but not least, its learning His compassion and desire to see lost souls saved are all a part of following Jesus.

We commemorate the 57th Anniversary of Merdeka and the 51st anniversary of the establishment of the Federation of Malaysia. May God bless our beloved nation with peace and harmony. “WE MUST CONTINUE TO HOPE”.

Do I Help Build My Church?

“Where is the Church”? Of course I know that my Church is right here around me, still on the same street. That is not what I am asking though; I want to know where the Church that was founded in Matt. 16:18, “You are Peter and on this rock I build My community/My Church, and the gates of underworld can never empower you.” Jesus chooses Peter to be the rock foundation, the head of His Church. This passage is crucial for a proper understanding of what the Church is, and our role in the Church.

The Church is founded on the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that He forgives our sins and He is the Savior of the world. Without Christ we have no power, no authority and no strength in building the Church.
Going to Church is very important. In fact, if you have no faith in coming to Church, we, priests have no one to celebrate and preach to.
Do I help build my Church?
Jesus did not entrust Peter and His successors alone the responsibility to build His Church. But everyone has a role in building the Church. The Priest cannot run the Church on his own or on one “Our Father” and three “Hail Marys”. 
We need you in building the Church. All God’s people have been called together as co-workers in His vineyard. But we do not own the Church. We belong to the church. The owner of the Church is Christ.
The question we could ask ourselves today is: “How is God using me to build up His Church? Am I letting God use me?” He needs to know from us today!

Exclusiveness vs Inclusiveness

This encounter between Christ and a Canaanites woman indicates that God has no favourites and no one is excluded from His sight. The good news is to be shared among all peoples, all cultures, and nationalities. There is no division among God’s children. Jesus’ whole mission is to break down barriers and to remove walls of division and prejudice between Jew and Gentile. The Canaanite woman was a foreigner and completely an outsider who had a great faith creates an awareness among among us. She totally convinces that Jesus will help her in her desperate situation and asks for her daughter’s healing. She kneels at his feet and cries out: “Son of David, take pity on me” (Mt 15: 21-28).

There are too many people in the world still believe that God is their exclusive possession. They still believe that they alone have access to God. Such narrow- minded people are apposed to dialogue. Don’t think that, I am baptised Christian and I am saved. Christianity is not yet complete by just receiving Christ. It is in the process of growing into the community and into a Church and the more we learn about Christianity and put into practice, then the most Christian we become, the most Christ-like we become.

What is necessary is to have faith and trust in God and reliance in His mercy. God does not discriminate but welcomes all who believe in Him, who ask for His mercy. God wish is to unite all people and that we may be sensitive to the needs of others and never exclude anyone from our company.

Save me, Lord!

“The Lord comes to us in many different ways, beyond our imagination and expectation.” As the disciples' boat was being tossed about by a terrible storm, they saw Jesus walking on the water.  They were so frightened that they thought He was a ghost. When He got into the boat, the wind calmed down. The disciples realised that they were in the presence of God.

How do we find God in the storms and struggles of our lives? The power of God is manifested in all sorts of ways in our lives, usually in ways that we least expect.

At such moment of trials, danger, threats, disappointments or sickness, we cried out to the Lord, “Lord, I’m drowning”. We hope to hear some encouraging word from the Lord, “Don’t be afraid,” or "don’t worry, you are going to be all right soon.”

Deviation comes from a lack of attention.

We take our eyes off from Jesus and that make us to sink! Circumstances may deceive us and frighten us. 

When the fear strikes us be like Peter who cried to God, “Save Me! Lord, I am drowning.” Jesus is saying, “Don’t take your eyes off of me! I will keep you afloat.”

Sure, Jesus will offer courage and hope. Stay focused on God. Fix your eyes on Jesus again. He will never desert you in the midst of the storm! He will never leave us to sink into the circumstances!

"Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help."

Nothing Is Impossible For God

The story of the Miraculous Feeding of the Five Thousand is not just the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish but it is the miracle of the changing of selfish attitudes into loving, caring and generous heart. God is able and willing to satisfy all our hungers and thirst. But He is waiting for our loving and generosity to give up our lunch pack “five loaves and two fish” which He needs to make the miracle possible.

Nothing Is Impossible for God: God can perform miracles whenever He wants and however He wants. Nothing can hold Him back. Still we often ask ourselves, “Why doesn’t Christ perform the miracle that I need in my life – my health problem, my work, my spouse, my children?” Could it be that we’re seeking something less than what He wishes to give us? 

God has a plan for each of our lives. It includes moments of great joys and of crosses. At times we may not understand God’s plan, but that’s when we need to pray all the more and entrust ourselves to Him even more than before. It is only through humble, constant, urgent prayer that we’ll receive the answers to our heart-wrenching questions and the grace we need to carry the cross courageously and lovingly, following in the footsteps of the one who shows us the way by carrying our cross first.

Pray for Angela, 14 months old from Myanmar who is in critical in ICU GH KL 

This is Eva Marybeth, a week old, who have received baptism on 2/8 in IJN KL.
She will be going for a surgery on 4/8.  Pray for Eva.

God's Kingdom Only Present in Christ!

What makes His Kingdom so valuable, so priceless?” (Mt 13:44-52).

Just imagine the tremendous joy the two men in the Gospel must have felt, when one discovered a hidden treasure and then he goes and sells all that he has and buys the field. And the other one, a merchant who finds a priceless pearl, then goes and sells everything he has and buys this one pearl. 

True joy is the treasure of a human soul, which lies the fulfillment of the spirit. Such a joy can only be found in God’s Kingdom that is only present in Jesus Christ. If we can discover Christ, we have found the Way, the Truth and the Life. If we have found Him, then we have access to the hidden treasures of God’s wisdom.

If God appeared to you and gave you one wish, what would you ask for? I bet most of us have a readymade list that we present to God on a regular basis anyway. We might just start at the top and put in a few bullet points under the “one wish” heading - Money, power, prestige, safety, security, a big enough nest egg to retire at 65, a promotion, a paid-off home loan, a nice long vacation. While most of us won’t get the opportunity, Solomon did.

In the first reading (1 Kgs 3: 5, 7-12), as a young King Solomon could have asked for wealth, military power, celebrity, security, prosperity, long life and happiness and he would receive them. But when God asked him to ask for one thing, he only asked for the supreme good that is wisdom from above. A wisdom that was given to Solomon, which is “a discerning judgment to distinguish between good and evil.” He knew that with wisdom comes every other good thing he needed and desired.

God's wisdom guides us in using them for the benefit of His kingdom. The more we love Christ and follow His ways, the easier it is to identify what's really valuable, separate out the junk that does not belong to God, and use everything else for His purposes.

Wheat and Weeds!

Every human heart contains a mix of good and evil. Good and bad people are always coexist like wheat and weeds growing in the same field, (MT 13: 24-30)

"When you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it" (MT 13: 29). One of the key things in this parable is that the servants are impatient to root up the weeds and to purify the field. They want to root out the weeds when they first appear. Yet the owner urges patience because in their enthusiasm and desire for purity they will also uproot wheat and kill it before it has time to establish itself and grow to completion. The Chinese proverbs say, “One moment of impatience may ruin your whole life.”

“Do not mastered by evil, but master evil with good," (Romans 12: 21). So look to Christ for the strength you need in order to do the right things. Let us pray for patience, courage, self-discipline and self-control towards evil.

The Bible Sunday

Our disposition for the Word of God is a good indication of our relationship with the Lord. Today’s gospel (Mt 13: 1-23) is an invitation to review and renew our attitude to the word of God. The Parable of the Sower likens the teaching of God’s word to the sowing of seeds. The seeds fall on different types of soil, the pathway soil, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil. The Parable focuses more on how it is received.

Each of these types of soil is said to represent a certain type of heart with which hearers receive the word of God. The question each of us must ask ourselves today is, “What type of soil for the word of God do I represent? Am I like the pathway where the seed cannot even sprout, or like the rocky ground where the seed sprouts but has no roots, or like thorny ground where the word of God is choked to death by worldly cares, or like the good soil that bears much fruit?

Every day we should ask ourselves: What have I done today to spread the seeds of the Gospel?

Come to Me!

I am sure all of us feel tired from our hard works. Some of us feel boredom. Stress and tension become so visible in our lives. From time to time, when our problems and worries overwhelm us, we all find life difficult and discouraging. On many occasions, people do not know where to go or how to overcome their stress, tensions, depression and misfortunes. 

In the midst of trying to cope up our lives, in the Gospel reading today, the Lord invites us “Come to me all of you who are tired and are overburdened and I will give you rest,” (Mt 11:28). He tells us that He came to carry the weight of ours and to free us of our burdens.

We should know that life is not a bed of roses. No one in this world is exempt from illness, suffering, stress, tension, etc. They are the crosses that we all have to bear every day. Remember that on our own we can do nothing. We need to rely on Him alone.

In the most difficult periods of our life the Lord will never abandon us. Jesus replied. “My child, I love you and I would never leave you". Whatever is it; leave it in the hands of the Lord and in His time He will make everything beautiful in your life.