CONTINUE TO FIX OUR EYES ON GOD

It’s been almost 25 years since I was a student at the Seminary in Penang. I still recall going out to get my meals from a particular restaurant along Jalan Fettes in Tanjung Tokong called “No Eyed Deer” on Sundays and on public holidays when the kitchen at the Seminary was closed. I was really fascinated with the name of this restaurant and I understood it as – if one had “no idea” what to eat or where to eat – one just needed to go to this restaurant and would certainly find something to whet their appetite.

 

Similarly on Tuesday, 27 July 2021, The Star daily newspaper splashed the headline “Eye On Target” with a half-page photograph of the Malaysian Prime Minister along with several Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Dewan Rakyat, as they lamented on the National Recovery Plan. I read the headline as “PM is on Target’ and “Present Malaysian Government is on the Target” and I believe that they are! All eyes (especially those of the opposition party) are on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and members of his Cabinet. The rakyat are keeping a close watch on the present ruling party, which is highly ineffective, especially in tackling the Covid pandemic and the vaccination roll-out program.

 

The Dewan Rakyat was opened for the first time this year on Monday, 26 July 2021 after a state of emergency was declared in March 2021. The MPs met mainly to discuss the grave emergency threatening national security, how to flatten the pandemic curve, the economy, and other issues surrounding the COVID-19 situation in our nation. The rakyat has made it very clear that they are totally dissatisfied with the way the ruling alliance has handled the pandemic - including its action plan and vaccination efforts. It has become very difficult for the people to endure repeated restrictions as new COVID-19 variants emerge, especially with constantly changing SOPs. 

 

The cases of infections and deaths have sky-rocketed in recent weeks, and despite being in total lockdown, the number of cases seem to be on the rise each passing day. Lockdowns have been weak and improperly managed, and the rakyat are suffering for this. The MCO has been extended till the end of the year and many local and foreign workers have lost their jobs. Many others are faced with reduced work hours and salary cuts, making it near impossible to make ends meet. News of inefficient vaccination processes, with alarming reports of “empty syringes” being administered has shocked and appalled the nation.

We’re all rather tired of the restrictions and constant changes in relation to SOPs by the authorities. Frontliners are burnt out and the prolonged lockdown has taken a toll on the emotional, physical, mental, psychological and spiritual well-being of the rakyat. We can’t help but ask ourselves - how long more will we have to face these challenges? Will we have a more committed, accountable and transparent government?  

 

Answers to these questions can only be attained in due time. So, until then, let us continue to fix our eyes on God and be connected with one another. “Our endurance brings acceptance, acceptance brings hope and hope doesn’t disappoint us, for God has poured His love and mercy into our hearts,” (cf. Rom 5: 3-5).

 

LONGEVITY IS A BLESSING

On Monday, 26 July 2021, the Church celebrates the Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne. They are among the more popular saints with Catholics in Peninsular Malaysia. Every year, a huge number of pilgrims throng the Shrines of St Anne at Bukit Mertajam and Port Klang, for Novenas and Masses.

The Holy Father Pope Francis, has dedicated the 4th Sunday of July as World Day of Grandparents and Elders, in conjunction with the Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne (grandparents of Jesus) which this year, falls on 25 July 2021. In his pastoral care letter, Pope Francis addressed his concern for grandparents and elders, and highlighted their roles in God’s plan of salvation. He acknowledged their richness in many years of life, experiences and wisdom which can be offered for the mission of evangelising the Good News and transmitting the traditions and customs to younger generations. He also affirmed that God is always close with them in all their undertakings. Pope Francis, who is 84 years old, has the spirit of youthfulness in him. He tirelessly continues his apostolic journey across the continents and carries out the mission entrusted to him by Christ.

 

Some of us may have viewed video clips and movies pertaining to elderly people and how they have been disrespected, treated badly and lack connection with family and society. We must strive to allow grace and compassion to rise above, especially when serving and communicating with the elderly. The Church always acknowledges their presence, values their initiatives and contributions towards strengthening and building the Parish community. The Church will continue to do so, and will always give rightful dignity to them and ensure their relevance and importance in our daily lives, by providing various formations as well as social and healthcare assistance whenever possible.

 

Catholic priests visit the homebound and elderly parishioners without fail, in order to administer the Sacrament of Holy Anointing and Holy Communion when required, particularly during the seasons of Lent and Advent. Whereas the ExtraOrdinary Holy Communion Ministers reach out to them for Holy Communion on a regular basis.

I recall an occasion when I announced my homebound visit to an elderly person’s home one morning. She was so excited and eager, that she was up by 3am, waiting for my arrival! However, due to some unavoidable circumstances, I only managed to see her at noon. I was terribly embarrassed and felt so guilty when I had learned that she had been waiting for me all morning. At that moment, I realised how deep her faith in Christ was, and how much she yearned for the Lord in the Sacraments.

 

We want our elderly parents and grandparents to live long, healthy and peaceful lives. We want to see them happy and joyful in their golden years, surrounded by loving family and friends. We pray for those who have been abandoned and for those who are lonely and isolated, especially during this time of pandemic. We pray for their spiritual strength and for their physical well-being. Scripture respects and honours the elderly and it says that “longevity is a blessing.” May God’s will be done unto them.

THE RICHNESS OF MANY YEARS OF LIFE

Every 4th Sunday in July, we celebrate World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly and this year, it will be celebrated on 25 July 2021, in anticipation of the Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne (grandparents of Jesus). During the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth (31 May 2021), the Holy Father, Pope Francis, released a pastoral care letter for the first World Day of Grandparents and Elderly with the theme - “I am with you always,” (MT 28: 20). It was the last words of Jesus to His Disciples before He ascended into heaven.

In the letter, Pope Francis emphasises that the vocation of the elderly which is “to preserve our roots, to pass on the faith to the young and to care for the little ones.” It is also a “new invitation” to the older generations in our families and communities to deepen and discern their “richness of many years of life, experience and history behind them.” The Holy Father affirms that grandparents and the elderly have an essential role in God’s salvation plan. He added “there is no retirement age for the mission of proclaiming the Gospel, of transmitting traditions to the grandchildren.” 

 

There is no age criteria to proclaim the Good News to all people but the Lord is always “close to us with new possibilities, new ideas, and new consolations.” Each one of us represents the present and future of the Church and we “have a place in God’s plan” and are “actors in a pastoral evangelising ministry, privileged witnesses of God’s faithful love.” In this time of global pandemic, the Holy Father sympathises with the elderly, especially those who are sick and those who experience the death of spouses or loved ones, as well as those who are lonely and depressed.

 

At this time of difficulty, the Holy Father expresses his deep care and concern for people who are unable to leave their homes or unable to visit their elderly parents, grandparents and old folks’ home due to the pandemic restrictions. Therefore, it is important for us to stay connected with our grandparents, elderly friends, the poor and the needy through various social networking services - to read the Scripture to them, to pray the Psalms and the Rosary for them. In his letter, the Holy Father invites us to reflect on these few questions:

 

a)    How can this be possible when my energy is running out and I don’t think I can do much?

b)     How can I begin to act differently when habit is so much a part of my life?

c)    How can I devote myself to those who are poor when I am already so concerned about my family?

d)     How can I broaden my vision when I can’t even leave the residence where I live?

e)     Isn’t my solitude already a sufficiently heavy burden?

 

The world needs grandparents and the elderly in order to build a stronger foundation for all our tomorrows. Grandchildren need their grandparents for their wisdom and knowledge, for their experience, advise and unconditional love, and especially for their stories of the past that root them together in faith, tradition and family.

LIVING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

In this time of global pandemic, many people in our country are facing trials and tribulations. COVID-19 cases are spreading like wildfire every day, especially in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan. Many individuals and organisations have promptly stepped forward, to reach out to those in need throughout the nation. Each parish has a special Ministry of the Poor, under the umbrella of the Parish Integral Human Development Ministry (PIHDM) which reaches out to the poor and destitute who seek protection, assistance, mercy and love.

Earlier this week, my Form Six classmates started a small online collection for a neighbourhood family in need. Everyone chipped in whatever amount they could, and within a few hours, we managed to collect a substantial amount for that family with three children. Taking a lead from that initiative, I then decided to do the same for the 300 Myanmar families in our Parish. These families are desperately in need of help, as the majority of them have lost their jobs and livelihood due to the pandemic, and are struggling to make ends meet. As a Parish, we are responsible to care for our own needy Parishioners.

Ever since the first lockdown in March 2020, we have provided cash aids to the Myanmar families in our Parish. However, our Myanmar Fund was running a deficit and thus the Ministry of the Poor started a collection campaign called “Adopt a Myanmar Family” which encouraged Parishioners to contribute a minimum of RM50 to our Parish account. An appeal letter was circulated to Parishioners and close friends earlier this week, and within 2 days, we managed to adopt and provide for 150 families.

The “Adopt a Myanmar Family” campaign will run till the end of this weekend, and all proceeds will be distributed to the respective families by Tuesday, 13 July 2021. This method of crowd-funding has proven to be the most effective and efficient way of assisting the Myanmar families in this time of need.

 

Besides the Myanmar Zomi community, we have quite a number of migrant and refugee families from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India who live within our Parish vicinity. About 100 of these families receive provision of groceries from our Ministry of the Poor on a monthly basis. Our Parish has been providing aid to them well before the global pandemic, including tuition classes for the children by our Parish Educare Ministry, every Monday and Tuesday. Classes are currently being conducted online. 

During this COVID-19 pandemic, our Parish continues to remain true to our mission of reaching out to migrants and refugees who need our support. We will continue to play our part and make every effort in reaching out to as many individuals - adults and children alike - during this pandemic. Let us embrace them with joy and generosity, living for the glory of God.

BUILD YOUR SOCIAL FRIENDSHIP

The first half of 2021 has passed us by, with many pleasant and unpleasant events having taken place during this unprecedented pandemic. We pray and hope for the best in the second half of the year, as we continue to move forward in cautiousness.

Photo: 2018

The Holy Father, Pope Francis’s prayer intention for the month of July 2021 is on Social Friendship. He invites us to pray for this intention and at the same time to be more “courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship” in the midst of social conflicts, economic downturns and political crises. His intention is to solve or avoid conflicts that cause constant division and social enmities in so many relationships which exist within our families, amongst individuals and in society at large. He yearns for all of us to focus on bridging our differences through dialogue and building up our friendships as a “path to seeing reality in a new way, so we can live with passion, the challenges we face in constructing the common good” with one another.

 

Pope Francis said, “We come from distant lands; we have different traditions, skin colour, languages and social backgrounds; we think differently and we celebrate our faith in a variety of rites. None of this makes us enemies; instead, it is one of our greatest riches,” (Homily, 19 November 2016). His saying reminds me about the variety friends that I have gained over the years. They are of various races, cultures, beliefs, faiths, practise different traditions and speak different languages. It saddens me to say that I have lost five close childhood friends since. May the Lord grant them eternal rest. I have also lost contact with school friends for years, but I do keep in touch with my college friends and we do communicate with each other via social media. Ever since I joined the seminary in 1995, and after being ordained a priest, I developed friendships with a different group of people, mainly from the circle of priests and parishioners. 

Many of us have friendships which has somehow lasted since our childhood and school days. Some of us find camaraderie in friendships with colleagues, neighbours and other people we meet in our daily lives. Some friends have moved overseas, but we somehow find ways to keep in touch with them through social media, as their friendship means something to us. Wherever they are, whoever they are, we are still in contact with them. Besides our family members, we need friends to talk to, to listen, to understand or to be companions on our journey of life - in good, as well as difficult times.

Photo: July 2021

Pope Francis, in his encyclical on “Fratelli Tutti” (Fraternity and Social Friendship, October 2020) has dedicated chapter six to “Dialogue and Friendship in Society.” He pointed out that “giving priority to dialogue means abandoning the logic of polarisation and replacing it with respect, without wanting to destroy others.” I believe we have developed a variety of richness in building up friendships through dialogue with one another, even though we have differences and interests. We have to take every opportunity in building up healthy relationships, rather than be hostile or pose as threats to others. We don’t want to lose our friends or to have enemies around us. Jesus says, “No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends,” (John 15: 13).

Early this week we heard about the White Flag (Bendera Putih) campaign. It is a noble and good spirit of outreach, in helping those who are not able to meet the basic food needs of their family during this difficult times. In this month of July, let’s keep a look out for those in need in our neighbourhood - families and friends who are in need of basic necessities and help, in order to assist them during this difficult period. It is time for us to work for the common good of our community as we rebuild our nation through fraternity, dialogue and social friendship.