Entering Into Life!!!

Today's gospel speaks of "Entering into life...." (Mk 9: 38-48). Three times in our text, verses 43, 45, and 47, Jesus refers to “entering into life”. It refers to entering into a faith relationship with Jesus. 

The steps for entering life in Christ are very simple. They are by recognizing the fact that we are sinners and to understand the penalty that God has placed on sin. Jesus invites us to come to the place where we are willing to turn from our sins and place our faith in Jesus alone for our salvation.

Jesus speaks of amputating body parts if necessary to make a clean break with sin and temptation. Being saved will probably not require us to pluck out our eye, or cut off our hand or foot. Coming to Jesus will almost certainly cost us dearly as we take the necessary steps to cut ourselves off from the old life of sin. Getting to Jesus is worth the cost. Don’t let anything to stand between us and our getting into Jesus' life.

NURTURE LOVE IN THE HOME

Catholic families differ in some ways from other families in the manner we build our marriages and raise our children. It isn’t necessary to have a degree in theology or higher education to nurture a wholesome family.  What then sets a Catholic family apart from others?

The Five Marks of a Catholic Family

1.  Catholic Families Worship Together:

As a family, we attend Sunday masses weekly and on Holy Days (and whenever we are able) as we believe the Eucharist is the source and summit of our love and the sign of the intimacy to which families are called.  We are active in parish life - our spiritual home away from home, and we go to confession regularly to seek God’s healing grace to be the loving community we are called to be.

2. Catholic Families Pray Together.

Besides individual prayer life, we gather together as husband and wife and also as a family for prayer each day. We praise and thank God for his numerous blessings and we ask for the grace to be faithful, loving people. We pray for both our needs and the needs of the Family of God. “The family that prays together, stays together.”

 3. Catholic Families are Called to Intimacy:

We recognize that families are “Schools of Love” and so we discover new ways to be more loving and open within the family.  Children are a visible sign of the loving union between husband and wife and we work to make this a reality. We cultivate marriage and parenting practices that help family members build a “community of love” and practise virtues that help us live life as a gift.

4.  Catholic Families Put Family First:

To protect this intimacy, we recognize the importance of regular family rituals such as family dinner, family prayer and worship, a family day and regular time for one-on-one communication and relationship-building. Spouses sacrifice for the sake of the family and for the sense of well-being in the home.

 5.  The Catholic Family is a Witness and Sign:

 We allow ourselves to be part of God’s plan to transform the world through our daily interactions as husband and wife, parents and children and to carry our love outside the home by serving the world at large. We respect the integrity of the family unit by committing ourselves and our families to the practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 

Together with the Church, we make every effort to evangelize families and to enter more deeply into the Catholic vision for marriage and family life.

Who Do You Say I Am?

In Mark's Gospel (MK 8: 27 - 35), it is a gradual revelation or unveiling of the Person of Jesus and his mission.

“Who do you say that I am?” Who is Jesus Christ? Who is this Person of Jesus? Peter, spokesperson for the apostles, gives the pointed and correct answer: “You are the Messiah," (MK 27 -30).

Now, the second half of this Gospel today (MK 31 - 35), it has to do with the practical things. Christ speaks about suffering, rejection and death, after three day rise again!

Faith is seen as a protection against evil or suffering. People who have faith aren't supposed to have hard times or hard lives although they do. And, if we truly made a choice to follow Jesus Christ, there will be many trials. We must make a choice to do good and to put outside many evils and courageously say, "Get behind me, Satan!"

The Lord is teaching us a real life and the real life is really tough and suffering is part of it. He never explains why we have to suffer but He does give meaning and value and show us the proper way of approaching to suffering, rejection and death.

Jesus kept walking into our lives and encourages and affirms us, “He has kept my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from stumbling and I will walk in the presence...” (Psalms 114)

HARI MERDEKA and HARI MALAYSIA 2015

On 31 August, we commemorate and celebrate the freedom and Independence of Malaysia.  We, as a nation, express our patriotism and love towards our country by raising the Malaysian flag on our vehicles, our buildings, homes and shopping malls and even along the streets!

We celebrate our lndependence Day this year with the theme “Malaysia, Sehati Sejiwa” (Single Minded Malaysia) to reflect the spirit of solidarity, understanding, togetherness and humanity of all the people in the country. However, after 58 years of Independence today “we are witnessing many distressing events in our country.” Presently we face political instability and chaotic and economic deterioration.  Human rights, freedom of expression and the liberty of social media are increasingly controlled by the authority.

It is the duty of every citizen including the minorities, the migrants and refugees to defend the rights of humanity.  With the many current issues such as the 1MDB and depreciating currency, many of the rakyat have lost their confidence in the ruling government.  Furthermore, many are really “perturbed by the religious extremism and intolerance of certain individuals and groups” which create divisions and disunity.

 The opposition leaders, NGO groups, religious institutions and individuals are challenging the present government for “fairness, transparency, accountability and integrity” through various forms. As a nation, we must keep the spirit of solidarity, understanding, togetherness, goodwill, and humanity among all races in this multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society.

We, the Church should respond to the Gospel invitation to be the “salt of the earth and the light of the world,” (Mt 5: 13-14), to be “faithful” and to play a “rightful role” in building up our nation. We must be led by the “teachings and direction of the Church” and uphold our “spiritual and moral values,” in order to enhance peace and harmony in our society.

Let us together pray for our nation to be truly united and live in harmony.

“Selamat Hari Merdeka and Hari Malaysia!”

(Adapted from the Archbishop’s National Day Message)

WITNESSING TO CHRIST : Through Service to Country

Come August 31, we will be celebrating our country’s Independence Day. There is much to thank God for our beloved nation as we see how Malaysia has emerged in the last 58 years of her development. However the rakyat is experiencing an unprecedented troubling time. Many groups and individuals have expressed their sentiments and grievances towards the present ruling government being oppressive, corrupt and unfair.

Our country is blessed with a multi-religious, multi-racial and multi-cultural population and as Christians we need to take the lead in interacting more with people of other faiths, traditions and cultures. The Church always invites everyone to aspire towards “unity in diversity” through dialogue, mutual respect, tolerance and understanding in order to bring about unity and harmony.

Since 1976, the Church in Peninsula Malaysia has been promoting dialogue with people of other faiths as a continuation of the work of Christ. It is our commitment therefore to continue His labour of love in our land, in gratitude to God for the gift of faith and in gratitude to all missionaries, men and women, religious and priests who tirelessly build the kingdom of justice, peace and love.

When we bring the message of the Gospel to people in our communities, work places, etc. we establish personal relationships with them just as how Jesus was in relationship with the poor and the rich, the oppressed and marginalised, the ostracised and outcast. We are invited to identify ourselves with suffering humanity and live the reality of communion by being in solidarity with them. What is our individual response? How can we motivate a strong patriotic spirit in the present generation?

Let’s pursue with the Vision and Mission of our Parish by strengthening our own faith community in the way of confessing and witnessing Jesus in our nation today. The time has come for us to rediscover the richness of engaging with one another as we work together for justice and peace in our country.

Let us come together on August 29^th in a spirit of prayer and fasting for all forms of respect of humanity, integrity and transparency to be exercised. Let’s stand up for justice and truth, reconciliation and peace.

“May the Lady of All Nations, the Blessed Virgin Mary, be our Advocate. Amen.”