SET ASIDE TIME FOR SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

I must admit that I am very impressed with some of our SJC ministries and members who take their leadership roles seriously and responsibly by organising events using their own resources rather than depending on speakers or professionals from outside of the Parish.

Last weekend two important events took place in our Church and which was organised by own leaders. The English Catechetical Ministry organised a 2-day camp/retreat for our Forms 1 – 5 catechism students at our Formation Hall. You can read more about this on our parish website. In conjunction with Bible Sunday, our Tamil Apostolate and Tamil Catechetical Ministry organised a Bible Quiz for adults and a colouring competition for the kids at our Church Hall after the 7 am Tamil Mass.

This is how you should all come forward to share your knowledge, skills and talents within our community. In this way you are empowering, inspiring and energising our own youngsters and adults and bringing out the best among us. Keep up this spirit in your ministries.

My dear parishioners, if a little bit of spirituality is added in your own lives then you can see your leadership role and your Christian way of life grow tremendously. If someone asks you to stop communicating to God for some period of time, what will you do? Will you cease praying? Will you stop coming to Church? It sounds “un-Catholic” to say that I don't feel like praying to God or I just forgot to pray. It is also not good to say that I don't feel like reading spiritual books or listening / viewing spiritual and religious audio-visuals.

We are in tune with a new culture that draws us to depend on technology such as smart phone, I-pad, Internet, etc. We spend excessive hours with these gadgets. That is why we have become “slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry.” We hardly have time to listen to God. We hardly have take time to read and pray with the Bible. We rarely read spiritual books or view spiritual materials in the forms of audio-visual.

Some of the spiritual and religious books, articles or audio-visual materials are available free on our Catholic websites. Do make it a point to visit some proper Catholic websites and take the time to browse through the many resources, materials and guides available there. Don't waste too much time browsing through your smart phone and I-pad just playing games or searching/reading things that are non-beneficial. Instead use your time and these social media platforms wisely.

As the psalmist says, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain,” (Ps 139:6). Do take time to go to the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. Through your spiritual reading and combined with your spiritual exercises, you will discover and rediscover of yourselves and of God. Your relationship with God and others will become very fruitful and unique.

DOING AND BEING!

In today’s Gospel (LK 10: 38-42), Martha got so involved in cooking a meal for Jesus that she forgot why Jesus came to her house. Jesus wanted to be with His friends – Martha and Mary.

Martha was so distracted and angry… “Tell Mary to help me!!!” There’s a bit of Martha in all of us. We hardly find time to sit quietly in God’s presence. Jesus invites us to slow down, be calm and sit with him for a moment at His feet.

When you are at Church, where is your focus today? On the clock, on your job, on breakfast/lunch/dinner? Worship is one of the most important parts of our life. When we come to Church let our focus on the worship and not one the gadgets or with other preoccupation or engrossed with something.

Often we do not take our spiritual life seriously. We don’t set aside some time to be with God. We need concentrated, dedicated prayer, and these kind of prayers make us satisfied. These kinds of concentrated and dedicated prayers always transform and strengthen us.

Jesus visits us each day, each moment of our lives. We need to slow down, listen and enjoy the encounter and the presence of Jesus in the Word, Sacrament and all events of our lives. 

LET’S WORK TOWARDS INTERFAITH HARMONY

The Muslims are celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It is the day that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month. Hari Raya is the longest holiday in Malaysia especially for the Muslims. They return to their family home (balik kampong). Even school children and non-Muslims too are enjoying their holidays for a couple of days.

During Hari Raya, the Muslims meet up with their families and friends, seeking forgiveness from one another, visit graves of their departed loved ones, praying at the mosque and visiting friends and relatives. Some of you would have visited and greeted your neighbourhood friends, working colleagues and schoolmates and wished them Selamat Hari Raya. You would have tasted their delicacies like ketupat, lontong, ayam masak merah, beef rendang, satay, lemang and kuih-muih. YUMMY!

I remember tasting all these delicacies when I was in secondary school. I used to hang around with my Muslim school friends almost every weekend and we cycled almost everywhere. We played football together. We went swimming and jungle tracking too. We paid visits to each other’s homes not only during festive seasons but every school term holidays and public holidays. We rejoiced in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood at that time. Many of you would have experienced this personally in your lives during school days.

Over the years we have lost this spirit of friendship and relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in our nation. Personally, I feel it is because of the interest of certain politicians. They have created a lot of fractions among the races and religions, which cause hate and intolerance. Today, we fail to see the good will among everyone and we lose a part of who we are as people of faith. Now, with all these extremists and ISIS and the personal interest/agenda of politicians we are living in fearful times and also fear for the future of the next generation.

Our Catholic Church consistently invites the Muslims to dialogue. When will we put aside our personal prejudice and embrace each other as one nation? Let us hope and pray that Muslims and non-Muslims will move towards living together in peace and harmony in Malaysia.

Last Saturday (2nd July), 38 confirmands received their Sacrament of Confirmation. Thirty of them were Form 5 students; four were adults from the RCIA of our own parish and the remaining four from Church of the Risen Christ. On Sunday, 3rd July, I invited our newly confirmed form five students to come for a one hour class with me. During the session, they came forward one by one to share their experiences on how they felt before and after receiving the Sacrament. They were able to identify the movements of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit during the celebration. We hope and pray that they will treasure what they have experienced and learnt during their catechism days. It was a conclusion catechism class for them. On behalf of the Catechetical Ministry, I would like to say a big “Thank You” to all the teachers and coordinators who have formed them in Christ in these past years.

THE PRIMA PROCESS

THE BIBLE SUNDAY was celebrated on 10 July 2015.

I would like to share with you “The PRIMA PROCESS” which I took it from the CATHOLIC YOUTH BIBLE 2004 (CYB). PRIMA is the Latin word for “FIRST.” Each letter of the word stands for a step in reading and studying the Bible individually or with a group.

P – PRAY: Begin with a prayer that your time with the Bible will draw you closer to God.

R – READ: Read attentively, trusting that God will give you what you need to learn or grow.

I – IMAGINE: Imagine what was going on when the passage was first written. What is its cultural and historical context? Try to put yourself into the story. What was the authour trying to get across?

M – MEDITATE: Meditate on what you have read. How does this fit in the context of the best of the Bible’s teaching, with the Church’s teaching? What do you think God is teaching you?

A – APPLY: Apply what you have read to your life. God may be calling you to address a particular issue or relationship. Or you may find words of comfort and support you need at this particular time. Carry God’s word into the rest of your day, the rest of your life?

Using PRIMA process assists you remember to keep God first in your life. It is God’s Word in the Bible can change your life!

The Good Samaritan

In the parable, we see the Priest and Levite were self-centered people. They put themselves first. The Samaritan, on the other hand, was an unselfish person. He put the other person first. The Samaritan was a carer. Carers are very special people. They are “the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” Each of us has the capacity to care for everyone.

The Priest and the Levite ignored their opportunities but the Samaritan didn’t. The opportunity to care comes our way every day and in every other way. It is within our power to say a kind word, to offer a little sympathy, to give a little support and care. At the end of the parable, Jesus said to the lawyer, “Go and do the same yourself” (Lk 10: 37). Those words are spoken to us, too, go and do likewise.