“CARRIER OF GOD’S TENDER AND MERCIFUL LOVE”

During this month of September, the Church in Peninsular Malaysia invites us to focus on the theme, “Sharing God’s Mercy to the Needy”. We cannot remain silent or expect certain organisations to minister to the needy. In this month we need a special relationship with them through sharing the mercy to the sick and the dying who are in need of real agape love. It is also a time for us to share God’s blessings with these less fortunate people.

Everyone knows Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata. She has inspired us with her simple and humble services, which touched the hearts of millions of people of all faiths. Her face had radiated God’s tender and merciful love through her loving actions. She went to Kolkata, India to share the “merciful face of the Father and to give to the world the Good News of the Father’s mercy and tenderness.” She responded wholeheartedly to the cry of Jesus on the cross, “I Thirst,” (Jn 19:28) expressing the depth of God’s longing for all mankind by her life of holiness and humble works of love to the poorest of the poor.

On September 4^th, 2016, Pope Francis will canonize her as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. A Eucharistic celebration will be celebrated for the newly canonized St Teresa in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City at 10 am (Malaysian Time 4 pm). In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Father has made Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata as an icon of the Father’s Mercy. The Church hopes that her words and examples may make an inspiration to our young people, students, teachers and parents to emulate her qualities especially her service to the poorest of the poor beginning in our families and communities.

A Catholic Nun and a missionary Mother Teresa was born in 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia. She taught in India for 17 years before she experienced “call within a call” to devote herself to the care of the sick and poor in September 1946.

Mother Teresa was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to helping the poor. She received the Nobel Peace Prize for the humanitarian and corporal works of mercy. Through her kindness, generosity and unfailing commitment, she devoted herself to a life of devotion to Christ for 69 years of service assisting “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.” She died in September 5, 1997 at the age of 87 and St Pope John Paul II beatified her in October 2003. She never rested from her work during her lifetime and she assured us that she would continue her corporal works of mercy from heaven in another form.

I have dedicated one of our formation rooms under her name, Saint Teresa of Kolkata. Today, let’s get down on our knees and ask Saint Teresa of Kolkata to intercede for us so that “Carrier of God’s Tender and Merciful Love” inspires every member of our family and our parish community.

Mother Teresa to Become a Saint During the Year of Mercy

On Friday, September 2, 2016, we had an occasion to witness the blessing of the Holy picture of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta during the evening Mass at 7.30 at St Joseph’s Church, Sentul. ‪On September 4, 2016, The Holy Father, Pope Francis will canonize her as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Her canonization is going to be a very essential event on this Year of Mercy. She had inspired millions of people around the world with her simple and humble service to the sick and dying. 

During the Mass and Holy Hour, the parishioners of SJC were invited to reflect on the life of Blessed Mother Teresa. There was a video clip presentation for 10 minutes on her life servicing the poor. Every Catholic should take an opportunity to recognise Mother Teresa’s qualities especially her service to the poorest of poor. Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for us.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

 

On the Canonization  of St Teresa of Calcutta

Loving and gracious God,

You called forth Mother Teresa

From humble means 

To be a strong witness 

to the transforming power of your Son, Jesus.

Help us to be like her, Lord,

To dedicate our lives to caring 

For the poor and suffering,

To listen to your eternal Word,

To be the face of Christ

For everyone we meet.

Grant that, through her intercession,

We might shine the light of your love 

In our daily lives 

So that all people 

May come to know, love and serve you. Amen.

RELIGIOUS ARTICLES AND PRAYERS IN OUR LIFE

Recently I announced to all of you to bring all the damaged or broken religious articles such as holy pictures, statues, rosaries, holy linens, holy cards, medallions, religious art crafts, prayer books, etc. to be disposed off. Actually, I initiated it because a few of you have approached me with these damaged religious articles and asked what to do with them. So I decided to collect them and to bury them near our grotto.

I understand these objects of devotions have been blessed and they should not simply be discarded in the dustbin, but we should dispose of these items by burying or by burning them. When we Catholics buy any religious articles, we are accustomed to having the religious objects “blessed”. We believe that when these religious objects are blessed then they signify the permanent sanctification and sacredness.

The minute the religious objects are blessed and dedicated for divine worship or veneration, they must be treated with reverence and must not be used in either an improper or disrespectful way (cf. Code of Canon Law, no. 1171). I have seen some members who have left our Catholic faith simply discard these blessed objects without giving a proper reverence. We, Catholics give a lot of sentimental values to these objects no matter how small they are. We must treasure and value always these blessed religious articles and dispose of them in a proper manner if you no longer need them.

While I was sorting out all those blessed objects with my workers, Karijoe and Joseph, I found many valuable objects especially small prayer books and broken rosaries. I have collected all the rosary beads and will send them to my friends who can string rosary beads out of them. We have burnt some old Bibles and prayer books and buried the ashes reverently.

I realise the best prayer books are these tiny ones with very few pages which consist of the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” prayers, and other prayers such as Angelus, prayer before and after meal, prayer after the Holy Communion, praying to certain saints, prayer for protection, prayer to archangels, healing prayers, safe journey, etc. These short and simple composed prayers are very meaningful and easy to remember.

Some of the older generations are still practicing and reciting them without fail because they believe these prayers are defenses against their daily battle and provides protection against wickedness and evil. I still remember during my younger days when I used to keep prayer books in my pocket whenever I travelled and they had become the most important prayers in my life. Those prayers are still entrenched in our hearts and they are still fresh in our memories.

Over the years, these prayers are no longer recited because we feel that they are not so important in our life. Just remember, that anywhere we go, at any time, prayers will continue to assist you in your mission, taking care of you and your children. May the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all the Saints, guard you from all evil.

HUMILITY LEADS TO HAPPINESS

In the Gospel today (LK 14:1, 7-14), Jesus warns us against all forms of pride and self-glorification and self-promotion. The proud person is self-centered, not God-centered and not people-centered.

In the Catholic list, what are the seven deadly sins? Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Laziness, Wrath, Envy and Pride. There is a little demon of pride in each one of us. We must keep this demon in check and not let him grow in us.

We have been looking at some of the marks or identifying characteristics of a Christian. Humility is a virtue. The real answer to our quest for humility lies in Christ’s words… “Shoulder my yoke and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly of heart.”

Ecclesiasticus says, “The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself”. If we want to grow in humility, then we must be willing to listen with an open heart, willing to change and be corrected.

Jesus teaches that living in humility is the gateway to the road that leads to happiness.

POSITIVE THINKING LEADS TO A HAPPIER LIFE

One of my priest friends asked me during the recent Clergy Recollection, “Do you ever feel lonely at any point of your ministry?” No. That was my quick answer to him. I make myself occupied with my personal agenda and prioritise my priestly vocation through serving our church.

There is nothing wrong with focusing on family life as we go through various stages in our lives. At times we may feel lonely or frustrated with so many commitments and tasks at home but God has given us a mission in our family and we are called to be faithful to our vocation. We can be stressed out, frustrated, angry, overwhelmed but we should re-examine our priorities especially on our spiritual aspect by refocusing on prayer and the Sacrament of Eucharist in order to grow in holiness.

We have to be courageous to say “no” to worldly things and willingly and freely to say, “yes” to God. I am also learning to stay focused on my spiritual life and with my church ministry as well. Lately, I was reading a book entitled, “Thinking For A Change” written by John C. Maxwell speaking about successful thinking. He explains that a successful person finds a way to the top because of the way he or she thinks. If one wants to change for the better in life then one must make a change for the better in his/her way of thinking. The author says that our today’s life is a result of the way we were thinking yesterday and tomorrow’s life will be determined by the way we think today.

Even I as a priest I do find it hard to tune my mind with positive attitudes and thinking. My negative thoughts, attitudes and feelings drain my energy and enthusiasm in my ministry. It’s God who gets me through slowly. I need to place my faith in Him, and choose to focus on things, which are ultimately positive.

At times we can be very negative in our thinking due to the situations or people we meet in one way or another. Our negative thoughts, words and attitudes will make us unsuccessful and unhappy. With our positive attitudes we can experience pleasant and happy feelings, which lead us to brighter days and a happy, successful and healthy life.

Positive thinking is all about ourselves. Faith is all about God. We have the power of God to discipline our thinking. As Christians, we should be the greatest positive thinkers. Let the Holy Spirit transform us by changing the way we think and eliminate all the negative thoughts from our minds.

“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it,” (Ps 37: 5).