CLOSING OF THE YEAR OF MERCY 2016

Today we have come to the final week of Ordinary Time. Today’s liturgy establishes the titles for Christ’s royalty over humanity. The word “king” is used symbolically in the Bible to signify someone who possesses supreme power.

Christ the King is our Victor, our Ruler and our Redeemer. He is Head of the Church. This solemnity also describes the qualities of Christ’s kingdom. He is Supreme, Universal, Eternal in His kingdom. The Gospel describes the King who seemed powerless and defeated on the Cross, mocked as a fool. 

But Christ the King of the Universe offers us a true leader who is defined by humble service. He is a true leader who rules His Kingdom with truth and life, holiness and grace, and justice, love and peace. 

Who do we choose to follow? Would we follow such a king?

On this Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday before Advent and the closing of the Year of Mercy, we give praise and thanks to our Lord Jesus for having journeyed with us closely. Throughout the year the Lord has been strengthening our faith and showing us the way to witness Him through the works of mercy.

Since the opening of the Year of Mercy, that is on 8 December 2015, we have been faithfully walking closely with our parish theme: “BEC, Witnessing Jesus Through the Works of Mercy”. During the last BECCOT meeting on 9 November 2016, all BEC leaders stood up and shared their performances and achievements in their BEC areas in this past one-year. You have engaged with each member of your BEC inviting everyone to participate in every event, prayer meeting and celebration, either in your BEC or at parish level. I am really grateful and thankful to all BECCOT teams, BEC leaders and your core teams for organising and coordinating events and activities well in the BEC and parish level.

We have come to the end of the Year of Mercy. We thank Pope Francis for designating this as a special year in which we celebrate God’s mercy to us and to the universal Church. We have experienced and shared the mercy of God with one another. We pray for the grace and strength to witness His mercy especially to those who are poor, sick and marginalised. Let’s not forget to be merciful with our family members, those who are closest to us and the larger society as well.

SAINTS IN MERCY

In this month of November, the Church in Peninsular Malaysia focuses on “Saints in Mercy.” Every Catholic is invited to imitate the mercy of Jesus as we look at the life of Saints during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. The Saints have served as witnesses to Christ and His Church.

Mercy is a virtue and a fruit of charity. It has to be lived every day in our lives. We become merciful when we place kindness, compassion and forgiveness into our practice. Many of Saints of the Church have been disciples of God’s mercy and they stand out as very good examples that can help us to play as models in spreading the mercy of God. The Beatitudes of the Gospel (Mt 5: 1-12) shows how to be people of mercy and to set a part to becoming a saint. This month of November we have an opportunity to look back and celebrate the saints of the Church who have lived the words of the Gospel faithfully.

Let’s have a glance at some of the saints who transformed the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy in action and see how we can draw inspiration and wisdom from them for our own as we come to the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Each year on 1^st January, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. She played an important part in God’s plan of salvation for the whole world. She is our greatest Saint. She helps the miserable, strengthens the discouraged and comforts the sorrowful. She gives maternal care, intercedes for us and brings back the answers to our prayers.

St Maria Domenica Mantovani (1862), whose feast we celebrate on 2^nd February devoted herself to build a strong parish community and cared for the needs of others by serving the poor, visiting the sick and elderly.

St Catherine of Siena (1347) devoted much of her life helping the prisoners and visiting the sick in the hospitals. She touched the life of many people by comforting them with prayers and through her great writings. We commemorate her feast on April 29.

St Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901) is a saint for today’s young people. Pier or Peter Frassati was born into a wealthy family but he donated all his money to people he saw as more needy than him. He dedicated his life to works of social action, charity, prayer and community. His feast day falls on July 4.

St John Mary Vianney (1786), who was spending 16 hours a day in the confessional. He was a priest who displayed a great example on the importance of the spiritual works of mercy, which God extends to us in the Sacraments. He too used his homilies to educate people about the Catholic faith. He is well known as the patron saint of Parish Priests and his feast day is on August 4.

We pray to these spiritual patrons as we continue to grow stronger in our faith and more effectively witnessing Jesus through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

Few other Saints of the Church who involved very much in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY:

a) Feed the Hungry: St. Maximilian Kolbe. St. Vincent de Paul

b) Give Drink to the Thirsty: St. Peter Claver, St Marianne Cope

c) Clothe the Naked: St. Martin of Tours

d) Visit the Sick: St. Vincent de Paul, St. Samson:

e) Shelter the Homeless: St. Benedict, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

f) Visit the Imprisoned:  St. Peter Nalasco, St. Saturus

g) Bury the Dead: St. Joseph of Arimathea, St. Catherine of Siena

SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY:

a) Comfort the afflicted: StThomas Merton, St. Dorothy Day

b) Counsel the doubtful: St. John Vianney, St. Francis de Sales, St Padre Pio,

c) Admonish sinners: St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Thomas Aquinas

d) Forgive offenses willingly: St. Maria Goretti, St. Stephen

e) Teach the Ignorant: St. Francis Xavier, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

f) Bear wrongs patiently: St. Bernadette of Lourdes, St. Maximilian Kolbe

g) Pray for the living and the dead: St. Simeon Stylites, St. Mary of Egypt

We pray to these spiritual patrons as we continue to grow stronger in our faith and more effectively witnessing Jesus through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Let these and other saints be our guide always in living our faith in the way they lived their faith.

Prayer:  Merciful God, your mercy is inexhaustible. Bless Pope Francis for designating this as a special year in which we celebrate your mercy to us and to the whole world. Help us to receive your mercy and to share it with others. In particular, grant us the grace to be witnesses of your mercy – especially to those who are poor or vulnerable, sick or lonely, or marginalised. May we also never forget to be merciful with family members and others who are closest to us. Help us to always live in your mercy. Amen.

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US

Last Monday (31^st October), we celebrated Mass in conjunction with the closing of the Rosary month. Thank you my dear BEC leaders and your coordinators for tirelessly visiting and praying the rosary in your respective BECs during the month of October. Thank you once again for being so hospitable, accommodating and in welcoming one another to each other’s homes for the Rosary.

We have now entered the month of November, which is the last month of the liturgical year for the year 2016. We began the month with two important commemorations: All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. What is the purpose of these commemorations? The Catholic Church invites us to rediscover and contemplate the nature of our Christian faith on the END TIMES and LAST THINGS (Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell). There is also an intermediate state called purgatory. When this purification is complete, the souls are fit to enter God’s presence and are admitted to the joys of heaven.

I believe some of you have visited the graves of your loved ones since last weekend or on All Souls’ Day itself. If you have not visited yet or if you want to do it again I encourage you to do so during this month of November. It will be good for you to go and clean your loved one’s grave and then place your candles or flowers as a sign of honour and respect for them.

While you are spending time praying at the grave of your loved once, if possible share your memories among your family and friends either at the cemetery or once you’re back home. Your visiting, your prayers and sharing will help you feel connected to the person you have lost. If you are unable to visit the grave of your loved ones for whatever reasons, you can ask someone in your family or your friend to do so on your behalf. By remembering them during this month I am sure you will find calm, comfort and peacefulness.

In the last one month I requested all of you to list down the names of your dearly departed family members and friends in the “Book of Remembrance.” There are all altogether 4,410 names have listed in the book and it has been placed at the side of the main altar since 2nd November. We shall continue to offer their names in all our Masses and prayers throughout this month.

At your home you can always prepare a small poster with the names of all your loved ones’ – departed family and friends. On your personal and family level, offer extra prayers or pray your rosary for the deceased members of your family and friends and for the forgotten souls in purgatory. When you do all these for the departed souls, they will intercede on your behalf after they reach heaven.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls rest in peace. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Jesus, Our Life and Our Resurrection

The Pharisees believed in the life after death and the Sadducees don't believe in the Resurrection. In today’s Gospel they confront Jesus over his belief in life after death, (LK 20: 27-38).

Jesus says, “The dead do rise to life.” He says that life in the resurrection will be completely different quality and altogether will new experience, new life.

We, Christians have strong faith in life after death. In fact, eternal life to a Christian does not begin with death, but it begins with faith and how we live this life on earth.

The Catholic Church invites us to rediscover and contemplate the nature of our Christian faith on the END TIMES and LAST THINGS (Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell). There is also an intermediate state called purgatory. When this purification is complete, the souls are fit to enter God’s presence and are admitted to the joys of heaven.

We shall continue to remember those departed souls by offering their names in all our Masses and prayers throughout this month of November. When you do all these for the departed souls, they will intercede on your behalf after they reach heaven.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May their souls rest in peace. Amen.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

THE ROSARY IS AN ESSENTIAL PRAYER FOR EVERY CATHOLIC

There are some great ways to celebrate the months of May and October. We celebrate them by praying the Rosary. On this closing month of October, we give praise and thanks for this beautiful month. We dedicated this entire month of October in praying the Rosary as individuals, families and BECs almost everyday. We have used our Rosary to honour Mary and it is the best way of honouring Mary.

I am proud that you were committed yourselves to praying the Rosary in this month of October. I believe the Rosary has brought great peace and holiness to your life. It is a powerful instrument for conversion and an armour to decrease our sins. Through our fervent prayers “Hail Mary…” will help us to grow in holiness by avoiding sin.

We too use social media such as Facebook, Website, Blogs, Whatsapp, Text Messages, etc to share our pleasant experiences and devotion to Mother Mary. We use these tools as instruments in promoting and evangelising about her during the entire month of October.

By praying the rosary faithfully I am sure you would have received graces and blessings through her intercessions. The graces and blessing would have helped bring you much closer to her Son in a unique way.  St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) stated that “the best and fastest way to union with Our Lord is through Our Lady” by devoting ourselves to praying the Rosary.

The Catholic Church has been promoting the devotion of praying the Rosary for many centuries now. Pope Paul VI, on Lumen Gentium no. 62, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (1964), which is the principal documents of the 2^nd Vatican Council said, “Our Lady is the Advocate and channel of all God’s Grace to us.” Pope John Paul II, he had a great devotion to the rosary too. Pope Benedict XVI prayed it publicly on various occasions and wrote about how it was part of his daily prayers as well. Pope Francis memorably prayed it publicly in the Vigil for Peace in Syria and Peace in the World.

The rosary is not an easy prayer. For some of us it takes a lot of practice. We regularly find ourselves distracted and thinking of many other things the moment we start praying the Rosary. The older generations find it more comfortable to pray this traditional prayer compared to our present generations. No matter what, we Catholics should pray all the decades of the Rosary at any convenient time without fail.

We all have been taught how to pray the family Rosary. I don't have much tips to teach you on how to form a habit of praying the Rosary wisely and how to recite the Rosary on an individual basis. We have been praying regularly the Rosary these past years and months, do continue to make the Rosary a part of your life.

At the end of the recitation of the Rosary we pray the Memorare, “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary…” The Memorare was a favourite prayer of Saint Mother Teresa and it was one of her secret weapons. She had a very deep love for Our Lady, and she prayed the Rosary all day long. Her rosary was always in her hands. Her lips were always moving in praying the Rosary.

In times of great need, when there seemed to be no solution to some obstacle in her way, she turned to the Memorare:

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.