LET THE SPIRIT LEAD US

Since 1960s, Vatican II has called for the renewal of the spiritual life of Catholics which resulted in the Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS). Since then, the Catholic Church has for more than 40 years, been organising the LSS which has helped millions of people all over the world. The two main objectives of the LSS are for renewal and rekindling the power of the Holy Spirit that we received through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

We will be starting the LSS in our parish. Our programme is designed for once a week and it will be conducted over a seven-week period. The LSS provides teachings, guidance, group sharing, testimonies, and prayers, which will lead you to experience a new and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It leads us to a way of learning more about living in the Spirit as we grow in faith. It helps the church members to have an ongoing personal conversion and to renew their baptismal commitments in order to experience a fuller life in the Spirit.

The LSS committee is inviting ALL our parishioners to participate in these sessions. The theme which they have chosen, is “Behold I Come to Bring Fire…” (Lk 12: 49). 

There are 5 things the organising team wants to accomplish through this LSS:

• ·     Rekindle your first love of God
• ·      Open yourself to His healing
• ·      Restore any area of brokenness in your life
• ·      Rediscover the purpose of life
• ·      Living it to the full through the Grace of God 

The LSS committee has set the above tasks as objectives to bring conversion, renewal and transformation in our parish. The committee intends every parishioner to make a first commitment in enrolling in this event. Some of you may think that this is only for those who are in the prayer group ministry and for those who are deep in their prayer life. The LSS is not just solely on prayer and healing.

We invite all of you to come with an open-mind and fully participate in this. Come and experience the sacramental graces and empower yourself with a new and fuller relationship with Jesus Christ. Your active participation in the session, Eucharist and reconciliation will enhance and strengthen your faith. We hope too the gift of the Holy Spirit will fill your life and change you so that you may experience His love abundantly, “I came that they might have life and have it to the full,” (Jn 10:10).

As one community let us pray:

• ·      For the LSS committee and all other sub-committees, in time of discouragement, that they may remain humble before God and have confidence that He is at work bringing our church together.
• ·     Pray for the participants to continually submit to God’s will and become filled with a zeal for Jesus and His Church.
• ·     Pray for the presenters to faithfully preach the Word of God and to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ.

The LSS is for everyone. We invite you to come and join. Please do register soon.

PURIFY OUR MINDS

We are still with a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gave His followers extended instructions about life in the kingdom of God. In this Sermon (MT 5: 17-37), Jesus reveals that God’s law always aimed at the heart. The law in the Old Testament says, “You shall not commit adultery.”

Jesus affirms it when He says, “if a man looks on a woman lustfully,  he has committed adultery with her in his heart,” (MT 5:28).

Our motives and desires determine the sin. It is in our minds that sin is developed. Therefore, we need to control our minds. The root is at our mind. We need to purify our thoughts and actions daily.

Lord, help us to see our brothers or sisters as you see them. Help us to love them as you have loved us, with humility and generosity, without counting the cost.

CELEBRATION OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

On January 28th, Our Chinese Apostolate organised a Thanksgiving Mass on Chinese New Year Day. We began the Mass at 9am by bidding farewell to the Year of the Monkey and welcomed the Year of Rooster. About 350 parishioners gathered that morning for the Mass and celebration of the Lunar Year with Catholic tradition and faith.

After the Eucharistic celebration, there were offering of greetings to The Trinity God, the Priest and congregation. Immediately after the offering of greetings, the Mandarin oranges and Red packets were distributed to the congregation. The custom and traditional practice of distributing Mandarin oranges and Red packets are signs of blessings and good wishes of longevity, prosperity and great health. The Lion dance group performed the lion dance at the courtyard and also set off firecrackers. According to traditional Chinese belief, the Lion dance, gongs, drums and firecrackers’ noise are to chase away ghosts and evil spirits.

The Chinese believe that people who were born in the Year of the Rooster are very observant, hardworking, energetic, intelligent, resourceful, courageous, confident and talented. They also believe that Roosters are always active, entertaining, talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest, and loyal individuals. They always appear as the center of attention. Besides this, they always keep their promises and are always true to their word.

We appreciate very much and congratulate the Chinese Apostolate under the leadership of Josephine Kee and her team for spending almost 3 weeks to prepare this celebration well. In spite of the small numbers, they have made the celebration more meaningful and significant to all those who were present. As one community of St Joseph, we continue to pray for our Chinese brothers and sisters that the Lord will bless them with love, joy, happiness and prosperity this Year of Rooster.

WISHING YOU and YOUR FAMILIES A PROSPEROUS and VERY HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! GONG XI FA CAI!

On 18th February (Saturday), our parish youth will be organising a Youth Rally. It is opened to all our parish youth aged 18-36. The theme of our rally is “Made Alive in Christ,” (Rom 3:23). We encourage all our youth to register and it will be good to recommend youths from our neighbouring parishes to join in this rally as well.

We organise this rally to help our young people to discover their faith, find joy in their lives and discern their vocations. The Catholic Church distinguishes four vocations: married life, single life, religious life, and ordained life. The whole parish expects that our young people will take part in this meeting allowing yourselves to fully participate in this event. We hope that this rally will make you more responsible in our Church community and to your parents. On your part, do open yourselves up to an encounter with God and your friends and actively take part in the rally.

Your contribution to the Church will help you be a part of Pope Francis preparation for next year with the theme, “Young people, faith and vocational discernment.” May your faith be strengthened and grow with the young Church.

Be A Shinning Light!

In the Gospel today (MT 5: 13-16), Jesus charged us to be the light of the world! Jesus used an image of light to remind his followers that they have an identity and a mission.

Don’t hide your light! God has chosen us to be the light that the world needs. Our identity and mission are to bring others into the light of Christ and to share the glory of God. 

A shining light is a witness. We should bring light not just to others but for ourselves, too. We are to be witnessing light to others and for one self. 

Today we have seen the need for every Christian to be a shining light. You are to be a witness of God's light in your home, and in your neighborhood, in your workplace and to the ends of the earth.

JOURNEYING TOWARDS OUR PARISH VISION

Our first Parish Recollection took place last Saturday, 21^st January with 36 participants from the various ministries and BECs. The session commenced at 9 am and ended at 12.15 pm with inputs, group discussions, individual sharing and silent prayer. 

For the benefit of those who did not attend, let me give a brief overview: I began the session by explaining how our Vision for 2017, "Towards Strengthening Our Faith Community" came about. The two-year mission which we started in 2015 focusing on the family and 2016 on BEC and Mercy have led us to set our plans and to strategise our vision for this year. The journey of this last two years has made our parish more vibrant and strong in faith.

I went on to elaborate briefly about our community prayer which we recite after the Prayer of the Faithful during our weekend Mass. When we recite this community prayer we are reminded of our four commitments in materialising the vision of our parish. During the session we only discussed the first commitment on "Deepening Our Prayer Life" and the importance of prayer. 

Alan Jong continued the session by developing on the parish vision by using various biblical texts mainly from the St Paul's letters. He invited the participants  to read the texts and to share at a personal level. After his input and individual sharing we had the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and invited everyone to reflect in silence for 30 minutes. I believe this recollection has helped our participants to reflect on the parish vision for the year 2017 and the individual commitment in enhancing his/her spiritual life.

We have formed a New Evangelisation Ministry under the Parish Coordinating Council (PCC) led by Alan Jong. He and his committee will be in-charge in coordinating various formations, activities and events in our parish.

Our parish monthly recollection has been introduced for the first time in our parish. As we have stated in our year planner there will be another 7 more recollections including a parish retreat which will be held in the coming months. I hope more leadership positions in the Church will be taken up and parishioners will participate in these recollections and retreat.

My dear parishioners, I would like to bring to your attention the first commitment on “Deepening Our Prayer Life.” Jesus was a Man of prayer and he had set as an example the important of prayer. Below here are few of the biblical texts show us the priority Jesus gave to prayer in His life ministry.

·       Jesus prayed during 40 days of fasting in the desert, (MT 4:1–11).

·       “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed,” (MK 1:35).

·       “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed,” (LK 5:16).

·       “After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray,” (MK 6:46).

·       “Jesus prayed after the 72 disciples returned from ministering in surrounding towns,” (LK 10:21–22).

·       “Jesus prayed in Gethsemane before His death,” (LK 22:41-44).

As we journey together with this year’s vision I hope and pray that every member of our parish will be committed towards reaching those who need Christ, grow in faith and be more grounded spiritually.