RESTORING OF THE ICON OF OMPH

Last Saturday, 11 August 2018, we had a blessing of the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (OMPH) at our Church. It was held during the novena prayer to Our Lady at 6.00 pm, before the Sunset Mass. It was also the day our 24 candidates received the Sacrament of Confirmation. About 800 parishioners, including those from other parishes, witnessed the blessing.

Many of our parishioners still remember the image of OMPH, which was placed at a prominent location in Church’s sanctuary. After a major renovation six years ago, the icon was removed. When I newly moved to this parish, I was doing some spring-cleaning and found two images of OMPH in the parish store room. One with a frame and the other, craved in wood. I was just waiting for a right time to bring the framed image back to the Church sanctuary but that didn't seem to happen – probably because I was procrastinating. Finally, I decided to hang both images in the parochial house. Sometime last year, I have found a small painting of OMPH on wood, which someone had discarded in the Church’s compound. It was still intact and I believe it is more than 50 years old. The image is a beautiful green colour and I keep it on my office table. To me, it is precious and unique.

 

In June 2018, when I went on retreat to Chiangmai, Thailand, I happened to visit an old Thai friend, whom I first met in 1998 in Penang. He is an iconographer (a maker of sacred images or icons or drawings). In his little factory, I was shown an icon of OMPH and I was fascinated by it. I managed to have the icon commissioned for our church, and it was transported to our parish within a month. I opened the parcel 3 weeks later and found one of the angel’s wings broken and the icon of OMPH cracked. I immediately took them to Seremban for repair, and managed to have it fixed and ready before the blessing last Saturday.

The icon of OMPH has now been placed at the left wing of the Church’s sanctuary. It looks so majestic. Our Mother of Perpetual Help is also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succor, which represents the Mother of God, holding the Divine Child while Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel present before Him the instruments of His passion. Years ago, thousands of this Holy Picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was sent from St Alphonsos’ Church in Rome, to every part of the world.

Today, every Church has its icon or image or statue. In Malaysia, we have Churches dedicated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ipoh Garden, Perak and Mentakab, Pahang. I know many Catholic parishioners who strongly devote their novenas to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Let us always recall and learn how the Blessed Virgin Mary lived her life on earth by cooperating to the will of God, keeping the Word of God and pondering them in her heart by serving others especially her cousin, Elizabeth.

My dear parishioners, pray the rosary always so that our souls may join the Blessed Virgin Mary in magnifying Lord Jesus.

JESUS, THE LIVING BREAD

Jesus said, “I am the Living Bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this Bread will live for ever,” (Jn 6:51). Christ is the Living Bread and offers eternal life to those who come to Him.

Bread is an essential need. Jesus is the source of our needs and He taught us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” There is also a spiritual hunger. This spiritual hunger desires for the life eternal that only Jesus Christ, the Living Bread and the source of eternal life, can give.

We need the Word of God and the Eucharist to renew our soul and to sustain our body in order to live on earth. A healthy body is important if we are to enjoy the quality of life that glorifies God. Christ came down from heaven to live with us so that we enable to live a Christ centered life. Christ centered life will impact the world and make us more readily to share His love, compassion, kindness and forgiveness.

Pope Francis said that the Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak,” (Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel, no. 47).

“Taste and see the Lord is good,” (PS 33).

AN EXTRACT FROM GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE

Gaudete et Exsultate or Rejoice and Be Glad, is the third apostolic exhortation of the Holy Father, Pope Francis after Evangelium Gadium (The Joy of the Gospel) and Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). This document (over 20,000 words, divided into five chapters and 177 paragraphs) addresses the universal call to holiness in today’s world by taking up an important theme of the Second Vatican Council (1963).

In the first chapter (#1-34), His Holiness emphasises that every Christian must discern how the Lord is calling us to holiness and it is the “most attractive face of the Church.” He also encourages and challenges each one of us to response to the call to holiness because holiness is necessary for our life happiness that the world cannot takes from us. He asserts us that we should not be afraid of living a life of holiness because it doesn't make us less human and take our energy, vitality and joy.

In the second chapter (#35-62), Pope Francis warns us about the danger that we face in our spiritual journey with two ancient heresies of Gnosticism (knowledge) and Pelagianism in false form of holiness in the present world. Gnosticism prefers “a God without Christ, a Christ without the Church and a Church without the people.” Whereas Pelagianism speaks of human will, human intellect and personal efforts rather than the grace of God.

There are tendencies that we fall into temptations at times, violence in our thoughts, digital communications, consumerism, greed and the real danger of Satan himself. Gnosticism and Pelagianism may bring the image of the Church down or block the progress of the Church to set her people to grow in holiness. All we need is correct intellect approach if not it will take our humility and leaves little room for grace.

Once the Holy Father cleared these confusion of Gnosticism and Pelagianism, he encourages every one of us to live out the Beatitudes, (Mt 5:3-12) in our own way of our lives in the third chapter (#63-94). He goes on to educate us about the nature of holiness by reflecting on the Beatitudes that “they are the key to unlocking the Christ-life within us.” Over the times all of us have watered down the Beautitudes and he wants us to give very practical ways of how to take on these challenges to make our life happy by living out the Beatitudes in our daily lives.

 

In the proceeding chapter four (#110-157), Pope Francis discusses on “Sign of holiness in Today’s World,” by offering five great expressions of love of God and of neighbour: Perseverance, Patience and Meekness; Joy and a Sense of Humour; Boldness and Passion; Community and Constant Prayer. At the end of this chapter on section on prayer, he stresses that our striving for holiness should be rooted in the prayerful reading scripture, spending time with the Lord in prayer, self-examination of conscience, helping others, maintaining and upholding human dignity in order to restore our humanity.

In the last chapter is about a Spiritual Combat (#158-177), where it deals on the reality of Satan and he points out that the phrase “deliver us from the evil” in the Our Father is more accurately translated as “deliver us from the evil one.” The Holy Father wants us to “stand against the wiles of the evil” (Eph 6:11) and to “quench all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph 6:16).

Finally, he explains on the discernment of the Spirit where we need to talk constantly with God and how we “can better accomplish the mission entrusted to us at our baptism,” (#174). The Holy Father concludes that when we are in distress or anxiety we should turn to Our Heavenly Mother Mary and whisper time and time again by praying the HAIL MARY.

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

“I am the Bread that came down from Heaven,” (John 6:41-51).

Jesus states that He is the Bread of Life. Those who believe in Him will have their spiritual hunger satisfied. When Jesus claims that He is the Bread of Life, He also states that He gives His own flesh, which He gives for the life of the world.

People will never satisfy with anything. The reality is that physical satisfaction is often short lived. Physical satisfaction leaves people empty and needing more. Jesus wants to give people spiritual satisfaction that endures and provides far beyond anything of a physical satisfaction.

In order to live with Christ, we have to die to our worldly way of life and take up His life, a life of forgiveness, goodness, trust and service. If we are grounded in Christ’s unconditional love, we are free to lead like Jesus and love and serve others.

In the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ are the elements that provide our spiritual nourishment and nurture our faith in God. It is alive and requires our active participation in it to carry its meaning into the world.


“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” (Ps 34).

TO BE BLESSING THOSE AROUND US

For five Sundays, starting last weekend – 17th Sunday in Ordinary time till 21st Sunday of Ordinary time – our Sunday liturgy will be focused on the Gospel of St. John, chapter 6: versus 1-66. This chapter invites us to meditate and reflect on the account of the multiplication of loaves and fish, Jesus, the Bread of Life, the disciples’ testimony that Jesus has the words of eternal life and the sacrifice of the Mass.

The Eucharist is the centre – the very essence of our faith -and the depth and richness of our weekly celebration. We give gratitude to God for His mercy and compassion, for answering many of our prayers and petitions, and we thank Him for his great love for us. We not only give glory to God, but we also encourage each other in our faith journey.The Holy Father, Pope Francis said, “At every celebration of the Eucharist, Jesus pours out His mercy upon us, as He did on the cross, in order to renew our hearts, our lives and our entire world.” The Eucharist is the only food that satisfies and strengthens us to bear witness to His love. Every Catholic must make Mass a priority, and choose this food of life as a grace to hunger for God.

Next Saturday, 11 August 2018, our confirmation students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, as they receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. I strongly encouraged all our confirmation students to attend Holy Hour on Friday, 3 August 2018 and at same time, to go for confession. 

On their Confirmation day, they will encounter moments of the presence and nearness of Jesus through the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. My dear students, we are created by God to make a difference in our community and society. In God’s kingdom, we have a place, a purpose, a role and a function to fulfill. Confirmation will give your life great significance and special value, no matter how discouraged you may feel.

By the virtue of this Sacrament, and as St Paul says, “You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you” (1 Peter 2:9). Whenever you use your God-given abilities to assist others, you are fulfilling your calling as ambassadors of Christ. You have the crucial role of assisting your friends and siblings to grow in Christ. Parents and godparents of our confirmation students, you too have the responsibility to encourage your sons and daughters not to stay away from the Church. One of the best things you can do for your children is to speak the Word of God to them regularly. 

My dear students, after all that you have  studied  during  catechism over the years, it is now time for you to act on what you know about Christ Jesus and practice what you claim to believe. Your continued service to the Lord, the church and your community will lead you to a greater understanding of your faith. If you want greater spiritual maturity and wisdom, you need to be pouring what you already know into the lives of others! 

My dear confirmands! Make a difference in your spiritual life from now on and be a blessing to those around you, as you serve your families and your Church. May God bless you all.