THE LOVE OF GOD

“God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost, but may have eternal life,” (John 3: 16).

The Love of God has no beginning and will have no end. We were created by Love and are called to live the good life. Jesus has come to assure us of God’s love and to urge us to walk with Him in the light of that love.

We all have experienced wonderful changes in ourselves when we feel loved by another person. Love has a powerful effect in our lives. The real love is a gift from God that saves us. Our faith and our trust enable us to believe in the goodness of God and to come to the light.

We need to live our lives in the presence of the One who has always cared for us and who will never forget us. During this Lent, we need a deep conversion of heart. As we kneel before the cross in prayer, we pray for a renewed desire to grow in holiness.

EXPERIENCE GOD’S FORGIVENESS THROUGH CONFESSION

As Catholics, we are strongly encouraged to prepare ourselves for confession at least twice a year, particularly during Lent and Advent. However, confessions can regularly and consistently be made, whenever it is needed. But how do you really prepare yourself for confession? When was the last time have you made an honest, uncensored and sincere confession?

For this season of Lent, our Church has set penitential rites for Wednesday, 7 March 2018. We will begin with the Eucharistic celebration at 730pm, followed by confession. In the days leading up to this, we are encouraged to examine our conscience - searching for thoughts, words and actions which did not conform to God’s command - before coming for the penitential rite. If needed, write your thoughts down, so that you will not forget them once in the confessional. The main purpose for confession is to repent for our sins, and firmly resolve not to commit them again.

So what do we do once we’re in the confessional? Here are a few steps to follow:

1.     Kneel or sit comfortably and greet the priest. He will greet you as well.

2.     Make the sign of the Cross and say: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was…” (give weeks, months or years).

3.     Then confess your mortal sins first, followed by all your other sins (even the ones which you forgot to say in the previous confession) plus any venial sins that you wish to mention.

4.     End your confession by saying: “I am sorry for these and all the sins of my past life and I ask for pardon and absolution from the Church.”

5.     The priest gives a penance and offers advice to help you become a better Catholic. So, listen carefully to his spiritual advice and accept the penance he gives you.

6.     Then say the Act of Contrition, expressing your sorrow for your sins: “Oh my God, I am truly sorry for I have sinned against you. Because you are so good, by the help of your grace, I shall not sin again.” (Please memorise this).

7.     The priest expresses the words of absolution at the end of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: “…may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you of your sins: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. My son/daughter, your sins are forgiven, go in peace!”  

8.     After leaving the confessional, you should return to a seat and quietly thank the Lord for the forgiveness that you have received, and ask the Lord to grant you the grace to live your life truthfully and faithfully. Remember that we confess to repent for our sins and firmly resolve not to commit them again.

As preparation before confession, I suggest you read these two Biblical passages, which are related to the Sacrament of Confession: Luke 15 which represents the Parables of God’s Mercy and the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and Psalm 51 which is the best Act of Contrition. Pray over these and meditate on them. Trust in God’s mercy and make the best confession of your life. “Where sin abounds, God’s mercy abounds all the more,” (Romans 5:20).

JESUS PURIFIES OUR HEARTS

Today's Gospel reading is about Jesus cleansing the temple (John 2: 13-25). Jesus was angry with the materialistic activity taking place in the temple. It was with a righteous anger that He drove out the livestocks and overturned the money changer tables.

Jesus saw the oppressive, disruptive, evil dealings in the temple as an insult against God. He was consumed with righteous anger against such scandalous disrespect for God’s place of worship. He came to purify the Temple showing that He had come to remove all barriers to the true worship of God. He came to open the way to the true worship of God.

We are living under the New Covenant and our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus uses the temple as a spiritual sign. The real temple, the real place God, is the human heart. God dwells in us.The only way to keep our heart clean is to have Christ in our lives.

It is Jesus that cleanses us and changes us. Jesus’ Word and the power of the Holy Spirit change the evil in us. We must look unto Jesus for a genuine change to take place within us.

Is there any distraction in your life that is keeping you from worshipping God?

HAVE A MEANINGFUL LENT

We have completed one week of the Lenten season - a season of fasting, prayer, penance and almsgiving. When we started, we began with a strong desire to make this Lent different from every other Lent before. However, this past week, there’s been an atmosphere of festivity, with Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year.

Now that the celebrations are over, lets be a little serious in observing Lent from this week onwards. There are many graces and blessings waiting to be offered this Easter. Everyday should be a realisation that a life-changing moment is being offered for us. During this favourable season, we have entered once again into the process of preparing our lives for greater heights and to go deeper into our spiritual lives. Often these questions come to mind: What should I give up this Lenten season? What can I do this Lent to deepen my trust in God? God is slowly and steadily transforming our lives towards greater joy, love and service for His people.

Some may find it difficult to fast and abstain, but relatively – today’s Lenten observance is much easier compared to decades and centuries ago. The Church doesn’t require us to fast and abstain every day throughout the 40 days of Lent, unlike our Muslim brethren do, during the month of Ramadhan.

We may think that by abstaining from meat or skipping a meal or two a day, that we keep this season holy. However, the Church invites us to pause and examine our interior disposition more thoroughly. We have to stop and listen to our bodies, which often directly influences our attitude and behaviour. We need to see our true weaknesses, limitations and tendencies toward what is comfortable and pleasurable, and then make sacrifices accordingly. Our sacrifice needs to be a gift to God and to our neighbour. When we make a sacrifice a gift, then it will turn into a powerful form of prayer and fasting. These prayers and fasting reminds us of our hunger for God and our preparation for our eternal life.

We have become so negligent in some areas of our lives. The season of Lent invites us to be more self-denying and self-disciplined by tuning our minds and bodies in a more spiritual manner. We need to leave our selfish attitudes and not to grow cold towards global ecology and conservation. For this reason, we need Lent and this is what Lent is seen today.

As we encounter trials and struggles with sin, we should also anticipate something wonderful and exciting in our daily lives. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work,” (2 Cor 9:8). God’s greatest desire is to bless us always and to place us close to His heart. He desires to make all grace flow in every aspect of our lives so that we may carry our good work for His greater glory and for His Kingdom.

Let us make this Lent different, by offering the grace and blessings which we have received from Him to the less fortunate. Make necessary changes in our lives by reflecting on what repentance is all about. May this holy season of Lent teach us to create a space for God and for one another rather than in ourselves.

MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCES

Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain (MK 9: 2-10). He shares with His disciples a glimpse of His future glory in the Transfiguration. This is an event that is mainly for Him but that needs to be witnessed by these three disciples so that they can tell people about it after His resurrection.

Jesus and His disciples didn’t stay on top of that mountain of glory because Jesus knew he had his ministry to be continued and He had to go down in the valley in order to reach the next mountaintop.

The mountaintop is where we look back and see that Christ is with us every step of our way. The mountaintop is where we see the glory of Christ face to face and that gives us the strength and hope to continue our daily task. The valleys of life are what makes us who we are and allows us to have those great mountaintop experiences.


During this Lent, take some time in prayer to consider the most serious struggles that we face at this present time in our lives. Be grateful for the gift of faith in God and seek His face to know Him more intimately so that our face be transfigured and transformed.