The Year of Faith 2012/2013

We have already come to the end of the Year of Faith (11th October, 2012 to 24th November, 2013). A time that called you and I to dedicate ourselves entirely to the renewal of faith.

During this Year of Faith, we were enabled to experience a lot of challenges and opportunities to grow spiritually, emotionally and psychologically. 

As for me one of the greatest challenges is to always remain faithful to the teaching of Jesus, to His message and also to make it relevant to young people. I found working with youths a challenging yet rewarding experience.

As we look forward to the future especially after this Year of Faith, what positive outcomes can we hope for?

What exciting challenges or opportunities do you foresee for yourself and your family beyond this Year of Faith?

But more importantly, are we aware that even though the Year of Faith is officially over, our faith life must continue till the end of time. What are some of the steps that you will be taking to ensure that your faith continues to grow and flourish? 

Long Live Christ the King!

Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year - traditionally recognised as the feast of “Christ the King”. This week we conclude with a proclamation of the kingship of Christ, and a call upon all of us to declare our loyalties and commitments to the rule of Christ.

The Kingdom of Christ is something more appealing, more permanent and more rewarding than the temporal advantages offered by the kings, presidents or politicians of the world. Christ offers Truth. His Kingdom is not in power, wealth and popularity but Truth. His Kingdom is qualitatively different from the Kingdoms of this world.

His is the Kingdom where power and money mean nothing in terms of a person’s value, but where humility and sacrifice mean everything.

We have chosen Christ as our King. We stand by Christ, holding fast to our belief in the better world that is to come, and together with our King, we move forward through sacrifice and service.

Jesus is our Victor,

Jesus is our Ruler, 

Jesus our Lord and Redeemer.

Long live Christ the King!

The Time is Near!

"The time is near at hand!" (Lk 21: 8)

The one big question we Christians need to keep on asking ourselves is not when or how the world will end but how well are we prepared for the end of our journey.

33rd Sunday's Gospel (Lk 21: 5-19) serves to prepare us for the Lord’s coming. What we are challenged to do today is to turn our fingers toward ourselves and ask truthfully, “Am I ready?” Before we allow ourselves to take comfort in thinking the end of time is far off, we are also called to acknowledge that our personal time in this world is limited. Surely, the end of the world will come but it is yet far…far from our understanding, perception and prediction.

Jesus warns us, “Not to be misled” by those who would say, “The time is near.” Jesus is urging us to be well prepared for the end of our lives by engaging ourselves in our daily task – which is far most challenging. We have to be prepared to face the challenges of the world, tensions, conflicts and difficulties ahead of us.

Our state of readiness to meet the Lord depends on the type of life we choose. Jesus is actually asking us to be well prepared for the end by facing the world courageously and bravely with all its trials, conflicts, and sufferings by trusting and building confidence in Him.

Psalms: "The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness and peace"

Life doesn't End with the Grave!

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection

Why do we believe in the resurrection of the "body" (YouCat # 153)

If you asked the question to the Jews at the time of Maccabaeus and prophet Isaiah, they would answer: “the dead will not come back to life, the shadows will not rise again, God has wiped out their very memory,” (Is 26: 14).

Only much later, that is about 170 years before Christ, the Israelites began to speak of life after death. 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 begins with our meaningful life on earth.

That’s why we see in today’s Gospel Jesus responds to the Sadducees, enemies of Jesus who refused to accept the growing belief in the resurrection of the body in other words life after death. To affirm that Jesus says, “The dead do rise to life," (Lk 20: 37). He says that life in the resurrection will be completely different quality and altogether will be a new experience.

The Church gives us hope and brings meaning of life and purpose of death. Life does not finish with the grave!

Heaven is Within Our Reach

"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, (Mt. 5:1-12).

Today we celebrate with and for the assembly of saints in heaven. The festival of All Saints should inspire and strengthen us to live in faithful witness to Christ and to work in His Church. (The Greek work "witness" is martyr). We must continue living as Children of God to "bear witness to the truth," (Jn 18: 37). Heaven is within our reach. Heaven is not far the privileged few but for all of us. That is the intention of God. The saints are gift of God to His Church and to His people. They are our friends in Heaven and we should not hesitate to pray to them.

We can call on our patrons/patronesses and our favorite saints, and also our departed grand parents, parents, relatives and friends whom we believe are already in communion with all saints and with God, (cf. YouCat #146).

Saints of God, pray for us.