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Saturday 29 July 2017

DRIFTING AWAY FROM CHURCH

Last Sunday (23/07), we had a presentation of certificates for Post-Confirmation students of 2017 after the Sunday 9 am Mass. For many confirmands, they see the moment they receive Sacrament of Confirmation, they think that they have graduated from faith formation and life in the Church has come to an end or rather takes a back seat. Don't be of the perception that your confirmation is on the same level as that of a college or university graduation. Faith formation is far more deep and is a continuous lifetime commitment that does not come to a halt upon receiving the sacrament of confirmation. You have not done with the Catholic Church yet. Your confirmation is just an initiation into the life and mission of Christ and the Church. You are now called to be salt and light of the world.

In present days many young people don't attend Mass regularly. Church has become boring to our young people because the message is the same. Church has become irrelevant to their life. Many parents have been bugging their children to go for Mass at least on Sundays. First, the young people must understand that the moment they disconnect from the Church they begin to drift spiritually.
For an instance, when you and your friend slowly begin to drift away from one another, it could be an indication that your friendship could be coming to an end. If you feel like you are growing apart from your friend, you may find a way to re-evaluate and reconnect with your friendship. Likewise, the same goes to your life with your Church and God. Many of our young people begin to drift away from Church and from God because they commit themselves in too many worldly activities. Slowly they feel unwilling and unenthusiastic to pray or to read the Bible and feel guilty to return to  Church and God.
We need Jesus Christ and we need the Church. We need the Church community and we need each other. Without the Church as a foundation then we would not get the message of Chrsit into our lives. We should always keep ourselves close to the Church and call out to God before we are far from the shore and lose all sense of direction in life. There are few youngsters have shared with me that they don't find God in the Church and further that all those who come to Church are a bunch of hypocrites.

There is no perfect Church. There are no perfect Christians but together we help each other become the persons God intended us to be. As you get involved in the Church activities and regularly particpate in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration you will experience a deeper meaning in life.

My dear young adults at time you may distance yourselves from Church activities. You too may feel disheartened at times and you may feel like wanting to drift away from the Church. Whenever you feel this you ought to straighten your path in God’s way. You should begin to start waking up a few minutes earlier each day to read the daily readings  and pray before you leave to work or college. It is a time to cut down your other unplesant activitives and pay heed to your relationship with God and the Church. Your spiritual life will be strengthened as your faith increase day by day and your ability to overcome daily struggles will grow as well.


Do always keep your head up, your eyes straight ahead and your focus fixed on what is in front of you. Take care of your faith and don't go  astray from the right path, the way of truth,
and you will safely reach the end of your road.

CHURCH IS LIKE A PEARL

“THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE!” (MT 13:44-46).
Pearls have been used for centuries as objects of beauty and value. Pearls in the first century were viewed much like diamonds are today. They were the most valuable gems in the world at that time.
Jesus chooses the symbol of pearl for the Church. The Church is truly very valuable to the world even when the people do not actually appreciate her. The Church is worth all the price and effort that we need to give to keep the Church alive, active and strong. Thus, It is worth all our praying, our giving, our working, our sacrificing for the Church. The Church is worth all we can give to her.
The Church is worth the treasure of heaven to God. Jesus tells us that the Church is like a pearl purchased at all cost because She is seen as the true light of the world. Let us not quit from the Church and from Jesus. If you have experienced Jesus, you will not quit from His Church no matter how rough the road gets.

Saturday 22 July 2017

BEING FORMED AND TRANSFORMED AS INDIVIDUALS

Last weekend, July 15 and 16, we had two inspiring formations presented by Mr Derek Chong from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The first formation on ‘A Sense of Being Called’ was organised for the various leaders and BEC members. About 54 of them attended this formation starting from morning till afternoon. God is indeed calling everyone to be a part of the entire parish community. This six-hour session had brought an awareness to participants about their calling and response in participating in the life of the Church. The participants also reflected on how their calling allows them to transform their lives.

The sense of being called is also committing and engaging ourselves in a particular ministry and developing our talents and sharing with one another in the parish community. When it comes to work with the community I am sure we face a lot of pressure, fun, heart-break, adventures and excitement. It is all right to feel all of these things. In the midst of all these feelings we should know what path to take, what bridge to cross and how to go about in ministering in a more purposeful and fruitful manner. When we have an endurance to go ahead in our ministry we shall find a proper direction in the ministry. Ultimately, it brings a sense of peace in us.

Despite our struggles and challenges, let’s not get tired of doing right things for God and utilise our talents, gifts and experience in serving others meaningfully. The important characteristics of being called includes listening to God, being consistent in our prayer life and having order in our lives accordingly. The awesome part is that God is with you every step of the way. We shall find happiness and be ‘alive’. Do ask yourselves how God is calling you to be involved in the life of the Church and to identify God’s purpose for your life.
The second formation was targeted for the youth of our parish. They consisted of students in Form 3 and 4, post-confirmands, college students and working single adults. Surprisingly, about a hundred participants attended the four-hour session on “Living Our True Identity” which started in the afternoon and ended in the evening. The formation was mainly to help the young people find their identities and allow themselves to grow in Christ. This formation was aimed at helping the youngsters embrace their identity in relationship with God and be free from hurts in the past.

My dear youths, we know today’s culture constantly gives you the freedom to become anyone that you want to be. No matter how much hard work you generate, you may end up frustrated and confused. The one and only way you discover who you really are, is by seeking a true and deep relationship with Jesus. When you find your identity in Him, you will find that it is better than any other choice in your life. As you grow from one stage to another stage in your life, do “focus on discovering more about what God’s image looks like in you and how you can express it more in your life.”

When you allow Jesus to take control of every area of your life and trust in Him then you will have the power to live with integrity and grow into a truly wonderful person. You only have one identity and it is found only in Christ Jesus, only in Him where your true identity resides.


Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father  finds no place in him,” (1 John 2:15).

JESUS IS A GOOD GARDENER

“Let both (the darnel and wheat) grow together until the harvest…” (MT 13:43).

What is the difference between darnel and wheat? Wheat bears useful food, flour that can be made into bread. The wheat in its highest use to become the Host and we use for the Mass. With the Holy Spirit the host / the bread transforms into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. The Darnels are useless. It can suck up water and other nutrients from the soil and harm the development of the wheat.

In the Gospel (MT 13:n24-43), Jesus tells a story about a garden. From this story we learn that Jesus is our True and Good Gardener. The darnels can make it difficult for the wheat to live and to grow. Evil makes life difficult for us in this world. God knows that the darnels are hurting the wheat. God also knows how the darnels are domineering the garden. The darnel or the Evil is continuously trying to overtake our lives. Evil wants to invade every corner of our minds, too.

Only Jesus has the power to transform our hearts. He is the one who saves sinners through sowing good seeds of the gospel. In our daily life, we grow impatient. Christ is patiently and graciously transforming us. We are wheat of the kingdom. So we wait and pray that Christ will transform the darnels of the evil in our lives. He will nurture and care for us always.


O Lord, you are good and forgiving, (Ps 86: 5).

Saturday 15 July 2017

BE FORMED AND INFORMED

Do you have questions about the Catholic Faith? Do you wish you knew the Bible better? Are you being well formed in your Catholic faith?

FORMED.org is an online Catholic recourse website and it is also known as a “Catholic Netflix or Catholic iFlix.” It is an excellent resource to provide Catholics of all ages in the catechising Catholicism. Some of our parishioners have heard it and some of you have already subscribed to it.

To streamline the subscription process, the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur through the Archdiocesan Pastoral Institute (API) has subscribed to FORMED.org using a single master subscription. This subscription will be made available to every Catholic family through all the parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. API together with KL Archdiocesan Social Communications Ministry (Social Communication) has provided some information to assist parishes on the subscription and usage of FORMED.org.

Two months ago our Parish New Evangelisation Team (PNET) consisting of 10 members attended the briefing on FORMED.org here in our parish and they have already subscribed to it. The members of PNET have also introduced to a few of our parishioners and friends. Here is some information about FORMED.org to all parishioners.
FORMED.org is a dynamic faith education website containing the best Catholic videos, audio talks, eBooks and movies from trusted partners like the Augustine Institute, St. Paul Center, Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, Lighthouse Catholic Media, Ignatius Press and Word on Fire. FORMED.org is the best Catholic content which we can find in one website. These resources are specifically designed to assist in all adult formation programs, marriage enrichment and preparation, Bible study, RCIA, youth, Marian devotion. It is also the most compelling and trustworthy website in our Catholic Church today provides materials to help in effectively for Catechism or Faith Formation or Sacramental preparation for every parishioner.

Discover hundreds of Catholic video programs, movies, audios and e-books for free! You can discover or download all the above resources at no cost which are available in English and Spanish.

STUDY PROGRAMS: 300+ episodes of video-based on “Catholicism” series programs.
MOVIES: 35+ feature films and movies on the lives of the saints and church history.
AUDIO PROGRAMS: 45+ audio presentations by most popular Catholic speakers such as Scott Han, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Bishop Robert E. Barron and many more.
EBOOKS: 25+ of inspiring eBooks on various topics related to the Catholic faith.

The PNET is already taking a step in introducing FORMED,org during various formations for adults, youths and teenagers of our parishioners. Here I would like to promote it in our parish bulletin and website for you to subscribe it for your usage. I invite all parishioners to utilise it.

The access is free to all our parishioners and families, anywhere and anytime on any device – computer, tablets or smart phones. Hope FORMED.org will assist you to explore the wonders of the Catholic faith, to help you how to grow in your faith, to develop your prayer life, to live your faith and to evangelise your faith.

My dear parishioners for your personnel access to FORMED.org, please follow these steps: 
• Visit formed.org with a web browser
• Click on Register (lower right of page)
• Enter Parish Access Code: JG2JDZ
• Enter your email and create a password (you need this to login later).
Ps. Don't post it in your Facebook or make it viral.


ENGAGE IN YOUR FAITH ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.”