IN SPIRITUAL COMMUNION WITH THE LORD

Photo: Live Steaming Mass

Although we have been formally dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass, as a result of the current pandemic, we are still able to participate in the Mass via live streaming, with the aid of technology. The Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur and various Archdioceses and Dioceses around the world, offer Masses daily through live feeds, for the benefit of us all. I really don’t know how long this practice of “spiritual communion” through live streaming will continue, but I hope that it can inspire our faith during this time of global crisis.

Recently, I met two of our catechism students, aged 10 and 11 respectively. I asked them about the online Mass and their participation in it. I was amazed that they could recite the Act of Spiritual Communion Prayer by heart. I don’t think many of us say this prayer by heart during the time of Holy Communion, when we attend the online Mass. We may recite it within 20-30 seconds when it appears on screen without truly understanding the meaning of it.

Ever since the Church started live streaming the Masses, the faithful have been strongly encouraged to pray the following prayer as an Act of Spiritual Communion, during Holy Communion.

My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

During this ongoing pandemic, we have been able to fulfil our days of obligation by attending Mass online, although we are unable to receive the Holy Communion sacramentally. However, we can receive Jesus when we express the Act of Spiritual Communion, which was written by St. Alphonsus de Liguori. We see four basic elements in this Act of Spiritual Communion Prayer – “Act of Faith, an Act of Love, a desire to receive Christ, and an invitation to Him to come into your heart.”

First, we profess with an Act of Faith that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. It is a true mystery in the teachings of the Catholic Church. With the words of consecration – “Make holy, therefore, these gifts (bread and wine), we pray by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ,” that the whole of Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ is truly present (cf. CCC. nos. 1374 and 1413).

Photo: 2018 Eucharistic
Procession

Second, we make an Act of Love and we confess that we love Jesus above all things and that He is good and worthy of our love. We are reminded that we should express our sacrificial love for God above all, by keeping close the Greatest commandments: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength” and “You must love your neighbour as yourself,” (Mark 12:30-31). We know these commandments by heart but they are not easy to live by. 

Third, we make an Act of Desire by yearning to receive Jesus in the Holy Communion sacramentally and spiritually. Of course, we long to receive Jesus in Holy Communion whenever we participate in the Eucharistic celebration. Currently we are unable to be physically present at the Mass but our deep desire is to be fully in union with Christ Jesus through this spiritual communion and to be like Him, as we sincerely commit ourselves to following in His footsteps willingly.

Fourth, we invite Jesus to come into our hearts – “Come, Lord Jesus” (the Maranatha) and to be with us at all times and at all seasons. As Jesus is “standing at the door and knocking” (Rev 3:20), we need to welcome Him as we make Christ a home in our hearts. We thank Jesus for being spiritually present in our hearts and in our beings. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to us in “Spiritual Communion” and abiding within us. Heal our mind and body, soul and spirit, strengthen us and sanctify us.

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ. Over the weekend, after you have participated in the online Mass, just spend a quiet moment to adore the Lord, by saying or singing this at least three times: 

“O, Sacrament Most Holy;

O, Sacrament Divine,

All praise and all thanksgiving

Be every moment Thine.”

Photo: 2019 RCIA Catechumens 

JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Precious Body and Blood of Jesus, Corpus Christi, the celebration of the True and Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. After consecration, the bread and wine are totally changed into Jesus’ body and blood (Transubstantiation). He says that I am the Living Bread… anyone who eats this bread … and drinks this blood will have eternal life, (John 6:51-58).

Jesus gave us the most admirable Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Sacred mystery of His Body and Blood which was instituted at the Last Supper. The Church made the Eucharist, the centrepiece of our thanksgiving worship and for the life of the world.

The Eucharistic Meal is to be celebrated in His remembrance – “Take His Body” and “Take His Blood” and the Church restores unity with God and mankind. At this meal of Christ, we experience the power of redemption and sanctification. Whenever we partake in this banquet, His presence in us increases our virtue, nourishes our mind and body with an abundance of Spiritual gifts.

We pray that when the Movement Controlled Order (MCO) is lifted, we shall return to Church to receive Holy Communion, the Heavenly Food, so that we can really feel a sense of peace. Till then, we pray together in faith that we will always be in communion with Jesus spiritually.

Photo was taken in 2019

CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH GOD

Sunset Mass at SJC
Photo: 25/1/2020

Many places of worship in the country, in particular, those located in the green zone areas, will be allowed to reopen from 10 June 2020 onwards, and will be required to adhere to strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The Catholic Church has closely studied the SOP, looking for every possibility to start reopening churches soonest possible with the approval of the Ministry of National Unity (Kementerian Perpaduan). At the moment, the Ministry has allowed only three Catholic Churches in Peninsular Malaysia to reopen, with a condition that only a maximum of 30 parishioners be allowed to be in attendance at each mass. These churches will have to strictly follow the SOP, which includes sanitising the internal building, regular cleaning, wearing of masks, maintaining strict social distancing, etc. The live-streaming of Mass will continue as usual, to cater for all those who are unable to attend Mass at church.

During the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, we hardly heard of crimes, protests, demonstrations, riots, murders, thefts, robberies, drunk drivers, etc. For almost three months, especially during lockdown, millions of people adhered to the respective governments mandates to stay at home, maintain social distancing and to follow the SOP closely. Generally, people were united with one spirit, praying together for a common cause - combating the COVID19 virus. Now, many countries are easing their earlier strict lockdowns and gradually opening various sectors. As things move forward, we seem to be losing our gracefulness and we now get news of murders, protests across many countries, riots, robberies, accidents on the roads, drunk driving, drug trafficking, violation of rules and laws, etc. The world is once again permitting the undesirable to resurface.

Parish Family Day
Photo: 17/11/2019

Some people thought that the COVID-19 pandemic would give a new understanding and provide lifelong lessons for humanity – to be united with one spirit, to be at peace with one another and to be merciful to those in need. We realise that we are gradually losing this spirit of oneness and unity in prayer while praying for the global crisis and an end the pandemic. People seem to be ego-centric or self-centred instead, without any regret, consideration or sympathy for others. How are we going to heal the world, to save humanity and to overcome these difficult times? The global economy is deteriorating. The political situation is unstable. The list of social problems is rising day by day. Natural disasters are happening everywhere and our common home is once again contaminated and polluted.

The whole world seems to be facing a dilemma once again, as the movement control restrictions are slowly lifted and we are allowed, in stages, to get back to our jobs, business centres, places of worship, schools, etc. It appears that the ‘new normal’ everyone was talking about at the height of the pandemic, may not happen after all. The restrictions we adhered to during the lockdown in response to the Coronavirus, may likely be less practiced by many. During the lockdown, we were looking deeper into our faith and disciplining ourselves spiritually. We were at home, spending time with our families and there was a sense of closeness with our loved ones. It was hard but we learnt something from this, especially the spiritual aspects. We went through the lockdown patiently and joyfully. In the silence we heard God’s inner voice speaking to us. What we experienced during the first quarter of this year, I don’t think we may ever experience the same again. There is a great possibility that whatever good we may have learnt during this time of trial may fade away and we will revert to the same old realities of life.

The most significant seasons in the Church’s Liturgical calendar – Lent and Easter, have ended, and now we are in Ordinary Time, and this will go on till the end of November. No matter how the world treats us, we will continue to engage with God and with one another. We will continue to listen to His inner voice in the midst of all the noise, calamity and chaos. We will continue the spirit of praying together for healing and reconciliation in our relationships and in our families, communities and the world.

Let us always remember the Golden Rule – a principle of treating others as how we want others to treat us, which can be found from the Book of Tobit: “Do to no one what you would not want done to you… Give your bread to those who are hungry, your clothes to those who are naked… devote a proportion to almsgiving, and when you give alms, do it ungrudgingly. Ask the advice of every wise person. Bless the Lord in everything; beg Him to guide your ways and bring your paths and purposes to their end,” (Tobit 4: 15-19).

BEC of St Thomas More - BEC 2
Fellowship @ Sunway Putra
Photo: December 2019

TRIUNE GOD - THE UNDIVIDED UNITY

Today the Church celebrates the Most Holy Trinity. We firmly and truly believe in the Nature of God – the central truth and mystery of Christian faith that God is Three and God is One – the undivided Unity.

Jesus who is Our Way, has opened the path to the Father and He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in us. The Spirit makes us to call God – Abba Father! And from the Father and the Son proceeds the Holy Spirit.

As we are at home celebrating the Sunday Liturgy, we must remember that we are baptised with the Trinitarian formula – in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We are saved by God through Jesus Christ Our Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us bless the Father and the Son with the holy Spirit and to Him alone be all honour and glory and praise for ever. Then, each time when we begin our prayers we pray to the Father in Heaven, through Jesus Christ His Son in the Spirit of God. This shows us that Jesus Christ is always present among us.

St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906) referred to the Triune  God as “the Trinity” or “my Trinity”. Her whole spirituality was about making her heart a Home for the Trinity. She also reminds us today that the Trinity God dwells in the depths of our hearts and souls and He will not leave us alone and that no one can take Him away from our lives.

The Trinity, tempera and gold on parchment by Taddeo Crivelli, 
from a manuscript from 1460–70; in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

A SPIRITUAL COMMISSION TO WITNESS CHRIST

This weekend, we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Universal Church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost arrives fifty days after Easter and ten days after the Ascension of the Lord. As we celebrate Pentecost, it is good to once again renew our commitment as disciples of Christ, preaching the good news of Christ to all people, and to witness Jesus who will come again “to judge the living and the dead, and to establish God’s Kingdom.”

On Easter Sunday, we became “Resurrected People” and on Pentecost we will be anointed with the Holy Spirit, to carry out the essential mission of the Church, proclaiming to the world that “Jesus is alive” and that He is “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” (Jn 14: 6). This mission of the Church has to be carried out without fail, and with great joy and courage. The twelve Apostles carried out the mission of Christ so boldly and strongly after the empowerment of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day and that has become the source of lasting joy and peace to the world. As we participate in the online Pentecost celebration this Sunday, let us be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and receive a spiritual commission to witness Christ in our family, our community, our nation and to the ends of the world.

On Ascension Day, Jesus said that He is going to the Father and He will come again in a new form of closeness and continued presence in us. Pentecost Day is “a gift and a task” for us. It is a GIFT because it is the day that we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, a Paraclete to be our Advocate. It is a TASK because it is a day that we are sent forth to continue the task of the Apostles – evangelising the message of Christ to the world and to bear witness to Him.

During this whole month of May – the Month of Rosary, we have prayed the Rosary either individually or as a family and /or probably via social media. After the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord (21 May 2020) many of our parishioners started a nine-day Novena Prayer to the Holy Spirit, praying vigorously along with their Rosary recitation. Some of you would have spent time reading articles and books or listening to videos and audios pertaining to the Holy Spirit. Adding these insights on the Holy Spirit will definitely assist us in having a personal Pentecost experience “to repent, forgive and believe in Jesus.” The promoting of the Holy Spirit - the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, is a “gift of gifts” inspiring us to experience a spiritual transformation and to grow in holiness.

Mass with Myanmar Community
(Photo: 16 April 2017)

This weekend we will continue to sing – “Come Holy Spirit, Creator, Come!” or “Veni Sancte Spiritus.” It is time for us to once again recall the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit – Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord (Is 11:2-3) – which we received during the Sacrament of Confirmation. Together with these Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we should take time to reflect on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit – ‘Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). Let us get in touch and get to know these Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit and how they constantly move us, mould us and reshape our lives.

Let’s be aware of the evil fruit of spirits too – sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, rivalries, quarrels, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and all these things (Gal 5:19-21) – which can sometimes dominate lives. These evil fruits are a natural part of human life as we battle with the acts of the flesh, but it can lead us far away from God and we find ourselves in a state of exhaustion trying to return the Lord. Let us always remember to put forward the fruits of the Holy Spirit and to give life to our own spirit and to remember always “to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with the Lord,” (Micah 6:8).

As we conclude the Month of Rosary and the Novena to the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we pray that she brings strength from the Lord to “Committing Ourselves into New Evangelisation” by embracing the 5Ls (the Lost, Last, Least, Little and Lonely) throughout this year.