TOTUS TUUS

Catholics are devoted to praying the Rosary and contemplating Jesus with Mother Mary, especially in May and October, since these two months are dedicated as the months of the Rosary. Our devotion to Mary invites us to consecrate ourselves to her, by saying wholeheartedly - “I am completely yours” (Totus tuus). October is also known as the missionary month, and we pray with Mother Mary, as we grow together in friendship with Christ Jesus and become missionary disciples, bringing Jesus into the lives of others.

The Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur has suspended Masses in Churches in the Klang Valley and the State of Selangor until further notice due to the increase in numbers of COVID-19 cases here. This whole month, many of us have been praying the Rosary as individuals and families ceaselessly. Do you know that each week we pray 35 decades of the Rosary from 4 mysteries - The Glorious, Joyful, Sorrowful and Luminous Mysteries. Ever since the Coronavirus started to spread and surge in numbers in our land, each day I compose an intention pertaining to the COVID-19 infection for everyone – praying for security, protection, healing, and for those who died of COVID-19. I have been inviting people and parishioners to pray for this pandemic to end, since the Movement Control Order (MCO) in March 2020. I forward these intentions to those in my contact list, inviting them to offer these intentions when they pray the Rosary. We have seen an increase in COVID-19 positive cases in this current third wave of infections, following the Sabah Elections in September 2020. As such, I encourage everyone to continue praying the Rosary daily, until the end of this pandemic.

In the past years, we would place a “Book of Remembrance” at our Parish Office in October and invite Parishioners to write down the names of departed souls and loved ones in the book. Throughout the month of November, the Book of Remembrance would be placed at the sanctuary of the Church, and we would collectively offer our prayers for all the departed souls during Mass. Also, during this time, we would kneel down and meditatively listen to the “Requiems” during the weekend Masses. 

We should not forget our loved ones, our closest ones - parents, children, siblings, friends, etc. Unfortunately, due to the current pandemic, this year you will not have the opportunity to list down the names of your departed loved ones in the Book of Remembrance, and it will not be placed at the Sanctuary as done in the past. However, we will instead forward a prayer to everyone, so that you may pray for them. We invite you to continuously dedicate at least a decade of the Rosary to those who have gone before us, including all those who have died of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been spreading worldwide for almost a year now, and many people are undergoing “emotional anxiety” such as stress, panic, fear and also anger caused by financial and social factors. We continue to seek the intercession of Our Lady, our spiritual Mother and Saint Joseph, Our Patron - so that all families will stay positive, remain calm and maintain a prayerful spirit at home as we combat COVID-19 together.

GIVE TO GOD WHAT IS GOD'S

(29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2020 - HOMILY)

We hear in the Gospel (Matt 22: 15-21) today, “Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and God what belongs to God.”  Both the Pharisees and the Herodians are trying to ask Jesus’ opinion, “Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Jesus knew through and through what was in their minds.  Jesus asks for a coin and He questions the Pharisees and Herodians - “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” Once they identify the coin is belonging to Caesar, then, He answers their question saying, “Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God.” 

A couple from a foreign land was enquiring with me to be married in St. Joseph Church. They just wanted to do a church wedding without getting married, civilly, for their own personal reasons. Today’s Gospel let me to reflect on their enquiry, on the questions of Pharisees and Herodians, “Is it permissible to pay taxes to the Caesar or not?” The couple’s enquiry was of in the same nature, “Is it permissible to marry in the Church without marrying in the civil registration office?” Then, I explained to the couple.

 

In Malaysia, the National Registration Department (Jababtan Pendaftaran Negara - JPN) had made it compulsory for all non-Muslims couples to be registered under the ACT 1976 (Act 164) in 1 March 1982. It is a requirement and mandate of the JPN. If any Catholic couple desires to get married in the Catholic Church, first and foremost they need to do their Registration of Marriage (ROM), before their Church wedding. If the couple only did the ROM, they are still not married, in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Therefore, after the civil marriage in JPN, the couple will still need to prepare themselves both physically and spiritually for their Church Marriage.

 

Jesus never compromises his integrity and makes a very clear distinction between civil authority and religious authority, and He invites us to fulfil our duties and commitments both to the government and God. Jesus avoids the trap by asserting God’s sovereignty, which must be acknowledged and repaid to God on what belongs to God, and at the same time to hold the human laws legitimately.

 

Society must be governed by the authority to direct their action towards a common good. Paying the government’s tax represents paying back what the government has done in the terms of service. The government and its leaders should rule and direct the society justly according to the law for the well-being of everyone.  Whereas the society has to be obedient and cooperate with the government’s law.

 

Likewise, the people of God should follow the way of God in accordance with the TRUTH from the Scripture. We need to live our lives according to God’s purpose set for us, and not of human’s. Therefore, what we have to repay to the government is to be obedient to the Laws and to pay God what we owe to God. Real living is to give God what belongs to God. We give ourselves to God every moment of our lives. We owe God our very lives. “Give the Lord glory and honour, He is the King and He governs His people in fairness,” (cf. Ps 95).

WHOM SHALL I SEND?

On Sunday, 18 October 2020, the Universal Church celebrates World Mission Sunday (WMS) with the theme – “Here am I, send me!” in response to God’s question - “Whom shall I send?” (Is 6:8). The same question is addressed to us in this time of global crisis, awaiting our generous and convincing response – “Here am I Lord, send me!” God continues to look for those whom He can “send forth into the world, to bear witness to His love, and desire for life and liberation from evil” (cf. Mt 9:35-38; Lk 10:1-12).

In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holy Father Pope Francis’ message for WMS highlights that the pandemic has created a lot of suffering, new challenges and has also set a new norm in the way of life for humanity and the Church. In the midst of this difficult time, he wants every Catholic to carry out the mission of Jesus “to witness faith and the proclamation of the Gospel” as God continues to “manifest His love, and touch and transform hearts, societies and cultures in every place and time.” Once again, the Church invites us to be in solidarity with people who are living in conditions where poverty, violence and / or oppression prevail. We, as a Catholic community, are called to meet the spiritual and material needs of people throughout the world, as our mission and evangelisation.

“Jesus is the Father’s Missionary and His life and ministry reveals His total obedience to the Father’s will”(cf. Jn 4:34; 6:38; 8:12-30; Heb 10:5-10). The Holy Father reminds every Catholic about our personal vocation - our mission, our call and our willingness to go forth - which originated from God the Father, who sent His only Son to save humanity. We, as baptised Catholics should “continue the mission of Jesus” to go wherever we are sent, and manifest the love of God and “transform hearts, minds, bodies, societies and cultures in every place and time.”

Photo: 2018

Are we willing to be sent forth at any time or to any place? Before we are ready to respond “Here I am, Lord, send me,” we need to discern our relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and reflect on the response of Mother Mary, as she willingly surrendered herself completely to the service of God’s will – “Let it be done according to your will!”

The world is currently pressuring us “to observe social distancing and to stay at home” but the Church invites us “to rediscover that we need social relationships as well as our communal relationship with God.” During this difficult time, we see a rise in world poverty - many have lost their jobs and income, many are starving and many are depressed. The Church’s mission is very challenging, as no matter what, we should “open to the needs of our brothers and sisters, for dignity and freedom, as well as our responsibility to care for all creation.”

On this celebration of World Mission Sunday, let us reaffirm and reunite ourselves in prayer, reflection and through our kind contributions. We strive to support the missionary work carried out under the Pontifical Mission Societies “to meet spiritual and material needs of peoples and churches throughout the world.” Let’s together, with the intention of the Holy Father, willingly respond God’s call – “Here am I Lord, send me!” (Is 6:8) as we participate in the mission of Jesus on this earth.

(An Extract of Pope Francis’ Message for World Mission Sunday 2020)

THE CHOSEN ONE

(28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2020 - HOMILY)

Today’s Parable is about a royal wedding banquet (MT 22:1-14). Wedding is a happiest and joyous day in the lives of the newly wedding couples.

I had three weddings in the Church of St Joseph – one was on last Thursday (8/10) and the other two were on Saturday (10/10). Initially, I allowed the wedding couples to extend their wedding invitations up to 100 guests in respect to the size of the Church. The couples were quite happy with extension of the numbers. Then, the Chancery announcement which was released on 6 October 2020, particularly on the suspension Masses in Klang Valley Parishes for two weeks until further notice. In that note, we have read the guideline for celebration of Sacraments and events especially for a wedding ceremony which only allow up to 20 guests/attendance.

 

When I informed the couples, they were really disappointed. The couples said that they have already extended the invitation to their guests. They were finding so difficult to inform their guests within a couple of days before the wedding to comply requirement. Finally, with heavy hearts, they conformed and only kept their immediate guest list to the respective the immediate family members. Let’s call them “the chosen ones”.

 

This is like what the Gospel says today, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Chosen means called, elected or accepted. When we say “NO”, to an invitation, it would be an insult, shame and embarrassing. To some extent, it’s not generous of us to do so. God’s heart does not exclude anyone, it’s all inclusive, regardless. God’s grace is what saves us. God has chosen and elected all to be included in the Wedding Banquet. In the heart of God, everyone is invited and everyone is welcomed, only few will be responding to the wedding celebration.

 

Many are called but few are chosen! So what is our response to God’s invitation? God invites every one of us. We are preoccupied with many things in our lives. Often, we are distracted and disinterested with His invitation, especially in this digital world. When we do not pay attention and disregard God’s invitation, then we are no longer chosen to His banquet. If we take every opportunity to answer to His invitation in faith without looking at our worries and anxieties over what ever, then we find fulfilment of God’s plan in our lives.

When we see the scenario on the parable and on the story of three weddings which took place in our Parish during these couple of days. We must understand that the invitation is not determined by our goodness, but God’s abundant grace. God still invites us. God invites us to celebrate life on this earth with gratitude. After this earthly life He invites us to enter into Heaven for a celebration of an eternal banquet. In this shortness of earthly life, we must undergo the ongoing conversion and repentance as we look forward for the eternal banquet with the communion of all Saints.

 

Let’s not disregard and be sluggish in taking every opportunity to respond wholeheartedly and faithfully to His invitation. All we need to do is to accept God’s invitation and wear our wedding robes – cloth ourselves with Christ, and we will definitely get into His Kingdom.

BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS, PRAY FOR US!

PERSEVERANCE IN SERVICE, CONSTANT IN PRAYER

The month of October is traditionally dedicated by Catholics as the month of the Rosary. Once again, we are invited to seek the intercession of Our Lady, as we face challenges together, especially with the rise in COVID-19 cases in our country.

On Tuesday, 6 October 2020, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, His Grace Most Reverend Julian Leow, suspended all Public Masses in Catholic Churches located within Kuala Lumpur and the State of Selangor, as a safety measure in order to prevent the risk of transmission of the virus. This temporary suspension will be reviewed before 20 October 2020, and as to whether it will be an extension of the suspension or a retraction, will all depend on the COVID-19 situation in our country, at that time.

 

As we see a record-high rise of new cases, we turn to Our Lady of the Rosary seeking her assistance and intercession to flatten the curve, and to fight against this virus. We desperately need her maternal care and strength. In troubled times like this, Mother Mary is our source of comfort and hope, in both good times and difficult times. She will assist our families and communities, especially during this current pandemic, as she offers hope and comfort to all who need her motherly care and protection.

Being a loving Mother, she responds to those who are sick and dying, bringing comfort and healing from her Son, Jesus Christ. She also offers us courage when we feel frightened during times of trial. When we continuously pray the Rosary, she reassures us that we are not alone and that we will never be alone in this fight against COVID-19. As our Spiritual Mother, she gives perseverance and determination, as she stands close to us, providing protection when we are at great risk.

 

When facing fear, anxiety and uncertainty, we should turn to Mother Mary with faith and hope. During these difficult times, we may sometimes lose patience, and panic easily, but Mother Mary inspires us to stay close to one another spiritually and emotionally, through prayer.

 

On the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (7 October 2020), at the end of his Wednesday audience at the Vatican, Pope Francis said that we should “rediscover the beauty of the prayer of the Rosary” in October. He invites us “to pray the Rosary, and to carry it in your hands or in your pockets” as we face the threat that is looming all over the world. 

 

It is a crucial month for us to say the Rosary with family, at least once before we end our day. Surely, Mother Mary will turn her merciful eyes towards us, amid this pandemic. Catholics should make a special request while praying the Rosary, for an end to this pandemic. Let’s be united in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity, as we seek Mary’s intercession and assistance during this pandemic, and grow “stronger in faith, persevering in service and constant in prayer.”