CARE WITH FRATERNAL LOVE

5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)

 

Most of us have trouble or difficulty to sleep at night which could be due to stress, illness, mind disturbance, etc. A sleep disorder frequently affect our ability to have a good and quality sleep. I would even say that to have a regular good quality sleep is a gift (from God) because I have encountered many elderly, sick and the dying who suffers from sleep deprivation contributed from the bodily pain and aches.

The first reading from book of Job (Job 7: 1-4, 6-7) speaks, “Lying in bed I wonder, when will it be day? … how slowly day/evening comes!”  Perhaps you and I can identify most with Job’s complaint about “nights of grief.” We can identify ourselves with that tossing and turning, lying awake, feeling frustrated and anxious without falling into deep sleep, but constantly disturbed by the effects of illness and pain.

In the gospel (MK 1: 29-39), Jesus is concerned with the illness of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. Simon Peter told Jesus about her fever, and Jesus straightaway approached her and helped her up from her sickness.  The Gospel went on saying that the whole town of Capernaum came to the door of Peter's home, and Jesus healed them all “were suffering from diseases of one kind or another… cast our many devils…” Here, we see Jesus’s humility and compassion in healing the broken-hearted who are standing outside Simon’s door.

 

On 11 February, the Church will celebrate the 29^th World Day of the Sick coinciding with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Holy Father, Pope Francis invites us to pay a special consideration “to the sick and those who provide them with assistance and care both in healthcare institutions and within families and communities.” On this last day, the week of World Interfaith Harmony Week (1-7 February 2021), Jesus too, expects us not to remain in our inner circle but to carry out with the mission of the Church to bring hope and healing to our all neighbours. This includes the elderly, sick, dying, without prejudice of any race or religion, as we work towards fulfilling our desire for peace, an environment of compassion and harmony. 

 

We need to become that instrument of healing for our neighbours and society, at large. Let us remember them and our need for strength and for the healing power in mind and body, and spirit and sou

KEEP OUR FAITH ALIVE AND ACTIVE

We started the month of February with an extension of the Movement Control Order (“MCO”) till 18 February 2021 and this will coincide and affect two important celebrations this month, Chinese New Year (CNY) which falls on Friday, 12 February, marking the Lunar Year of the Ox and Ash Wednesday, which falls on 17 February.

Last year CNY was celebrated on a rather grand scale, with elaborate decorations, reunions and gatherings with family and friends, extravagant fire fireworks, and angpaus for the young ones. This year however, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to settle for an unprecedented low-key celebration. Many will not be able to return home to celebrate with parents and other family members as travel restrictions including interstate travel, have been imposed.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. Due to the extension of the MCO, we will not have Masses nor the imposition of the blessed ash at Church. However, Parishioners of St Joseph’s will receive the blessed ash through your respective BEC leaders. Further information on this will be given next week. Despite having no Mass during this time, I would like to strongly encourage Parishioners to observe the fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday, at home with the family.

Many of us still remember this time last year, soon after the observation of Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday of Lent 2020, Churches in the KL Archdiocese suspended Masses due to the pandemic. A year later, COVID-19 still continues to disrupt our lives - physically, emotionally, economically and spiritually. Online platforms have become a new normal for meetings, gatherings and prayer sessions - especially during celebrations, and many of us have adapted to and accepted this reality.

As a community, we have been very patient and cautious as we avoid taking chances or risks in order to keep safe from this deadly virus. I am grateful to the ministries in our Parish for coordinating formations, events and activities online – keeping the faith alive and active, and keeping us connected to the Church. The Parish Integral of Human Development Ministry (PIHDM) continues to give the necessary and needful assistance to the underprivileged within our community and support to those who require physical and spiritual assistance.

Over the past year, many weddings and infant baptisms as well as Confirmation and the First Holy Communion Sacraments have been postponed. I hope that once the MCO is lifted we can start planning the resumption of these celebrations once again. However, until then, I am unable to make any promises or confirm any dates for these Sacraments. 

In the meantime, I would like to wish all our Parishioners celebrating Chinese New Year a blessed and prosperous Year of the Ox. Let us all pray for peace, solidarity and harmony in our nation, and let us always live our lives as testimony to the love and peace of Christ. “A blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you," (Deuteronomy 23:5).

GROW AND GLOW IN THE VIRTUES

e-Pilgrimage - Thanksgiving Mass (Homily)

We began the e-Pilgrimage via live streaming on 23^rd January 2021 from the Church of St. Joseph, Sentul, KL. We took a nine-day journey with the Evening Prayer (Vespers), Novena and Litany to St. Joseph in front of the Blessed Sacrament and followed Benediction. Today, we end with a Thanksgiving Mass in honour of St. Joseph. 

In the old days, 23^rd January was known as a liturgical celebration of Holy spouses of Mary and Joseph or the betrothal of Mary and Joseph since 1400. Officially, in 1989, permission was granted to celebrate 23^rd, with liturgical rank as a Feast Day. I only realised the Oblates of St Joseph celebrate the Feast of Holy Spouse, after we have started the e-Pilgrimage.  This is no doubt, how appropriate that we started on our e-pilgrimage, together. It is really good information to all of us.

Before I came to this Parish, I only pray to St. Joseph twice in a year - the first is on the Solemnity to St. Joseph, the husband of Mary (19^th March) and the second is on the feast of St. Joseph, the Worker (1^st May). I only know very little of St. Joseph. Since I was posted to this parish, I started to study his works and character, and eventually started admiring him to the point that I invoke his intercessions, quite very often. I have placed St. Joseph, in a special place in my heart and devoted to him. When the Holy Father, Pope Francis has declared the Year of Plenary for the Year of St Joseph this year, I was quite excited to find out.

I am sure, after a-9-day of e-Pilgrimage and novena to the amazing generous St. Joseph in this month of January, I hope you too, will place him in a special place in your heart and your home. I believe you too gradually will have a devotion for him. I also believe that the time has arrived for you and I, to consecrate ourselves to him. Consecrating to him means to “acknowledge him as our spiritual father” and “acquire his virtues” in our lives.

The Holy Father, on this Year of Plenary Indulgence through St Joseph, has highlighted 7 virtues in his Apostolic Letter with the theme entitled - “With A Father’s Heart (Patris Corde). 

-       A beloved father

-       A tender and loving father

-       An obedient father

-       An accepting father

-       A courageous father

-       A working father

-       A father in the shadows.

These virtues do not only apply to ALL fathers but for everyone to reflect, in our own lives.  In the first place we need to get to know St. Joseph and hopefully to “fall in love” with him and his works, and finally to practice the work of indulgences that speaks out to our hearts. On this year of Plenary Indulgence, we can obtain the indulgence, by being free from “all attachment to sin”. We also need to engage in the works of mercy so that we will be free from temporal punishment due for sin, (Code of Canon Law, no. 992).

In this, it is an opportunity to all of us to bring our faith to greater heights, as we walk in the footsteps of St. Joseph in our lives, as our spiritual father, once we consecrate ourselves to him.  Let us grow in his virtues and constantly invoke his intercession as we bring Jesus to one another.

Today, our Church celebrates the Catechetical Sunday. For parents and teachers, it is an opportunity to reflect on our dedication and on our responsibilities to share the faith knowledge and teaching of the Church with our children. It has come to almost a year of teaching online. I must say that it is very much different method of teaching compare to our physical class attendance and I believe that most of us have learned to adjust and adapt with this digital technology as today’s way of teaching and educating. 

Today’s responsorial psalms echoes, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Teachers and parents, let’s not harden our hearts but listen to His voice and to be more responsible sowers and planters of seed of faith in the hearts of our catechism children.

In the meanwhile, for most of you who had experienced the e-pilgrimage to this Pilgrim Centre - Church of St. Joseph, do come and see this church in person and partake in a Thanksgiving Mass to this remarkable Saint, once lock downs are lifted.  

St. Joseph, Patron of the Catholic Church, pray for us!

OUR WORK OF NEW EVANGELISATION

Since Saturday (23 January 2021) St. Joseph’s Church, Sentul started a nine-day e-Pilgrimage with the Liturgy of the Hour - Evening Prayer (Vespers), Novena to St. Joseph, Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament via a YouTube link, available through the Church’s website.

On Sunday, 31 January 2021 the e-Pilgrimage will conclude with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Church. I would like to personally thank Shaun Paiva, Augustine Gerad, Dhivien Raj and Leonard Paiva for their time and assistance in broadcasting this e-Pilgrimage for the Year of St. Joseph, as part of our Parish’s January programme.

 

We will continue with more e-Pilgrimages as well as other spiritual events for February and March 2021, as a part of our preparation for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary on 19 March 2021. The 33-day preparation will be a spiritual journey for us all, and it will commence on 15 February 2021. There will be online activities and Parishioners can sign-up to join, via email. Through this spiritual programme of preparation and consecration to St. Joseph, we will discover more about him - his virtues and his paternal love for us, as our spiritual father.

 

For most of us, meeting in-person has been a near impossibility as the current pandemic has kept all of us from attending gatherings and activities in the Church and elsewhere. Once the authorities relax the MCO and CMCO, then we may possibly be able to invite Parishioners and the faithful to come and pay homage to St. Joseph at our Parish in Sentul, as our Parish has been dedicated a Pilgrim Centre.

However, till then, we will be busy and occupied with setting up the “House of St Joseph and Carpentry Workshop” in our Church’s courtyard, with assistance from the youth of the Church of Jesus Caritas, Kepong (Norman Bismer, Lorette Sylvia, Michelle Ann, Kamini Diana, Shaun Jerad). I was impressed with the Christmas Crib they built in their Parish last year, and that is why I invited them to build a house for St Joseph in our exhibition centre. We are also in the midst of setting up and collecting information for “St. Joseph’s Exhibition Centre” and while waiting for the Church to re-open its doors to Parishioners, we will continue to give our service and virtually display some of the exhibits, online.

St. Joseph has been accompanying our journey of faith since 1908. We have come to understand him in many ways and now, the time has come for us to consecrate ourselves to him and to know his wonders, as our Patron and spiritual father, especially during this year of St. Joseph. We will continue to keep our special devotion and attention to him throughout the year.

Parishioners of St. Joseph have been journeying with the vision: “Strengthening Our Faith Community” from 2015-2017. After strengthening faith of our families and community, we took ourselves to another level, with the vision: “Committing Ourselves to New Evangelisation” from 2018-2020. 

 

This year we bring our spiritual life and our parish to greater heights, as we take a year-long journey in line with the 150th Anniversary of St. Joseph, Patron of the Catholic Church and the Year of Plenary Indulgence, as focused on by our Holy Father, Pope Francis. 

 

Therefore, our Parish Vision and Mission for the 2021: 

CONSECRATING OURSELVES TO ST. JOSEPH IN THE WORK OF NEW EVANGELISATION.

 

St. Joseph, Patron of the Catholic Church, pray for us!

INTERCEDE AND GUARD US, WE PRAY

We are already three weeks into 2021, and yet our usual momentum and routine aren’t quite back to normal. Some of us may have expected the beginning of 2021 to be a fresh and spirit-filled start, but unfortunately it looks like there is going to be trying times ahead still, - at least for the first half of the year. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be continuously bringing trials and hardships in our lives – physical, emotional, financial and even spiritual.

Currently, the wave of infections has rocketed nationwide, with an alarming 4-digit figures being reported daily! The Movement Control Order (MCO) has been implemented in every state in our country. We empathise with all the front-liners and their families, as they risk their lives to help those in need. The Minister of Health (MOH) is working hard to flatten the curve, and we know that all of them are very exhausted!

Despite all the efforts, the deadly virus is just spreading within our communities, and many are doubtful that the vaccine will be a solution to this global crisis. Almost everyone we know, seems to be putting their hands together, praying for God’s intervention to save the world from this pandemic. I always seek the intercession of my most favourite saints - Beloved Mother Mary and her most chaste spouse, St Joseph, to intercede and guard all of us and our families from this deadly infection.

The Holy Father, Pope Francis has declared Year 2021 as the Year of St Joseph - a celebration of the Patron Saint of the Universal Church. The world right now, is in dire need of his intercessions during this global crisis. When our Parish of St Joseph, Sentul was officially declared a Pilgrim Centre for this year, I drew up some plans for a few events for the next three months. However, looking at the current spike in the numbers of COVID-19 cases, I have a strong feeling that over the next 3 - 6 months we will still not be able to be physically present in Church for Masses and / or other activities. It would be highly unlikely that everything will be back to normal soon, and as such we need to deal with this reality as best we can.

After contemplating and reflecting on the current situation, I have now instead, plans for some spiritual exercises via live broadcast. Here they are:

a)    As a closing of the month of January 2021, we will pray the Evening Prayer (Vespers) and Litany to St Joseph for 30 minutes each day starting from 23 - 31 January 2021. We will conclude it with a Thanksgiving Mass on 31 January 2021 at 5pm.

b)   In February, we will be entering into the season of Lent starting with Ash Wednesday on 17 February 2021. We will broadcast live another spiritual exercise, commencing on the 1^st Sunday of Lent (21 February 2021).

c)  An online session on the Acts of Consecration to St Joseph for 33 days, which will commence on 15 February and end on the Solemnity of St Joseph, the Husband of Mary on 19 March 2021. I hope these 33-days of preparation will bring the spirituality of St Joseph into your lives.

d)   Before we begin Holy Week, we will have another session on the Virtues of St Joseph and his spirituality, reflecting mainly on the Apostolic Letter of the Holy Father, Pope Francis on “Patris Corde”(With the Father’s Heart).

As we journey in this Year of St Joseph, I hope and pray that the live broadcasts over the next three months gives you more insight and blessings upon you and your family.

St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church - pray for us and for an end to this pandemic.