DISCERNING GOD’S WILL

Photo: 2019

On Friday, 11 June 2021, the Church celebrated World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to remind all priests to model themselves after the heart of Jesus. Priests have dedicated themselves to this sacred calling and devoted themselves in serving God and His people. As they take part in their various ministries, each priest should take the example of the Sacred Heart of Jesus within their own hearts, to be filled with love, tenderness, mercy, compassion and forgiveness. On this day, the Church prays for our Priests to live a life of holiness, and to be role models to our young generation, in responding to the Call of God.

I was reading about the vocation story of our Holy Father Pope Francis, recently. As a young boy, Jorge Mario Bergoglio promised his mother, Regina, that he would become a doctor – “a doctor for souls.” His mother was so proud that her eldest son, who was 19 years old then, would be a great doctor in the future. Since her house was a little crowded and noisy, she prepared a little room just for Jorge to spend time studying. Jorge told his mom that he would take care of cleaning his little room and there was no need for her to trouble herself to do it.

One day, knowing Jorge was too occupied with his studies, she decided to clean her son’s room. She discovered there were plenty of books on theology and philosophy instead of medical books. She was furious and she waited for her son to come back home. Once Jorge arrived, she asked “You told me you were studying medicine and why did you lie to me?” Jorge replied that he was studying medicine – for souls. It is interesting to see how God worked mysteriously in Jorge’s life, and now he is the Pope - the “doctor for souls” of the Universal Church. 

Many parents have their own dreams for their children and they never fail in motivating, encouraging and giving hope to achieve these goals and ambitions. In this present world, I really don’t know how many parents encourage their children towards Priestly or Religious life. Our Parish of St Joseph, Sentul, has produced 13 priests and 2 nuns thus far, but it has been more than 10 years since new vocations have emerged among our young people.

When I expressed my desire of wanting to be a priest, my parents strongly objected. I really struggled and found it hard to discern God’s will. If you were to ask any of our Priests or Religious, you would discover how they too struggled with their own personal vocation.

Our young people may find it very challenging to discern God’s will. Here is a little prayer to assist you in your discernment. It was composed by Fr Francis Xavier Lasance, and it can be found in his book entitled “My Prayer Book, Happiness In God,” originally published in 1908.

“Loving God, whenever it may become my duty to make a choice, be my light and my counsel, and mercifully make the way known to me wherein I should walk. Preserve me from listening to the suggestions of my own selfish desires, or worldly prudence, giving preference to your inspirations. Let your good spirit lead me into the right way, and let your providence place me, not where I may naturally feel inclined to go, but where all things may be most conducive to your glory and to the good of my soul. Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, Seat of Wisdom, Help of Christians, pray for me.”

THE EUCHARIST – LIVING, TRUE AND REAL

Every day throughout the world, the Eucharist is celebrated in different languages by various people and nationalities, with the same Scripture readings and prayers. The Catholic Church has been commemorating the Eucharist with great honour on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi or the Body and Blood of Christ, since the 13th century. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) explained that, by consecration, the whole substance of the bread and wine changes into the Body and Blood of Jesus - the True and Real Presence of Jesus. This change is called Transubstantiation (cf. CCC 1736).

 

At every celebration of the Eucharist, we commemorate the event of the Last Supper in the Upper Room, where Jesus celebrated the Eucharist with His disciples. On that day, both the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Priesthood were born - “There can no Eucharist without the Priesthood, just as there can be no Priesthood without the Eucharist” (Pope Saint John Paul II, 2004). We are really grateful to Jesus Christ for the birth of these two Sacraments in the Church. They are gifts and mysteries of the Church. Till today, the Catholic Church marks Holy Thursday in remembrance of the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Priesthood, as her greatest treasures.

 

We have heard and encountered many extraordinary Eucharistic miracle stories in our lives. When I went on pilgrimage to Eastern Europe in 2004 with a group of 40 people, we had an opportunity to stop over at a small village called Ludbreg in Croatia. It happened to be on the day of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. We were fortunate to join the community in adoration, and at the end of the adoration, we were able take a closer look at the reliquary which contained the relic of the Blood of Jesus.

 

I later discovered that this relic was a miraculous transformation of wine into the Blood of Jesus Christ. It happened over 600 years ago, when a priest was celebrating the Eucharist, and he was consumed with doubt over the transubstantiation. However, when he lifted the chalice, the wine had turned into blood. The priest kept the chalice containing the Blood of Jesus at the Church of Holy Trinity in Ludbreg, for safekeeping. To this day, the Parish continues to expose the relic of the Blood of Jesus at the main sanctuary of the Church, for public adoration. The Universal Church is still studying and investigating the facts connected to this Eucharistic miracle.

In this time of Public Mass suspension, I continue to celebrate Mass in private. Sometimes though, as I celebrate Mass alone, I feel a sense of emptiness and despair, and I find myself going through the motions out of obligation. I sometimes find that my heart lacks preparation, prayerfulness and reflection, and I yearn to celebrate Mass with my Parishioners. Mass is not a private devotion – it is a communal gathering of faith! I am sure that many of you are experiencing this same feeling, as you participate in Mass virtually, but I hope that we can all persevere through this time of trial, together.

As Catholics, we truly and fundamentally believe in the Eucharist - the Living, True and Real Presence of Jesus - and we live by faith in the Eucharist, which fills us with strength, and nourishes our mind and body, spirit and soul.

DO NOT GET WEARY IN PRAYER

We have completed two major seasons in our Church’s Liturgical Calendar this year – the seasons of Lent and Easter - which ended with the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday on 23 May 2021. We now continue with weeks in Ordinary Time (8th Week) once again, starting with two brand new celebrations in the Church’s liturgy - the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church (Monday after Pentecost Day) and the feast of Our Lord Jesus, the Eternal High Priest (Thursday after Pentecost). This season of Ordinary Time will stretch till the 34th Week in Ordinary Time (27 November) before we start the seasons of Advent and Christmastide. The Lectionary for the Holy Eucharistic celebration will continue with Weekday Lectionary 2021 for the Cycle Year One and Sunday Lectionary readings for the Cycle Year B.

Over the next few weeks, we will celebrate several great feasts and solemnities - The Most Holy Trinity (Sunday, 30 May), the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Monday, 31 May) with the closing of the month of the Rosary, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi (Sunday, 6 June), the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Friday, 11 June) and the Solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist (Thursday, 24 June).

 

Throughout the month of May, we have been faithfully praying the Rosary. Pope Francis invited Catholics throughout the world to dedicate this Rosary month praying for an end to the pandemic. Many of our Parishioners have joined various online platforms praying the Rosary virtually. We have been facing this COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year now, and we should continue to pray for the frontliners, for patients who are affected with the virus, as well as for our own protection against this deadly virus. We should not get weary in prayer, and do not forget to pray for them and as well as for ourselves (cf. Col 4: 2-3).

 

We will be entering into the month of June in a few days. The Holy Father’s intention is to focus on the Beauty of Marriage - inviting us to pray for all young couples who are preparing for their Sacrament of Marriage. Since the pandemic started, the Catholic Marriage Preparation Course (CMPC) has been conducted online. Many of our CMPC presenters and participants find it difficult to fully engage during online lessons, however these virtual classes will have to continue for an indefinite period of time.

 

Presently, we hear of, and see more and more young married couples getting divorced or going separate ways when problems crop up in their marriage. They give up easily instead, rather than to fight for or work on their marriage. Every marriage has its ups and downs, and couples must remember to decide every day to love one another, and include God in everything they do. During the month of June, let’s keep on praying for the Holy Father’s intention, especially for our young married couples - to live a decidedly happy married life, and “grow in love, generosity, faithfulness and patience.”

 

In this time of trial, let us continue to strive in prayer life and constantly set our eyes on nothing except Jesus Our Lord, the Eternal High Priest. May the Holy Spirit continue to strengthen and deepen our faith. “Therefore, take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm,” (Eph 6:31).

COME HOLY SPIRIT, WE NEED YOU

Within just one month, the number of Covid-19 cases in our country has multiplied rapidly, reaching all-time highs and pushing up the death toll. Everyone is worried, especially with the emergence of two new highly mutating Coronavirus strains. These emerging variants are more transmittable and increase the spread of this deadly virus. In light of this, we must all remain vigilant and responsible to fight this deadly virus. 

Pentecost marks 50 days after Easter, when Christians celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. However, due to the pandemic and the MCO, we have not been able to celebrate in-person the Feast of Pentecost these past couple of years. Although our journey from Easter Sunday to Pentecost has been somewhat dampened and saddened by the suspension of in-person Masses in our Churches, let us take courage and heart in acknowledging the promise of the Holy Spirit “and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever,” (John 14:16)

Recently, when I was at the Vaccination Centre, I observed that people who arrived for either their first or second vaccination doses, appeared anxious, fearful and perhaps a little apprehensive, as they entered the Centre. However, once they were vaccinated, I noticed that they appeared relieved, cheerful and even gallant, as they walked away like they had been given a new lease on life; as though the Spirit had come as a life-giving essence to refresh and renew their weary hearts.

On this Pentecost Day, the Spirit of God has come to us as a life-giving breath to refresh our hearts once again to go forth proclaiming the Good News, and to carry out the mission of the Church in the world - boldly and enthusiastically. Even if we experience hardship, anxiety, and fear, we need to keep our faith alive and cheerful during this new-normal of way of life. The Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to carry out the great commission, “to go out and preach to all nations, (Luke 24:46-49). We pray that the Holy Spirit empowers us for the mission that Jesus has assigned us “to be His witness … to the ends of the earth,” (Acts 1:8).

Let’s spend some time praying and reflecting on the Pentecost Day readings from the Sunday Missal and from the Bible, especially on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord - Isaiah 11: 1-2 or CCC no.1831) and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-Control and Chastity - Galatians 5:22-23 or CCC no. 1832).

Together with our family, we say:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.

R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

 

Let us pray, O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant us in the same Spirit, to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preparing For Pentecost

7th Sunday of Easter (Homily) 

On Thursday, 13 May 2021, We have celebrated the Solemnity of Ascension of the Lord and now looking forward for the celebration of the Pentecost. In the midst of these two great solemnities, we are invited to focus on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He instructed His Apostles to return to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1: 4-5). The Apostles makes the first Novena to get prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 

We have come to the last week of Easter season. During this week the Lord invites us to enter into a deep prayer praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit once again on Pentecost day. After the feast of Ascension, some of us have started nine days Novena to the Holy Spirit. For those who have not yet begun, you are not too late, but you can always start soonest.

 

As we pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit, we wait together for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit so that we may begin a real and afresh life. Today’s Gospel speaks about priestly prayer - “Father, the hour has come: Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1-2). Jesus prayed this priestly prayer to the heavenly Father for guidance and strength. He asked the Father for a courage to persevere in his suffering that is about to be placed on Him. He gained the strength from Heavenly Father when He prayed this priestly prayer to fulfil the will of the Father. Jesus shows that through prayer there is victory.

 

Every one of us must put efforts in our prayer life. In pray that the Lord gives us courage, strength and perseverance to strive in all our hard work and to accomplish certain tasks. We may find ourselves unable to finish the given task by our own power but in God everything is possible. When things get tough, the tough gets going. Jesus will bring victory for us in all things that we do.

 

Let’s continue to spend extra hours in prayer this coming week as we are preparing for Pentecost Day to experience the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We were given the Holy Spirit in our baptism, it is this Holy Spirit that empowers us once again to go forth in our ministries. We also pray that we will avoid transmitting this deadly virus. We have been battled with this deadly virus past one year. We pray that our Lord Jesus will help us overcome our fears, increase our confidence, and may the Holy Spirit be our guide, our light, our strength and our hope during this COVID-19 pandemic.