COMPASSION AND TENDER LOVE TOWARDS THE SICK

The Church observes World Day of the Sick (WDS) annually on 11 February, as it coincides with the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. WDS was established by Saint John Paul II in 1992. This year marks the 32nd WDS, and the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has chosen the theme of “It is not good that man should be alone” (cf. Genesis 2: 18). He emphasises the importance of human relationships and caring for the sick in the process of healing and comforting them.

The Holy Father highlights the significance of relationships and how loneliness can lead to suffering and isolation. He believes that we need to show compassion and tender love towards the sick and the dying. They should be at the centre of our human heart and the heart of the Church, making them our top priority. It is inhumane and painful to see terminally ill and sick people abandoned and ostracised by families and society. Therefore, they should be our pastoral concern, and we must treat them with care and respect.

Looking back at the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw that many people – perhaps even including our family members, friends and loved ones - had to face death alone. It was heartbreaking to know that patients were not allowed to have visitors, and healthcare workers like nurses, doctors and support personnel were overwhelmed with their workload in isolation wards. We also cannot ignore the devastating effects of social diseases and war, which often leave the vulnerable in tragic circumstances.

Many times, society tends to neglect and disregard elderly people and the sick, considering them as being of no value. This is not right, and we are responsible for treating them with dignity and respect as God’s creation. These people should not feel ashamed or consider themselves a burden to others. Instead, they should seek help and support from their families and neighbourhoods. We can promote a culture of compassion and tenderness that values every human life, regardless of age or health.

WDS is an annual event that seeks to raise awareness about the significance of providing care and support to individuals who are undergoing chronic or severe health issues. This day is dedicated to recognising the crucial role played by healthcare workers and caregivers in the lives of those who are sick. It is an opportunity to encourage acts of kindness and solidarity towards those who are terminally ill and suffering from various diseases. We are to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support to those who are facing health challenges.

Let us always show tenderness and compassion, and be in solidarity with the sick and dying in their journey towards healing. We continuously pray and make regular visits to patients, and provide them with support, love and care - including the caregivers, nurses and healthcare professionals. May the Blessed Virgin Mary - Health of the Sick - pray for them, and accompany us on our outreach to them.

(An abstract from the message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for the 32^nd World Day of the Sick)

ANTICIPATE A GREAT DAY WITH GREAT HOPE

Today, we welcome the Year of the Wood Dragon, which will end on 28 January 2025. According to a myth, in the fifth year of the Chinese zodiac, the Jade Emperor declared that the order of the animals would be determined by the order they arrived to attend his function. Everyone assumed that the Dragon, being the mightiest, would show up first. However, the Dragon arrived after the Rat, Ox, Tiger, and Rabbit.

The Dragon’s delay was due to his act of creating rain for a drought-stricken village. The Jade Emperor was impressed by the Dragon’s kindness and granted him the fifth position in the rankings. The Dragon is the most popular, powerful, noble, and mythical among the twelve animals.

Does a Dragon exist? Dragons have been mythical creatures, legends and fantasies for centuries. They are not real and have never existed. The Chinese Dragon is an imaginary creature that is said to have seven different animal features. It has the body of a snake, the horns of a deer, the head of a bull, the mouth of a crocodile, the nose of a pig, the claws of an eagle, and the scales of a fish.

In Western culture, dragons are typically portrayed as monsters, evil creatures that cause harm. There is a story about Saint George and the Dragon. Saint George is believed to have lived during the 300 AD. He was born in Cappadocia, which is modern-day Turkey. George was a soldier in the ancient Roman Empire. Once, he travelled to North Africa, to a town called Silene. He saw the townspeople were in grave danger. A dragon living in a nearby lake caused harm to the townspeople by poisoning them with a breath of hot air. The dragon demanded a sacrifice from them every day, and at first, they offered sheep, cows and other livestock. But when the animals ran out, the dragon demanded a human sacrifice, beginning with the men and women, adults, and eventually the king’s daughter.

One day, as the princess was about to be offered as a sacrifice, St George happened to be passing by on his horse. When he saw the princess and the king crying, he set out to fight the dragon and rescue the princess. St George speared the dragon with his lance and sliced off its head. The townspeople were grateful for his bravery and converted to Christianity, and St George built a church near the lake for them. Thus, the evil was defeated.

In ancient Eastern culture, the dragon was commonly regarded as a symbol of wisdom, excellence, power, and the ability to help people in numerous ways. Over time, the dragon became a symbol of divine and imperial power in Chinese history. It was prominently featured in temples, shrines, and depictions of the emperor and imperial family. This is why the dragon is associated with both divine power and spiritual force.

In the Christian Bible, the Book of Revelation, specifically Chapters 12 and 13, speaks about the Beasts or the image of Dragons having seven heads and ten horns. These beasts promise to bring life and prosperity, but ultimately, they bring death, misery, and devastation to the earth. However, at the end of the Book of Revelation, Jesus emerges as the ultimate Victor. If we choose to stand with Him, we will also triumph over evil.

No matter how we look at it, this Year of the Dragon symbolises both divine power and spiritual force; we hope and pray that we can overcome the negative, dark and evil forces within ourselves..

As the Gospel’s reading says, “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself, and each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mt 6: 34). We need not worry because the time of our redemption and ultimate victory is truly at hand. Let us always rejoice in the Lord! Looking forward to Jesus’ return, as the signs become more imminent, let us not lose hope. Instead, let us look up and anticipate that great day with great hope and rejoice in the Lord always!

May the Lord and His blessings guide us into the Year of the Dragon, bestowing prosperity and good fortune on everyone at home.

GONG XI FA CAI!

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL CARE

In our society, there are countless individuals who are terminally ill, suffering from various illnesses, and even dying. Unfortunately, many of these people are living alone without a primary caregiver to provide them with the care and support they need. This is a growing challenge faced by families and communities who must find ways to support these individuals, especially those who are facing psychological distress. It is important that we recognise and address the uncomfortable emotions experienced by them, and provide them with the attention and care they need in their final days.

In the month of February, Pope Francis has called upon the Catholic Church to pray for the intentions of terminally ill individuals and their families, in conjunction with the World Day of the Sick on 11 February, which is observed as a memorial to Our Lady of Lourdes. We need to be united with the terminally ill and pray for them. Our focus this month is to pray for those with terminal illnesses and their families, that they receive the necessary physical and spiritual care and accompaniment.

The Holy Father has explained that when we discuss terminal illnesses, we often get confused between two words – “incurable” and “un-carable”. These two terms do not mean the same thing. Even if there is a slim chance of a cure, every sick person has the right to medical assistance, psychological treatment, and spiritual nourishment, as well as human support. These things are essential for them to experience comfort and consolation. The Holy Father encourages Christians to adopt Jesus’ compassionate gaze and promote a culture of tenderness and compassion, instead of “individualism, indifference, and discarding.”

We have personally encountered those who are in the state of a coma or have a terminal illness that cannot be cured. While some illnesses may not be curable, our caring attitude can bring about a positive outcome and provide comfort and relief to the patient. Thus, caring is the best way to bring cure to the patients.

Pope Francis highlights the importance of providing essential care to patients and encourages us to provide not only medical attention but also human assistance and guarantee our closeness to the patients. As immediate family members and members of the community, we should not leave them alone in their struggles or difficult moments. Instead, we should play our part in showing our humanity, by providing appropriate physical, spiritual and social support. 

We can also commit ourselves to praying for those who require our spiritual assistance and spend time sitting with them. This way, the terminally ill and their families will always receive necessary medical and human care and assistance. St John Paul II said, “Cure if it is possible, always take care.”

Cheer up. God is with you. Even though you may be going through a difficult time, be assured that He is very close to you. Trust in God. If God has allowed you to undergo this suffering, it is because He has a good plan for you – a plan that you may not understand yet. Your peace of mind comes from having faith in God, who will never let you down.

PEACE AND HARMONY THROUGH DIVERSITY

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) has been observed since 1908, with a focus on praying for the unity of the Church. The WPCU is traditionally celebrated from 18 January, starting with the Feast of St. Peter’s Chair, and concluding on 25 January with the Feast of St. Paul's Conversion. This year, The Universal Church has chosen the theme: “You shall love the Lord Your God… and Your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10: 27). 

On Thursday, 25 January 2024, at 7.30 pm, the Church of St. Thomas in Kuantan held a liturgical service to end the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Around 30 members from neighbouring churches in Kuantan City - including five Pastors - and approximately 60 of our Parishioners, gathered together to celebrate unity, followed by a fellowship.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity aims to unite all of us, realising our one mission of Christ in a unique way, despite the diversity of gifts. As Christians, we have the common mission to spread the Good News and be missionaries wherever we are. Our daily interactions with family, co-workers, customers and friends should reflect God’s glory and love. Pope Francis views the diversity present in the Church as a gift which creates a harmonious “symphony” of voices or sounds towards a common goal of peace and harmony. 

Some time ago, I watched an interview on TV with a famous singer - P. Suseela, from India’s Kollywood Film industry - and she talked about her experience of recording songs. In the old days, she had to sing in front of an entire orchestra with many musicians. If anyone made a mistake, they had to redo the entire recording. However, with advanced technology of gadgets and instruments, they can now make corrections immediately and edit the track. She gave an example - when two people sing a duet, they don’t need to be physically present together. They can record their parts at different times and then blend them together to make a song.

If you have ever been to a live orchestra performance, you would know how exciting it is to listen to musicians play different parts of the same instrument, coming together to create an incredible harmony that makes the music truly exceptional. However, it is not easy for everyone to play their own music and instrument simultaneously, and create a perfect musical harmony. In fact, an orchestra requires a conductor to ensure synchronisation; that everyone plays on time, and stays in tune. A conductor’s skill brings unity and uniqueness to the orchestra. 

God values the act of bringing His people together to worship Him. While unity is important, diversity is also highly valued, as we are all united in Christ. As a body has many parts but still functions as one, so it is with Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). The WPCU allows us to come together as Christians, and experience the Lord’s presence in various ways. Let us strive for greater unity and heal the divisions in our churches - becoming one orchestra, creating peace and harmony in our churches.

SYNODAL CHURCH IN MISSION

Every year in January, the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur gathers for the Clergy Annual Pastoral Assembly (CAPA). This year, the assembly was held at Glory Beach Resort in Port Dickson, from Sunday evening, 14 January until Thursday afternoon, 18 January 2024. Approximately 60 Bishops and Priests attended the four-day event, and we gathered to review and study the outcome of SYNOD 2023 as well as explore the latest issues and documents. We discussed, shared, and presented several topics in our CAPA. 

During the meeting, Rev Fr Simon Labrooy reviewed the CAPA Report of 2023, which analysed past years’ challenges and satisfaction. Rev Fr Clarence Dass conducted two sessions - on the outcome of Synod on Synodality 2023, and the preparations for the Synod in October 2024. He was one of the delegates from Malaysia who attended the Synod 2023 in Vatican City. In his first session, he shared his experience as a participant and member of the drafting committee. In the second session, he presented the need for us to be prepared for the Synod in October 2024 at the Malaysian Church Conference level. Furthermore, he explained how the Church could become a Synodal Church in Mission, by fulfilling the missionary commitments while maintaining unity and diversity.

Archbishop Julian Leow and Rev Fr Philip Tay invited us to revisit and study the two recent declarations/documents, namely the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings (Fiducia Supplicans dated 18 December 2023) and the Participation of Transgender and Homosexual Persons in the Sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony (Dicasterium Pro Doctrina Fidei dated on 31 October 2023). Through this exercise, we gained a better understanding of questions related to the blessing of same-sex unions, the synodality of the Church’s mission, the importance of repentance, and other issues that were highlighted during Synod 2023. The inputs, insights and sharing from the study helped to clarify our doubts, enabling us to comprehend better the declarations and issues that had previously caused confusion.

During a forum, we had an open conversation with Archbishop Julian Leow who has been our shepherd for almost ten years in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. As priests, we are satisfied with how he governs the Archdiocese, and we expressed our willingness to work with him, adopting an attitude of co-responsibility in building the Church and its people, and carrying out the thrust of the Archdiocese. All the priests confirmed our support for him and our commitment to working together towards the mission of the Church.

Apart from this, we also came together in prayer, silent adoration, and Eucharistic celebrations to reflect on the issues facing us, so that we may serve the Church with clarity, charity, and greater responsibility. We have been entrusted with serving the Church’s mission through our priestly ministry, and this year’s CAPA has enlightened our minds to serve the Church and its mission to the best of our abilities. Our gathering has been productive and enriching, fostering prayer and strengthening relationships and priestly ministry.