The Tree of Life

Trees tell us a lot about life. Today as I walked along the Lam Tsuen River in Tai Po, I started to observe the trees that line the path, and couldn't help but relate that the trees somehow represent family life. 

The huge trees that have big torturous roots that spread out far and wide reminds me of families who have or had a patriarch who took ground, grew their businesses and diversified widely. As I look up the tree, there were many strong branches, which in turn have branches of their own. Yes, children of the patriarch with families of their own. 

As I look towards the roots, I saw that there are many smaller, thinner trunks starting from the ground, clinging on to the big tree, some grow as tall as to reach the sibling branch, but somehow stopped there. They are the people who benefit from the business of the patriarch and they cling tight, winding round the big tree and enjoying the nutrients that the big tree gets from its strong, spread-out roots. Some of these thinner trunks even have branches of their own, clinging on to them. These are all 'opportunists'.

But why can't they reach the sibling branch of the big tree? Perhaps the children have their own ideas on how to grow the business. They don't need the 'sycophants' near them. A number of the sibling branches even grow several trunk-like branches that move down on its own right to the ground to join the main tree and its roots and from there sprout roots of its own.          

Some trees have several huge branches, so much so that it seems the weight of these branches and sub-branches made them bend to one side. Oh! The heavy responsibilities of bringing up a family!

I then think of my own tree. Well, my tree may not be a big tree as to attract other winding trunks, but it has deep roots, and standing tall to reach the sunlight each day. The branches over the years have grown from two to four branches and recently, a small sub-branch budding out from one of the branches! 

Do you know trees energise us? Great poets and writers have always produced their best work just sitting or wandering in woods, soaking in, and be inspired by the goodness of nature. Yes, nature is a great teacher, if we have the time to see, observe and appreciate....and every tree has a story to tell.    

                                          Learn character from trees,
                                          values from roots, and
                                          change from leaves.
                                                           -Tasneem Hameed-
   

Several smaller trunks clinging to the main tree

The smaller trunk could only reach up to
part where the tree branches out. 

.   

Roots spreading far and wide

This tree seems to bend with the
weight of its many big branches

Some of the sibling branches have
grown trunk-like roots that grow
right down to the ground to join
the roots of the main tree

Lenten journal 46

27 March 2016 

Easter Sunday

Alleluia! The Lord has Risen! 

The Gospel tells us how Mary Magdala discovered the empty tomb and how the disciples ran to see what had happened thinking that the Roman soldiers had removed Jesus' body! For the next forty days until his Ascension to Heaven, Jesus appeared to his disciples, breaking bread with them; showed doubting Thomas his pierced hands and the wound on his side; walked with the two disciples on their way to Emmaus and how they felt their "hearts burn within" them as Jesus explained the scriptures to them....only then did it dawned on the disciples the teachings that their great Master had repeatedly told them: that the Son of Man will suffer, die and rise again on the third day! Yes, He has risen and this is a cause of great joy and celebrations for us; because today is the Day the Lord has made! This is the Day of Life! Everyone will experience mercy by His rising. This is the mind and vision of God which no one can destroy!    

How then do we respond to this great news? St Paul taught us in his letter to the Colossians (3) on the practical application of how we should live.

  

Set your hearts and minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.    

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. These are sins which provoke God's wrath. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and foul language. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, one who grows in knowledge as he is formed anew in the image of his Creator.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And above all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

The Gospel also tells us that each time Jesus appeared to his disciples, his greetings to them is always "Peace be with you." That is what our Lord wants to give us each day...peace; his Divine peace in our daily lives, in our families, in our relationship with our friends and colleagues, in the people we meet. A simple, yet very profound blessing indeed!

                               Do not abandon yourselves to despair.  

                               We are the Easter people and Hallelujah 

                               is our song!

                                                  - St Pope John Paul II-

  

Lenten Journal 45

26 March 2016 (Holy Saturday)

Holy Saturday, according to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is the day of the silence of God, of his apparent absence, of God's death...but it is also the day on which the Resurrection is proclaimed! Yes, at the Easter Vigil Mass!

Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil Mass is one of the most beautiful and meaningful celebrations of the Catholic Church. It holds many fond memories for me too, as James my husband was baptised in 1992, Daniel, my son-in-law in  2005 and Kylee, my daughter-in law in 2014, each after a year of RCIA journey with their sponsors and catechists, where they learn more about the Catholic faith. 

The Easter Vigil Mass starts with the lighting of the Paschal candle which then lit up the candles of the congregation until the whole Church is brightly lit up...so apt with the first liturgical reading of the Book of Genesis where God says "Let there be light" in His act of creation of the world.

The psalms sung by each Psalmist tell of God's glory and our souls' yearning for Him and to share in His goodness. So beautiful and meaningful! The Gospel readings tells us of the empty tomb, the resurrection, that Christ has indeed risen from the dead, as he has repeatedly told his disciples during his time with them.  

The Liturgy of Baptism follows and I will always remember the hymn sung in 1992 when James and the his fellow catechumens and sponsors line up to go to the Baptismal font: 

                          "Come to the water, You who are thirsty,
                           though you have nothing, I bid you come
                           and be filled with the goodness I have to offer!
                           Come, Listen, Live!"

The remaining of the mass which incorporates the Litany of the Saints, the anointing of oil as the newly baptised are Confirmed, the renewal of our baptismal promises, the prayers of the faithful, the rite of sprinkling, the celebration of the Paschal Eucharist, Holy Communion, the prayers and songs all make a night of worship a memorable and joyful one!  

                                The soul is regenerated in the sacred waters  
                                of baptism and thus becomes God's child.
                                                              - St Maximilian Kolbe- 
     

  






        

Lenten Journal 44

25 March 2016 (Good Friday)

Obedienace and Acceptance

Good Friday brings us together to recall and share in the affliction and sufferings of Christ. It also teaches us many valuable lessons. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the human side of Jesus did not want to go through the pain and sufferings he knew he would face; he knelt down and prayed, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by; but not my, but your will be done". Even in his hour of agony, he was obedient and accepted the will of his father in Heaven. Scriptures says that God sent down an angel to help him. 

Reflection:
In our times of anguish and sufferings, we remember what happened to Jesus and we can reach out to him for understanding and sympathy. "Not mine, O Lord, but Your will be done". This is a powerful prayer, and when we pray this from the depths of our heart, yes, God will send down an 'angel' to help us go through the difficulty...the 'angel' in the form of courage, strength and wisdom; or a faithful friend to bear the pain with us. Only by accepting totally to comply with the will of God, can we attain peace and at the same time, allow God to take us to the next level of our lives.  

On the Cross in Calvary, we recall the seven last words of Christ:

1) "Father, forgive them as they know not what they are doing."
Bruised, broken, weak, bleeding and in severe pain from the gruesome torture by the guards, Jesus could still forgive his persecutors. Such is his limitless love and mercy for us. In our human life, whenever we sin and in need of forgiveness, we know that our Lord in his infinite mercy will find any reason to relieve us of our guilt. 

2) "This day, you will be with me in Paradise."
Another act of divine generosity that is so consoling...to know that even at the last minute of our life, if we ask for forgiveness, our Lord will extend it without any conditions, just as he did to the 'good thief' hanging beside him. 

3) "Woman, this is your son."
An act of filial piety as he trusts his mother to the care of John, the only apostle present on Calvary. In his dying moments, he taught us to love, honour and care for our parents who have sacrificed much to bring us up.

4) "My God, my God, why have Thou forsaken me?"
The human side of Jesus echoes our plight too when darkness pervades us as in adversity or in sickness and pain. We remember our Lord and are one with him in his agony on Calvary...we share that darkest moment with him; but into that darkness comes light, His light given to us to be our peace. 

5) "I thirst"
It could be a physical thirst, but our Lord, hanging on the Cross has a deeper thirst...for all those who rejected him, he wants to extend his warmth and love to them; to us all, a precious gift...his love for us and and a thirst for us to love him in return.     

6) "It is achieved"
God's work has been done. For our salvation, He came to us to live as man, vulnerable like us and to understand our human experience. He taught us how to live with love, mercy and compassion in our hearts for others. He leads us from darkness to light, from death to life...a happiness given to those who believe in him and follow his teachings and who sought only to do God's will. 

7) "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit"
A cry of total abandonment to God, the Father.  When we face our most difficult trials, when sorrows envelope us, we too can resign ourselves to God and say " Into your hands, O Lord I commend my spirit". ("Into your hands, O Lord, I place all my troubles and pain for your help and guidance"). From this abandonment comes light and meaning... that in carrying our cross, we are sharing in his sufferings and death and discover in us, the meaning of the resurrection, the core of our faith. Similarly, when we overcome our fears, anxieties, or disappointments in our daily life, we are experiencing 'little deaths' and we find that these daily difficulties have within them the joy of resurrection.  


                                   He died not for men, but for each man.
                                   If each man had been the only man made,
                                   He would have done no less.
                                                                  -C S Lewis- 
             

   

Lenten journal 43

24 March 2016(Holy Thursday)

Service

In today's Gospel of John 13:1-15, Jesus showed us the perfect way to love and to be of service to others... by washing the feet of his disciples. It is an act of pure love, of self emptying love to another. An act of humility to become selfless. To his disciples (and to us), he has left an example for them (and for us) to follow: "If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet."   

What does this mean to us? To be humble. We are all the same in God's eyes, no matter what status we hold or what wealth we have accumulated. We are born to be of service to one another. No one is greater than the other. If the Master can be a servant, so can we. If we bear this in mind as go about our daily living, life becomes meaningful; for one, we are showing our children the virtues of love and humility, and teaching them to help others; for the second, we are in our small way, glorifying God in this self-giving act of service. 

There are so many ways to be of service...by volunteering in communities working towards the better good of all and encouraging the young to participate; by donating; by taking time to visit the aged in the old folks homes; by giving hope to the sick; by a smile or a touch to the down-trodden...yes, every little act of goodwill counts and pleases God.

                       He is God, and He makes Himself a servant, our servant. 

                       It is like an inheritance. You also must be servant of one another.  

                                                                    -Pope Francis-

Lenten Journal 42

23 March 2016

Denial

Matthew's Gospel (26:14-25) tells us that despite being betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas, Jesus continued to share the Jewish Passover meal with him together with his other eleven disciples. His act of mercy, even when his life is at stake. But when Jesus announced that one of them was going to betray him, Judas so unashamedly and without guilt asked "Not I, Rabbi, surely?"  

Many times we too are like Judas, betraying God's love for us by our sins of pride, anger, hatred, greed, envy, resentment, of judging others, or being disrespectful to the poor or the elderly. Yes, even sins of gluttony, of excesses and being wasteful, of disregard for our environment...all these hurt our Lord. And like Judas, we tell ourselves, "surely not I?"  

This Holy Week, let us reflect on this great love that God has for us. Are we worthy of this love? What can we do to be worthy of it? What can we do to show God that we are grateful?...for this beautiful world that he has created for us, for all the modern amenities that he has provided and is still providing for us through man's inventions. There are many ways we can acknowledge the great good that God has willed for us...just by following the examples that Jesus has set for us. Love God and love thy neighbour. I would add a third...love your environment and help Mother Earth to replenish all the natural resources that she has so generously given to us, through the love of God for us.  

                      God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought,
                      disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods.
                      But he cannot save them from fools.
                                                      -John Muir-
                                                       (Environmentalist)        

Lenten Journal 41

22 March 2016 (Tuesday of Holy Week)

Pure Love

In John's Gospel today (John 13:21-33, 36-38), he tells us of the last few days of Jesus' life on earth. Jesus was troubled in spirit as he knew that one of his disciples, Judas was going to betray him; he also know that Peter will disown him at the most crucial moment, for fear of his own life.  

Jesus knows our human weaknesses; despite the betrayal of his closest friends - his disciples; he never stopped loving us. He willingly accepted the will of his Father, to love us and to save us from damnation. God's plan for our salvation culminates in Jesus, his Son, laying his life for us. An act of pure love from God to us; so that we too can learn to extend this love to our brothers and sisters despite their imperfections, despite their having hurt us, despite their idiosyncrasies. 

This Holy Week is a time for us to reflect on how we have lived our life so far, and the areas where we can change to be more Christ-like; to love, to forgive and to give generously of ourselves and our time to God, so that with his help, he can change us to be the person he wants us to be, a person he will be proud to call his child.  

                       Love consists of a commitment which limits one's freedom -
                       it is a giving of the self, and to give oneself means just that:
                       to limit one's freedom on behalf of another.
                                                                 -Pope John Paul II-      

Lenten Journal 40

21 March 2016 (Monday of Holy Week)

Motive

Today's Gospel tells us of Martha, who because of her great love for Jesus, brought a very expensive jar of ointment to anoint the feet of Jesus. It was a simple motive of pure love for her Lord. 

Judas on the other hand retorted that the money used for the ointment should be given to the poor. It was only lip service as he had no regard for the poor.

God looks at the motives of all our actions. He wants us to help others out of love and compassion as our motives, and not for recognition or praise.

As we enter Holy Week, let us pray for the awareness to be kind and considerate and to extend our goodwill not only to our neighbours and all fellow human beings, but also to all animals, big and small. They are after all God's creation as well.  

                           God bestows more consideration on the purity of the
                           intention with which our actions are performed than
                           on the actions themselves.
                                                            -St Augustine- 

Lenten journal 39

20 March 2016 (5th Sunday of Lent)

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm/Passion Sunday and as we carry our palms, blessed by our Parish priest, and follow the procession to the Church, let us, in our hearts, proclaim with joy, just like the disciples and followers of Jesus on the day he entered Jerusalem mounted on a colt: "Blessed be the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" 

I share here a beautiful homily by Pope Benedict on this significant event:

It is a moving experience each year on Palm Sunday as we go up the mountain with Jesus towards the Temple, accompanying him on his ascent. He was journeying to the Temple in the Holy City, a place which for Israel ensured in a particular way God's closeness to his people. What does this mean to us in our modern world? To answer this, we have to be clear about what Jesus himself wished to do and actually did. 

The ultimate goal of his pilgrimage was the heights of God himself; to those heights he wanted to lift every human being. Our procession today is meant, then, to be an image of something deeper, to reflect the fact that, together with Jesus, we are setting out on pilgrimage along the high road that leads to the Living God. 

The liturgical readings today presents to us a suffering messiah. It recalls the suffering and humiliation of Jesus by the crowd, instigated by the scribes and Pharisees, calling for Pilate to "crucify him!". 

As we journey from Lent into Holy Week and into the Easter Triduum, let us remember this great, precious gift God gave to us: his life, his body and his blood. For us to be worthy to receive so great a gift, we too must reciprocate by the gift of ourselves, our time, our prayers, and our love for him who suffered, died and rose again.   

                              
                              The Passion of Christ is the greatest and most 
                              stupendous work of Divine Love. The greatest 
                              and most overwhelming work of God's Love.
                                                              - St John of The Cross -

   

Lenten journal 38

19 March 2016

Obediance

Today's Gospel (Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24), tells us about Joseph, the spouse of Mary. Not much is written about St Joseph, but we know he was a righteous man, obedient to God's message and guidance. We know that an angel appeared in his dreams and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife "for it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins." Imagine the magnitude of that responsibility, but Joseph took it all in his stride, supporting Mary faithfully and devotedly.

We also know that he was with Mary during the census taking in Bethlehem and tried very hard to get a room but was told each time that all the inns were full; he was there in the manger when Jesus was born and when the shepherds and the three wise men came to pay homage to the baby. The flight into Egypt was another unexpected event for Joseph when he was told by an angel to flee, as Herod, incensed with the news of a new king being born, ordered all young boys below the age of two to be killed.    

He was also there with Mary, anxious and desperate when they could not find the boy Jesus after a visit to Jerusalem, and the relief and joy they felt when after three days of frantic searching they eventually found him in the Temple talking to the elders. 

We also know that Jesus grew up strong and healthy, under his love and care, learning the trade of carpentry from him.

Joseph was an exemplary husband and father. Today, we honour his Feast Day and pray that all fathers will emulate his example.    

                            St Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker,
                            the upright guardian of those entrusted to 
                            his care. May he always guard, protect and 
                            enlighten families.
                                                - Pope John Paul II -   

Lenten journal 37

18 March 2016

A call to conversion

Jesus wanted so much for the Jews to believe in him, and the good works he had done; he wanted them to repent, to change their way of life, to be more considerate, tolerant and forgiving of one another, to be charitable and compassionate and most of all to love one another. But the Pharisees and Jews, blinded by their arrogance, greed and self-righteousness were totally against him and even wanted to stone him!   

In the same breath, we too are called by Jesus to conversion, to live a life with meaning. In this 21st century where technology is so advanced, we should use it wisely to help and relieve us in our work in terms of time; so that at the end of the day, we still have the time and energy to spend with our family and children; have a family dinner together where we can each talk face to face, about the happenings of the day. Perhaps we can use our free time to give some volunteer service, to help the poor, the sick, or visit the aged in a nursing home. There's so much we can learn from the elderly, if we take the time to listen to them. They have been through adversities and life's demands, so they have a lot of wisdom to share.

By God's grace, we are each given a talent (or talents, for some), and once we are able to use our talents generously for the good of all, we will find life more worthwhile and meaningful, and with that comes peace of mind, the kind of peace that only the Divine can give.   

                                                  No act of kindness
                                                  no matter how small,
                                                  is ever wasted.
                                                                 - Aesop-   

Lenten journal 36

17 March 2016

Attitude

In the Gospel (John 8:51-59) the frustration Jesus must have felt with the disrespectful Jews in questioning his authority and ancestry made him say to them, "I tell you most solemnly, before Abraham ever was, I AM." - a language the Jews understood to be God; but on hearing that, they picked up stones to throw at him. With a closed heart and their stubborn attitude, they could not accept Jesus.

It is still not too late for us to open our hearts and mind to Jesus and his teachings...to learn more about how we can love and forgive others; to overlook the pettiness and inconsequential things of this world and instead spend our time to spread peace and goodwill around. The compassion Jesus showed to the blind, the lame, the deaf and mute, the sick, the mentally ill...as written in the Gospels should also move our hearts to see the pain and sufferings of these people; and to help them within our own capacity.   

Sickness and tragedy can befall anyone at any time. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami in north-east Japan should be lesson to us that events can be unexpected and that life is short. Within a few hours, the lives of hundreds of thousand of people were changed forever. They never expect it. Neither do we, for any disaster. The best preparation is to live a life of peace, not harming anyone either in words or deeds; to be a responsible citizen and to live as our Lord taught us..with love, compassion, charity and mercy. If we faithfully do that, we will not be afraid when the time comes for us to meet our Creator.  

                                  The ultimate test of your greatness is 
                                  the way you treat every human being. 
                                                                     - Pope John Paul II- 
                       

Lenten journal 35

16 March 2016

Discernment

Despite opposition, Jesus continues to try and convince the Jews of his mission and of his divine association with the Father, "I have come here from God, not that I chose to, no, I was sent by him" (John 8:31-42) but they were not receptive because of their inner disposition. To the Jews who believed in him, he reiterated to them (and to us today), that if we take his teachings to heart, we will "learn the truth, and the truth will set us free." I take this to mean inner freedom; a spiritual freedom, free from sin; a freedom to be united with God the Father, the source of all true life.  

Sin alienates us from God. This Lent, we are called to an intimate relationship with God so as to experience his peace. By confessing our sins, we allow Jesus to heal our brokenness; by attending Holy Mass, we receive spiritual nourishment; by reading the scriptures, we learn to discern his teachings and guidance in our everyday life. 

Discernment of God's words helps us to learn all the good attributes of him who came to show us how love, mercy, compassion can change peoples' lives, and he expects that we do the same. With discernment, our love for him can only grow and in living a life pleasing to him, we too can experience the peace and goodness of a God-made-man but without sin, the Son, who is one with the Father in terms of his origin and his obedience in "doing the will of him who sent me" (Jn 5:30); sent to save us from the darkness of sin so that we can share in his eternal glory.

                                              
                                              O God ever the same,
                                              let me know myself,
                                              let me know you!
                                                             - St Augustine -

  



   

Lenten journal 34

15 March 2016

Extending God's Love

In the days leading to Holy Week, the Gospel tells of the urgency of Jesus in trying to make the Pharisees and Jews understand his mission on earth as the Son of God, sent by the Father; and today, (John 8:21-30) he even had a warning for them, that if they do not believe in him, they will die in their sins. By their human judgement, and with their hardened hearts, they could not comprehend and could not accept the truth of Jesus' message; all they cared about was their power and wealth, which is contrary to Jesus' teachings and seems fragile at this stage.    

This last week of Lent, let us keep our hearts and mind open to the work of Christ, through us, in our midst. There are many people in need of help...it could just be a smile, an assurance, or a lending hand or just by being present with someone who is going through the pain of sickness, or by saying a simple prayer for them. 

Like wise, a person may enter our life to bring a message of hope; or of a solution to our problem at hand; or it could be a simple message of peace and reconciliation. He or she could be a bearer of God's message to us; the unseen living God, ever-present, wanting to embrace us with his love and assure us that everything will be fine. We are all God's instrument capable of extending God's love to all.  

                               
                               Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
                               where there is hatred, let me sow love,
                               where there is injury, let me sow pardon,
                               where there is doubt, let me sow faith,
                               where there is despair, let me sow hope,
                               where there is darkness, let me sow light, and 
                               where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
                               O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much 
                               seek to be consoled, as to console,
                               seek to be understood as to understand,
                               seek to be loved as to love;
                               For it is in giving that we receive,
                               it is in forgiving that we are forgiven, and 
                               it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
                                                                   -The prayer of St Francis -                                                                   


                                  

Lenten journal 33

14 March 2016

Light of the World

Today, Jesus proclaimed to the Pharisees, "I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the light of life." (John 8:12-20). He is trying to convince his opponents that he does not need any human witness since they judge by human standards, but that God, his Father, who sent him, is his witness to his testimony. 

What does it mean to live in the light? Jesus offers his light to us; he wants us to live a life of justice and truth, without fear since light can dispel darkness. If we aspire for that and to follow his teachings, his light will lit the path for us, and guide us along to be of service to community, family and friends in our daily living. We become his light bearers and it is our duty to pass on the divine light we have received.  

I am always heartened by this assurance of Jesus: anyone who follows me will not walk in the dark...he will have the light of life. Whenever I face uncertainty or when fear grips me, I will mutter these words in my heart with a prayer for divine counsel. You can be sure (like me) that Jesus, who has broken the darkness of sin by his work on the cross, is ever near us to give us the courage and wisdom to overcome that temporary darkness we feel. With that too, comes peace and joy, so that we can continue to be his light to the people around us.   

                      
                        There is something in the human spirit that will survive 
                        and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning
                        in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how
                        dark the world becomes.
                                                       - Leo Tolstoy-
                     

                         

Lenten journal 32

13 March 2016 (5th Sunday of Lent)

Today I honour my mother as I remember her passing a year today. She is still very much missed; and each time I think of her, my love and admiration for her is boundless. 
  

Merciful Like the Father

The motto Merciful Like the Father taken from Lk 6:37-38, is a fitting theme for this extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy 2016 declared by Pope Francis. It encourages us to follow the merciful example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to give love and forgiveness without measure.  

So it is apt that the focal point of today's Gospel (Jn 8:1-11) is on the mercy of Christ to the adulterous woman, brought in by the scribes and Pharisees to be stoned according to their law. But in testing Jesus, they did not for one moment imagined that the tables could be turned on them, when Jesus said, "If anyone of you is without sin, let him cast the first stone." One by one, they walked away. 

I wonder how the woman felt when she found that she was alone with Jesus. Ashamed and helpless, she must have felt a touch of mercy when Jesus asked her, " Where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  And sure enough mercy poured forth when she heard the next word of Jesus: " Neither do I condemn you. Go away and sin no more."

Here, Jesus shows us the perfect love of God, and his infinite mercy. When he forgives us our sins, he will always remind us: "Go and sin no more." We must carry this deep inside our hearts, so that each time we face temptations, these kind words of Jesus will surface to help us overcome them. 


I sing with the choir:
                                    Jesus Lord, I ask for mercy
                                    Let me not implore in vain
                                    All my sins I now detest them
                                    Help me not to sin again.   



  

Lenten journal 31

12 March 2016

For the record, James and I celebrate our wedding anniversary today. Yes, the years have gone fast, the physical body is showing its toil, with receding hairline and extended waistline, not to mention wrinkles! Still we are soul-mates, a union made in Heaven 39 years ago in Sheffield, England.  

Judging

The conjecturing about whether Jesus was a prophet or the Christ continue in today's Gospel (Jn 7:40-53). The chief priests and Pharisees were eager to have Jesus arrested. Only one upright man, Nicodemus  spoke up, and asked whether it was right to pass judgement on a man before giving him a hearing? His brave question did not go well with his peers who were intent on killing Jesus.  

When we judge a person, it is always based on an assumption or hear-say, or even on the exterior appearance of the person. We know very little of their lives or virtues, yet we label them. It can only stem from our being insecure, or the ego, or envy; but we must know that each time we judge, we lose our sense of goodness, of probity, of trust in a friendship.    

This Lent, let us be more conscious of not judging people; I find a good way of doing this exercise is to remember (Luke 6: 37), that the yardstick we use to judge others will be used to judge us when we meet our Creator. It is a powerful reminder that we should love more and will others good.

                         No one truly knows a nation until one has been inside
                         its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it
                         treats its highest citizens but its lowest ones.
                                                     - Nelson Mandela-



    

Lenten journal 30

11 March 2016

Today marks the 5th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the north-eastern region of Japan in 2011, affecting a number of prefectures. Let us remember the victims and all those displaced by this tragedy and pray that they can feel God's love and healing hands as they continue to rebuild their lives.  

Perseverance 

Although tension was high because the Jewish leaders were looking for opportunities to kill him, Jesus still went to the Temple to preach. Many people saw him and knew he was the Christ, but they were looking for signs. 

Do we need signs to know that God is near or that God loves us? If we spend our precious time focusing on signs to prove the authenticity of God, then whatever good things God does for us will elude us, just like the people of Jerusalem in today's Gospel (Jn 7: 25-29). They were so busy looking for signs that they failed to recognise the Christ among them. 

Despite difficulties and rejections, Jesus persevered in his teachings. There was a sense of urgency in him trying to convince the Jews that he is the Messiah sent from God; such was the great love he had for his kinsmen, but the lure of power, riches and recognition blinded them from seeing the Divine, come as human to allow them to see him, touch him, and feel his love, mercy and compassion.

We too must persevere in our quest to love God more and to see him in each one of us. We must persevere in our prayer life; be spiritually nourished in the Mass and Eucharistic celebration, so that the grace of God is enough to let us experience his living, loving presence in our lives.   

                         Though perseverance does not come from our power,

                         yet it comes from within our power.

                                                       - St Francis de Sales-

                                  

Lenten journal 29

10 March 2016

Spiritual Blindness

Today's Gospel (John 5: 31-47) has Jesus still trying to convince the Jews of his divinity with the Father and the works he has been sent to earth to do. But the Pharisees and the Jews were spiritually blind. Their pride made them think that they can attain eternal life by studying the scriptures and following its laws. Their hearts were closed to changes, for fear of losing their power and high-standing in the Temple. They refused to accept the truth in Jesus' teachings. The plot to kill Jesus intensified. 

I always believe that there is a thin line separating awareness and ignorance, the good and the bad. A thin line where the spiritually blind can easily cross over and the dark forces take over...justifying all the sins they have committed or about to commit. There in their dark world, the murderers, rapists, robbers, the corrupt, in their blindness and disregard, are sensitised to their hideous crimes. 

Another form of spiritual blindness is when one thinks one is righteous, just like the Pharisee in his prayer, condemning the tax collector. We must always be conscious to be humble in whatever we do and say. In our quest to be humble, we should look to Mary, the Mother of our God on the day the Angel Gabriel appeared to her to announce that she had been chosen to bear a son, a Saviour for the world. Her reply should be imprinted into our hearts as a lesson in humility: "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to thy word." From then henceforth Mary helped God in the salvation of souls...our souls.    

Saint Augustine once said that "humility is the foundation of all other virtues"...it is only in humility that one can love, forgive, empathize easily with each other. That is what our Lord wants of us, in our words and deeds so that we will be able to draw others to see and experience his great love and mercy for all mankind.    

    

                              From humility of heart proceed serenity of mind,

                              gentleness of conduct, interior peace, and 

                              every good. 

                                                  - St Paul of the Cross-

Lenten journal 28

9 March 2016

Conviction

Jesus faced a lot of resistance from the Jews who were already planning to persecute him...but undaunted, he carried on his teachings and healing; in a way to try and convince them that he is the Son of God, sent by the Father to teach them the laws of love, compassion, mercy. "My aim is to do not my own will, but the will of him who sent me." (John 5:30). A strong conviction of a God who became man, so as to understand our human weaknesses, but is without sin. He lived among men, ate with sinners, taught the multitude, healed the sick and possessed, condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, chose his 12 disciples among the common working class men; was hated by the Pharisees and unjustly tried by Pontius Pilate, suffered humiliation, torture and was eventually crucified on a cross. All because he loved us so much, he wanted to redeem us from eternal damnation.

Do we have such conviction to follow Jesus after all that he went through for us? Today, he is still working, like everyday, to help and guide us in our lives, through the Holy Spirit. He came to give us hope of a new life, he taught us to be selfless, to love our neighbours, to forgive our enemies, to be compassionate to the poor and under-privileged, to be charitable in our deeds, to be humble in all our dealings, to be gentle in our temperament and to offer peace to all our fellow human beings. 

To keep up with this conviction, he urged us to communicate with him everyday through prayers; and as if that is not enough, he comes to us everyday in the Eucharist, in the form of a humble bread and wine. How can we not love and adore such a wonderful God and share him with others? How can we not bring his light and glory to those who do not yet know him? How can we not praise and glorify him in our daily living?   

                              To fall in love with God is the greatest romance,
                              to seek him, the greatest adventure, and    
                              to find him, the greatest achievement. 
                                                                      - St Augustine-

Lenten journal 27

8 March 2016

Hope

In today's Gospel (John 5:1-16), one man who had been ill for 38 years, was sitting by the Sheep Pool in Jerusalem, unable to get into the pool without any help, to enjoy the healing effects of the water. Jesus came by and asked him, "Do you want to be well again?" We know that the man was healed in this encounter with Jesus.   

If Jesus were to direct this question to me, "Do you want to be well again?", my answer would be a resounding "Yes, please!". Don't we all want healing? To be healed of our selfishness, our impatience, anger, envy, pride, indolence, the list goes on...We need not despair. The teachings of Jesus is precisely to help us be healed of all our negativity that separates us from God and from man. There is hope...hope in a loving and compassionate God.  Just like the sick man who waited 38 years...for his healing. But it happened the moment he encountered Jesus! 

The moment we embrace our loving God and ask for forgiveness of all our wrong-doings, he will help us to begin a new life, with a new set of values. By studying the scriptures, we learn to love and forgive; and in our devotion to Mass and the Eucharistic, we will feel his healing powers over us. In time, with his grace, we will be able to see others through his eyes, and in and through him, we will be able to love them just as he has loved us.   

                            
                             Three things are necessary to everyone:
                             truth of faith which brings understanding,
                             love of Christ which brings compassion, and
                             endurance of hope which brings perseverance.
                                                                     -St Bonaventure-


   



  

Lenten journal 26

7 March 2016

Trust

As we continue in our journey of spiritual growth this Lent, let us learn to trust fully in the words of Jesus, just as the court official did in today's Gospel ( John 4:43-54), when he asked Jesus to go with him to heal his son who was on the point of death. But Jesus' reply was simple: "Go home, your son will live." The man believed what Jesus had said and started on his way. His faith cured his son. 

In many of Jesus' healing, he always tell the people who were healed by him: "Your faith has healed you." In the same way, Jesus asks that we trust him. He knows what is best for us. We need to be patient, we need to pray, to communicate with God daily on our concerns, our needs and to trust him totally in our daily living, knowing that our God of Love wills us to be happy on this earth and he wants us to be his light for others to see and love him through us. 

It is not easy to trust, but to learn to trust, we have to look at the lives of the Saints. They did not have easy lives; they went through trials and tribulations and great sacrifices, many suffered poverty and persecution but their faith in God was steadfast. They should be our role models in how they handle adversity and how their deep love and trust in God brought them to glory.  

It is only when we trust God that we begin to live a life of peace, since trust is a proof of love. We will be able to enjoy his favour and goodness in our families, friends, our neighbours and in nature surrounding us. Once we can grasp that this grace, given freely to all, by a compassionate, loving God, we will want to make it our goal to return the same love, peace, generosity, kindness back to him who is in all our fellow human beings as we are all made in the image of God.    

                      

                      We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We  

                      know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace;

                      and though we are so weak ourselves, this grace is able

                      to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty. 

                                                                        - St Elizabeth Ann Seton-