Willothepooh

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Amos 8, 4-7; Psalm 113, 1-2,.4-6, 7-8; 1 Timothy 2,1-8; St. Luke 16, 1-13

There is a story about a department-store clerk who had broken all sales records. The manager called her for verification. So she explained to her boss, “A customer came in and I sold him some fishhooks. ‘You will need a line for those hooks,’ I said, and sold him some line. Then I told him, ‘You have to have a rod to go with the line,’ and I sold him a rod. ‘You ought to have a boat so you can use your new rod in deep water,’ I suggested and sold him a boat. Next I told him, ‘You’ll need a boat trailer,’ and he fell for that too. Finally, I said, ‘How will you pull the trailer without a car? And guess what? He bought my car.” And the boss said, “But I thought I assigned you to the greeting-card department NOT to the fishing-equipment department?” “That’s right,” the salesgirl nodded. “This customer came in for a get-well card for his girlfriend who had a broken hip. When I heard that, I said to him, ‘You haven’t got anything to do for six weeks, so you might as well go fishing”.

This story illustrates Jesus’ remark in today’s gospel when he said that the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light. Another word for astute is shrewd and the original meaning for “shrewd” is “foresight”. A shrewd person grasps a critical situation with resolution and foresight. This is the point Jesus wants to bring across to us from today gospel. The focus is not so much on the dishonesty of the steward but on his ability to grasps a critical situation with resolution and foresight. The next question, however, is why did Jesus use the story of the dishonest steward? Because that was the common situation in Jesus’ time. His audience at once understood the point of the story because that’s the reality they had been seeing in their daily life. People were cheating, people being dishonest and yet often the escape the penalty.

750 years before that, Amos, a prophet whom we heard in the first reading today was also encountering the same situation. There was a big gap between the riches and the poor. There were injustices and exploitation to the poor, and yet in the midst of all manner of social abuse, religious formalities were still observed. In other words, there was a double standard kind of life within the people of Israel, there was  hypocrisy. 

Now, today, about 2007 years after Christ, what do we see? Do we still see injustices? Do we still see dishonesty? Do we still see hypocrisy? Yes, we do. So Jesus was right and still right when he said that ‘the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light’. The children of the world are more cunning to deal with the worldly things. What happen with us, who are supposed to be the children of light? Are we defeated by the power of darkness? No. We still triumph over the darkness. Remember even a small candle can illuminate a big dark room. Jesus has triumphed over the power of darkness. And that’s irreversible. There might be some apparent defeats to the Christian values but Christ is still in control. As we gather here today, at this very moment, Christians all over the world are gathered to pray for the various needs of the world.

St Paul’s advice is still very much observed up to this present. The church all over the world continues to offer petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving to God. Is it not a concrete sign that Christ is still in control? He is till the victorious. . He has sacrificed himself as a ransom for us so that we become the children of light. But as children of light we must serve only God, and God alone. He tells us in today’s gospel that no one can serve two masters.

And so gathered here this morning, let us acknowledge Jesus Christ as our master and not the material things. Let’s be enlightened to be more astute in bringing across the Good News to the world. But above all, let’s be consoled because to-date Jesus in the Eucharist has been keeping the flame of the Children of Light to shine to the world… and will continue to do so, forever and ever. Amen.

24th Sunday of OT

EX 32:7-11, 13-14; 1 Tim 1:12-17; Lk 15:1-32

I was not here during the Bazaar for the priests and religious retirement home. So, I missed the opportunity to perform with the Ansibin’s Band. Had I been around, I would have sang “The Amazing Grace”. I like the song very much not only because of its wonderful lyrics but the history behind its composition. The song was composed by John Newton, a captain of a ship which was indulged in the buying and selling of slaves in the 18^th century. Captain John Newton would sail his ship from Englandto the African coast. There tribal chiefs would deliver to him stockades full of men and women, captured in raids and wars against other tribes. He would select the finest men and women and exchanged them for weapons, ammunition, metal, liquor and cloth. Then the captives would be loaded aboard, packed for sailing. They would be chained to prevent suicides, laid side by side to save space, row after row, one after another, until the ship was laden with as many as 600 units of human cargo. I was said that, of the 6 millions slaves transported from Africa to America in the 18^th century Captain John Newton contributed the most. He would sail from England to Africa, picking up slaves, transporting them to America; came back to England to get supplies and again sail to Africa and continue the trade route. One night, however, a violent storm blew up at the sea. The waves threw up Newton’s ship around like a toy. Then, Newton did something which he had never done for many years. He prayed. Shouting at the top of his voice, he said: “God! If you will save me I’ll be your slave forever”. God heard his prayer, the ship survived and Newtonbecame an Evangelical pastor. In his later years, Newton related his conversion in the song, “Amazing Grace”. Indeed, he once was lost but then found again.

In the Gospel today, we heard another story of conversion—“The Prodigal Son” who, like Newton, was once lost but then found again. We can spend hours and hours reflecting on the story. We even can have seminar on it like the one conducted by Archbishop John Ha of Kuching and his friends, Dr Jeffery Goh and wife, Angie. But at the end of the day the focal point of the story is God’s love. God does not give up on sinner; he keeps looking for them and welcomes them back with joy. That is indeed the Good News for us. God in today’s celebration wants us to know again and again that, even after our most stupid mistakes and tragic sins God will be looking to take us back with open arms and restores us to his love. This merciful and ever forgiving God is also reflected in the first reading today. The Israelites have sinned against God and deserved punishment but upon mediation of Moses God shown his mercy—He relented and did not bring disaster on the Israelites. He forgave them and welcomed them back.

In today’s world there are people who like the younger son adrift morally, spiritually and in need of healing. They are bewildered and confused. On the other hand, there are people who behave like the eldest son; self-righteous, always think that they are right and others are wrong, jealousy, unwilling to forgive and selfish. These people are all in need of the Father’s forgiveness. But the problem is, most of them are either ignorant of God’s loves or have no courage to do so… which is why, there is a need to reach out them, there is a need to witness to them of God’s love. Who is going to do that? WE who have experienced Him. WE who are his disciples.

Today as we celebrate the Catechetical Sunday, we are being reminded of that task… that calling to echo God’s love to others. The catechists who will be pledging their commitment afterwards and there after being commissioned are reminders to us of the calling to be Jesus’ disciples. We thank them for their tireless efforts and commitments all these while. Indeed without them, many works in the parish are left undone. Without them our Church would have been continued to be a sleeping giant. But, having said that, let us not forget that the first catechist is the parent. In other words, God’s love is actually experience first in the family—the parents being His instruments. Discipleship is first learnt at home—forgiveness, care, hope, faith all the good virtues are all encountered first hand at home. It is for this reason that the theme for this Catechetical Sunday is “Family: A Nursery of Discipleship”.

And so coming together to celebrate this evening the Catechetical Sunday, let us, with the catechists in our parish, offer thanksgiving and praise to God for His love, for his mercy, for his AMAZING GRACE all these while.. Let us also pray for all families that they may realize their sacred calling. May there will always be forgiveness at home, may there will always be love and hope, and may those who are lost will always be found again.

Third Sunday of Lent

Ex 17:3-7; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn 4:5-42

I just came back from the clergy retreat in Bundu Tuhan. Anyhow, it was a good retreat. I had plenty of time to reflect and pray. The retreat reminds me very much of another retreat which I had gone through some years ago, It was in Chiang Mai, Thailand in a place run by the Jesuit priests called “The Seven Fountains”. Like all good retreats, I was not allowed to talk during the retreat except to the retreat master. No newspaper, no TV, no radio and also no mobile phone allowed. At the end of every day, I would be seeing the retreat master and shared to him my daily reflection.

I had a lot of reflections during the retreat but in particular I remember sharing to the retreat master my observation on one Sunday morning shortly before the Mass started. By the way, there was a small European community staying around the retreat centre. On that particular Sunday, I noticed a number of European families attending the Mass. And there was this one European couple with a lot of children. There were about 8 to 10 children with this couple. The number of the children was already unusual for a European family. But what most striking me was the sight that even though the couple was European, the children with them were not all European. Some were Black, some looked like Eurasians, and others were Thais. I was puzzling because obviously they are not the offspring of the European couple.

That evening, I was eager to seek clarification from the retreat master, only to find out that the children were all “special children”. “Special” in the sense that, they were all the HIV infected children. Many of them were abandoned children (possibly children of prostitutes), who have never seen their own parents. The retreat master told me that, in spite of their condition, the European couple had adopted them. I was stunned. Probably if the children were all Europeans, I would not have been so much taken aback. But this European couple have treated the children as their own regardless of the colour of their hair and eyes. For this European couple, there was no such thing as human boundaries in the sense of racial or political or even religious differences. That indeed was a great act of charity and a living witness of human solidarity.

Today’s Gospel conveys the same massage for us. The story of encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well is a story of breaking the human boundaries by means of religion, racial and also political differences.

As a matter of fact, the Jews and the people of Samaria were brothers. But centuries earlier, the Samaria had intermarried with foreigners hence they were not allowed to share in the building of the Temple nor were they allowed to worship there. And so, in the year 931 BC, Samaria broke away from Judah and built their own temple on Mt. Garizim. For the Jews, however, the temple in Jerusalem was the only place of worship authorised by God thus the temple on Mt. Garizim was considered as a pagan temple. So from that time onwards the people of Samaria had been most unfriendly to the Jews. Sometimes they waylaid and even murdered them, especially when the Jews were on their way to pray in the Temple of Jerusalem.

That day at Jacob’s well, Jesus broke down the separating wall between the Samaritans and the Jews. But more than that, Jesus offered the Samaritan woman a “new life”. The gospel tells us that the Samaritan woman had had 5 husbands. It tells not only the unruly social status of the woman but the desperation in her life. She was thirst for the meaning in life and now Jesus is offering her the fountain of the living water. This water is more powerful than the water from Jacob’s well. It is also far greater than that of the rock, at Massah and Meribah, as mentioned in the first reading today. This water, offered by Jesus, is springing up to provide the grace of eternal life. This is the ‘grace’ St Paul was referring in his letter today to the Romans. The grace that has enabled us to share the glory of God the Father, in the Holy Spirit, through Jesus the fountain of the living water.

Today, as we gathered here, the word of God invites us, who thirst for meaning in life, to come to Jesus the fountain of the living water. Too often, though, we try to quench our thirst with alcohols, drugs, sex, works or material possessions. We think that five husbands/wives, or five cars, or five figures of earnings or five of whatever will satisfy our thirst for human fulfilments. And too often, in our attempt to quench our thirst with these “deadly water”, we set human boundaries of classes, politics, status, races and even gender.

The Words of God today reminds us that none of these things satisfy us completely. They always leave us thirsting for better things. But when we drink the water that Jesus gives—the water of his Word in the Scripture; the water of his Spirit in the sacraments; the water in his presence in prayer; the water of his grace in ministry---not only that we will never be thirsty anymore but he will make us the channel of his fountain to others.

The European couple in Chiang Mai, Thailand must have tasted this living water of Jesus. Let’s learn from them.

 

1st Sunday of Lent

 

Deu 26:4-10; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4:1-13 

During my seminary days, I used to hear this phrase from one of the professors in St Peter’s College, Kuching: “To know the present we need to know the past; to know our destiny we need to know our origin”. This particular professor loved to say that phrase every time he entered the class. But I never tired of listening to this phrase, not only because it makes sense but it is indeed very true. To discover why things have turned out the way they have, we must study their history, their origin.

The passage of today’s first reading from the Genesis serves for that purpose. The passage tells the blissful story of our first parents—the story of Original Blessing. Adam and Eve knew happiness together and no shame as they lived in harmony with nature and the animal kingdom. But then, the passage also tells the tragic story of our first parents—the story of the Original Sin. In eating the forbidden fruit, Adam & Eve disobeyed the word of God. And so their eyes testified for the new knowledge and lost innocent—ashamed of themselves and afraid of God. The name of this human tragedy is SIN.

 

This story leads to understand why we are toiling here on earth, why there are sufferings, why there are hardships in life, why we need salvation, why we need Jesus in our lives. The church has chosen this particular passage for today’s liturgy as we begin the season of Lent to make us aware our own sinfulness so as to set up a right spirit for Lent. Many people would still very much incline to think that Lent is a gloomy season. It’s a season of fasting and abstinence. It’s a season of scarifying and be contended to the “low key”. This way of thinking is not wrong. But it’s only half of the whole TRUTH.

 

Lent season is also a time for a NEW LIFE in Christ. It is a time for us to join Jesus in the desert. To reflect more about our lives—whether we have been living a witnessing life for Christ, whether we have been faithful to his commandment. Lent, therefore, is our personal retreat with Jesus. It is a time set aside by the church so as for us to prepare to celebrate the glorious day of Easter more meaningfully.

 

The story of Jesus’ temptations in today’s gospel point set for the example we must follow when we come to a dilemma of choosing between good and evil. Each of us experience temptation in life. And we know that temptation is sweet. Many at times, we just couldn’t resist so much so that often we felt discourage, hopeless and frustrated. The words of God today should be a great consolation to us to the fact that Jesus knew what it felt like to be tempted and so he can sympathise with us in our weakness.

 

As we gathered here for the Eucharist, let’s put our trust to the word of St Paul, we heard in the second reading; ‘if it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life..”. Let’s be affirmed that Lent is not so much a season for giving up or weeding out something as an opportunity to find out someone, Jesus Christ the New Adam.

6th Sunday in OT

 

Jer 17:5-8; 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20; Lk 6:17, 20-26

On April 15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, taking 1,500 lives. Shortly after the incident, a newspaper carried two pictures side by side. The first picture showed the ship’s side ripped open by the huge iceberg. Under it was printed: “The weakness of man, the supremacy of nature”. The second picture showed a passenger giving his place in a lifeboat to a woman with a child in her arms. Under it was printed: “The weakness of nature, the supremacy of man”. One similar situation, two different ways of looking at it. The one pessimist, the other optimist. The one positive, the other negative.

 
The Gospel today also offer us two ways of looking at things in our life. We may see poverty as the source of malice and unfortunate happenings. Because of poverty, people commit all sorts of crime and vice activities. Because of poverty people squeezed like sardine in squatters and often incest would be one of the consequences.  One the other hand we may see poverty as a motivation factor for a better life and a reason to coming together to show concern and love for one another—which is why Jesus in today’s gospel said blessed are those who are poor.

 

The same goes to affluence. We may see affluence as a privilege to be used for making a better world, a means to bring the Good News to others by being generous and kind to one another. One the other hand we may see affluence as the source of malice as well. Wealth opens up possibility for self-centeredness, greed for more money, exclusiveness and the like—which is why Jesus in today’s gospel said alas for you who are rich.

 

In any case, Jesus in today’s gospel does not idealise poverty as a value to be sought for its own sake. Neither does Jesus against our striving for wealth. But he bluntly warns us against putting our trust in material comforts because, in the long run, it would turn out to be a misplaced confidence.

 
There are always two ways of looking at things in life; whether to see things by itself as ordinary or to see extraordinary things in the ordinary. Our tendency of course is to see according to the customary way of thinking. But as Christian we should be able to see beyond the ordinary. Having said that we are not in any way proposing to compromise when comes to deal with the truth. It is true that there are always at least two ways of looking at things but in the final analysis, only one thing is right, only one thing is necessary, only one thing leads to the truth.

The first reading today tells us that a man who puts his trust in man will be cursed but a man who puts his trust in the Lord will be blessed. This is the truth that we can’t compromise. To be Christians is to be at the hand of the Lord. To be Christians is to trust in the Lord for He is the only reason for us to live. So, whether you are rich or poor, the message contained in today’s gospel is both severe and challenging because it is at odds with our customary of thinking [and thus, looking at things].

 
As we gather for the Eucharist let’s, therefore, increase our belief in the risen Jesus so that as some people see the glass half empty, we see not only a half full glass but the truth in what we are seeing.

 

3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21

On the 20th of January, 1961, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated President of the US. As it is customary for US presidents sworn into office to deliver inaugural speeches, so Kennedy too had no exception. President Kennedy, in his inaugural address emphasized mainly on the America's revolutionary heritage. He also called for "a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved". But of all his words, Kennedy's inaugural speech was remembered when he said "Ask not what your country can do for you... ask what you can do for your country". That famous word of Kennedy ever since has been quoted by many leaders through out the ages.

Today's gospel reads somewhat like the presidential inaugural address. Jesus had already been appointed officially by his Father to his office as Messiah when he was baptized. Although he has yet to select his cabinet [i.e. the 12 apostles] he now begins his teaching ministry by standing up in public in a synagogue and making his inaugural address. So in his speech Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah to outline the challenges facing him as the Messiah and to give us a glimpse of the ideals by which he will try to live. He will bring glad tidings to the poor and proclaim liberty to captives; he will restore sight to the blind and free the oppressed. These so-called manifesto of Jesus actually define his life's mission namely to place himself entirely in the service of those who are "not free". The poor, the captives, the blind and the oppressed obviously are "not free". Let's have closer look on Jesus' mission:

1. He will bring "glad tiding to the poor". By this it does not mean that Jesus only wants to bring the good news to the materially poor. He also brings it to those who think themselves rich but poor in spirit. Those who rely only on themselves and their possessions and therefore have no place for God in their hearts.
2. He will proclaim "liberty to captives". The captives are not only those found in jails. Here are those who are prisoners of their selfishness, greed and hunger for wealth, fame and power. And especially, there are those who are enslaved by their vices and addictions?to lust, gambling, alcohol, drugs, etc.
3. He will restore "sight to the blind". The blind are not only those who are physically blind. We too are blind if we only see our needs and not our neighbors'. We are blind if we cannot distinguish between good and evil, between a just and unjust act. We are blind if we say we work for our children?s future but we do not take measures to lessen pollution so that our children can breathe cleaner air, drink cleaner water and eat healthier food.
4. He will free "the oppressed". We see all kinds of oppression around us. Workers underpaid but cannot stand up for their rights for fear of losing their jobs. Squatters not getting out of the slums because their incomes are even hardly enough to feed their families. People who are so hard up and thus forced to borrow from ALONG. People who are discouraged and depressed, who believe that no one cares for them.

Jesus has made these and more His life-mission. The bible tells us so and the Church tradition confirms to us. He did all these because he loves so much.

As we gathered here these evening, we are being reminded again and again that we too share in Jesus' mission. It's not that we don't notice all these forms of captivities around us and even within us. The thing is, often we don't want to get involve. For many of us these are all tasks belong to the Church. But who is the Church?

The second reading from the letter of St Paul to the Corinthians tells us that we are the Church, we Christ's body. So if that is the case Christ's mission is also obviously our own mission. All of us Christians are therefore called to live the mission of Christ: To bring glad tidings to the poor; To proclaim liberty to captives; To restore sight to the blind and to free the oppressed.

President Kennedy on the 20th January 1961 said, "Ask not what your country can do for you... ask what you can do for your country". Today on the 20th of January 2007, probably many of you would suggest then... "Ask not what your church can do for you.... ask what you can do for your church". But that's irrelevent. We should "ask not what our Church can do for us" because you and I are making up the CHURCH... We are the CHURCH.

Epiphany Sunday

Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12

The story in today’s gospel is found only in Matthew. Luke, Mark and John never mention about this story in their gospels. And so the question arises: What does it mean? What is Matthew trying to tell us? Surely, there is a wonderful truth that Matthew took all the troubles to preserve the story in his gospel. The second reading today gives us the answer.

That’s the meaning of the story of the wise men or, as some people are convinced, the three Kings from the Orient. The three Kings are the Gentiles, the non-Jews, like you and I. In other words, Jesus Christ is born for all peoples. He came not only for the chosen race but the human race. He manifests not only for the Jews but for all of us. This is the truth that was proclaimed long before the Saviour born as the first reading clearly has pointed out. But unfortunately this message doesn’t seem to have been understood by many people--not only by those in the Old Testament and in the New Testament but also by many people of today.

Now, you listen to this story... Few years ago one of my friends was diagnosed of having cancer. She was a Sabahan but working in Kuching, Sarawak. To make thing worse, her father was paralyzed and so her mother had to look after her father. She had 2 sisters and 1 brother but all of them were working in Peninsula Malaysia. And so, she was all by herself in Kuching General Hospital.

One of the nurses, apparently was observing her and realized  her situation. So the nurse voluntarily had looked after her. She called all the members of her family so that they could take turn looking after her literally almost every single minute. Her sisters came, her mother and even her husband and children came to give necessary aids to this friend of mine. This wonderful nurse (and  this i want you to pay attention) nevertheless was and is still now a Muslim.

My question, therefore, is; where do you think this Muslim nurse will go when she die? Do you think God will spare for her a room in the eternal kingdom? What about other non-Christians who have done good things in their life, say for instance Mahatma Ghandi? Where do you think he is now?

The Second Vatican Council states in a document called Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the relationship of the church to non-Christian religions, that the Church rejects nothing of the truth and holiness found in the other religions; the church considers with respect even those doctrines of theirs which differ from the Church teaching but often contain a ray of eternal TRUTH. And so Christians must oppose every form of discrimination among men, based on status, race or creed. In that sense, the Church acknowledges that there is salvation outside the Church.

Many Christians probably would find it hard to accept. But we must look at it from the point of view of our Lord Jesus Christ, the absolute truth and the fullness of revelation. Remember that he is born for all people, for all human races. And on top of it, no one should underestimate his mercy, his compassion, his mission for all.

And so as we celebrate the feast of Epiphany, the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ, let’s be open to all forms of dialog with other religions. Let’s not be so cynical and sceptical towards people of others beliefs. The Muslim nurse in my story just now has allowed herself to manifest God’s love to my suffering friend regardless of beliefs and racial differences. It’s a total and unselfish offering of oneself. Let’s learn from her. Let’s reflect the epiphany in our deeds, in our thoughts, in our words and make tomorrow a better day for everyone.

..after a loooong break ;)

I'm back :) ... i was so busy moving out to a new place (Bye TAWAU). Then came advent..christmas..new year.. mmm.. etc. etc.

Really had no time to up-date my blog.. anyway.. I'm back.. and... cheng.. cheng.. will try my best to keep my account activated.

Hey.. VOTE for PAKU.. ;) cahio... cahio..

29th Sunday in OT (Year B)

Is 53:10-11; Heb 4:14-16; Mark 10: 35-45

One of the stories I would always love to tell is that of a story teller named J. Allan Peterson. The story is about a boy who was consistently coming home late from school. There was no good reason for his tardiness, and no amount of discussion seemed to help. Finally, in desperation, the boy’s father sat him down and said: “The next time you come late from school you are going to be given bread and water for your supper—and nothing else. Is that perfectly clear, son?” The boy looked straight into his father’s eyes and nodded. He understood perfectly.

A few days later the boy came home even later than usual. His mother met him at the door but didn’t say anything. His father met him in the living room, but he didn’t say anything either. That night, however, when they sat down together at table, the boy’s heart sank down to his feet. His father’s plate was filled with food, and his mother’s plate was filled with food. But his own plate contained only a single slice of bread. Next to his plate was a lonely glass of water. The boy’s eyes stared first at the bread, then at the glass of water. This was the punishment his parents had warned him about. To make matters worse, tonight he was absolutely starving.

The next thing happened was the striking point of the story. The father looked at the boy, then, quietly took the boy’s plate and placed it in front of himself. And then, He took his own plate.. and put it in front of the boy. The boy understood what his father was doing. His father was taking upon himself the punishment that he, the boy, had brought upon himself by his own delinquent behavior.

That story illustrates perfectly what Jesus meant when he said in today’s gospel, “The son of man…came…to give his life to redeem many people”. Jesus came into the world to do for us what the father did for his son. He came to pay the price for our sinfulness. And the price he paid was his own death on the cross. That was Jesus’ mission and today we who are gathered here are also called for a mission—to bring people to God and God to people, to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, to witness the redeemed life we have in Jesus. It is by no way easy, which is why Jesus in today’s Gospel asked James and John the sons of Zebedee, “Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” 

To drink from the cup that Jesus himself must drink, is to carry out the mission of Christ with full freedom and also full understanding of it. The message of our Holy Father Benedict XVI for this 80^th  Mission Sunday put it very clearly: To carry out the mission, i.e. "..being missionaries means stooping down to the needs of all, especially those of the poorest and most destitute people.. to seek not our own interests but the glory of the Father and the good of our neighbor alone. Being missionaries means loving God with all our hearts, even to the point, if necessary, of dying for him". And all these are summed up in the theme for this Mission Sunday—“Charity: Soul of the Mission”.

It is with the same charity that the future Messiah accepted to suffer and offer himself as a sin-sacrifice for mankind, as prophesied in the first reading. It is also with the same charity that the author of the letter to the Hebrews, in the second reading, called upon the Hebrews to stand steadfast in the faith of Jesus Christ.

Let us pray that as we celebrate the Eucharist, the fullness expression of God’s charity to us, God’s grace will renew us and give us courage to rightly answer the question of Christ, “Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” 

Back to work ;)

I've just got back from Bundu Tuhan to help in a Vocation retreat.
Weather was pretty good and the 7 hours journey was a thrill.
This time i drove rather slowly.. averrage speed 95 km/hour.
Had my first mass in St Pius X, Bundu Tuhan..

I was really struggling with the Bunduists accent ;p.
Back to work now.. This weekend we gonna have marriage renewal seminar..
Yups.. yups..works keeps me moving.. but of course somehow energize me.
No homily posted this week.. he.. he..
It was in Dusun, anyway :)