Christ amongst us

We are well into the Christmas season, and I seek to constantly remind myself that Christ is amongst us today.

At one of the masses during advent, Father shared a story about a group of monks that were always at odds with each other. It was only when a wise bishop mentioned to them that Jesus is amongst them, did they start changing their attitude towards each other.

If only we knew that Christ is indeed amongst us, I think we would act differently towards others. This world would be a much better place. Help us to be aware that you are amongst us Lord, and may we respond in the most loving way.

Be Charitable

It was the feast of Christ the King last weekend. Father spoke about how Jesus gave his life for us. He was not thinking about himself, but was only concerned for us. He was asking God the Father to forgive us while hanging on the cross.

I wonder if Jesus had even a single thought for himself while hanging on the cross... It is extremely difficult to be able to put others before one's self, especially so in today's society, where every turn of the corner, everyone is placing their interest above others. I constantly struggle to follow Christ's example, when every other person out there is doing the exact opposite. It is not only mentally painful but emotionally and spiritually... However, God is calling us to be charitable. He wants us to give what we have to others, and we can only do this is if we place others before ourselves.

I pray that as we begin the Advent season, God will grant me the strength and perseverance, as well as the serenity and wisdom to place others before me, and be charitable.

United Church

It was the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica yesterday. This basilica was the original Church of Rome and the pope resided in the building next to it.

I remember a few years back when we visited Rome, we went to the Lateran Basilica. It was so different from St Peter's Basilica. Though it was not as majestic, it had a very authentic beauty, one that is ancient beauty.

Father mentioned in his homily that it is a tradition that every newly installed pope will celebrate his first mass at the lateran Basilica. I think this symbolises the unity of the church, with all the previous popes.

This is such a beautiful tradition, as is the many traditions of the church. I am so blessed to be part of this united church. The mass is celebrated in accordance to the rich teachings of the church and is the same in every part of the world. I have never felt different when I attend mass anywhere in the world, and such is the oneness of our catholic church.

Be child like

"I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, from hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children..." This is taken from the Gospel of Matthew.

Indeed the kingdom of heaven is revealed to children. Most days, I find myself being very skeptical of others and things that happen around me. I am unable to see the glory of God as I am blinded by knowledge that I acquired, knowledge of this world. I need to see the world through the eyes of a child and be child like again. Only then can I see the glory of God in those around me.

Help me be child like again Lord, and reveal to me your glory...

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind

The Gospel passage of St Matthew speaks about the greatest and the first commandment of the law. 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

Father shared with us that we should do this by loving our neighbour as ourselves. This is the next commandment. I never seen it this way, always thinking that I should aim to love God by placing Him first in my life and seeking His Will in all I do. Now I know that I love God by loving those around me, people He has placed in my life. Though I find it hard sometimes, especially those who intentionally set out to hurt me, I pray for the grace to love them as myself. May I be strengthen by God to love Him through others.

Change and be better

Father shared at mass last weekend about how we can get very defensive when others comment on our actions. We always want to be right in all situations. Father challenged us to instead reflect on our behaviour and actions, and to change and be better.

I definitely agreed that I am very defensive when others comment on my actions. These may or may not be true, but I know that without reflecting on them, I would not be able to allow the situation to mold me and change me to be a better person. I have encountered many such situations and though I am not very proud of my responses, I know that I can use these experiences to do better next time. I also know that I need God to help me change from my old ways.

As I venture out into the unknown, I hold with me the faith that God will help me better handle situations in the future, and make me a better person for His Glory.

For many are called, but few are chosen

"For many are called, but few are chosen." This was taken from the Gospel of Matthew and was the Gospel reading from last Sunday.

This phrase has been running through my head these past few days. I wonder what Jesus was trying to say, or is trying to say to me... Is He trying to tell me to persevere in my undertakings? That every opportunity that presents itself may not lead to the right outcome for me? This very much seems the case for my current situation...

However, as I pondered and prayed about it, I realised that there is a deeper meaning to this phrase. We are all called to live our life with love, but not all of us respond to this call. We are like the guests that were invited to the wedding, and we need to respond to this invitation by dressing appropriately, else we would be throw out. We need to respond in the right way to Christ's call for us, and only then can we remain in his heavenly banquet.

I know that I may not have always responded with love in my calling as a Christian but I pray that God will bless me with the grace and strength to do just that, in spite of how I am feeling.

Be thankful for life

Just the other day, I was having a really bad day and I chanced upon an event. It was an event in support of leukemia patients. The events of my day felt so insignificant at that moment.

We decided to purchase lanterns in support of the event. As we approached the queue, we were greeted by a lady who asked us whether we knew of anyone who has leukemia. Immediately, I remembered a school mate who passed on after his battle with leukemia. It was actually my brother's classmate. I was very young then, and did not really understand what it was all about. Now, as I remember him, I pray that he is with God now, in His heavenly embrace. We bought 2 lanterns, a gold one to remember a loved one and a blue one to support those who are battling this terrible disease.

I am thankful for being alive today and as I place the horrible events of my bad day behind me, I pray for those in a much worse off situation than me, especially those who are suffering from cancer and other illnesses. May our dear Lord grant them strength and healing.  

Do not be envious because of my generosity

Jesus preached about the parable of the landowner who went out to hire workers for his vineyard, and liken this to the Kingdom of Heaven. This landowner hired workers at different times of the day but paid them all the same day's wages.

The workers who were hired in the earlier part of the day felt unfairly treated and complained to the landowner. To this the landowner refuted, saying that the wages were agreed when they were hired. "Why be envious because I am generous?" He said.

We are very often like the workers who complained. It is human nature to expect more when we have done more. However, God is generous to everyone, as long as we believe in Him and enter into His covenant. It does not matter which stage of our lives this happens, God will always be there with open arms to receive us and shower His blessings on us. We who have been longer in this community of believers should extend our love and support to those on the journey towards God. We should be privileged that we can be part of this amazing community to show the face of God to others, to be His hands and feet.

I pray that God will continue to grant me an open heart to share in the joy of others and not be envious of His generosity.

Jesus died for me

We celebrated the exaltation of the cross last weekend. I do not recall this celebration in previous years... It probably just did not speak to me all those years...

I have been struggling lately with God's plan and direction for me in my life, grappling with the many challenging situations I find myself in. Much pain and suffering were involved, where I sometimes question when all this will end, or at least get better... I understand that this is the process I must undergo to grow but this seems too much to endure...

Jesus did not need to suffer and die on the cross, but He did to save me, and you. His suffering was so much that he perspired blood. Father mentioned in his homily that Jesus was under such intense stress that the capillaries in his body cracked and the blood came out as perspiration through his body. This has been confirmed by doctors to be possible if the person goes through immense stress. I could never imagine that, what a scary thought.

The suffering of Christ is so hard to imagine and ever more so His obedience to the Father and His willingness to die on the cross for all of us, believers and non-believers. As I ponder on this, I feel so blessed that Jesus sacrificed His life for me. I look forward to the day when my suffering turns into victory in the Resurrection, and I finally find rest in the Lord. Till then, I pray that the Lord will continue to lead and guide me through life's challenges.

You will be accountable for the actions of your neighbour

A very stark reminder from the first reading from last weekend's mass. It says that we will be held accountable for the evil actions of our neighbour if we witness it and do not correct their actions.

This is the sin of inaction, which many of us are so guilty of. It is so much easier to ignore than to confront and attempt to correct, risking the potential of getting a nasty reaction. God is calling us to be His hands, feet and mouth, to reach out to our neighbours and correct them where necessary.

I pray that when the situation arises, that I may have the courage and grace to do just that. As I sit here tying these words, I honestly cannot imagine myself doing that. But with the grace and power of God, I know I will when the time comes... I pray the same for you. Let us go out and be Christ to all, no matter the situation.

What are we passionate about

I believe that we are all placed in this world for a special reason, and that is to bring Christ to those that we meet. When Father mentioned at mass recently, "What we are passionate about?", it got me thinking... again. :) Father went further by asking us if you get too passionate about material things that we forget about Christ and what is really important in our lives...

This hit me really hard. I am the kind of person who would give my all at work and in most things that I do, such that at times I have neglected Christ and family, the important people in my life. Now at this point in my life as I give more time to the important people in my life, I find myself lost in translation... I'm trying very hard to discern what Christ has in store for me. With each new situation I find myself in, the discernment gets more confusing. As I journey from focusing on the passions of material things, to Christ and family, I pray that I will be able to find the perfect balance to help me grow into the person that Christ has made me to be.

Knowing Jesus and knowing about Jesus

Father shared his story of when he first started work. He found out about a fellow commuter on his bus rides through random situations. It was only through an incident where the bus broke down that led him to converse with this person and start to know him.

Father relates his story to that of our relationship with Jesus. We may know a lot about Him, but do we truly know Him... It is very easy to know about someone but to really know that person requires much more. As I ponder on my relationship with Jesus, I wonder if I have too much head knowledge about Jesus and not much heart knowledge of Him.

Many a time I have relied on this head knowledge to see me through the countless painful events in my life but fail to realise that Jesus is with me, holding me during these moments. It can come from a simple hug from a friend. That friend is Christ giving me His comfort and assurance.

As we struggle through life with our own set of challenges, may we experience that special friendship with Christ that only He can give. Let us nurture out hearts to recognise Him more and more each day, and get to know Him more.

Strengthen our faith

Father brought up the topic of faith at mass last weekend. We sometimes wonder how people can have such strong faith, whilst ours are so weak? I find myself questioning as well.

Faith is strengthen when we exercise our faith. As Father mentioned, our faith is like a muscle, we need to exercise it in order to strengthen it. We need to make time to exercise our faith. This can be simply taking the time to read the bible and pray.

I like this analogy and as I seek to strengthen my faith, I pray that God will sustain me in my quest, for starters, to allocate time to pray each day. May we all be blessed with God's grace as we set out to strengthen our faith.

Man of little faith

"Man of little faith," these were the words of Jesus to Peter in the Gospel passage last weekend. Jesus followed with the words,"Why did you doubt?"

Peter initially trusted Jesus and walked towards him across the water but once he felt the force of the wind, he was frighten and started to sink. This is so true in the many different periods of my life. I try to live my life according to Christ but when faced with trials and tribulations, I get afraid and lose sight of Christ. Doubts start flooding my head and before I know it, I am sinking into the troubled waters of my fear. I know how difficult it is to focus on Christ during the storms in our lives but Jesus is there and He will never abandon us, always ready to put His hand out to hold us. We will always be men of little faith every now and then but we need to be ready to let Christ increase in our lives and let Him squash all our doubts.

Help us focus on you always Lord, and may you forever be the biggest part of our lives.

No creature can separate us from the love of God

Father shared at mass last weekend about the story of a lady who lost her children in a drowning. This lady was very steadfast in her faith. Instead of blaming God and giving up on life, she continued to have rock solid faith. In her words,"Nothing can separate me from the love of God."

This is incredible, coming from someone who had lost her children. She echoes what St Paul said to the Romans,"No creature can separate us from the love of God." Her story resonates within me, especially at this time where lives have been lost from the MH17 disaster. One particular story reported in the news tells about the parents of 3 children, who lost their children and the children's grandfather. In their grieve, they were able to be strong and proclaim that "Love conquers Hate." Just remarkable!

It is hard to imagine being in their shoes but we need to emulate their strength and faith, that in their adversity they are still able to proclaim love, instead of vengeance. Indeed, my problems and issues are tiny compared to theirs and I pray that God will be with them to comfort and bless them. As I continue to struggle with my life, I draw strength from their faith and look forward to living out the great love of God, which nothing can separate me from. I pray the same for you.

A heart to understand how to discern between good and evil

The first reading from the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time spoke about Solomon who asked God for wisdom. This is what he said,"Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil," This, coming from a King... Incredible!

As I ponder on his words, I too realised that I should also ask God for the heart to understand how to discern between good and evil. Many times in my life, I have not been able to distinguish between good and evil, and have been hurt in the process. Too many times, I have allowed situations and people to influence my thoughts, not giving due consideration to the stirring in my heart. I know that God has given us a heart to discern, but it is our request that opens us to His wisdom within us.

Lord, grant me wisdom and may my heart be led by your Spirit, and help me deal with any situation and people in my life.

The Darnel amongst us

The Gospel last Sunday brought me down to earth. Jesus shared the parable about the man who sowed good seed in the field, only to have his enemy come along at night to sow darnel among the wheat.

It tells of the reality in our world today, that the devil is very present among us. He uses people around us to achieve his evil plan. The owner in the parable allowed the darnel to grow with the wheat and only at harvest time does his servants collect the darnel to be burnt before gathering the wheat. Evil people who are influenced by the devil will always be amongst us and we need to be cautious and watchful. It is only at the end of time, will we be free from the evils of the devil. That is when we come into the Kingdom of Heaven.

I pray that the Lord will help me to forgive the people who are influenced by the devil and grant me the strength and wisdom to deal with these people. My prayers are also with them to one day turn from the devil and return to the goodness of God.

Life is so very fragile

I woke up on Friday morning to the news that a Malaysian airliner MH17 was shot done in mid-air. It took a while for the news to sink in...

I could not believe that this has happened. A commercial airline shot down in military fashion. Innocent lives taken... My heart goes out to those who lost their lives and more so for those they left behind. As stories of the passengers on that flight flooded our screens, I prayed that God will bless their soul and keep their families in His extra care.

Life is so very fragile and I thank God for what He has given me and what He has not. Though I fret about the things I do not have, I thank God for Life and the possibility of many many unseen blessings to come.

As we pray for the souls of those on that Malaysian airlines flight, let us celebrate our lives, freely given by God our Lord. Let not what we lack weigh us down but be thankful for what we have.

God's word to take root in me

The parable of the sower was shared in the Gospel last weekend. The ground on which the seeds fell on seem to represent the different stages of my life, much like a roller-coaster of ups and downs in my faith journey.

As I ponder on which stage of my life I'm in, I could not help but identify with the edge of the path. Birds came and ate them up... My faith has been pretty shallow of late, and I have been in and out of trusting in God's plan for me. I have not allowed God's word to take root in me. Hard as it is for me, I know that ultimately God's Will will prevail. I need to allow God to work in my life and also to allow Him to change my life.

As I journey ahead, I pray that the edge of the path will become rich soil so that God's word can take root and produce crop a hundredfold in me.

My yoke is easy and my burden light

"My yoke is easy and my burden light". This phrase struck me during mass last weekend. It was like a soothing balm to my soul (another phrase I picked up from a Disney movie).

I have barely recovered from the disappointment of another potential job offer during the week. It was particularly difficult to take in this time around as this position was very related to my skills and experience. Although I told myself that this is only the bend in the long road of God's beautiful plan for me, it was still very hard to swallow.

I have began to identify with the Justice Crew song Que Sara, especially the phrase "Some you win, some you don't". As I pick myself up again, and turn to Jesus our Lord, I am strengthen by His promise that "My yoke is easy and my burden light". Help me find my way Lord and find rest in You.

God equips the called

Someone mentioned at mass the other day that God does not call the equipped, but equips the called. A very interesting phrase and how very appropriate for me at this time of my life.

I have been looked over for many roles which I felt I was very well equipped and suitable for. This has been happening for quite a while now. It has come to a point where I start to doubt myself, whether I am able to perform those roles at all. It has been a very deep valley for me and as I attempt to climb out of this valley, this phrase gives me strength and confidence that God will call me to where He wants me to be. More importantly, He will equip me for that call.

Thank you for revealing those words to me Lord and keeping me always in your sight.

Steady, unshakable hope

I'm currently reading the book 'Heaven changes everything' and I came across this: "One of the most amazing things about him is the steady, unshakable hope he carries with him."

This is a child who has such hope that I am somewhat embrassed that I switch between steady, unshakable hope and wavering hope, depending on the situations I am in. Most days, I fall into a pity state and lament the insecurities in my life. However, I failed to realise that God has been generous to me. He has provided for what I need, namely with many part time work.

Though I still search for something secure, I can place my full hope that God will continue to provide for me amidst the many disappointments I have encountered. May my new found hope continue to be strengthened by you Lord. I know that these disappointments will one day turn into joy and fulfillment in what you have prepared for me.

Hunger for Christ

"Do we hunger for Christ?" This was the message I gathered at mass the other day. As I ponder on this question and look at my current situation, I find that there is this void within me, like a sense of emptiness that nothing can fill.

It could be because I'm still finding my way in life, still finding my direction in life. This emptiness could be the result of the absence of a hunger for Christ in my life... Instead of finding security in this world, I think it may be wise to find security in Christ.

It is in Christ that we become the person we were created to be. As I shift my focus from the things of this world, hard as it may be, I pray that the tiny hunger for Christ within me will magnify and consume me. May I be close to Christ everyday and let Him direct my thoughts, actions and decisions. 

Ambassadors for Christ

Father shared with us Pope Francis' message to the youth of the world at the last World Youth Day. Pope Francis urged us to be Ambassadors for Christ. In order to do this, he gave us 3 suggestions.

Firstly, to include prayer in our lives. Next, to nourish ourselves with the Sacraments. Lastly, to reach out to others. As I look back on the last few years of my life, I find that I have distanced myself from daily prayer. Now that the daily commute to work is no longer part of my life, of which I spend most of the time in prayer, I have left out prayer altogether... I wonder if this is the cause of my constant feelings of sadness and nights of disruptive sleep...

Being an ambassador for Christ has been the last thing on my mind recently and as I ponder on the words of Pope Francis, I realised that I should act on this call. Though I am unsure of what the future holds, I pray that God will guide me as I attempt to offer up everyday in prayer. May the Holy Spirit lead me and help me do my part to build God's Kingdom here on earth, to be an ambassador for Christ.

We will rise with Christ on the last day

At mass over the weekend, we celebrated the Ascension of our Lord. Father spoke about the mortality of monuments we construct and our immortality as Christians.

I find myself asking,"What am I doing with my life, knowing that I will rise with Christ on the last day?" It seems such a profound concept that I seldom remind myself of my immortality. As I reflect on my life and my situation, I must admit that there is more that I can do in my life before my final ascension with Christ to our heavenly home.

I pray that God will grant me wisdom to acknowledge my role here on earth and contribute to the best of my God given talents. But more importantly, to be able to identify my talents and use it for His Glory and not mine.

Jesus loves you

Being in a static situation, with nothing working in you favour, tends to get to you. At mass yesterday, Father mentioned in his homily that Jesus loves us. That is the reason He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us so we will never be alone in this world.

I have always known that Jesus loves me but being rooted in my situation, it is very hard to believe that. These words were a reminder for me that Jesus loves me regardless and His Holy Spirit is with me through my darkest days and all my days. I am very certain that His Spirit has sustained me thus far, especially in times when I fell into the pits of despair.

Dear Lord, help me in my journey and may I remind myself constantly of your love for me regardless the situation I am in.

I have gone and prepared you a place

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house; if there were not, I should have told you. I am now going to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return and take you with me; so that where I am you may be too. You know the way to the place where I am going."

This is taken from the Gospel of St John. These words of Christ were like calming balm to my soul. Jesus assures me that He has prepared a place for me, in His Father's house. He further assures me that He will take me there to be with Him. As I place my trust in God, I am assured that Christ will take me to where He wants me to be, in this world and beyond. I am confident that God has my situation under His control and He will grant me what I need in the midst of this changing world.

Thank you Lord. May my faith in you strengthen with each passing day.

The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want

"The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. Surely goodness and kindness will follow me all the days of my life."

As Father read out this phase after communion time, it struck a chord within me. Do I acknowledge that there is nothing I want besides God? If so, am I convinced that only good things will come to me everyday of my life? Once again, I find myself questioning the goodness of God... As I wait on the Lord, I pray that my faith will increase, and that I can be convinced of my hope in God, that He has only good things in store for me.

As I continue to live each day in His Light, I pray that He will transform my thoughts and lead me to His everlasting goodness for my life here on earth.

Christ walks with us throughout our journey in Life

The Gospel on Sunday talks about two of the disciples' journey to Emmaus, where they encountered Jesus without realising who he was.

Does this sound familiar? There has been countless occasions where I failed to see Jesus in others who have been with me at different phases of my journey in Life. It is only on reflecting back did it dawn on me the fact that Christ was present with me then. He is now and will be in the future. Christ lives amongst us and He walks with us throughout our journey in Life, though we may not realise it. It is the eyes of faith that allows us to see beyond the obvious.

Let us pray that God increase our faith that we may see Christ in others throughout our journey here on earth.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe

Divine mercy Sunday provided me with a lot of food for thought.

This was the day that both Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII were canonized. Part of the road to canonization required 2 miracles to be attributed to the popes. I think that God allows these to be revealed for the common good of mankind.

Being divine mercy Sunday, Father mentioned the difference between doubting and hoping in the divine mercy of Christ.

When Christ said,"You believe because you have seen, happy are those who have not seen but yet believe", He was differentiating the doubters from the believers. Are we doubters or believers?

I sometimes fall into the band of doubters, not sure if this is due to my need to see to believe or a lack of fervent faith in God's divine mercy. It seems to be both, with my human faculties taking control.

I pray that God will help me stay a believer, if it means little injections of revealing His miracles in my life, but only for the common good.

Let the light of the risen Christ direct you

"Let the light of the risen Christ direct you." Father spoke these words to those who are currently finding their direction in life. He wanted to assure us that Christ is with us today, and always.

I hold this phrase close to my heart. Though there has been countless disappointments in life, I try to find the strength within to trust that Christ will direct me to where He wants me to be. There are things which are beyond our understanding, things that might seem impossible. I know deep within that God will lead me out of the darkness into His light. He has shown us with His rising from death.

Help me remain steadfast in your love Lord, and may I find my way in you.

Christ unbinds us

Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. It was a miraculous event as Lazarus was already dead for four days.

As Father mentioned, Christ unbinded Lazarus before asking him to wake. We ourselves are also binded by our sins as Lazarus was binded by the cloth that wrapped him.

We need to ask Christ to unbind us before we can raise from our old self. As this Lenten season draws to a close, I pray that the Lord will unbind me from my sinful self n raise me up to the new life that Easter brings. I pray the same for you.

The Lord looks at the heart

The first reading for the 4th Sunday of Lent is from the first book of Samuel. A particular phrase in the reading spoke to me,"God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart."

I wonder what God sees when He looks at my heart? I must admit that I every so often look at people at face value, concluding about who and what they are about from what they do and say. What is within them can very likely be different from what they portray. I am certain that God sees each and very one of us as His own begotten child.

Today I put on a fresh pair of eyes and pray that God will help me look beyond appearances and actions. I pray that God will give me a heart of compassion towards all His children, especially those who are unkind toward me.

I seek your prayers as I keep you in mine.

You are no longer alone in your journey

The third Sunday of Lent. The Gospel readings spoke of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.

Father spoke about how in those days, it was the woman's responsibility to collect water from the well. This was usually done in the mornings or evenings when the sun is not scorching hot. The Samaritan woman chose to collect water at noon because she did not want to be seen by others. The very act of Jesus speaking with her is also against the norm where Jews do not speak with Samaritans.

Jesus' actions on that day affirms us that we are no longer alone in our journey. He is with us always, no matter what our status in society is. This does not imply that our problems will go away, but He will be with us through it all. Father's homily was a gentle reminder for me, that God will be with me through the many endless problems life throws at me.

I pray that during this season of Lent, I will take heart that I am not alone in this journey and that God is with me every step of the way. May I be strengthen by that as I deal with the problems that have littered my life.

Do pray for me as I pray for you.

Hope in the eternal life with God

It is the second week of Lent and I am struggling with my current situation. My concerns were very focused on where I am now. It was not until Father mentioned about Hope, that I stood up in my seat.

It really is not about hope for the things in this world, or a situation to improve, but hope in the eternal life with God. We need to live our lives in the hope of eternal life as our end goal. This reduces my worries and magnifies my ultimate destination. My worries and concerns still persist but taken into perspective by the hope of eternal glory with God in Heaven.

I pray that the Lord with guide me towards that path and help me live each day with that hope in mind. I am in need of His grace to help me walk that journey. I ask for all your prayers as I keep you in mine.

Follow in the footsteps of Jesus

The first Sunday of Lent has just passed. It was a time of much needed reflection for me. Father shared about the temptations that are present in this world. Adam gave in to temptation but Jesus redeemed us.
Though he is God, He is also human. He was also subject to temptations but He did not give in to them.

As I sat in church and reflected on the days that have gone by, I realised how difficult it is to resist temptation. I find myself having a very short fuse recently. Though I tell myself to be patient and kind, these words seem to fly out the window when I am caught in a situation which tempts me to sin.

Jesus has showed us the way in the desert, I must follow in His footsteps and not that of Adam. I pray for the almighty grace of God, that I may receive healing and peace, that I may respond in love at any given situation. I know that it will be a mammoth task but with God, I will be strengthen to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

Do not worry

The Lord takes care of all your needs, so you do not have to worry. This is such a simple advice but in reality, we all worry about our current situation and what the future holds.

A sequence of events brought me to one of my lowest levels in life, just when I thought I could go down no further. It brought me to the painful realisation that though the Lord provides, we need to cooperate with Him and be aware of the opportunities surrounding us. I tried to be open and discerning but setback follows one after the other. Just when I feel that God is presenting a new opportunity for me, the door slams shut in my face.

I can only try to pick myself up again and get going towards discovering His plan for me. They say failure makes or breaks people. I would like to think that the former applies to me, though it is so easy to embrace the latter.

Please help me find my way in You Lord, and help me put aside my worries and surrender them to You.

Love your enemies

The central message that came across at Mass last weekend is the call to love your enemies. This is a very tough call, in my opinion. Almost every single incident that involves someone doing something against me stirs up so much hatred that I cannot ever imagine loving that person.

Father shared about the true story of a lady, whose dad was killed in the hotel bombing in the UK in 1984 it was I think. She met up with the bomber to find some sort of peace and ended up meeting with him on numerous occasions. In the end, she found that she was able to love this person in spite of what he had done to her dad. This is a really amazing story of how love always conquers evil.

I am certain that God blessed her with the grace to forgive and to consequently love that person. I pray for that same grace to do the same, as difficult as it is. As I prayed, I realised that the very enemy that can cause me the most pain and grieve is yours truly. Yes, it is me that is my own enemy. As strange as that might sound, but I find that I can be too hard on myself and expect too much from myself. Being able to forgive and love myself is one thing that I need to do, and I pray that God's grace will allow that healing to take place.

God's Grace sustains

St Mary's Cathedral always takes me away to the beautiful image of the historical architectural brilliance of churches in Europe which I have come to associate. It is also a place where I seek solace in the Holy sanctuary of God.

At a recent Novena session, after the benediction of the Holy Eucharist, the lights in the Cathedral suddenly brighten. Even the priest was taken by surprise, turning to look at the sacristan beside him. At that instance, I felt overwhelmed with a sudden calmness and a strong feeling that God is amongst us. It is a timely reminder for me that though I may be lost in the wilderness, God is with me through it all. His Grace will sustain me and keep me sane. I think that without this firm believe that God has a better plan for me, I would not have imagined how I would have survived.

As I go into the unknown, I pray that His Grace will continue to sustain me and give me Hope for a future filled with His wonderful blessings.

It's a scorpion's nature to sting, why should I give up my nature to save

At mass last weekend, Father shared a story about an elderly man, who on one of his usual morning walks, saw a scorpion hanging on a tree branch overhanging the river. He tried to pick the scorpion up to bring him to safety but was stung by him a few times. Another person, who happened to pass by, saw this and told the man off. The elderly man replied instead,"It's a scorpion's nature to sting, but why should I give up my nature to save."

Father continued to encourage us to be the Christian in our lives, be it at work, with friends or anywhere. We may have been at the receiving end of injustice or unkind acts, but we should not give up our nature, to do the loving thing. I found much consolation and peace in my heart on hearing this. I, myself have been pondering on a decision I made recently. I know I made the right decision, to do the right thing but in the process I have plagued myself with many more problems. I think I am still recuperating from the stings of the scorpion but I know that at the end of it, God's grace will see me through all the problems I am going through right now.

As Father says,"Love will prevail." Thank you Lord for your comforting words. May I see through this difficult time with You ever by my side. I pray that my nature remains in You and that I will reflect your love in this world.

You are Salt of the Earth, and Light of the World

Last Sunday's reading highlighted the fact that we are the Salt of the Earth, and Light of the World. I am reminded of my time in Toronto, Canada for the World Youth Day.

As I look back on that experience, I wander if I am any different from that person more than 10 years ago. I often ask myself if I am being Christ to those around me... It is a tough calling, to be the Salt of the Earth, and Light of the World. It is even worse to know that those who do not bring Christ to others will be thrown out, like salt that has lost its taste. Most days, I find myself failing in my call as a Christian. It is on those days that I pray for the grace of God, and I am strengthen with renewed vigour to live my life as Christ would want me to.

Let us not be discouraged and be assured that Christ is with us in our calling as Christians. We are not alone and have God as our strength and guide.

Do the will of the Father

At a recent Novena service, Father mentioned the phrase Jesus said,"It is not those that call me Lord, Lord who will enter the Kingdom of God, but those who do the will of the Father."

I have been reflecting much on this phrase. I ask myself constantly,"Am I doing the will of the Father?" Or am I just calling out His name at every sign of trouble and distress? I am at the stage of my life when I am asking God what His Will for me is. Today, I received yet another notification telling me that my job application has been unsuccessful. I could not help but ask the Lord where He is leading me with this.

I know deep down in my heart that He has placed me in this world for a purpose. However, it seems that my life is moving in an aimless direction. All that I hope and pray for seems to be the blessings God gives to others. I believe that He has a plan for me and I pray that my little faith will see me through this season of preparation as I await the blessings He has in store for me.

Reveal your will for me Lord and grant me the grace to live the call you have for me.

Christ meets us at where we are

It is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord today. The high priest Simeon was prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple on the day when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to present Him to the Lord.

Father mentioned that Jesus meets us at where we are, at our meetings with people and family. I always wondered if there is such a thing as a chance encounter? Or are such encounters prompted by the Holy Spirit? The gospel today reminds me that the Holy Spirit is always gently prompting us in our lives. Though we might be unaware, the Spirit leads us to meet Christ.

We encounter people everyday and it is through them that Christ is revealed to us. Today I pray that I will be more discerning to these encounters and see the Christ in others.

Christ calls us to be His disciples

This weekend we celebrate Christ's calling of the first apostles. Father reminded us that Christ also calls us to be His disciples. Do we avail ourselves to this call and do we respond to this call?

As I reflect on this question, I realised that it is possible I have shut myself from Jesus. It could be unintentionally and subconsciously. As much as I would like to avail myself to Jesus's call, I might have allowed the worries and troubles of this world to take priority in my life. I think I need to include Jesus more in my life and it might be best to start by offering up all my worries and troubles to Him at the start of every single day.

Lord Jesus, I want you to be more involved in my life. Help me to listen to your voice everyday and respond to your call to serve you where you have placed me.

Opportunities to grow

We were watching the movie "Evan Almighty" recently on TV and the one scene that was replayed in my head since, was that conversation God had with Joan.

This was what God said, "If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

This is another reminder for me that God is not our vending machine, where anything that we ask for in prayer pops out for us. We need to be observant and look out for the opportunities He presents to us when we pray for something. It is when we are discerning, can we grab these opportunities and allow ourselves to be transformed and to grow into the person God created us to be.

Dear Lord, may my prayers help me to be aware of these opportunities that you to create for me and grant me the grace to allow you to mould me into a better person.

We have much to learn

I just returned from mass, learnt something new today. Father told us that Catholic means Universal. We are a universal church. That is why we need to reach out to everyone, not only those within the church but those outside.

Father recalled the event of 1986 (I hope I remembered correctly), when our late pope John Paul II invited the heads of all the religious denominations to the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi to pray for peace. Many in the church were upset and felt that this was against the call to conversion. Blessed John Paul II replied that this was a gathering in friendship, and that we have much to learn from others.

As I pondered on those words,"We have much to learn from others" I am reminded that we have so much to learn from each other. Those we meet in our everyday activities and work, as well as those we meet along the street, can teach us a thing or two. Lord, help me to be aware and mindful of the people I see and meet everyday, to always be open to the lessons that they might impart to me.

Baptised into the life and death of Christ

Father shared with us Pope Francis' teaching at his first general audience of the year. Our baptism is not a rite of passage. We are baptised into the life and death of Christ. As such, we are incorporated into Christ.

We are called to be Christians and I believe that being incorporated into Christ bestows on us a great responsibility to live our lives as Christ lived, according to the Gospels. We represent Christ and we need to show the world the face of Christ through us.

I recall my baptism and wonder if I have lived that call. Daily living presents itself many trials and opportunities, and with it much pain as well as joy. It is difficult to gauge the responses of others but I know that I should always be Christ to others, though it may be tough at times.

I hope and pray that I may overcome my own insecurities and difficulties, and be strengthen by God to be His Son to all I meet. This is the responsibility I carry by virtue of my baptism, and one I am willing to undertake with His Grace.

With God there is no fear

I went for a recent novena service at the St Mary's Cathedral and Father shared this message with us. He said that we should do all things with love, for God is love and with God, there is no fear.

Many a time, I am crippled with fear in certain aspects of my life. I'm sure you would have those instances as well. The fear is very real and there are times when I feel so trapped and overcome by fear that my immediate reaction is to run away from the situation. It seems that whenever I encounter fear in my life, I fail to include love. I would need to make a conscious effort to do all things with love, and things just turn out well. Fear becomes a distant memory.

I know that God is at work and I pray that as I journey through life and all that it may throw at me, I will remember to have love always. Fear is such a powerful force that might enable us to get things done, but love is the powerful motivating force we need to get things done right.

May love be in our hearts always to lead and direct our lives.

Follow the Star

We just celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany. The three wise men followed the star which led them to Jesus. The one thing that I gathered from Father's homily was that we are called individually to follow the star. Not any star but the one that God has allocated to us.

We were all born into this world with a unique purpose and this makes us special in God's eyes. He has a pre-destined plan for us when He brought us into this world. We need to find that star, and follow the star to where we will find Jesus, where we find our purpose and calling.

I am filled with much hope as I search to find my place in this world. Though things may not look rosy but deep down I know that God will led me to His great plan for me. I need to find that star and follow it. I pray that God will reveal the star and help me find my way towards it. I pray the same for you.

Honour Mary our Mother

We started the new year with mass in the morning. Today is the feast of the maternity of Mary our Mother. We were both enlightened by what Father mentioned in his sermon.

He said that we honour Jesus when we honour Mary our Mother. We take nothing away from Christ but instead add on to it. Indeed, Mary brings us closer to Jesus and we pray that as we begin this new year, we will be drawn closer to Christ through Mary our Mother, Mother of the Church.

May this new year bring about many Blessings from God and the warmth and prayers of Mary our Mother, who is constantly at our side.