Monthly Archives: November 2016

Tuesday of week 33 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Saint Albert the Great, Bishop, Doctor
Apocalypse 3:1-6,14-22 | Psalm 14(15):2-5 | Luke 19:1-10

I know all about you: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other, but since you are neither, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. (Apocalypse 3:15-16)

I love coffee.

There’s nothing quite like a good steaming mug of black joe, with aroma to delight the nose and a slight bitterness going down.

The ice kopi variant is also a sensual treat if done right. For that, I’d cross the Causeway to a secret kopitiam. (I might tell you where it is if you ask nicely.)

Anyway, I left yesterday morning’s cuppa a little too long on the kitchen counter, so when I finally got around to sipping it, it was lukewarm – and vile. I had to toss the entire half-liter, and rinse my mouth out in the kitchen sink.

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The Lord’s complaint against the church in Laodicea might seem a bit odd at first glance. It’s obvious that He would want us to be “on fire” with the Spirit, but why would he be satisfied with “cold” hearts?

If we read “cold” as “untouched by the Spirit”, then this passage makes perfect sense. For those who have not received the Good News, there is hope that being touched by the Spirit may “warm” their cold hearts and raise their spirits to love. As the popular song goes, “it only takes a spark to get a fire going.”

But the “lukewarm” ones are those who have received the Spirit, yet don’t give a hoot. They are the ones who pay lip service to faith, coming to church “just in case” but spending the entire time shutting out the Spirit, and studiously avoiding involvement in parish life. Or perhaps they’ve drifted away completely, choosing to turn their backs on Christ.

Most of us know at least one Catholic to whom the above description applies. It might even be us; I was certainly among their number, once upon a time, until an accident knocked some spiritual sense into me. (In my case, it might even have been literal: I had a lump on the side of my head after the crash.)

It is to such folks that the Landings community tries to reach out and reconnect. If you personally know a lapsed Catholic, do encourage them to take this heaven-sent opportunity to rediscover the fire of Christ’s love in their hearts.

And if it’s we who need to reconnect, perhaps a prayer might help begin that journey:

Lord, I know You’re all around me, but I can’t feel You through the noise and chaos of daily life and its demands. Help me take the time to set aside the troubles of each day one by one, pushing them out of sight and mind.

Then, in the stillness and silence, help me hear Your quiet voice, leading me to You. Help me accept the healing touch of Your love that brushes off the thorny barbs of sin, pours healing water over my wounded soul, and clothes me in the white robes of salvation.

Amen.

Monday of Week 33 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Apocalypse 1:1-4,2:1-5 | Psalm 1:1-4,6 | Luke 18:35-43

Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make; you have less love now than you used to. Think where you were before you fell; repent, and do as you used to at first. (Apocalypse 2:4-5)

Yesterday, at the regular Sunday mass, I saw a toddler running towards the altar, followed by a frazzled parent. Upon being grabbed and hauled back to her family, she started wailing, softly at first, then progressively louder as she was rushed backwards.

After reading the above passage from today’s reading, it suddenly hit me: That child was running to the center of the church, to Jesus! No wonder she got more upset the further she was dragged away from Him!

Oh, to be that young again, full of innocent love for each other and for God.

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It seems like the older we get, the more we find to complain about others:

Those youths are making so much noise in church! They should just shut up and get out!

Alamak! So many tables still got dirty plates all over! Where’s the cleaner, must be idling on the job!

Aiyah, that stupid man press the buzzer so late, make the bus driver jam brake!

and the less we actively practice Christian virtues:

That poor chap probably doesn’t know this area well. Ah well, at least no one fell down and got hurt.

Oh dear, that poor cleaner must be overworked. The cleaning station is just over there; let’s just grab a tray and clear this table ourselves.

Hi guys, there are a bunch of us folks who’d like to pray in silence here. Could you please take it outside? Thanks much, and have a blessed Confirmation camp!

Perhaps it’s time for us to take a deep breath before letting loose some sharp words or unkind thoughts, to look at the bigger picture and understand what others around us are going through.

Perhaps it’s time to return to the center, that is Jesus Christ.

And because I’m a bit of an Elvis fan…

Return to center, return to center

I gave the finger to that rude man, because he called me fat
So then he swung his fist at my head, which met it with a splat

I heard a voice say:

Return to center, to Jesus’ home
He just wants to, save our souls

That revelation, made me go back
To say I’m sorry, now I have a new friend, Jack

So now I try to put a good spin on everything I see
And I glorify the Father, the Son and Spirit, three

So sing it with me:

Return to center, to Jesus’ home
He just wants to, save our souls

Each time I feel like hitting someone, or saying words that hurt
I take a deep breath, and say a short prayer, then I may just blurt
The words I heard then:

Return to center, to Jesus’ home
He just wants to, save our souls

Return to center…

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
Malachi 3:19-20 | Psalm 97(98):5-9 | 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 | Luke 21:5-19

These are certainly interesting times.

It was just a few days ago that “President-elect Trump” became a reality, and analysts still can’t agree on whether “President-elect Clinton” would’ve been any better over the next four years. Millennials are demonstrating in the streets against a soon-to-be-leader they hate, rather than the electoral college system that put him there, and there are serious rumblings in California about seceding from the United States, much like Scotland was considering a second referendum after the Brexit vote.

Not quite the apocalyptic vision that Jesus shared in today’s Gospel, but it certainly feels like the “end times” for some folks in America.

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Half a world away in Singapore, locals are also slinging online mud at Trump. Granted that his recent rumblings might point towards an economic stance that may disadvantage us in the short and medium term, but to read their venting on Facebook, and rampant sharing of vitriol from elsewhere, you might have thought they were talking about a second Hitler.

Stop feeding the fear, brothers and sisters! Social media amplifies moods almost exactly like alcohol; that’s why I try to spend as little time as possible on it.

I don’t know how good a President he will be, but I suspect he’s not actually out to do evil, despite his campaign rhetoric. Instead of declaiming him as the Anti-Christ, why not pray that he surrounds himself with level-headed advisers that he’s wiling to listen to, and that Congress spends less time butting heads with him and more time getting productive legislation passed?

After all, as Christians, aren’t we a people of hope?

Amen.

Saturday of Week 32 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Saint Josaphat, Bishop, Martyr
3 John 1:5-8 | Psalm 111(112):1-6 | Luke 18:1-8

The message in today’s Gospel is right there in the first line: pray continually and never lose heart. The first part is certainly feasible, if we put our mind to it and don’t let earthly possessions and worries distract us from keeping our minds focused on God.

The second part, however, can be insidiously tricky, when our prayers aren’t answered in a recognizable way (i.e. what we asked for) within the limits of our attention span. Then we start to wonder if they’ll ever be answered, and then we begin to forget our prayer intentions.

It was because I noticed this happening to me, that I started a prayer notebook about a month ago. It’s inspired by a homily from my assistant parish priest, and is simply a 4-column list. It’s a tool to help us be mindful in our prayers, reminding us of the needs of others, and prodding us to open our eyes to the answers that God provides.

Mine currently looks like this:

The third entry is the kind we all pray for, a timely response to an immediate problem.

The second entry is for my brother-in-law, and I wrote about his situation here.

The first…is still teaching me about how God answers prayers.

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In a nutshell, Anne’s Singaporean, her husband’s American, and they’re living in Nevada. Her immigration status is of course a very important thing, and she was receiving ominous rumblings from Citizenship and Immigration Services officials.

As of today, her case is still pending, but there’s a possible way out, which involves her return to Singapore for a year to discuss matters with the local US Embassy. Our prayers aren’t fully answered yet, but she avoided deportation and immigration blacklisting, which was the worst-case scenario.

In my mind, I can imagine God saying, “My dearest daughter, you are precious to Me, and I will not let you be separated from your husband. But you have been away from your family and friends for quite a while now, and it’s best that you spend some time reconnecting with them. So it shall be – go and see your loved ones again, then return to your husband. But be not afraid, I may gently lead you in other directions along the way.”

So Anne’s entry in my journal may end up getting quite long in “The Answer” column. Her story is still being written, as are all of ours, but we trust that God knows what’s best for us. In the meantime, my prayers for her will continue, as they should.

After all, as Christians, we live in hope each day, and by consciously praying for the needs of those around us, we in turn may be blessed with the revelation of God’s deep love for us all, manifesting in strange and wonderful ways.

Amen.

Friday of Week 32 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
2 John 1:4-9 | Psalm 118(119):1-2,10-11,17-18 | Luke 17:26-37

When [the day comes for the Son of Man to be revealed], anyone on the housetop, with his possessions in the house, must not come down to collect them, nor must anyone in the fields turn back either. Remember Lot’s wife. (Luke 17:30-31)

About two weeks ago, I read an article about how American Airlines flight 383 caught fire on Chicago O’Hare airport’s runway as it was taking off, forcing its passengers to leave the plane in a manner that we all hope never to experience.

That led me to a second article about how one woman was cursing her fellow passengers for slowing down the abovementioned evacuation…by taking the time to grab their luggage from overhead compartments and roll them down the aisles, doubtlessly catching on multiple armrests along the way (at least, that’s been my experience with rolling luggage).

Then I scrolled down to the second article’s comments, and there was a clear gulf and lots of heat between those who defended their right to retrieve their luggage even in an emergency (rare prescription medications, “if my bag’s in the way, you’re following close enough to trip us both”, etc.), and those who were furious at the first group for endangering everyone by obstinately putting self before others.

(After deep pondering, I’d have to admit that I’d instinctively grab my backpack from the footwell in front of me…but abandon the rolling bag in the overhead compartment.)

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I’m sure you’ve seen this question before:

If your house were on fire, what is the one possession you’d grab on the way out?

I’ve seen the expected answers (car keys, grandma’s photo albums) and the half-joking ones (my spouse/pet), but never the blindingly obvious one:

Nothing – I’d want both hands free to clear any obstacles blocking my way to safety.

So let us all stop and think, and examine the various possessions and obsessions in our lives that keep us from being fully united with Christ in body and spirit,

that needlessly fill our hands and hearts,

that prevent us from pushing aside any roadblocks to strengthening our faith.

Perhaps it’s a nagging urge to “keep up with the Tans”, or a time-consuming fixation with pornography, or a secret gambling habit.

Perhaps we’ve recognized it in ourselves, and “conquered” it many times, only to fall prey again when we let our guard down.

Perhaps we need to admit to ourselves that we need help, and get help, and place such burdens behind us.

That way, some day, we can all truthfully and wholeheartedly answer:

The Son of Man has called on you to follow Him; what will you bring with you for the journey?

with:

Nothing – I’d want to be unencumbered, to make sure nothing gets in the way of doing His work.

Amen.