Category Archives: Daily Reflections

2nd Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 11:1-10 | Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,12-13,17 | Romans 15:4-9 | Matthew 3:1-12

A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord,
make his paths straight. (Matthew 3:3, ref. Isaiah 40:3)

On paper, St. John the Baptist acted alone, but by faith, we know that God was always with him, as He is with all who remained faithful despite virulent opposition.

St. Paul confirms the second part when he tells the Romans:

Everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God. (Romans 15:4)

In modern times, we are beset on all sides by what’s best described as anti-faith, a prevailing sentiment that God doesn’t matter, that we need to look out for our own interests above all others, that anyone who shows consideration to others at some cost to himself is a sucker.

This is most vividly illustrated during a typical train journey, where almost everyone is either laser-focused on their mobile screens, or “ninja-napping” (leaning back with their eyes closed, seemingly in deep sleep but miraculously able to jump up and exit at their intended stop), or simply ignoring any boarding passengers, for fear they might see someone who needs a seat.

And when someone jumps up and cheerfully offers their seat, it sometimes seems that the mood of the other seat-hoggers actually darkens, almost as if they were hurling mental daggers at the benefactor for making them look bad.

When confronted with such general selfishness, it’s easy for us to lose hope, to let slip our Christian love for others and join the ranks of the me-firsters. It’s easy for us to sing hallelujah and serve the disadvantaged when surrounded by other believers, but when we’re alone among spiritual wolves, our courage usually takes a grievous pummeling.

It is then, brothers and sisters, that we need to redouble our efforts to break through our own reluctance to “rock the boat”, to do the right thing because it’s the right thing. It’s usually best to start by reminding ourselves that God is always with us, that it may be a good idea to let go of our own need to control our words and actions in such a situation, and let God’s love work through us to make things right.

But reaching such a state of trust in God requires frequent prayer, so that’s where we should start. I now begin my first journey every day with a rosary, through which I’ve felt a greater confidence over time that He has our best interests in mind, and a reduced reluctance to “get involved” with situations around me.

Would you care to join me in spirit?

Amen.

Saturday of the 1st week of Advent (Year I)
Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
1 Corinthians 9:16-19,22-23 | Psalm 116(117):1-2 | Mark 16:15-20

I do not boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me (1 Corinthians 9:16)

Many of us forget that this is our duty too, to preach the Good News which we have received to everyone we meet.

We may not use verbal exhortation, but others would certainly see how we address each other with respect, being mindful of our words and actions. This sort of “show, don’t tell” is our individual sermon to the world.

And it’s especially when they see us fall short of the ideals of love, and how we recover from our failings, then they would decide that there’s something to this Word of God after all.

Lord, help us be inspired by St. Francis Xavier, and grant us a portion of the gifts with which he was filled to overflowing: the fire of the Holy Spirit, true compassion for the suffering, and a thirst for souls. Amen.

Friday of the 1st week of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 29:17-24 | Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14 | Matthew 9:27-31

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

Indeed, but what of the land of the dead, the land in which we now inhabit? The land of, as Isaiah described it:

those who gossip to incriminate others,
those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator
and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons. (Isaiah 29:21)

The land of those who have consciously rejected the call to love and, in doing so, oppressed others both physically and spiritually.

Isn’t it our calling to transform this world of darkness and despair into a land of light and hope, indeed the land of the living?

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I learned yesterday that the kidnapper of a local millionaire’s mother had been sentenced to life in prison, sparing him the alternative of death by hanging. Apparently, he surprised even the prosecutors by pleading in a letter to be put to death instead, and thereby to “repay his debt and be at peace,” especially to his aged mother who would no longer have anyone to take care of her.

Perhaps it was written in the heat of the moment, but to deprive his mother of her last (and perhaps only) begotten son strikes me as a perpetuation of pain rather than a repayment of debt. I guess this is why Mother Church takes a very dim view of suicide: the only pain it ends is that of the one who caused it all in the first place.

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As the oft-quoted saying goes, “where there’s life, there’s hope”. The converse is also true: when hope is lost, so too does the drive to live.

So let us offer all around us the precious gift of hope: an unexpected visit, a helping hand on a onerous task, or even a sympathetic ear and a kind word. Every day of our lives, but especially as we await the Advent of He who has been promised to us, we should encourage everyone (including ourselves), through our words and actions, to:

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

Amen.

Thursday of the 1st week of Advent (Year A)
Isaiah 26:1-6 | Psalm 117(118):1,8-9,19-21,25-27 | Matthew 7:21,24-27

Trust in the Lord for ever,
for the Lord is the everlasting Rock (Isaiah 26:4)

This passage reminds me of a rather corny slogan that can be found on T-shirts and coffee mugs alike:

Word play aside, it’s true that trusting in God, casting our cares upon Him and obeying His Holy Word, can help us roll with the worldly punches that come flying our way.

With Him as our bedrock, it’s easier to stand tall and not be blown to and fro by the whims of popular opinion, to focus on the needful and not the frivolous, to do what must be done and not fritter precious time away.

With God as our foundation, we’re solid as…well, a rock.

✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞

Isaiah also paints a graphic image of a high citadel crumbling to the ground, reminiscent of the well-known phrase “the proud He shall make low”. When we surrender ourselves to the Lord our Rock, when we build our lives around His immovable and everlasting support, He in turn “sets wall and rampart around us”, shielding us from harm.

But if we decide to build on a different foundation, one of our own wants and desires, all it takes is one vengeful person, one financial crisis, one bad day, to knock out our supporting structures. Once those go, we won’t just fall, but Fall.

So let us rededicate ourselves to the Lord daily, building His kingdom on the base of His all-encompassing love. Amen.

Saint Andrew, Apostle
Romans 10:9-18 | Psalm 18(19):2-5 | Matthew 4:18-22

I started my daily scripture blog 8 months ago, and in that time, I’ve noticed a pattern forming: The words flow like a brisk mountain stream on some nights, and sleep-inducing molasses on others, but no matter what else I was doing that night, I was never reluctant to sit down and ponder the next day’s Word.

It was as if I was called to this activity, just as Jesus called His first four apostles in today’s Gospel. No hesitation, no “but I’ve got XYZ left to do”, just a quiet commitment to follow the Word of God wherever it would lead me each night, or (for the apostles) to drop everything and follow Christ.

That said, I’ve occasionally wondered if I should perhaps cut back to a weekly blog post, to allow for a deeper reflection like that offered by Fr. Peter Musset and Scott Powell on each Sunday’s readings in their Lanky Guys podcast.

After repeated pondering, I’ve decided to continue following my heart and posting nightly, despite it taking up to two hours to finish each entry. If pressed for a rationalization, I can only offer the following:

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The Bible is the ultimate story of God’s relationship with man – flora, fauna and even a mighty flood only play bit roles. Penning my thoughts on each day’s Word helps me think about my own relationship with God through the lens of many colorful characters: the apostles, St. Paul, Moses and Zacchaeus the tax collector, just to name a few.

All were flawed, yet God played a critical role in each of their lives. I too am seriously flawed, but seeing how each person acknowledged their weaknesses, then let go and let God, gives me great hope for each day, and helps me recover from the guilt of not being the best person I could be.

To know through scripture that everyone lets God down at some point, and some more often and more gravely than others, yet He’s always there to offer forgiveness and redemption, and the strength to do better…that gives me the strength to soldier on in love, despite frequently failing to show such love.

And reading and re-reading the beautiful parables narrated by Jesus during his earthly ministry, helps open my eyes to the daily parables enacted before my eyes,

the elderly cleaner overcoming his creaky joints and weak bones, cleaning each table slowly, methodically and conscientiously

the bus driver waiting for each elderly passenger to be safely seated before moving off

the young girl pausing in wonder at the wailing toddler, then offering him a hug and a bite of her ice-cream

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Just as every priest’s daily sermons inevitably vary in quality and impact with his current health in mind and body, so I’m well aware that my daily entries run the gamut from High Church to borderline crap. As the prolific bard John Denver once said:

Some days are diamonds, some days are stone.

But the Lord calls me every day, not just on Sundays. Sticking to a daily schedule of scriptural blogging, forsaking the equivalent of the Sistine Chapel ceiling for a more pragmatic “One Day at a Time“, helps keep me firmly rooted in the here and now, with just enough courage and conviction to address the world’s troubles, one woe at a time.

Amen.