Spiritus Sanctus

Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Lent
Daniel 3:25,34-43 | Psalm 24(25):4-6,7a-9 | Matthew 18:21-35

Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)

I once had a comical conversation on this very passage that went like this:

Other: “Seventy-seven times” only meh? I remember “seventy times seven times”, that’s 490 times!”

Me: Um, you know that’s not the point, right? The point is to always forgive.

Other: Yeah, I know, but Bible got number, must get it right mah!

Me: Why, are you actually counting the number of times you forgive someone else?

Other: Of course lah! I must at least play fair and give each person the same number of chances, before I say “enough is enough”, right?

Me: …

Forgiveness is a surprisingly touchy subject even among Catholics. We have been taught, even before our faith instruction, Alexander Pope’s famous dictum: “to err is human, to forgive, divine”. I was even taught an unofficial postscript: “to seek revenge, diabolical“.

But when friends cheat you, when bosses undermine you, when even your loved ones quietly desert you, it can be almost impossible to say, even to yourself, “you know, even though you absconded with my money, and you make my work life a living hell, and my own family treats me like a pariah, it’s OK, I still forgive you all”. The more likely response would be “BURN IN HELL, YOU TURDS!”

Yet Jesus suffered far more pain than any of us would ever experience in our lives. In a few short weeks, we will revisit His abandonment, miscarriage of justice, torture, indignities, and eventual fate reserved for criminals. We will, in singing the Reproaches, be reminded of how far we have fallen, as He remonstrates with us:

My people, what have I done to you?
How have I offended you?
Answer me!

Let us never forget that God is always ready to forgive us, no matter what transgressions we’ve committed. Let us resolve to be absolved during this Lenten season, to seek the forgiveness of our Creator, and to forgive in turn those who have done us harm, in body or in spirit.

Whether they betrayed us 7 times, or 77, or 490, or even more.

Amen.

Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16 | Psalm 88(89):2-5,27,29 | Romans 4:13,16-18,22 | Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars. (Romans 4:18)

Have you hoped for something that you secretly didn’t believe you would receive?

On the way to Sr. Lorenzina Nota’s 70th anniversary celebration, I pulled a tendon or something in my left leg. Instantly, my toes knotted themselves together, my ankle began throbbing, and the pain was quite literally crippling.

As I tried to relax and not scream in agony, I said a short prayer that went something like this:

Lord, thank You for the pain that reminds me of my mortal self. May it serve Your purpose in me, but If it be Your will, please take this pain from me. Amen.

Clearly, pain and clear thinking are never seen together, just like Clark Kent and Superman. The science-y part of my brain said “oh boy, this is gonna take a long while to resolve itself”, while the faith-y part went “Lord, shazam, please?”

✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞

Abraham trusted God in his hope for children in his old age, and thus he became the father-in-faith to us all.

I trust God in my hope that this nightly Lectio Divina workalike will continue till the end of my physical or mental ability, and not be foreshortened by boredom or inability to find inspiration from sacred scripture.

Reason says I’ll run out of words to ponder after the 3 years of the liturgical cycle.

Hope tells me that when I come round to the same texts again, I’ll be a different person with different thoughts, so I’ll have new things to share.

Hope versus reason, which side will win?

I know which side I’m betting on.

Lord, You are our eternal Hope, whom we long to see in all Your glory, despite the derision of our learned friends. Help us keep faith in Your boundless goodness, be our guide as we navigate through the dark waters of mundane life, and when our time on earth is up, purge our stain of sin, that we may stand in Your holy presence and sing Your praises forever. Amen.

3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A)
Exodus 17:3-7 | Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9 | Romans 5:1-2,5-8 | John 4:5-42

Today’s first reading and Gospel share the common themes of water and thirst. Water in particular is on the minds of many Singaporeans lately, with the recent announcement of significant hikes in water tariffs.

Jesus, of course, gives us living water without any fees, just a willingness to be faithful to His Word and live the Gospel life, spreading the Good News in thought, word and deed.

Are we thirsty for this water?

And will we in turn share this water with others?

✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞

Later today, I’ll be celebrating with many others the 70th anniversary of Sr. Lorenzina Nota’s religious profession with the Daughters of St. Paul.

70 years of spreading the living water of Good News through her apostolate of media.

70 years of saying “Yes” to God daily.

How could I say “No” to honouring her commitment?

Amen.

Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent
Micah 7:14-15,18-20 | Psalm 102(103):1-4,9-12 | Luke 15:1-3,11-32

We recall the familiar parable of the Prodigal Son today, and are reminded of God’s infinite mercy and love. He just wants us to repent of our sins, and to return to Him in trust and humility, like sheep to a shepherd.

As for those of us who have begun that process of reconciliation and repentance, let us not look down upon our brethren who have yet to take the first step, those who are still mired in temptations and distractions. Let us instead reach out to them as God has reached out to us, in love and patience, encouraging them to come back to the eternal Father.

Amen.

Friday of the 2nd Week of Lent
Genesis 37:3-4,12-13,17-28 | Psalm 104(105):16-21 | Matthew 21:33-43,45-46

Today, we hear the story of Joseph’s journey into slavery at the hands of his jealous brothers. At some point in the future, we may hear about his kindness to them in the time of famine, despite their prior ill-treatment.

Today also happens to St. Patrick’s Day, wherein all Ireland honours the missionary who returned to the land of his enslavement, just to preach the Good News of salvation to his former captors.

Which gives us pause for thought: When we have broken free of our captivity of sin, would we turn back to help others escape too?

Would we extend a helping hand, or a sympathetic ear, or do a kindness, to those mired in the same depths of depravity from which we came, some of whom might even have dragged us down with them in the first place?

Or would we just walk away, basking in our new-found freedom, leaving all others to fend for themselves against the rising tide of spiritual darkness?

Is salvation for us alone, who have been blessed with the Good News, or is it for all to receive, through our thoughts, words and deeds?

Are we like Joseph, generous to a fault, or like his brothers, jealous enough to sell him into slavery?

Lord, help us to be more like You, sharing Your love with all we meet, caring enough to overlook the slights and injuries visited upon us, for the good of even those who hate us. Amen.