Though you may have the impression that I distance myself from my mum and in fact you may be right to a certain extent because I live far away from her. She lives in Chai Wan with my younger brother who is 2 years my junior and unmarried, and I live in Tuen Mun. However, I know very well that her blood is flowing in my veins. Half of her DNAs are in every one of my cells and I have inherited much of her personality. What is more, she gave me a dramatic voice. I regret that I do not develop it well. Teaching and pipe-smoking take their toll on my voice. Anyway, I keep singing in the church choir. In particular, I like to sing in wedding ceremonies.
In one of the wedding masses I attended, the priest told the congregation that many participants were probably non-Catholics and they would be much impressed by the liturgy. I told myself that it is an excellent opportunity of evangelization! So, I try my best to satisfy all requests of singing in wedding ceremonies.
Reluctantly, I have to decline Maggie's invitation to sing in her wedding mass because I am attending a Biblical Spirituality course. Earlier, another parisher asked me to sing in her son's wedding and regrettably, I declined as well because of a crash with this course. In fact, even if I attended Maggie's wedding, I would not be unfair to this young gentleman. After all, Maggie was my colleague. Love overcomes justice!
Maggie is a lovely bride. She has been very active in the diocese, especially in the Justice and Peace Commission. I was able to see her pleasant character shine forth when we attended a seminar for New Senior Secondary E&RS. She is such an adorable young lady. I feel indebted for failing to attend her wedding.
I tried my best to do something in compensation. An occasion arose when my 5J students wanted to offer a popular wedding song in her wedding mass. Maggie taught them English last year. I took the opportunity. None of them is Catholic. But we have a topic on Family & Marriage in the HKCEE RS exam syllabus. It is indeed a golden learning opportunity for them to attend a wedding mass. So, I decided to spend 3 RS lessons to train them all other hymns in the wedding mass. However, they would not have me to conduct them in the ceremony because I would be attending my Biblical Spirituality course at the same moment. This is the crown jewel of all the courses I have attended.
Why should I attend the courses of Catholic Biblical Institute? Do I covet the diploma from Jerusalem? Of course! Do I desire to accumulate more biblical knowledge? Of course! But diploma and knowledge alone will not bring me any closer to my God and my Saviour. I need to learn and practise spirituality in order to attain a transformative union with my God.
Today my heart accompanies my 5J boys and girls and I wish they sing with their hearts too. I believe they do. I also wish they would be inspired by the liturgy and the vow of commitment the bride and the groom make in front of the whole congregation. For us married couples, this will be a wonderful occasion to renew our commitment to each other, an assurance of our sanctification vocation in the married state. For unmarried young people, this will be a solemn occasion for them to reflect on their election. For widows and widowers, this will be a sweet memory and a source of joy from the station of life they have once occupied. For those who has chosen celibacy for noble reasons, this occasion will throw their election in sharp contrast and spur them on.
May God shower us all with abundant grace to follow the paths He has arranged for us to home in to Him. Amen.
Comment from Maggie:
Thank you so much.......It's the grace from God that we could be colleagues, even though it's just a short time. Yes, they were excellent!!! I could feel their blessings from their hearts, even though none of them are Catholics, they tried their best to take part in the entire ceremony.
Thank you so much.....In fact, I have learnt another lesson from you and through them I could GET your blessings and prayers, really!!! Thanks again for your gift.
I would not let you down and I could tell you, we, me and Dickson, would try our best to be the witness of God's love.
January 15, 2008.
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