Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. His life is well-known and I will not do him justice to talk about him in so brief a space. He left us the famous Spiritual Exercises which enshrines a very important aspect of Catholic Spirituality.
It is time for me to sketch what I have read up to Jeremiah 18. Since a book of prophet is not a narrative, but a collection of various oracles spanning a long period of time. The editor of the book might not follow the chronological order. Therefore, any pattern discerned is only hypothetical and is the construct of the interpreter himself. Anyway, his main thesis is shown in a huge number of repetitions throughout the text. The main theme was that Yahweh would bring evil to Israel and Judah because of their idolatry. Israel had already been conquered and exiled to Assyria and vanished from history. Now, it was Judah's turn.
As a prophet, Jeremiah tried to pray for the people to turn away the wrath of God. But God told him not to pray for this people.
As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I do not hear you (Jeremiah 7:16).
Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble (Jeremiah 11:14).
The LORD said to me: "Do not pray for the welfare of this people (Jeremiah 14:11).
Yahweh was determined and no prayer would change His mind.
In the reading of Jeremiah 18 today, God told Jeremiah to go down to the plotter's house to see a symbolic act. In Jeremiah 13, we read of another symbolic act of hiding a linen waistcloth in the clefts of rocks. The plotter's act was a more optimistic one.
And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do (Jeremiah 18:4).
God explained to Jeremiah that the house of Israel is the vessel.
If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it.
And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will repent of the good which I had intended to do to it (Jeremiah 18:7-10).
Fair enough. God is a god of justice. Therefore, if Judah turned from her evil, God would withdraw the intended disasters. However, Judah would not listen and would not repent. God's punishment is summarized as
Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and cereal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence (Jeremiah 14:12).
It is interesting to read Jeremiah 16 where God told Jeremiah not to take a wife, nor to have any children because
They (the children born in this land) shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried; they shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth (Jeremiah 16:4).
This verse reminds me of what many couples did, or rather did not do at the advent of 1997. While many migrated overseas, many more who remained in Hong Kong refrained from having children. They did not want their children to receive education under the Communist rule! I cannot blame them for bringing down the children population, thus causing the closure of primary schools in subsequent years. But surely this could not be God's command!
The fate of Judah was not sealed at war atrocities. The people would be exiled.
And when your people say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' you shall say to them, 'As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.' (Jeremiah 5:19)
I will make you serve your enemies in a land which you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled which shall burn for ever (Jeremiah 15:14).
You shall loosen your hand from your heritage which I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land which you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled which shall burn for ever (Jeremiah 17:4).
And finally, God made it clear that they would be exiled to Babylon.
Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him (Jeremiah 27:6).
It was this oracle that infuriated the princes of Judah most. They were seeking support from Egypt to resist Babylon. Yet, Jeremiah exhorted the people to surrender to Babylon! Jeremiah's action amounted to sedition and high treason. He had to die!
So far, Jeremiah made two public proclamations at the gates of the Temple. In Jeremiah 7, his focus was social justice.
if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt,
then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for ever (Jeremiah 7:6-7).
But Jeremiah did not come from the grassroots like Amos, but from a priestly family (Jeremiah 1:1). He was still very concerned with the cultic issues of Temple worship. In Jeremiah 17, at the Benjamin Gate, his focus was the observance of the Sabbath.
But if you do not listen to me, to keep the sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter by the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched (Jeremiah 17:27).
According to tradition, the original text was destroyed and the extant text was a compilation by Baruch, the disciple of Jeremiah. There might be some mix-ups. For example,
Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together;
for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD.
"For from the least to the greatest of them, every one is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest, every one deals falsely.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown," says the LORD (Jeremiah 6:12-15).
Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to conquerors, because from the least to the greatest every one is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest every one deals falsely.
They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD (Jeremiah 8:10-12).
The two texts, only 58 verses apart, are nearly identical! Furthermore, it is hard to ignore the many allusions taken from the book of Psalm. For example, Jeremiah 17:8 and Psalm 1:3. In view of Jeremiah's priestly background. It is understandable. And I think it is a good thesis topic to explore the relation between the book of Jeremiah and the book of Psalm.
My dear Advocate, Erminia and Saturnia are on their way home via Paris from Rome. I pray that they return to me safe and sound. I ask this, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday 31 July 2008
Wednesday 30 July 2008
The M.O. of God
Israel and Judah were relatively tiny and insignificant kingdoms in the political arena of the Middle East in the eighth century B.C. They identified themselves as the Chosen People of Yahweh, who was one god among the many gods in the region. Yet, they were very conscious of their weaknesses.
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love upon you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples;
but it is because the LORD loves you, and is keeping the oath which he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:7-8).
God loves them. This is an understanding after reflections on historical events of many generations. There is an evolution of understanding and the Old Testament is a record of such an understanding.
Yahweh did not choose any big nations because He wanted to demonstrate His sole sovereignty. It is not human efforts but solely Yahweh's work. This is demonstrated in the story of Gideon. Gideon gathered 32,000 men to fight against Midianites and Amalekites. But Yahweh said.
The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, `My own hand has delivered me.' (Judges 7:2)
This is the Modus Operandi (M.O.) of God. He works with a small number of people. In the end, the army was reduced to 300 and Gideon won the battle against the Midianites and Amalekites. The size of the army was unknown in numbers.
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the seashore for multitude (Judges 7:12).
Today, in the reading of Jeremiah 15, we find a single man chosen to fight against the whole nation. Once again, the Modus Operandi of Yahweh.
Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land (Jeremiah 15:10a).
This is not the perspective from God but from a man. So, sometimes it is no fun to work for Yahweh. Did Jeremiah enjoy the situation? Obviously not. So, what sustained his mission?
Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by thy name, O LORD, God of hosts (Jeremiah 15:16).
Jeremiah was able to find not only consolation but joy in the words of God. He felt joyful because he was called by God. The Psalmist also said the following.
More to be desired are they (the precepts, ordinances of God) than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)
How sweet are thy words (the ordinances) to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)
Do I find joy in the words of God? Do I feel comfortable or joyful because I am a Catholic?
I think my answer would have been negative, had I not experienced any difficulties in my life. There would not have been any chances for God to show His mercy on me. And here is God's promise to Jeremiah.
And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD.
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless (Jeremiah 15:20-21).
Therefore, have no fear of adversities. Embrace difficult times. Then we will be able to see that God is with us. He enjoys working with the underdogs, the weak and the lowly. He loves the humble.
My dear Advocate, allow us to taste the sweetness of Your wisdom and to enjoy the difficulties we land ourselves in. We do not look for troubles but they will always seek us out. Be with us in time of adversities. Amen.
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love upon you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples;
but it is because the LORD loves you, and is keeping the oath which he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:7-8).
God loves them. This is an understanding after reflections on historical events of many generations. There is an evolution of understanding and the Old Testament is a record of such an understanding.
Yahweh did not choose any big nations because He wanted to demonstrate His sole sovereignty. It is not human efforts but solely Yahweh's work. This is demonstrated in the story of Gideon. Gideon gathered 32,000 men to fight against Midianites and Amalekites. But Yahweh said.
The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, `My own hand has delivered me.' (Judges 7:2)
This is the Modus Operandi (M.O.) of God. He works with a small number of people. In the end, the army was reduced to 300 and Gideon won the battle against the Midianites and Amalekites. The size of the army was unknown in numbers.
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the seashore for multitude (Judges 7:12).
Today, in the reading of Jeremiah 15, we find a single man chosen to fight against the whole nation. Once again, the Modus Operandi of Yahweh.
Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land (Jeremiah 15:10a).
This is not the perspective from God but from a man. So, sometimes it is no fun to work for Yahweh. Did Jeremiah enjoy the situation? Obviously not. So, what sustained his mission?
Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by thy name, O LORD, God of hosts (Jeremiah 15:16).
Jeremiah was able to find not only consolation but joy in the words of God. He felt joyful because he was called by God. The Psalmist also said the following.
More to be desired are they (the precepts, ordinances of God) than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)
How sweet are thy words (the ordinances) to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)
Do I find joy in the words of God? Do I feel comfortable or joyful because I am a Catholic?
I think my answer would have been negative, had I not experienced any difficulties in my life. There would not have been any chances for God to show His mercy on me. And here is God's promise to Jeremiah.
And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD.
I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless (Jeremiah 15:20-21).
Therefore, have no fear of adversities. Embrace difficult times. Then we will be able to see that God is with us. He enjoys working with the underdogs, the weak and the lowly. He loves the humble.
My dear Advocate, allow us to taste the sweetness of Your wisdom and to enjoy the difficulties we land ourselves in. We do not look for troubles but they will always seek us out. Be with us in time of adversities. Amen.
Tuesday 29 July 2008
Feast of St. Martha
In the New Testament town Bethany, there was a family of two sisters and a younger brother. Jesus visited them whenever he passed through Bethany in his preaching ministry. The younger sister was a sinful woman. She anointed Jesus when Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus for dinner. This story has two different versions, one in Mark 14/Matthew 26 and another in Luke 7. Later, she was identified as Mary in John 11. Therefore, all four canonic gospels mention this family.
And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her (Mark 14:9).
John 11 tells us the story of Jesus' raising Lazarus, the younger brother. It must have been a very ground-shaking event in the early church. So, what about the elder sister, Martha? The Catholic Church celebrates her feast day today.
In the gospel reading Luke 10:38-42 today, we learn that Jesus was staying in their home on his preaching journey. This seems to be his first visit. Martha, who was the eldest and naturally was in charge of the household, was busy extending her hospitality while Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to his teaching. Naturally enough, she complained to Jesus.
But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." (Luke 10:40)
Jesus then took this opportunity to affirm the importance of contemplative life.
But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;
one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)
Therefore, it is again a matter of choice. Martha chose to wait on Jesus. Mary chose to listen to Jesus' teaching. Jesus spoke skillfully. He did not approve Mary's spirituality at the expense of Martha's service. There is enough room to conclude that Jesus affirm both choices: actions and contemplation. Well then, why did Mary choose to listen to Jesus instead of preparing him a good meal? Now, we come back to the question of choice-making which I reflected on the Sunday reading. For the sake of theoretical discussion, economists make an assumption that man is a rational animal. His market behaviour is based on a cost-benefit analysis. His action is such that it will maximize the benefits and/or minimize the costs. Obviously, Mary's choice was not made after any cost-benefit analysis. She did it out of her love of Jesus. This was demonstrated by her anointing Jesus in an earlier chapter.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little (Luke 7:47).
Therefore, when we make choices, we do it partly with reason and partly with emotion.
I was brought up in Choi Hung, living with my parents. Before I got married, my mother bought a flat in Amoy Garden, Ngau Tau Kok near Choi Hung. It would have saved a lot of expenditure, food as well as babies rearing. But I had never lived there and moved to Tuen Mun the day I got married. Why did I make such a choice? Rational or emotional. I think it was half and half. Economically, the price of flats was cheaper in the New Territories than in the urban area. However, you can immediately point out that the cost (time and money included) can be higher. So, rationally, Tuen Mun was not a good choice. But emotionally, I wanted to lead an independent life, a life away from my domineering mother! I was even prepared to uproot myself from the parish I had grown up, like Abraham. (Of course, that was another long story, concerning an administrative style parish priest.) So now, I have spent more than a quarter of a century in Tuen Mun, deeply rooted. Will I make yet another move? If God so wishes.
My dear Advocate, pray that I choose the good portion and please You. St. Martha, pray for me that I serve Jesus and my students compassionately like you. Amen.
And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her (Mark 14:9).
John 11 tells us the story of Jesus' raising Lazarus, the younger brother. It must have been a very ground-shaking event in the early church. So, what about the elder sister, Martha? The Catholic Church celebrates her feast day today.
In the gospel reading Luke 10:38-42 today, we learn that Jesus was staying in their home on his preaching journey. This seems to be his first visit. Martha, who was the eldest and naturally was in charge of the household, was busy extending her hospitality while Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to his teaching. Naturally enough, she complained to Jesus.
But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." (Luke 10:40)
Jesus then took this opportunity to affirm the importance of contemplative life.
But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;
one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)
Therefore, it is again a matter of choice. Martha chose to wait on Jesus. Mary chose to listen to Jesus' teaching. Jesus spoke skillfully. He did not approve Mary's spirituality at the expense of Martha's service. There is enough room to conclude that Jesus affirm both choices: actions and contemplation. Well then, why did Mary choose to listen to Jesus instead of preparing him a good meal? Now, we come back to the question of choice-making which I reflected on the Sunday reading. For the sake of theoretical discussion, economists make an assumption that man is a rational animal. His market behaviour is based on a cost-benefit analysis. His action is such that it will maximize the benefits and/or minimize the costs. Obviously, Mary's choice was not made after any cost-benefit analysis. She did it out of her love of Jesus. This was demonstrated by her anointing Jesus in an earlier chapter.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little (Luke 7:47).
Therefore, when we make choices, we do it partly with reason and partly with emotion.
I was brought up in Choi Hung, living with my parents. Before I got married, my mother bought a flat in Amoy Garden, Ngau Tau Kok near Choi Hung. It would have saved a lot of expenditure, food as well as babies rearing. But I had never lived there and moved to Tuen Mun the day I got married. Why did I make such a choice? Rational or emotional. I think it was half and half. Economically, the price of flats was cheaper in the New Territories than in the urban area. However, you can immediately point out that the cost (time and money included) can be higher. So, rationally, Tuen Mun was not a good choice. But emotionally, I wanted to lead an independent life, a life away from my domineering mother! I was even prepared to uproot myself from the parish I had grown up, like Abraham. (Of course, that was another long story, concerning an administrative style parish priest.) So now, I have spent more than a quarter of a century in Tuen Mun, deeply rooted. Will I make yet another move? If God so wishes.
My dear Advocate, pray that I choose the good portion and please You. St. Martha, pray for me that I serve Jesus and my students compassionately like you. Amen.
Monday 28 July 2008
Disappointments of God
I am a simple man, a simple-minded man as well. I want to lead a simple life. I lost most of my energy after I have developed DM. My wife was young and my children were small. So, I need to conserve whatever was left and wish to keep the family intact. Of course, whatever is lost is lost. What I have been trying to do is to contain the damages. One of the main strategies is to keep my expectations to the minimum. I have to admit that it is not fair to my children and my students. They have a huge potential in store. They need somebody to prod them on.
On the other hand, God had put great expectations on His Chosen People. In Jeremiah 13 I read today, I find a symbolic act of God. He told Jeremiah to buy a linen waistcloth and put it on his loin (Jeremiah 13:1). Later He commanded Jeremiah to hide this waistcloth in a cleft of rock in Euphrates (Jeremiah 13:4). After many days, God commanded Jeremiah to take the waistcloth back. Look, it was spoiled and good for nothing (Jeremiah 13:7).
For as the waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen (Jeremiah 13:11).
The Chosen People was as intimate as a waistcloth to God. Yet, they failed Him, did not listen to Him and became good for nothing. In the end, they perished and were exiled and vanished from history. As a sick man, I dare not enter into intimate relationships with people except for my wife. I speak English to my bosses in order to block any close interaction! I put no expectations on my children and students because I cannot afford to be disappointed, to be emotional. It is detrimental to my health. I am selfish indeed. Please, cheer me up, my students. You have a bright future ahead of you. Actualize your potentials to bring me a tiny bit of happiness. My fragile body will be greatly animated when you behave decently.
My dear Advocate, tell me that I am wrong in expecting little from my children and my students. Have pity on my plights. You have sent me Saturnia and Symphorian. They are signs of my redemption. May all my children and all my students lead a life pleasing to You. Amen.
On the other hand, God had put great expectations on His Chosen People. In Jeremiah 13 I read today, I find a symbolic act of God. He told Jeremiah to buy a linen waistcloth and put it on his loin (Jeremiah 13:1). Later He commanded Jeremiah to hide this waistcloth in a cleft of rock in Euphrates (Jeremiah 13:4). After many days, God commanded Jeremiah to take the waistcloth back. Look, it was spoiled and good for nothing (Jeremiah 13:7).
For as the waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen (Jeremiah 13:11).
The Chosen People was as intimate as a waistcloth to God. Yet, they failed Him, did not listen to Him and became good for nothing. In the end, they perished and were exiled and vanished from history. As a sick man, I dare not enter into intimate relationships with people except for my wife. I speak English to my bosses in order to block any close interaction! I put no expectations on my children and students because I cannot afford to be disappointed, to be emotional. It is detrimental to my health. I am selfish indeed. Please, cheer me up, my students. You have a bright future ahead of you. Actualize your potentials to bring me a tiny bit of happiness. My fragile body will be greatly animated when you behave decently.
My dear Advocate, tell me that I am wrong in expecting little from my children and my students. Have pity on my plights. You have sent me Saturnia and Symphorian. They are signs of my redemption. May all my children and all my students lead a life pleasing to You. Amen.
Sunday 27 July 2008
Seventeenth Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
This morning, Fr. Martin Ip began Mass with a heart-felt thanksgiving. Together with 200 odd youngsters, he took the Qantas Airline to return Hong Kong on July 23! Immediately, the name Qantas sent a chill down the spines of the members of the congregation. On July 25, a 6-foot hole was made near the fuselage of the right wing of a Qantas 747 plane at 30,000 feet. Luckily, it landed safely in Manila. He thanked God because he was sure that they were chosen by our God. This goes well with the theme of the readings today. They were about making choices. We make choice. But at the same time, God has also chosen us.
The readings began with the story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom to rule over Israel (1 Kings3:5-12).
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.
Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people? (1 Kings 3:8-9)
God was pleased with his request. Therefore, God gave not only what Solomon had asked for, but also things he did not ask.
behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days (1 Kings 3:12-14).
Obviously, this is an idealized rendering of the whole story. It was further supported by the legend of his judgment over two women fighting for one baby and the visit from the Queen of Sheba. If David had fathered the Psalmist tradition, Solomon had become the patron saint of the Wisdom tradition. Many books of wisdom were attributed to him. This was possible only when a country had achieved a certain level of economic prosperity. Indeed, King Solomon had brought huge prosperity to Israel. He engaged in horses and chariots businesses. He was politically smart. He engaged in many diplomatic marriages to form alliance with neighbouring countries in order to maintain a peaceful environment for Israel to grow. Therefore, he had a lot of wives and concubines who did not believe in Yahweh! He spent 7 years to build the Temple which David had dreamed of building but was denied by God. You may admire his devotion to Yahweh. However, Solomon spent 13 years to build his own palace. To please his concubines, Solomon crowded the Temple with many gods and baals. Politically, it was harmless but religiously, it was disastrous. He was able to enjoy a relatively peaceful reign because none of the neighbouring countries were strong enough to build up any empire. Babylon and Assyria were not yet on the rise. But after his death, Israel was divided in the northern kingdom of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah. Therefore, this beatific story of Solomon certainly soothes the injured psyche of the Jewish souls.
In the gospel reading, Fr. Martin chose the short version. It was the parables of the Great Treasure and the Priced Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46). True to his colours as a tax-collector, only Matthew recorded these two utilitarian parables. Surely, these parables appeal to modern businessmen as well with all this language of cost-benefit analysis. This is the beauty of using parables. You can interpret them to whatever depth you want. Traditionally, we may equate the Treasure and the Pearl with eternal life. Then the parables teach us to sacrifice whatever is needed in order to gain eternal life. This seems obvious. But can there be any other interpretation?
To begin with, why did the merchant in the parable buy up the treasure or the pearl? To earn more money! Of course, the merchant can be rich enough simply to spend money collecting items that fancy his heart. But such a reading would belittle the value of eternal life and Matthew should have chosen a rich man instead of a merchant! Would the treasure or the pearl be the final desire of the merchant? Well, this is an open question. We simply cannot answer. Only the merchant can. So, if I stick to the merchant, I will say he is on his quest of making more and more money. Apply this to our spiritual life, we should strive on, sacrificing minor physical comforts to gain major spiritual benefits. In fact, it is a life long process and our treasure changes according to our stage of life. When I asked Symphorian what his treasure was, it was Bakugan 爆丸! When Fr. Martin asked the congregation, most people answered it was their family. Very middle-class Catholic! I think younger people have more choices open to them. As for the aged, their time and choice are very limited indeed. What about eternal life? Probably it is too idealistic. But hasn't Jesus taught us so?
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matthew 6:33).
My dear Advocate, teach us what best to choose at our particular stage. Money, family, fame and achievements may not be the best. Whatever choices we make, may they be pleasing to You. Amen.
The readings began with the story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom to rule over Israel (1 Kings3:5-12).
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people whom thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.
Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people? (1 Kings 3:8-9)
God was pleased with his request. Therefore, God gave not only what Solomon had asked for, but also things he did not ask.
behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days (1 Kings 3:12-14).
Obviously, this is an idealized rendering of the whole story. It was further supported by the legend of his judgment over two women fighting for one baby and the visit from the Queen of Sheba. If David had fathered the Psalmist tradition, Solomon had become the patron saint of the Wisdom tradition. Many books of wisdom were attributed to him. This was possible only when a country had achieved a certain level of economic prosperity. Indeed, King Solomon had brought huge prosperity to Israel. He engaged in horses and chariots businesses. He was politically smart. He engaged in many diplomatic marriages to form alliance with neighbouring countries in order to maintain a peaceful environment for Israel to grow. Therefore, he had a lot of wives and concubines who did not believe in Yahweh! He spent 7 years to build the Temple which David had dreamed of building but was denied by God. You may admire his devotion to Yahweh. However, Solomon spent 13 years to build his own palace. To please his concubines, Solomon crowded the Temple with many gods and baals. Politically, it was harmless but religiously, it was disastrous. He was able to enjoy a relatively peaceful reign because none of the neighbouring countries were strong enough to build up any empire. Babylon and Assyria were not yet on the rise. But after his death, Israel was divided in the northern kingdom of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah. Therefore, this beatific story of Solomon certainly soothes the injured psyche of the Jewish souls.
In the gospel reading, Fr. Martin chose the short version. It was the parables of the Great Treasure and the Priced Pearl (Matthew 13:44-46). True to his colours as a tax-collector, only Matthew recorded these two utilitarian parables. Surely, these parables appeal to modern businessmen as well with all this language of cost-benefit analysis. This is the beauty of using parables. You can interpret them to whatever depth you want. Traditionally, we may equate the Treasure and the Pearl with eternal life. Then the parables teach us to sacrifice whatever is needed in order to gain eternal life. This seems obvious. But can there be any other interpretation?
To begin with, why did the merchant in the parable buy up the treasure or the pearl? To earn more money! Of course, the merchant can be rich enough simply to spend money collecting items that fancy his heart. But such a reading would belittle the value of eternal life and Matthew should have chosen a rich man instead of a merchant! Would the treasure or the pearl be the final desire of the merchant? Well, this is an open question. We simply cannot answer. Only the merchant can. So, if I stick to the merchant, I will say he is on his quest of making more and more money. Apply this to our spiritual life, we should strive on, sacrificing minor physical comforts to gain major spiritual benefits. In fact, it is a life long process and our treasure changes according to our stage of life. When I asked Symphorian what his treasure was, it was Bakugan 爆丸! When Fr. Martin asked the congregation, most people answered it was their family. Very middle-class Catholic! I think younger people have more choices open to them. As for the aged, their time and choice are very limited indeed. What about eternal life? Probably it is too idealistic. But hasn't Jesus taught us so?
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matthew 6:33).
My dear Advocate, teach us what best to choose at our particular stage. Money, family, fame and achievements may not be the best. Whatever choices we make, may they be pleasing to You. Amen.
Saturday 26 July 2008
Feast of Ss. Joachim & Anne, parents of Our Lady
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of Ss. Joachim & Anne. The Catholic Church has this tradition, but of course, it is highly unlikely that the parents of Our Lady or any other of their contemporaries would deliberately leave any historical evidence for the future generation. Don't forget, even Christmas, the supposed birthday of Jesus is artificial in the sense that the date used to be a feast of Apollo, the sun-god of the Roman Empire. The Church Christianized it when the Roman Empire accepted Christianity. To be realistic, who would bother to keep a record of the birthday of a carpenter's son? (It will be a historical treasure if archeologists are able to retrieve records of the census recorded in Luke 2.)
Why does the Church celebrate this feast? I think it shows that the Church cares very much about parenting. We do not know how Joachim & Anne had brought up Mary. All we have is the fruit of their parenting, a Mary who would become the mother of Jesus and who would say,
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38).
I understand that parenting is a very very complicated topic and I have to admit that being a father of four does not make me any more knowledgeable. Each of my children is unique. No previous experience from the elder children makes the next assignment any easier. And when I see my students, it aches my heart to see that quite a number of them are victims of poor parenting. Many parents are hard-pressed to make ends meet and are unable to give their children some quality time. Many of them are probably victims of poor parenting too. I have seen over-protective parents help cover up their children's lies. I have seen demanding parents trample on their children's confidence. I don't understand why they send their children to us if they are not prepared to cooperate with us.
What annoyed me most are students who waste their time fooling around and dating. I am not conservative but I don't think dating is appropriate for secondary students. I am afraid many of them are trying to run away from less than loving families. There is a library of English books and videos to meet the needs of new English requirements. There are librarians to take charge of the room. But unfortunately in the holidays when very few people are around, a boy librarian covers up the window and stays inside with his girlfriend ... I can only say that such an act is not only abusive but also stupid. He has abused the trust of teachers. He is stupid in ignoring the consequences. But ignoring consequences does not mean that there is no consequence! Obviously, more moral education is needed and my students have a lot to learn before they can be responsible parents themselves.
In reading Jeremiah today, I find that many parents are indeed living in illusion.
Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.' (Jeremiah 7:4)
Shung Tak is truly a band one EMI school. Yet just putting your children inside Shung Tak does not guarantee them a bright future. You and your children have a part to play too.
For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly execute justice one with another,
if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt,
then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for ever (Jeremiah 7:5-7).
The Chosen People of God need to obey the commandments, to do justice and practise charity. Only then can they enjoy the blessings from God. My students, you need to play your part well in order to enjoy a bright future. No pain, no gain. Simple as such! Parents, you are all grown-ups like me. I am not qualified to be your teacher. I can only hope that you play your role well so that your children may enjoy a bright future.
My dear Advocate, help me be a decent enough father. Guide my students on Your path of truth and grace. Inspire parents to rear their children according to Your precepts. Ss. Joachim & Anne, pray for the parents of my students. Support them in their daily hard work. Amen.
Why does the Church celebrate this feast? I think it shows that the Church cares very much about parenting. We do not know how Joachim & Anne had brought up Mary. All we have is the fruit of their parenting, a Mary who would become the mother of Jesus and who would say,
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38).
I understand that parenting is a very very complicated topic and I have to admit that being a father of four does not make me any more knowledgeable. Each of my children is unique. No previous experience from the elder children makes the next assignment any easier. And when I see my students, it aches my heart to see that quite a number of them are victims of poor parenting. Many parents are hard-pressed to make ends meet and are unable to give their children some quality time. Many of them are probably victims of poor parenting too. I have seen over-protective parents help cover up their children's lies. I have seen demanding parents trample on their children's confidence. I don't understand why they send their children to us if they are not prepared to cooperate with us.
What annoyed me most are students who waste their time fooling around and dating. I am not conservative but I don't think dating is appropriate for secondary students. I am afraid many of them are trying to run away from less than loving families. There is a library of English books and videos to meet the needs of new English requirements. There are librarians to take charge of the room. But unfortunately in the holidays when very few people are around, a boy librarian covers up the window and stays inside with his girlfriend ... I can only say that such an act is not only abusive but also stupid. He has abused the trust of teachers. He is stupid in ignoring the consequences. But ignoring consequences does not mean that there is no consequence! Obviously, more moral education is needed and my students have a lot to learn before they can be responsible parents themselves.
In reading Jeremiah today, I find that many parents are indeed living in illusion.
Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.' (Jeremiah 7:4)
Shung Tak is truly a band one EMI school. Yet just putting your children inside Shung Tak does not guarantee them a bright future. You and your children have a part to play too.
For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly execute justice one with another,
if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt,
then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for ever (Jeremiah 7:5-7).
The Chosen People of God need to obey the commandments, to do justice and practise charity. Only then can they enjoy the blessings from God. My students, you need to play your part well in order to enjoy a bright future. No pain, no gain. Simple as such! Parents, you are all grown-ups like me. I am not qualified to be your teacher. I can only hope that you play your role well so that your children may enjoy a bright future.
My dear Advocate, help me be a decent enough father. Guide my students on Your path of truth and grace. Inspire parents to rear their children according to Your precepts. Ss. Joachim & Anne, pray for the parents of my students. Support them in their daily hard work. Amen.
Friday 25 July 2008
Feast of James the Greater
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of James the Greater. James and John were sons of Zebedee. They were fishermen before Jesus called them. Without hesitation, they left everything behind, their trade and their father, to follow him (Mark 1:20). Because of their hot temper, Jesus named them "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17). Once they were not received by Samaritan villagers, they asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven to consume them (Luke 9:54). He was among the three special apostles present at special occasions in Jesus' ministry: raising Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37); the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2) and the Agony (Mark 14:33). He was also the first apostle martyr of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 12:1). Interestingly, his name does not appear in the gospel of John! Nevertheless, James must be fondly remembered for his passionate love for Jesus.
In today's reading of the gospel, we have the story of his mother requesting Jesus to give her two sons the honour of sitting on his left and right in his kingdom (Matthew 20:21). Mark also recorded the story, except that the request was not made by the mother but by the two brothers (Mark 10:35-45). Of course, it was not right to ask for advantages through familial relationship. (James and John were cousins of Jesus. Their mother was the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.) This was blatant nepotism and should not be encouraged. Jesus did not discourage them. Instead, he took the opportunity to teach them the Christian meaning of authority: service for the disadvantaged. They would drink the cup of persecutions and give up their life for the service of the gospel.
even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).
In the second epistle St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he humbly admitted his lowly status as an instrument of God. He was only an earthen vessel. Any grandeur achieved belongs to God.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us (2 Corinthians 4:7).
He fervently embraced his life as a persecuted missionary for the good of his audience.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
So death is at work in us, but life in you (2 Corinthians 4:12).
What an vehement speech! Yet these are no empty words but actual floggings, imprisonments and starvation. In this modern age, very few of us would need to suffer such heroic persecutions. We have to fight our battle in a different front: the commercialized mass media and the extensive indifference on the part of our audience. The battle is different. Yet, we need the same spirit of faith as that of St. Paul.
Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke, ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα " we too believe, and so we speak (2 Corinthians 4:13).
Paul quoted out of context a psalm by David.
Αλληλουια. Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐταπεινώθην σφόδρα. (Ps 115:1, 116:10 MT)
It is the faith in God that enables St. Paul to work so hard even in face of harsh persecutions. Nowadays, our witness for Jesus pales in comparison with Paul's. Our faith is too weak. We are easily discouraged by very minor failures.
My dear Advocate, we have not loved You passionately enough and our faith is too fragile. Enkindle our hearts and help us believe more. St. James, pray for us so that we may love our Lord Jesus as fervently as you did. Amen.
In today's reading of the gospel, we have the story of his mother requesting Jesus to give her two sons the honour of sitting on his left and right in his kingdom (Matthew 20:21). Mark also recorded the story, except that the request was not made by the mother but by the two brothers (Mark 10:35-45). Of course, it was not right to ask for advantages through familial relationship. (James and John were cousins of Jesus. Their mother was the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.) This was blatant nepotism and should not be encouraged. Jesus did not discourage them. Instead, he took the opportunity to teach them the Christian meaning of authority: service for the disadvantaged. They would drink the cup of persecutions and give up their life for the service of the gospel.
even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).
In the second epistle St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he humbly admitted his lowly status as an instrument of God. He was only an earthen vessel. Any grandeur achieved belongs to God.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us (2 Corinthians 4:7).
He fervently embraced his life as a persecuted missionary for the good of his audience.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
So death is at work in us, but life in you (2 Corinthians 4:12).
What an vehement speech! Yet these are no empty words but actual floggings, imprisonments and starvation. In this modern age, very few of us would need to suffer such heroic persecutions. We have to fight our battle in a different front: the commercialized mass media and the extensive indifference on the part of our audience. The battle is different. Yet, we need the same spirit of faith as that of St. Paul.
Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke, ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα " we too believe, and so we speak (2 Corinthians 4:13).
Paul quoted out of context a psalm by David.
Αλληλουια. Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐταπεινώθην σφόδρα. (Ps 115:1, 116:10 MT)
It is the faith in God that enables St. Paul to work so hard even in face of harsh persecutions. Nowadays, our witness for Jesus pales in comparison with Paul's. Our faith is too weak. We are easily discouraged by very minor failures.
My dear Advocate, we have not loved You passionately enough and our faith is too fragile. Enkindle our hearts and help us believe more. St. James, pray for us so that we may love our Lord Jesus as fervently as you did. Amen.
Thursday 24 July 2008
Why is idolatry bad?
If Israel is any representative of humanity, Jeremiah had painted a grim picture of human nature. Whenever chances arise, man rebels.
Many a philosopher is optimistic about human nature. They believe that man is intrinsically good. They exhibit very noble qualities: compassion, reason and perseverance. Yet, man can be as ferocious as wild animals, lustful and greedy beyond mere survival.
As a teacher, I share the conviction with these optimistic philosophers. This is a conviction and therefore it cannot be logically proved or disproved. Had I believed otherwise, it would have defeated my whole career as a teacher. What's the point of engaging your whole life in and out of the classroom with students?
I think God also shares our conviction. Otherwise, God would not have intervened actively in human history. He has chosen to reveal Himself through interactions with Israel. It all began with the historical event of Exodus. From Egyptian bondage, God delivered them and brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey. He actively cleared up the land of other tribes to make it an inheritance for Israel.
Israel was holy to the LORD, the first fruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it became guilty; evil came upon them, says the LORD (Jeremiah 2:3).
When life prospered, Israel began to stray away from God. They fell into the idolatry.
And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
But when you came in you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit (Jeremiah 2:7-8).
Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit (Jeremiah 2:11).
Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed.
How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? (Jeremiah 2:21)
The last quotation echoes Isaiah's famous vineyard song (Isaiah 5:1-7).
As a Chosen People, Israel had fared poorly. She did not live up to the expectations of God. In Judaism-Christianity terms, she worshipped idols. She had committed adultery against God.
Idolatry clouds understanding and true knowledge (of Yahweh). But why do people fall in love with idolatry? Why do they choose to enjoy second-rate religion instead? Can laziness explain it? Can false security explain it? I think security does.
We Chinese are a very pragmatic people. (Of course, I risk over-generalization when I make such a claim. It is as elusive as a multi-disciplinary study of Chinese Personality and draw conclusion on the most obvious. Chinese are hard-working. They are addicted to gambling. They care more about their own families than their community and country. They are idolatrous etc.) They are willing to pay tribute to (worship) whatever gods or goddesses that prevent evils and bring fortunes. Only a few philosophically elitist scholars would venture into the realm of the absolute and the transcendent. Most folk are very ordinary and down to earth. Dealing with gods is no different from dealing with human trading partners. So long as it brings benefits, we have no qualm seeking it. The late Chinese Communist patriarch Deng Xiao-ping made it crystal clear: No matter whether you are a white cat or a black cat, so long as you catch rats, you are a good cat! So, if Deng Xiao-ping is any representative, for us Chinese, whether you are Sakyamuni or Yahweh, so long as you prevent evil and bring fortune, you are a good God! Performance counts. In view of so many gods and goddesses worshipped by Chinese, we are truly pragmatic! No wonder Yahweh did not choose Chinese as the Chosen People.
From the criteria of Truth, Goodness and Beauty, idolatry fails at least two of them.
Firstly, idols are man-made and not real. In a sense, idol-worshipping is in fact a self-worshipping. Idolaters worship their own creation, worship themselves. As the Psalmist says,
They have mouths but do not speak; eyes but do not see (Psalm 115:5, 135:16).
Secondly, men mistakenly attribute to them goodness which comes from God. It is a lack of understanding of true knowledge on the part of idolaters.
O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress, from me comes your fruit (Hosea 14:8).
Lastly, I am not an aesthetic and am not able to pass judgment on the artistic creations inspired by idol-worshipping. All in all, I cannot pass a judgment favourable to idolatry. It is a waste of resources, like my students who waste their time playing online games, dating and fooling around. They are not even pragmatic!
My dear Advocate, if we do not learn the lessons from the Israelites, it is our fault. You have set before us the path of life and the path of desolation. It is our fault to choose the latter. I pray that we hold on our faith in You, though we do not see You, see immediately Your work. I also pray for my students so that they come to their senses and do not waste the talents and potentials You have bestowed on them. Amen.
Many a philosopher is optimistic about human nature. They believe that man is intrinsically good. They exhibit very noble qualities: compassion, reason and perseverance. Yet, man can be as ferocious as wild animals, lustful and greedy beyond mere survival.
As a teacher, I share the conviction with these optimistic philosophers. This is a conviction and therefore it cannot be logically proved or disproved. Had I believed otherwise, it would have defeated my whole career as a teacher. What's the point of engaging your whole life in and out of the classroom with students?
I think God also shares our conviction. Otherwise, God would not have intervened actively in human history. He has chosen to reveal Himself through interactions with Israel. It all began with the historical event of Exodus. From Egyptian bondage, God delivered them and brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey. He actively cleared up the land of other tribes to make it an inheritance for Israel.
Israel was holy to the LORD, the first fruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it became guilty; evil came upon them, says the LORD (Jeremiah 2:3).
When life prospered, Israel began to stray away from God. They fell into the idolatry.
And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
But when you came in you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit (Jeremiah 2:7-8).
Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit (Jeremiah 2:11).
Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed.
How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? (Jeremiah 2:21)
The last quotation echoes Isaiah's famous vineyard song (Isaiah 5:1-7).
As a Chosen People, Israel had fared poorly. She did not live up to the expectations of God. In Judaism-Christianity terms, she worshipped idols. She had committed adultery against God.
Idolatry clouds understanding and true knowledge (of Yahweh). But why do people fall in love with idolatry? Why do they choose to enjoy second-rate religion instead? Can laziness explain it? Can false security explain it? I think security does.
We Chinese are a very pragmatic people. (Of course, I risk over-generalization when I make such a claim. It is as elusive as a multi-disciplinary study of Chinese Personality and draw conclusion on the most obvious. Chinese are hard-working. They are addicted to gambling. They care more about their own families than their community and country. They are idolatrous etc.) They are willing to pay tribute to (worship) whatever gods or goddesses that prevent evils and bring fortunes. Only a few philosophically elitist scholars would venture into the realm of the absolute and the transcendent. Most folk are very ordinary and down to earth. Dealing with gods is no different from dealing with human trading partners. So long as it brings benefits, we have no qualm seeking it. The late Chinese Communist patriarch Deng Xiao-ping made it crystal clear: No matter whether you are a white cat or a black cat, so long as you catch rats, you are a good cat! So, if Deng Xiao-ping is any representative, for us Chinese, whether you are Sakyamuni or Yahweh, so long as you prevent evil and bring fortune, you are a good God! Performance counts. In view of so many gods and goddesses worshipped by Chinese, we are truly pragmatic! No wonder Yahweh did not choose Chinese as the Chosen People.
From the criteria of Truth, Goodness and Beauty, idolatry fails at least two of them.
Firstly, idols are man-made and not real. In a sense, idol-worshipping is in fact a self-worshipping. Idolaters worship their own creation, worship themselves. As the Psalmist says,
They have mouths but do not speak; eyes but do not see (Psalm 115:5, 135:16).
Secondly, men mistakenly attribute to them goodness which comes from God. It is a lack of understanding of true knowledge on the part of idolaters.
O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress, from me comes your fruit (Hosea 14:8).
Lastly, I am not an aesthetic and am not able to pass judgment on the artistic creations inspired by idol-worshipping. All in all, I cannot pass a judgment favourable to idolatry. It is a waste of resources, like my students who waste their time playing online games, dating and fooling around. They are not even pragmatic!
My dear Advocate, if we do not learn the lessons from the Israelites, it is our fault. You have set before us the path of life and the path of desolation. It is our fault to choose the latter. I pray that we hold on our faith in You, though we do not see You, see immediately Your work. I also pray for my students so that they come to their senses and do not waste the talents and potentials You have bestowed on them. Amen.
Wednesday 23 July 2008
I am/will be with you
We will spend the next two weeks reading Jeremiah who carried out his mission as a prophet in the last four decades of the southern kingdom. Jeremiah was a prototype of the Suffering Servant. The word of God which he passed on to the people was contrary to the mainstream ideology of the days. From Jeremiah we hear God's promise of a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31). His sufferings made him a pre-figure of the Suffering Christ.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5).
We find a similar saying in Isaiah.
Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar.
The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name (Isaiah 49:1).
God appoints each of us to our station of life. Some work to prominence while some remain anonymous throughout their life. It is up to us to discover our own destiny and live it well. But how shall we proceed? God promises to accompany us.
Like Moses, Jeremiah knew his own shortcomings.
Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth (Jeremiah 1:6).
Some people never know their true self and live in ignorance. They fantasize about their own greatness and enjoy such an illusion. It is rather impossible for them to lead a fulfilled life. However, even equipped with a true knowledge of self, we may not have the will and the strength to live our destiny to its fullness. Where will help come from? Some seek it in personal network, teaming up with other people. Some seek God.
Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD (Jeremiah 1:8).
A search in the Old Testament will yield the following people whom God promised to stay with. Jeremiah outran them all.
See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant (Jeremiah 1:10)
Jeremiah was destined to stand up against the whole kingdom of Judah, to combat her single-handedly.
Before we leave Jeremiah today, I would like to document a word-play found in the next two verses.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" And I said, "I see a rod of almond."
Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it." (Jeremiah 1:11-12)
The word-play is lost in all translations. It is "almond שָׁקֵד" and "watch over שֹׁקֵד".
An almond rod becomes a symbol of God's watching over the performance of His own word. Isn't that amazing, or rather mysterious?
My dear Advocate, enlighten us of our potentials and shortcomings. Grant us the candour to face our true self. Be with us to live out our destiny. Amen.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5).
We find a similar saying in Isaiah.
Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar.
The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name (Isaiah 49:1).
God appoints each of us to our station of life. Some work to prominence while some remain anonymous throughout their life. It is up to us to discover our own destiny and live it well. But how shall we proceed? God promises to accompany us.
Like Moses, Jeremiah knew his own shortcomings.
Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth (Jeremiah 1:6).
Some people never know their true self and live in ignorance. They fantasize about their own greatness and enjoy such an illusion. It is rather impossible for them to lead a fulfilled life. However, even equipped with a true knowledge of self, we may not have the will and the strength to live our destiny to its fullness. Where will help come from? Some seek it in personal network, teaming up with other people. Some seek God.
Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD (Jeremiah 1:8).
A search in the Old Testament will yield the following people whom God promised to stay with. Jeremiah outran them all.
- Isaac (Genesis 26:3, 26:24)
- Jacob (Genesis 28:15, 31:3)
- Moses (Exodus 3:12, 4:12)
- Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23; Joshua 1:5, 3:7)
- Gideon (Judges 6:16)
- Isaiah (Isaiah 41:10, 43:2, 5)
- Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:8, 1:19, 15:20, 30:11, 42:11, 46:28)
- Zerubbabel & Joshua (Haggai 1:13, 2:4)
See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant (Jeremiah 1:10)
Jeremiah was destined to stand up against the whole kingdom of Judah, to combat her single-handedly.
Before we leave Jeremiah today, I would like to document a word-play found in the next two verses.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" And I said, "I see a rod of almond."
Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it." (Jeremiah 1:11-12)
The word-play is lost in all translations. It is "almond שָׁקֵד" and "watch over שֹׁקֵד".
An almond rod becomes a symbol of God's watching over the performance of His own word. Isn't that amazing, or rather mysterious?
My dear Advocate, enlighten us of our potentials and shortcomings. Grant us the candour to face our true self. Be with us to live out our destiny. Amen.
Tuesday 22 July 2008
Feast of Mary Magdalene
There are a number of Mary's in the gospel. Mary Magdalene is one of them and today, the Catholic Church celebrated her feast. According to the gospels,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (Luke 8:2b, Mark 16:9)
Some scholars would associate her with the anonymous sinful woman (Luke 7:37, 39) who anointed Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisees in Bethany (Luke 7:36-50, Mark 14:3-9). Independently, John confirms this (John 11:2). The association is based on equating possession by seven demons as being sinful. No doubt, Mary Magdalene, despite her sinful earlier life, must have occupied a very prominent position in the early Church to have her name recorded in the canonical gospels. She was present at the Crucifixion of Jesus. She intended to anoint the corpse of Jesus on the first Easter Sunday and was awarded the honour to be the first person to see the risen Lord. Throughout history, authors have speculated on her relationship with Jesus. The legend of the Holy Grail is also associated with her. Some say the Holy Grail is not a cup, nor a stone, but holy blood which suggests Jesus had fathered a baby through her. Modern authors also put her in an erotic relation with Jesus and they look for evidence in gnostic and apocrypha gospels in order to explain her prominent position in a male-dominated Church which holds fast to putting Mary Magdalene as a model of the penitent.
Today, I would like to focus on the first reading. It is a passage taken from the second letter to the Corinthians. In this Pauline Year, I should spend more time on Paul's epistles whenever they appear in the daily reading. The reading today poses a bit of difficulty. I would like to put several translations together so as to get a better understanding. KJV is close to the original but its English is old.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, KJV).
For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.
And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (RSV Catholic Edition).
因為基督的愛催迫著我們，因我們曾如此斷定：既然一個人替眾人死了，那麼眾人就都死了；
他替眾人死，是為使活著的人不再為自己生活，而是為替他們死而復活了的那位生活。(思高聖經)I think the translations are not satisfactory. They are ambiguous. Structurally, verse 5:14-15 is "For 因為 (A) because 因 (B)". The reasoning is hard to follow. Let's read Greek again.
ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέχει ἡμᾶς, κρίναντας τοῦτο, ὅτι εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον·
καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι.
Basically συνέχει means "to hold together". It extends to mean "to constrain/control" and even "to urge on" which is the choice made in the Chinese translation.
The first part of this verse does not have any adverbial phrase of reason (For)! It was introduced during translation.
The κρίναντας is an aorist participle. It could be roughly translated as "having determined / formed the opinion". The τοῦτο that follows refers to the preceding statement, not the following clause! Therefore both RSV and 思高 are not quite accurate.
Therefore, I would be going beyond modesty to propose the following tentative translation.
Having determined that the love of Christ holds us together, since one has died for all, therefore all have died. And he died for all, that ...
It makes better sense to me. We know that the love of Christ holds us together. Since he has died for us all, therefore, we have all died with him (in baptism). He died for us so that we no long live for ourselves but for him. We are held together in his love.
The exercise is worth doing.
My dear Advocate, Christ had died and risen for us. His love binds us to him if only we repent and accept him. St. Mary, you have set up a loving penitent model for us. Pray for us that we may be able to reciprocate His great love, to Him and to the needy in whom He miraculously dwells. Amen.
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (Luke 8:2b, Mark 16:9)
Some scholars would associate her with the anonymous sinful woman (Luke 7:37, 39) who anointed Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisees in Bethany (Luke 7:36-50, Mark 14:3-9). Independently, John confirms this (John 11:2). The association is based on equating possession by seven demons as being sinful. No doubt, Mary Magdalene, despite her sinful earlier life, must have occupied a very prominent position in the early Church to have her name recorded in the canonical gospels. She was present at the Crucifixion of Jesus. She intended to anoint the corpse of Jesus on the first Easter Sunday and was awarded the honour to be the first person to see the risen Lord. Throughout history, authors have speculated on her relationship with Jesus. The legend of the Holy Grail is also associated with her. Some say the Holy Grail is not a cup, nor a stone, but holy blood which suggests Jesus had fathered a baby through her. Modern authors also put her in an erotic relation with Jesus and they look for evidence in gnostic and apocrypha gospels in order to explain her prominent position in a male-dominated Church which holds fast to putting Mary Magdalene as a model of the penitent.
Today, I would like to focus on the first reading. It is a passage taken from the second letter to the Corinthians. In this Pauline Year, I should spend more time on Paul's epistles whenever they appear in the daily reading. The reading today poses a bit of difficulty. I would like to put several translations together so as to get a better understanding. KJV is close to the original but its English is old.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, KJV).
For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.
And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (RSV Catholic Edition).
因為基督的愛催迫著我們，因我們曾如此斷定：既然一個人替眾人死了，那麼眾人就都死了；
他替眾人死，是為使活著的人不再為自己生活，而是為替他們死而復活了的那位生活。(思高聖經)I think the translations are not satisfactory. They are ambiguous. Structurally, verse 5:14-15 is "For 因為 (A) because 因 (B)". The reasoning is hard to follow. Let's read Greek again.
ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέχει ἡμᾶς, κρίναντας τοῦτο, ὅτι εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἄρα οἱ πάντες ἀπέθανον·
καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν, ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες μηκέτι ἑαυτοῖς ζῶσιν ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι.
Basically συνέχει means "to hold together". It extends to mean "to constrain/control" and even "to urge on" which is the choice made in the Chinese translation.
The first part of this verse does not have any adverbial phrase of reason (For)! It was introduced during translation.
The κρίναντας is an aorist participle. It could be roughly translated as "having determined / formed the opinion". The τοῦτο that follows refers to the preceding statement, not the following clause! Therefore both RSV and 思高 are not quite accurate.
Therefore, I would be going beyond modesty to propose the following tentative translation.
Having determined that the love of Christ holds us together, since one has died for all, therefore all have died. And he died for all, that ...
It makes better sense to me. We know that the love of Christ holds us together. Since he has died for us all, therefore, we have all died with him (in baptism). He died for us so that we no long live for ourselves but for him. We are held together in his love.
The exercise is worth doing.
My dear Advocate, Christ had died and risen for us. His love binds us to him if only we repent and accept him. St. Mary, you have set up a loving penitent model for us. Pray for us that we may be able to reciprocate His great love, to Him and to the needy in whom He miraculously dwells. Amen.
Monday 21 July 2008
Beat their swords into plowshares
There are only two days to read Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah. Micah was a minor prophet because people collected only seven chapters of his prophecy. The most conspicuous passage is Micah 4:1-3, which is nearly identical to Isaiah 2:2-4.
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; (Micah 4:1-3)
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior." (Joel 3:9-10)
Therefore, it is all a matter of timing. There are times for wars but in the end, peace. This is the aspiration shared by all.
Micah belonged to the tradition of the prophets who criticized kings, priests and the rich in bringing about the downfall of the nation. Idolatry and exploitation of the poor were the major sins. Micah emphasized once more the priority of justice, mercy and obedience to the Lord over sacrifices.
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:7-8)
I have not done enough justice to the book of Micah. Suffice to remember his advice that doing justice, charity and obedience pleases God, our Saviour.
My dear Advocate, let us remember Micah's advice and follow it accordingly. Though conflicts and disputes are inevitable, peace is not a luxury. We know that we are but insignificant but we firmly believe that minor and negligible good will accumulate. Everlasting peace is a reachable goal. Amen.
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; (Micah 4:1-3)
וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית־יְהוָה נָכוֹן בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים וְנִשָּׂא הוּא מִגְּבָעוֹת וְנָהֲרוּ עָלָיו עַמִּים׃
וְהָלְכוּ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל־הַר־יְהוָה וְאֶל־בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹרֵנוּ מִדְּרָכָיו וְנֵלְכָה בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה וּדְבַר־יְהוָה מִירוּשָׁלִָם׃
וְשָׁפַט בֵּין עַמִּים רַבִּים וְהוֹכִיחַ לְגוֹיִם עֲצֻמִים עַד־רָחוֹק וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת לֹא־יִשְׂאוּ גּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּן עוֹד מִלְחָמָה׃
Again, Micah called up the familiar peaceful formula: people sitting under their vines and their fig trees without fear (Micah 4:4). This formula is found in 1 Kings 4:25 and Zechariah 3:10 as well. So, God promises an everlasting peace in the latter days when people shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. It is interesting to note that another minor prophet, Joel, prophesized just the opposite!וְהָלְכוּ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל־הַר־יְהוָה וְאֶל־בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹרֵנוּ מִדְּרָכָיו וְנֵלְכָה בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה וּדְבַר־יְהוָה מִירוּשָׁלִָם׃
וְשָׁפַט בֵּין עַמִּים רַבִּים וְהוֹכִיחַ לְגוֹיִם עֲצֻמִים עַד־רָחוֹק וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת לֹא־יִשְׂאוּ גּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּן עוֹד מִלְחָמָה׃
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior." (Joel 3:9-10)
Therefore, it is all a matter of timing. There are times for wars but in the end, peace. This is the aspiration shared by all.
Micah belonged to the tradition of the prophets who criticized kings, priests and the rich in bringing about the downfall of the nation. Idolatry and exploitation of the poor were the major sins. Micah emphasized once more the priority of justice, mercy and obedience to the Lord over sacrifices.
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:7-8)
I have not done enough justice to the book of Micah. Suffice to remember his advice that doing justice, charity and obedience pleases God, our Saviour.
My dear Advocate, let us remember Micah's advice and follow it accordingly. Though conflicts and disputes are inevitable, peace is not a luxury. We know that we are but insignificant but we firmly believe that minor and negligible good will accumulate. Everlasting peace is a reachable goal. Amen.
Sunday 20 July 2008
16th Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
The gospel reading today is a collection of parables about the Kingdom of Heaven recorded in Matthew 13:24-43. There are the parable of wheat and weeds, the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of leaven. Moreover, Matthew explains the parable of wheat and weeds. It explains the problem of evils in the world. Philosophers and atheists like to challenge the Christian belief of an almighty and benevolent God. They argue that the existence of evils proves that either God is not powerful enough to stop human sufferings or God is not benevolent enough to relieve them. Either way, the Christian conception of God is wrong. To answer this challenge, Matthew had recorded Jesus' parable of wheat and weeds and its explanation (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). The demons (ὁ διάβολος) were the source of evils. [note: Satan was not mentioned.] When the servants suggest the householder root out the weeds, he rejects this proposal.
But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them (Matthew 13:29).
Good parents can produce bad children and vice versa. Human relations are intricate beyond human understanding. The ramification is huge. The effects of unplugging a node are difficult to assess. The simplest and most reasonable arrangement seems to be allowing each to run his full course. In the end, God will settle the account with you. This logic goes very well with the Chinese philosophy. 「善不積不足以成名，惡不積不足以滅身。」【易‧繫辭下】We will accumulate goodness and evil in this life until the end. The result will be judged accordingly.
This morning, Fr. Patrick Sun focused on the parable of the mustard seed instead. We have a tendency to underestimate the little things. We give up doing some good deeds because they are so insignificant. They don't matter much. Similarly, we excuse ourselves for committing some petty crimes because they are so minor. They don't matter much. He reminded us of a Chinese saying which taught the same truth as the parable of the mustard seed. 「勿以惡小而為之，勿以善小而不為。」【三國志‧蜀‧先主傳】Many saintly people of the Catholic Church, John Bosco, Mother Teresa etc., began their mission in a tiny, insconspicuous and insignificant way. They were satisfied as long as they were following Christ' teaching in the gospel. In the end, a lot of people have benefited from their charity work. So, let us not give ourselves excuses not to do good, however insignificant it seems.
It's time again for some comparisons of translations. Jesus spoke to people in parables. Matthew explains once more that this use of parable was yet another fulfillment of prophecy! It is a Matthean characteristic to reassure his Jewish readers that whatever happened to Jesus was actually a fulfillment of prophecy!
All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable.
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet:
"I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the
world." (Matthew 13:34-35)
It was a quotation from Psalm 78:2. Let's take a look at the Greek.
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·
ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς [κόσμου].
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13:35)
ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπ̓ ἀρχῆς.
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter riddles from the beginning. (Psalm 77:2 LXX)
For comparison, take a look at a translation from the Hebrew MT.
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old (Psalm 78:2 MT)
Obviously, the first half of the verse leaves little room for ambiguity. However, the second half can be rendered in different manners. It seems that Matthew has freely translated it himself without consulting Septuagint. Matthew is a rich source of OT quotations. After collecting enough passages, I hope to trace an outline of OT quotations in NT.
My dear Advocate, I pray that we persevere in our doing good, however insignificant it looks. May Your Kingdom come. May our little speeches and actions bear witness to Your majestic glory. Amen.
But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them (Matthew 13:29).
Good parents can produce bad children and vice versa. Human relations are intricate beyond human understanding. The ramification is huge. The effects of unplugging a node are difficult to assess. The simplest and most reasonable arrangement seems to be allowing each to run his full course. In the end, God will settle the account with you. This logic goes very well with the Chinese philosophy. 「善不積不足以成名，惡不積不足以滅身。」【易‧繫辭下】We will accumulate goodness and evil in this life until the end. The result will be judged accordingly.
This morning, Fr. Patrick Sun focused on the parable of the mustard seed instead. We have a tendency to underestimate the little things. We give up doing some good deeds because they are so insignificant. They don't matter much. Similarly, we excuse ourselves for committing some petty crimes because they are so minor. They don't matter much. He reminded us of a Chinese saying which taught the same truth as the parable of the mustard seed. 「勿以惡小而為之，勿以善小而不為。」【三國志‧蜀‧先主傳】Many saintly people of the Catholic Church, John Bosco, Mother Teresa etc., began their mission in a tiny, insconspicuous and insignificant way. They were satisfied as long as they were following Christ' teaching in the gospel. In the end, a lot of people have benefited from their charity work. So, let us not give ourselves excuses not to do good, however insignificant it seems.
It's time again for some comparisons of translations. Jesus spoke to people in parables. Matthew explains once more that this use of parable was yet another fulfillment of prophecy! It is a Matthean characteristic to reassure his Jewish readers that whatever happened to Jesus was actually a fulfillment of prophecy!
All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable.
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet:
"I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the
world." (Matthew 13:34-35)
It was a quotation from Psalm 78:2. Let's take a look at the Greek.
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·
ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς [κόσμου].
This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13:35)
ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπ̓ ἀρχῆς.
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter riddles from the beginning. (Psalm 77:2 LXX)
For comparison, take a look at a translation from the Hebrew MT.
I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old (Psalm 78:2 MT)
Obviously, the first half of the verse leaves little room for ambiguity. However, the second half can be rendered in different manners. It seems that Matthew has freely translated it himself without consulting Septuagint. Matthew is a rich source of OT quotations. After collecting enough passages, I hope to trace an outline of OT quotations in NT.
My dear Advocate, I pray that we persevere in our doing good, however insignificant it looks. May Your Kingdom come. May our little speeches and actions bear witness to Your majestic glory. Amen.
Saturday 19 July 2008
Some translation issues in Matthew
Today, when I read the quotation of Isaiah 42:1-4 in Matthew, the translation does not quite follow the LXX. The Matthew passage continues with the healing of the man with a withered hand on Sabbath. The Pharisees conspired to kill Jesus (Matthew 12:9-14). So Jesus withdrew from there and Matthew quoted Isaiah to show another fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 12:15-21). The quotation runs like this.
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets;
he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick,
till he brings justice to victory; and in his name will the Gentiles hope.
ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μου ὃν ᾑρέτισα,ὁ ἀγαπητός μου εἰς ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· θήσω τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπʼ αὐτόν,καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ.
οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ κραυγάσει, οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ.
κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.
καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν. (Matthew 12:18-21)
The LXX quotation is not quite the same. It runs like this.
Jacob, my child, I shall take hold of him; Israel, my chosen, my soul favourably received him. I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the nations.
He shall not cry out, nor shall he send up his voice, nor shall his voice be heard outside.
A crushed reed, he will not break, and smoking flax he will not extinguish; but he will bring forth judgment unto truth.
He shall illuminate and shall not be devastated until he should set judgment upon the earth; and upon his name nations shall hope.
Ιακωβ ὁ παῖς μου, ἀντιλήμψομαι αὐτοῦ, Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου, προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου, ἔδωκα τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ̓ αὐτόν, κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐξοίσει.
οὐ κεκράξεται οὐδὲ ἀνήσει, οὐδὲ ἀκουσθήσεται ἔξω ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ.
κάλαμον τεθλασμένον οὐ συντρίψει καὶ λίνον καπνιζόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἀλλὰ εἰς ἀλήθειαν ἐξοίσει κρίσιν.
ἀναλάμψει καὶ οὐ θραυσθήσεται, ἕως ἂν θῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κρίσιν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν (Is 42:1-4).
A translation from MT, the Hebrew text is like this.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall make the right to go forth to the nations.
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning wick shall he not quench: he shall make the right to go forth according to the truth.
He shall not fail nor be crushed, till he have set the right in the earth:
and the isles shall wait for his teaching.
The following table will help us see better the differences.
Unlike the quotation above, that of Isaiah 6:9-10 in Matthew 13:14-15 is identical to LXX. As for this Isaiah 42 passage, the translations are rather different in the wording.
The LXX translation is very faithful to the Hebrew text, except for the first verse where Jacob and Israel were explicitly named. Here, Matthew rendered in a way close to the Hebrew text. However, Matthew summarized the last part of Isaiah 42:3 in a drastic way!
till he brings justice to victory (Matthew)
He shall illuminate and shall not be devastated until he should set judgment upon the earth; (LXX)
He shall not fail nor be crushed, till he have set the right in the earth: (MT)
Therefore, we should be cautious in reading these translations. Matthew might not simply lift text from Septuagint.
My dear Advocate, Erminia and Saturnia have arrived at Milan. Thank You for Your taking good care of them. May this tour be eye-opening as well as soul-enriching for them. Amen.
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets;
he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick,
till he brings justice to victory; and in his name will the Gentiles hope.
ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μου ὃν ᾑρέτισα,ὁ ἀγαπητός μου εἰς ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· θήσω τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπʼ αὐτόν,καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ.
οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ κραυγάσει, οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ.
κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.
καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν. (Matthew 12:18-21)
The LXX quotation is not quite the same. It runs like this.
Jacob, my child, I shall take hold of him; Israel, my chosen, my soul favourably received him. I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the nations.
He shall not cry out, nor shall he send up his voice, nor shall his voice be heard outside.
A crushed reed, he will not break, and smoking flax he will not extinguish; but he will bring forth judgment unto truth.
He shall illuminate and shall not be devastated until he should set judgment upon the earth; and upon his name nations shall hope.
Ιακωβ ὁ παῖς μου, ἀντιλήμψομαι αὐτοῦ, Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου, προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου, ἔδωκα τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ̓ αὐτόν, κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐξοίσει.
οὐ κεκράξεται οὐδὲ ἀνήσει, οὐδὲ ἀκουσθήσεται ἔξω ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ.
κάλαμον τεθλασμένον οὐ συντρίψει καὶ λίνον καπνιζόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἀλλὰ εἰς ἀλήθειαν ἐξοίσει κρίσιν.
ἀναλάμψει καὶ οὐ θραυσθήσεται, ἕως ἂν θῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κρίσιν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν (Is 42:1-4).
A translation from MT, the Hebrew text is like this.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall make the right to go forth to the nations.
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning wick shall he not quench: he shall make the right to go forth according to the truth.
He shall not fail nor be crushed, till he have set the right in the earth:
and the isles shall wait for his teaching.
The following table will help us see better the differences.
| Isaiah 42:1-4 (LXX) | Matthew 12:18-21 |
| Ιακωβ ὁ παῖς μου, ἀντιλήμψομαι αὐτοῦ, Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου, | ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μου ὃν ᾑρέτισα,ὁ ἀγαπητός μου |
| προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου, | εἰς ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου· |
| ἔδωκα τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ̓ αὐτόν, | θήσω τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπʼ αὐτόν, |
| κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐξοίσει. | καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ. |
| οὐ κεκράξεται οὐδὲ ἀνήσει, | οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ κραυγάσει, |
| οὐδὲ ἀκουσθήσεται ἔξω ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ. | οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ. |
| κάλαμον τεθλασμένον οὐ συντρίψει | κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει |
| καὶ λίνον καπνιζόμενον οὐ σβέσει, | καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, |
| ἀλλὰ εἰς ἀλήθειαν ἐξοίσει κρίσιν. ἀναλάμψει καὶ οὐ θραυσθήσεται, ἕως ἂν θῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κρίσιν, | ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν. |
| καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν. | καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν. |
Unlike the quotation above, that of Isaiah 6:9-10 in Matthew 13:14-15 is identical to LXX. As for this Isaiah 42 passage, the translations are rather different in the wording.
The LXX translation is very faithful to the Hebrew text, except for the first verse where Jacob and Israel were explicitly named. Here, Matthew rendered in a way close to the Hebrew text. However, Matthew summarized the last part of Isaiah 42:3 in a drastic way!
till he brings justice to victory (Matthew)
He shall illuminate and shall not be devastated until he should set judgment upon the earth; (LXX)
He shall not fail nor be crushed, till he have set the right in the earth: (MT)
Therefore, we should be cautious in reading these translations. Matthew might not simply lift text from Septuagint.
My dear Advocate, Erminia and Saturnia have arrived at Milan. Thank You for Your taking good care of them. May this tour be eye-opening as well as soul-enriching for them. Amen.
Friday 18 July 2008
God desires mercy more than sacrifice
Hilary returned to the university this morning. Later in the evening, he called to tell us his graduation result. He obtained a second class honour upper (division one?). Congratulations, son! Wulstan stayed home the whole day. He takes up the responsibility to babysit his father and his younger brother. Erminia and Saturnia flew off to Paris, the first leg of their pilgrimage. The day whiles off peacefully.
Today, we read Isaiah 38, the story of God extending the life of king Hezekiah for fifteen more years. It contains a hymn by Hezekiah while he had fallen sick to the point of dying. The other details, such as the fig cake and the shadow of the sun going back 10 steps, agree with 2 Kings 20.
Matthew tells the story of Jesus' disciples plucking the heads of grain on Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8). It contains more Jewish details than the story recorded in Mark. First of all, both contain Jesus' defence with the story of David eating the bread of Presence. Then, Matthew supplies us with the law of priests offering the burnt sacrifice on Sabbath.
On the sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering:
this is the burnt offering of every sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering (Numbers 28:9-10)
However, Matthew seems a bit unfair in passing judgment on the offering the burnt offering on Sabbath.
Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? (Matthew 12:5).
How could Matthew say that offering the burnt sacrifice profanes the Sabbath?
If we check the book of Numbers, we find the mention of Sabbath on two places: Numbers 15 and Numbers 28. Numbers 15 tells of a regrettable story of a man being stoned to death because he gathered sticks on Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36) Work was forbidden on Sabbath. Executing a man who gathered sticks on Sabbath shows the seriousness of keeping Sabbath. For us modern men, it is impossible to carry out. Had God enforce this law, many people would have died.
Numbers 28 seems to establish an exception to the law. Priests were allowed to work, to offer the burnt sacrifice on Sabbath. Therefore, offering sacrifice, worshipping God on Sabbath is appropriate. This seems reasonable because the ultimate purpose of Sabbath is to put away our work so as to spend time improving our relationship with God. We have spent six days to work and to focus on ourselves. It is reasonable to spend one day to mend fences with our God. So, Matthew was rather anti-Jewish in describing the priests' offering as profaning.
Now, Matthew quotes a passage to show us a more desirable action than sacrifice: mercy.
And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless (Matthew 12:7). Actually, Matthew has quoted this passage earlier on when Jesus defended his dining with tax-collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:13).
There are three quotations from the Old Testament which tell us that some actions are more desirable than offering sacrifice: obedience (1 Samuel 15:22), mercy (Hosea 6:6) and righteousness (Proverbs 21:3).
At first sight, plucking the heads of grain is unrelated to righteousness. It was provided for in the O.T. laws.
When you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain (Deuteronomy 23:25).
Such an action was not stealing as we understand it nowadays. There was no Social Welfare Department in ancient time and the poor and needy had to be taken care of. Such laws are merciful indeed. Taking care of the poor and needy was an act of righteousness. Therefore, the action of Jesus' disciples actually satisfied the law. Allowing them to do so satisfies the requirements of mercy and righteousness. However, the Pharisees missed this opportunity of mercy and righteousness. Instead, they criticized Jesus. They did not allow such action. In doing so, the Pharisees failed to satisfy the requirement of mercy and righteousness. They were experts and learned men. Yet very often, they were too eager to pick on the mistakes of others and applied their expertise in persecuting the others.
My dear Advocate, help me nurture mercy in my heart. Grant me enough courage to stand up for those unfairly treated. Allow me to lead a life of virtues. Amen.
Today, we read Isaiah 38, the story of God extending the life of king Hezekiah for fifteen more years. It contains a hymn by Hezekiah while he had fallen sick to the point of dying. The other details, such as the fig cake and the shadow of the sun going back 10 steps, agree with 2 Kings 20.
Matthew tells the story of Jesus' disciples plucking the heads of grain on Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8). It contains more Jewish details than the story recorded in Mark. First of all, both contain Jesus' defence with the story of David eating the bread of Presence. Then, Matthew supplies us with the law of priests offering the burnt sacrifice on Sabbath.
On the sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering:
this is the burnt offering of every sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering (Numbers 28:9-10)
However, Matthew seems a bit unfair in passing judgment on the offering the burnt offering on Sabbath.
Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? (Matthew 12:5).
How could Matthew say that offering the burnt sacrifice profanes the Sabbath?
If we check the book of Numbers, we find the mention of Sabbath on two places: Numbers 15 and Numbers 28. Numbers 15 tells of a regrettable story of a man being stoned to death because he gathered sticks on Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36) Work was forbidden on Sabbath. Executing a man who gathered sticks on Sabbath shows the seriousness of keeping Sabbath. For us modern men, it is impossible to carry out. Had God enforce this law, many people would have died.
Numbers 28 seems to establish an exception to the law. Priests were allowed to work, to offer the burnt sacrifice on Sabbath. Therefore, offering sacrifice, worshipping God on Sabbath is appropriate. This seems reasonable because the ultimate purpose of Sabbath is to put away our work so as to spend time improving our relationship with God. We have spent six days to work and to focus on ourselves. It is reasonable to spend one day to mend fences with our God. So, Matthew was rather anti-Jewish in describing the priests' offering as profaning.
Now, Matthew quotes a passage to show us a more desirable action than sacrifice: mercy.
And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless (Matthew 12:7). Actually, Matthew has quoted this passage earlier on when Jesus defended his dining with tax-collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:13).
There are three quotations from the Old Testament which tell us that some actions are more desirable than offering sacrifice: obedience (1 Samuel 15:22), mercy (Hosea 6:6) and righteousness (Proverbs 21:3).
At first sight, plucking the heads of grain is unrelated to righteousness. It was provided for in the O.T. laws.
When you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain (Deuteronomy 23:25).
Such an action was not stealing as we understand it nowadays. There was no Social Welfare Department in ancient time and the poor and needy had to be taken care of. Such laws are merciful indeed. Taking care of the poor and needy was an act of righteousness. Therefore, the action of Jesus' disciples actually satisfied the law. Allowing them to do so satisfies the requirements of mercy and righteousness. However, the Pharisees missed this opportunity of mercy and righteousness. Instead, they criticized Jesus. They did not allow such action. In doing so, the Pharisees failed to satisfy the requirement of mercy and righteousness. They were experts and learned men. Yet very often, they were too eager to pick on the mistakes of others and applied their expertise in persecuting the others.
My dear Advocate, help me nurture mercy in my heart. Grant me enough courage to stand up for those unfairly treated. Allow me to lead a life of virtues. Amen.
Thursday 17 July 2008
The best investment
Erminia and Saturnia will go on a pilgrimage to Italy tomorrow. Hilary came home to have dinner with us. Wulstan returned home early but not early enough to have dinner together. These days when the elder sons are grown up, it is not easy to gather the whole family under the same roof. I was elated and intoxicated myself a bit with two glasses of red wine. Therefore, I will not be long tonight.
We read Isaiah 26. I believe it must be a collection of several oracles. It begins like this.
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
"We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in." (Isaiah 26:1-2)
The passage proclaims a universal salvation. The passage refers to Jerusalem, the holy city, where the righteous nations may enter. Jerusalem is the holy city of God. It symbolizes the Kingdom of God where only the righteous may enter. Jerusalem can also refers to eternal life which only the righteous may enjoy.
Once again, readers are reminded of the fact that it is God who fulfils our good will, our good work.
O LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us, thou hast wrought for us all our works (Isaiah 26:12)
we were with child, we writhed, we have as it were brought forth wind.
We have wrought no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen (Isaiah 26:18).
Therefore, Isaiah's message was a precursor of Paul's theology of justification and grace. Before God, we are like pregnant women in labour. However, our labour brings forth only wind. It is nothing in reality. It is nothing in God's sight.
Therefore, what is the best way to invest our effort and our labour? In which area should we work so as to maximize the benefit? In seeking God's righteousness.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
Yes, learn from Jesus and take up his yoke. His is the obedience to God's will.
My dear Advocate, I offer up this summer holiday in Your care. Bless my work and may it be an acceptable sacrifice to find favour in You. Amen.
We read Isaiah 26. I believe it must be a collection of several oracles. It begins like this.
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
"We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in." (Isaiah 26:1-2)
The passage proclaims a universal salvation. The passage refers to Jerusalem, the holy city, where the righteous nations may enter. Jerusalem is the holy city of God. It symbolizes the Kingdom of God where only the righteous may enter. Jerusalem can also refers to eternal life which only the righteous may enjoy.
Once again, readers are reminded of the fact that it is God who fulfils our good will, our good work.
O LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us, thou hast wrought for us all our works (Isaiah 26:12)
we were with child, we writhed, we have as it were brought forth wind.
We have wrought no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen (Isaiah 26:18).
Therefore, Isaiah's message was a precursor of Paul's theology of justification and grace. Before God, we are like pregnant women in labour. However, our labour brings forth only wind. It is nothing in reality. It is nothing in God's sight.
Therefore, what is the best way to invest our effort and our labour? In which area should we work so as to maximize the benefit? In seeking God's righteousness.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
Yes, learn from Jesus and take up his yoke. His is the obedience to God's will.
My dear Advocate, I offer up this summer holiday in Your care. Bless my work and may it be an acceptable sacrifice to find favour in You. Amen.
Wednesday 16 July 2008
Abstract Thinking vs. Application
Which is more important for the building up of knowledge, logical thinking or application? Beware, framing a question in this way may not appropriate because both of them may be important. Neither one is dispensable. However, for the convenience of discussion, it may be appropriate to put them in opposition so as to evaluate the relative importance of both.
Mathematics has been my favourite subject. Reading mathematics popularizers is an enjoyable pastime for me. Mathematics is a mind-game. But sooner or later, its value becomes apparent when application arises. What is the use of studying differential calculus or number theory? You don't need them in buying groceries in the market. However, they are indispensable in modern engineering and in cryptography which secures Internet transactions.
When we read Matthew today, we found that Jesus sounded very anti-intellectual.
At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes (Matthew 11:25).
Traditionally, scholars would interpret this preference for babies to refer to their purity and humility of hearts. Other passages reinforce such an interpretation. For example, when the disciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of God, Jesus gave the following answer.
and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)
There are many more passages in which Jesus criticized the teachers of the Law for their legalism and literalism. Consequently, the gospels give us an impression that being an intellectual, being a learned man is no good at all. This is an incorrect understanding. Otherwise, Thomas Aquinas would not be canonized a saint and honoured with the title of Angelic Doctor. The truth still is a preference for children. Why?
Perhaps Jean Piaget's cognitive theory may throw some lights on this issue. Piaget was an important philosopher, natural scientist and developmental theorist in Europe. Every trained teacher should know something about his theory of cognitive development. Piaget charted 4 stages of cognitive development which all people must go through.
My dear Advocate, You have created us with an intellect. May we apply it in a way pleasing to You. Amen.
Mathematics has been my favourite subject. Reading mathematics popularizers is an enjoyable pastime for me. Mathematics is a mind-game. But sooner or later, its value becomes apparent when application arises. What is the use of studying differential calculus or number theory? You don't need them in buying groceries in the market. However, they are indispensable in modern engineering and in cryptography which secures Internet transactions.
When we read Matthew today, we found that Jesus sounded very anti-intellectual.
At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes (Matthew 11:25).
Traditionally, scholars would interpret this preference for babies to refer to their purity and humility of hearts. Other passages reinforce such an interpretation. For example, when the disciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of God, Jesus gave the following answer.
and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)
There are many more passages in which Jesus criticized the teachers of the Law for their legalism and literalism. Consequently, the gospels give us an impression that being an intellectual, being a learned man is no good at all. This is an incorrect understanding. Otherwise, Thomas Aquinas would not be canonized a saint and honoured with the title of Angelic Doctor. The truth still is a preference for children. Why?
Perhaps Jean Piaget's cognitive theory may throw some lights on this issue. Piaget was an important philosopher, natural scientist and developmental theorist in Europe. Every trained teacher should know something about his theory of cognitive development. Piaget charted 4 stages of cognitive development which all people must go through.
- Sensorimotor stage (roughly from birth to 2) in which the baby is egocentric and it builds up a knowledge of the world through movements and senses.
- Preoperational stage (roughly from 2 to 7) in which the world is manipulated through magic.
- Operational stage (roughly from 7 to 11) in which the world is known through concrete actions.
- Logical stage (roughly from 11 and beyond) in which the world can be understood through abstract reasoning.
My dear Advocate, You have created us with an intellect. May we apply it in a way pleasing to You. Amen.
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Taking things for granted
Among all the teachers in Shung Tak, I work most closely with Brenda and John. Yet, insufficient communication causes misunderstanding even among comrades fighting for the same good cause. We are too busy and our hands are too full. We take things for granted and easily forget to lubricate our communication. We follow the famous Newton's first law of motion:
Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it (The Law of Inertia).
However, in our daily life, there are a lot of frictions which work against our actions and movements. Therefore, we need to put in effort to overcome these frictions, these noises within any communication channel.
Over a casual conversation, both Brenda and I felt that it was a good idea to hold the Staff Development Day out of campus. The school hall is too familiar a place for us to work with. It might be a good idea to put away all our daily routines and go far away, say to a retreat house, to do a more fruitful Staff Development Day. In the end, we booked the Honeyville Canossian Retreat House in Mount Davis Road. Consequently but unknown to both of us, Brenda and I have different conceptions of this Staff Development Day. She thought of it as a sort of religious retreat, conducted by a priest to help teachers reflect on their present situation in life. I still thought of it as a Staff Development Day, a chance to do some team building and wounds healing after a traumatic 2007 in Shung Tak. Things only came to light when Ms. Lau, the principal-designate inquired about this upcoming Staff Development Day.
Ms. Lau is working to know the running of Shung Tak and the people. Today, I was working with Sham Bun, the acting Computer panel head, on the Teachers' Handbook. He helped to draw up the new Organization Chart sketched by Ms. Lau. After the first draft was drawn, Mr. Sham discovered some discrepancies. Probably, we had misunderstood her handwritten sketches. It so happened that Ms. Lau was in school but she was discussing things with Dr. Wong. It had already passed noon, so Mr. Sham went out for lunch. When Ms. Lau was free, she gave me a private audience and we had a good sharing.
First of all, she clarified her ideas on the new chart. It proved that we had misread parts of the sketch. Then she turned to the running of religious activities in Shung Tak. She assured me that for the newly created Religious and Moral Education Committee, we only needed to continue to do whatever we had been doing. She needed time to understand the inner working of Shung Tak and was not too anxious to make drastic changes. We could count her in and she would throw in her full support simply because she is a Catholic. I then explained to her the running of morning assemblies, the use of prayer books, hymn singing and the subscription of Kung Kao Pao etc. She expressed her interest in meeting S1 students during lunch time and regular meetings with Catholic students in school. Two thumbs up! She is willing and is able to reach out to people. Mr. Long and Mrs. Poon, our ex-principals, did so.
Then I confided to her a bit of my past, my years in La Salle and Shung Tak. In return, she was generous in telling me the secondary school she had studied in. What is more, she used to be a Legionary! Of course, I need to be 'cautiously optimistic'. Winnie was also a Legionary for more than ten years. I don't know whether she share my pains of the 'Prisoner of Shung Tak'. I still have to wait and pray. Our Lady, all generations will call you blessed. You don't deserve such humiliation for so long here in Shung Tak. May God's will be done.
Today, we read the story of king Ahaz in Isaiah 7. It was the time of Syro-Ephraimic War. Syria and Israel wanted to force Judah to join them in rebellion against Assyria. Our of fear, Ahaz was thinking of seeking help from Assyria, instead of turning to God.
We humans are animals of habits. We take a lot of things for granted and react routinely. Worldly power and might are more tangible than the invisible God. Naturally enough, Ahaz would turn to the stronger power for help. Thus, God sent Isaiah to Ahaz and announced the famous Emmanuel Oracle.
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
(Within sixty-five years E'phraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.)
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.
If you will not believe,
surely you shall not be established (Isaiah 7:8-9).
If we do not communicate with God, surely we will not believe in Him. If we do not believe in Him, surely we will never understand Him. Ahaz needed to believe in God in order to keep his kingdom. In the same way, we need to communicate with God so that we may believe in Him and lead a truly Christian life.
My dear Advocate, I pray for the principals, teachers, parents and students of Shung Tak. May we continue to walk Your path of justice and peace. May we overcome obstacles to build up a strong team to offer quality Catholic education for our students. Amen.
Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it (The Law of Inertia).
However, in our daily life, there are a lot of frictions which work against our actions and movements. Therefore, we need to put in effort to overcome these frictions, these noises within any communication channel.
Over a casual conversation, both Brenda and I felt that it was a good idea to hold the Staff Development Day out of campus. The school hall is too familiar a place for us to work with. It might be a good idea to put away all our daily routines and go far away, say to a retreat house, to do a more fruitful Staff Development Day. In the end, we booked the Honeyville Canossian Retreat House in Mount Davis Road. Consequently but unknown to both of us, Brenda and I have different conceptions of this Staff Development Day. She thought of it as a sort of religious retreat, conducted by a priest to help teachers reflect on their present situation in life. I still thought of it as a Staff Development Day, a chance to do some team building and wounds healing after a traumatic 2007 in Shung Tak. Things only came to light when Ms. Lau, the principal-designate inquired about this upcoming Staff Development Day.
Ms. Lau is working to know the running of Shung Tak and the people. Today, I was working with Sham Bun, the acting Computer panel head, on the Teachers' Handbook. He helped to draw up the new Organization Chart sketched by Ms. Lau. After the first draft was drawn, Mr. Sham discovered some discrepancies. Probably, we had misunderstood her handwritten sketches. It so happened that Ms. Lau was in school but she was discussing things with Dr. Wong. It had already passed noon, so Mr. Sham went out for lunch. When Ms. Lau was free, she gave me a private audience and we had a good sharing.
First of all, she clarified her ideas on the new chart. It proved that we had misread parts of the sketch. Then she turned to the running of religious activities in Shung Tak. She assured me that for the newly created Religious and Moral Education Committee, we only needed to continue to do whatever we had been doing. She needed time to understand the inner working of Shung Tak and was not too anxious to make drastic changes. We could count her in and she would throw in her full support simply because she is a Catholic. I then explained to her the running of morning assemblies, the use of prayer books, hymn singing and the subscription of Kung Kao Pao etc. She expressed her interest in meeting S1 students during lunch time and regular meetings with Catholic students in school. Two thumbs up! She is willing and is able to reach out to people. Mr. Long and Mrs. Poon, our ex-principals, did so.
Then I confided to her a bit of my past, my years in La Salle and Shung Tak. In return, she was generous in telling me the secondary school she had studied in. What is more, she used to be a Legionary! Of course, I need to be 'cautiously optimistic'. Winnie was also a Legionary for more than ten years. I don't know whether she share my pains of the 'Prisoner of Shung Tak'. I still have to wait and pray. Our Lady, all generations will call you blessed. You don't deserve such humiliation for so long here in Shung Tak. May God's will be done.
Today, we read the story of king Ahaz in Isaiah 7. It was the time of Syro-Ephraimic War. Syria and Israel wanted to force Judah to join them in rebellion against Assyria. Our of fear, Ahaz was thinking of seeking help from Assyria, instead of turning to God.
We humans are animals of habits. We take a lot of things for granted and react routinely. Worldly power and might are more tangible than the invisible God. Naturally enough, Ahaz would turn to the stronger power for help. Thus, God sent Isaiah to Ahaz and announced the famous Emmanuel Oracle.
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
(Within sixty-five years E'phraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.)
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.
If you will not believe,
surely you shall not be established (Isaiah 7:8-9).
If we do not communicate with God, surely we will not believe in Him. If we do not believe in Him, surely we will never understand Him. Ahaz needed to believe in God in order to keep his kingdom. In the same way, we need to communicate with God so that we may believe in Him and lead a truly Christian life.
My dear Advocate, I pray for the principals, teachers, parents and students of Shung Tak. May we continue to walk Your path of justice and peace. May we overcome obstacles to build up a strong team to offer quality Catholic education for our students. Amen.
Monday 14 July 2008
Meeting with the new principal
It is not the first time the principal-designate, Ms. Lucia Lau, came to meet the senior teaching staff. She needs to get herself familiar with the people and with how Shung Tak has been running so far. Today, they met again to fine-tune the school calendar and the division of labour among teachers. I was included in the duty list out of courtesy. Frankly speaking, I do not have much say there and most of the time, I was only an observer.
Ms. Lau, yes Ms. Lau. Unlike the previous principals, she does not insist on our addressing her Mrs. So and So, nor Dr. So and So. I believe she is younger and full of energy. They spent about an hour debating the proposed discretionary holidays. In the end, no major changes were made. But all present reached a better understanding of how the rationale behind the design of the school calendar, why EAC put the school picnic on a certain date, how we might better utilize the days for post-exam activities etc. I am afraid in previous years, only a handful of senior teachers knew.
Then, Ms. Lau put forth the homework she had done: a revamp of the organization chart of the school. Probably a revamp is an overstatement. In actual fact, she preserved most of the existing committees but rearranged them in a more reasonable manner. She followed the 4 major areas discussed in the External School Review Report: School Management; Teaching and Learning; Student Support and School Ethos; and finally Home-School-Community. Only two new committees were introduced: Religious and Moral Education which goes under the Student Support and School Ethos; and Trading and Tuck Shop which goes under the Home-School-Community. The reasoning was easily understandable and the whole structure was accepted by all without many amendments. She allowed us to make changes freely. She seemed to be receptive to suggestions. Before the meeting broke off for lunch at noon, most of the heads of the committees were allocated. Teachers present were so eager to get the work done that they agreed to meet again at one.
While the others were debating about where the Award Committee should go, Ms. Lau came over to me to ask who the Catholic teachers were and whom I would include in the Religious and Moral Education Committee. Her social skills win hands down. She made use of this opportunity to tell me that Catholic education was high on her priority list. She seems to be more amicable to work with and I pray that, if God allows, I may contribute more to the building up of the religious atmosphere of the school. After lunch, they spent two and a half hours to deploy all teachers into different committees. The important thing is: more people are involved in the design of this deployment scheme and more people understand the rationale behind. This has been a very good professional development experience.
Shung Tak has been a Catholic school in name for a long time. We have RS lessons, morning assemblies, several religious ceremonies etc. Yet, God is still marginal and dispensable.
Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies -- I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly (Isaiah 1:13).
Yes, we need to strengthen not just the religious atmosphere of the school. We need to put students on the right path in life. It is not enough to perform social services. Our students need be able to choose the right action to take.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes;
cease to do evil, learn to do good;
seek justice, correct oppression;
defend the fatherless, plead for the widow (Isaiah 1:16-17).
My dear Advocate, I pray that we be Your channel of love and understanding. May we work hand in hand under the new principal to bring in a new era of Shung Tak, of opting virtues. Amen.
Ms. Lau, yes Ms. Lau. Unlike the previous principals, she does not insist on our addressing her Mrs. So and So, nor Dr. So and So. I believe she is younger and full of energy. They spent about an hour debating the proposed discretionary holidays. In the end, no major changes were made. But all present reached a better understanding of how the rationale behind the design of the school calendar, why EAC put the school picnic on a certain date, how we might better utilize the days for post-exam activities etc. I am afraid in previous years, only a handful of senior teachers knew.
Then, Ms. Lau put forth the homework she had done: a revamp of the organization chart of the school. Probably a revamp is an overstatement. In actual fact, she preserved most of the existing committees but rearranged them in a more reasonable manner. She followed the 4 major areas discussed in the External School Review Report: School Management; Teaching and Learning; Student Support and School Ethos; and finally Home-School-Community. Only two new committees were introduced: Religious and Moral Education which goes under the Student Support and School Ethos; and Trading and Tuck Shop which goes under the Home-School-Community. The reasoning was easily understandable and the whole structure was accepted by all without many amendments. She allowed us to make changes freely. She seemed to be receptive to suggestions. Before the meeting broke off for lunch at noon, most of the heads of the committees were allocated. Teachers present were so eager to get the work done that they agreed to meet again at one.
While the others were debating about where the Award Committee should go, Ms. Lau came over to me to ask who the Catholic teachers were and whom I would include in the Religious and Moral Education Committee. Her social skills win hands down. She made use of this opportunity to tell me that Catholic education was high on her priority list. She seems to be more amicable to work with and I pray that, if God allows, I may contribute more to the building up of the religious atmosphere of the school. After lunch, they spent two and a half hours to deploy all teachers into different committees. The important thing is: more people are involved in the design of this deployment scheme and more people understand the rationale behind. This has been a very good professional development experience.
Shung Tak has been a Catholic school in name for a long time. We have RS lessons, morning assemblies, several religious ceremonies etc. Yet, God is still marginal and dispensable.
Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies -- I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly (Isaiah 1:13).
Yes, we need to strengthen not just the religious atmosphere of the school. We need to put students on the right path in life. It is not enough to perform social services. Our students need be able to choose the right action to take.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes;
cease to do evil, learn to do good;
seek justice, correct oppression;
defend the fatherless, plead for the widow (Isaiah 1:16-17).
My dear Advocate, I pray that we be Your channel of love and understanding. May we work hand in hand under the new principal to bring in a new era of Shung Tak, of opting virtues. Amen.
Sunday 13 July 2008
Fifteenth Ordinary Sunday (Year A)
Today, we read of the Matthean version of the Parable of the Sower. Indeed, we owe the title 'parable of the Sower' to Matthew. It is the gospel of Matthew that gives this parable a title (Matthew 13:18). This parable is significant because it is the first ever parable related in the gospels and what is more, Jesus explains it. Therefore, this parable is the key to the understanding of all other parables.
Fr. Patrick Sun celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass this morning and he delivered a very substantial homily on this parable. He asked us to reflect on how the seed, the word of God, bears fruit in us. Before he began his homily, he invited members in the congregation to share their experience of how the word of God bore fruit in them. A lady extraordinary minister of the Holy Communion generously shared her experience. She humbly admitted that she had not even finished primary education. Therefore, she feared that she would not be doing her job well to bring the Viaticum to the sick and to meditate the Word of God with them. Therefore, she earnestly prayed to Jesus to help her do her duty well. Throughout the years, she felt herself nourished, not just by the Holy Communion but also by the warmth of the Word of God. How admirable. Our faith in God is not measured by the number of converts we bring into the Church. Rather, it is the quality of the relation that counts. It is too easy, too tempting to interpret the hundredfold, sixty-fold and thirty-fold (Matthew 13:8) in a quantitative manner.
Fr. Patrick took a different approach. He led us to ponder on our family life and the practice of child-rearing. It is an image that vividly brings into relief the whole point of bearing fruit. Once again, it is the quality, not quantity that counts. The relationship between the spouses must be self-giving rather that self-gratifying in order to lead a fruitful and satisfying life. Similarly, disciplining our children early in their life is not imposing our values on them. Our children need to learn the dangers of instantaneous gratifications in order to survive in the society in the future. In order to learn, we need to be trained to delay the gratification of our needs. Our achievements in the future will be a hundredfold more than those who seek immediate gratification. Fr. Patrick half-jokingly suggested that husbands and wives tended to pick up what they wanted to hear in his sermons. Husbands remembered mostly that the priests told their wives to obey them while wives their husbands to please them. Rather, husbands and wives should remember the duties Christ told them to perform towards their spouses and their family.
I hope you will bear with me my obsession with biblical languages. To keep a record of the use of the Septuagint, I will copy the LXX Isaiah text which Matthew quotes in explaining the purpose of using parables. Unlike Paul who sometimes translated from Hebrew and sometimes paraphrased the Septuagint text to press his points, Matthew simply lifted the whole chunk of text faithfully from Septuagint. He must have been rich enough to own a copy of Septuagint!
And he said, "Go, and say to this people: Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.
Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."καὶ εἶπεν Πορεύθητι καὶ εἰπὸν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε, ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. (Is 6:9-10)
With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'καὶ ἀναπληροῦται αὐτοῖς ἡ προφητεία Ἠσαΐου ἡ λέγουσα· ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε,καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε. ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου,καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσανκαὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσινκαὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσινκαὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. (Matthew 13:14-15)
For those who are interested in the comparison of the ways the Synoptic gospels present the same story, here is a quiz. While Matthew counts down from 100 to 60 to 30 (Matthew 13:8), Mark counts up from 30 to 60 to 100 (Mark 4:8) and Luke simply says a hundredfold (Luke 8:8). Why the difference? Who is more faithful to the words of Jesus? Any suggestion?
My dear Advocate, I am not a piece of good soil. There are too many desires choking Your truth in my heart. Probably, I need to live with them for the rest of my life. May Your seed grow strong enough to withstand their predatory attacks. Lord, You have assigned me a teaching duty. I pray that I am able to raise and sustain my students' interest in Your words of wisdom. Amen.
Fr. Patrick Sun celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass this morning and he delivered a very substantial homily on this parable. He asked us to reflect on how the seed, the word of God, bears fruit in us. Before he began his homily, he invited members in the congregation to share their experience of how the word of God bore fruit in them. A lady extraordinary minister of the Holy Communion generously shared her experience. She humbly admitted that she had not even finished primary education. Therefore, she feared that she would not be doing her job well to bring the Viaticum to the sick and to meditate the Word of God with them. Therefore, she earnestly prayed to Jesus to help her do her duty well. Throughout the years, she felt herself nourished, not just by the Holy Communion but also by the warmth of the Word of God. How admirable. Our faith in God is not measured by the number of converts we bring into the Church. Rather, it is the quality of the relation that counts. It is too easy, too tempting to interpret the hundredfold, sixty-fold and thirty-fold (Matthew 13:8) in a quantitative manner.
Fr. Patrick took a different approach. He led us to ponder on our family life and the practice of child-rearing. It is an image that vividly brings into relief the whole point of bearing fruit. Once again, it is the quality, not quantity that counts. The relationship between the spouses must be self-giving rather that self-gratifying in order to lead a fruitful and satisfying life. Similarly, disciplining our children early in their life is not imposing our values on them. Our children need to learn the dangers of instantaneous gratifications in order to survive in the society in the future. In order to learn, we need to be trained to delay the gratification of our needs. Our achievements in the future will be a hundredfold more than those who seek immediate gratification. Fr. Patrick half-jokingly suggested that husbands and wives tended to pick up what they wanted to hear in his sermons. Husbands remembered mostly that the priests told their wives to obey them while wives their husbands to please them. Rather, husbands and wives should remember the duties Christ told them to perform towards their spouses and their family.
I hope you will bear with me my obsession with biblical languages. To keep a record of the use of the Septuagint, I will copy the LXX Isaiah text which Matthew quotes in explaining the purpose of using parables. Unlike Paul who sometimes translated from Hebrew and sometimes paraphrased the Septuagint text to press his points, Matthew simply lifted the whole chunk of text faithfully from Septuagint. He must have been rich enough to own a copy of Septuagint!
And he said, "Go, and say to this people: Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.
Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."καὶ εἶπεν Πορεύθητι καὶ εἰπὸν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε, ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. (Is 6:9-10)
With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'καὶ ἀναπληροῦται αὐτοῖς ἡ προφητεία Ἠσαΐου ἡ λέγουσα· ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε,καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε. ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου,καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσανκαὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσινκαὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσινκαὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. (Matthew 13:14-15)
For those who are interested in the comparison of the ways the Synoptic gospels present the same story, here is a quiz. While Matthew counts down from 100 to 60 to 30 (Matthew 13:8), Mark counts up from 30 to 60 to 100 (Mark 4:8) and Luke simply says a hundredfold (Luke 8:8). Why the difference? Who is more faithful to the words of Jesus? Any suggestion?
My dear Advocate, I am not a piece of good soil. There are too many desires choking Your truth in my heart. Probably, I need to live with them for the rest of my life. May Your seed grow strong enough to withstand their predatory attacks. Lord, You have assigned me a teaching duty. I pray that I am able to raise and sustain my students' interest in Your words of wisdom. Amen.
Saturday 12 July 2008
God prefers Judah to Israel
Ephraim and Manasseh were sons of Joseph. When Joshua settled the tribes of Israel among the land of Canaan, there were 13 tribes. The Levites were set aside to serve God and they did not inherit any land. So, the land was divided among the remaining 12 tribes. In a sense, Joseph obtained a double portion of land because of his two sons.
After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was divided into two. 10 tribes (in the book of 1 Kings, they are referred to as 'all Israel') followed Jeroboam the son of Nebat and made him their king (1 Kings 12:20). At first, they made Tirzah the capital and later Omri built the city of Samaria and moved the capital there. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin followed the house of David. The tribe of Benjamin was reduced to very few people because of the crime they committed against a Levite (Judges 19-21). Therefore, the southern kingdom was called Judah, keeping Jerusalem their capital.
Therefore, in the book of Hosea, Ephraim, Samaria, Jacob and Israel all refer to Israel. Though Hosea prophesized for Israel, he also mentioned Judah and somehow revealed that God prefers Judah to Israel.
But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will deliver them by the LORD their God; I will not deliver them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen (Hosea 1:7).
Though you play the harlot, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty (Hosea 4:15a).
Ephraim has encompassed me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit;
but Judah is still known by God, and is faithful to the Holy One (Hosea 11:12).
Of course, Judah was not without her share of faults. Hosea 5 is a very damning chapter, passing God's judgment on them all. Against Judah, we have the following.
The pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt;
Judah also shall stumble with them (Hosea 5:5).
The princes of Judah have become like those who remove the landmark;
upon them I will pour out my wrath like water (Hosea 5:10).
Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will rend and go away, I will carry off, and none shall rescue (Hosea 5:12-14).
Of course, God would not give up Israel.
How can I give you up, O Ephraim!
How can I hand you over, O Israel!
How can I make you like Admah!
How can I treat you like Zeboiim!
My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger, I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come to destroy (Hosea 11:8-9).
Hosea devoted the last chapter of his prophecy to tell us that God would restore them so that they might bear fruit. But Israel has vanished from human history after the exile to Assyria. Therefore, Hosea must be talking about the new Israel, the Church.
Before finishing the book of Hosea, let me bring up one more famous quotation taken from Hosea.
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from Death?
O Death, where are your plagues?
O Sheol, where is your destruction?
Compassion is hid from my eyes (Hosea 13:14 RSV).ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς, ποῦ ἡ δίκη σου, θάνατε; ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου, ᾅδη; παράκλησις κέκρυπται ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου. (Hosea 13:14 LXX).
O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; (1 Corinthians 15:55)
The RSV translation comes from the Hebrew text. The word 'your plagues' is דְבָרֶיךָ (transliterated as devareika). 'ka' means 'your'.
In Septuagint, it becomes 'your judgment, cause, vengeance and penalty' ἡ δίκη σου. It seems to have been corrupted. The 'varei' sound after 'de' is missing.
Paul probably was doing some word-play and changed it to 'your victory' τὸ νῖκος to suit his purpose.
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (taken from Isaiah 25:8)
"O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Paul changed the Isaiah LXX text from κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας to κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος.
My dear Advocate, God punishes and God heals. Through Jesus, death is defeated. Our eternal life is guaranteed. May we become Your ambassadors of peace to bring this good news to all our neighbours. Amen.
After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was divided into two. 10 tribes (in the book of 1 Kings, they are referred to as 'all Israel') followed Jeroboam the son of Nebat and made him their king (1 Kings 12:20). At first, they made Tirzah the capital and later Omri built the city of Samaria and moved the capital there. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin followed the house of David. The tribe of Benjamin was reduced to very few people because of the crime they committed against a Levite (Judges 19-21). Therefore, the southern kingdom was called Judah, keeping Jerusalem their capital.
Therefore, in the book of Hosea, Ephraim, Samaria, Jacob and Israel all refer to Israel. Though Hosea prophesized for Israel, he also mentioned Judah and somehow revealed that God prefers Judah to Israel.
But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will deliver them by the LORD their God; I will not deliver them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen (Hosea 1:7).
Though you play the harlot, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty (Hosea 4:15a).
Ephraim has encompassed me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit;
but Judah is still known by God, and is faithful to the Holy One (Hosea 11:12).
Of course, Judah was not without her share of faults. Hosea 5 is a very damning chapter, passing God's judgment on them all. Against Judah, we have the following.
The pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt;
Judah also shall stumble with them (Hosea 5:5).
The princes of Judah have become like those who remove the landmark;
upon them I will pour out my wrath like water (Hosea 5:10).
Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will rend and go away, I will carry off, and none shall rescue (Hosea 5:12-14).
Of course, God would not give up Israel.
How can I give you up, O Ephraim!
How can I hand you over, O Israel!
How can I make you like Admah!
How can I treat you like Zeboiim!
My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger, I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come to destroy (Hosea 11:8-9).
Hosea devoted the last chapter of his prophecy to tell us that God would restore them so that they might bear fruit. But Israel has vanished from human history after the exile to Assyria. Therefore, Hosea must be talking about the new Israel, the Church.
Before finishing the book of Hosea, let me bring up one more famous quotation taken from Hosea.
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from Death?
O Death, where are your plagues?
O Sheol, where is your destruction?
Compassion is hid from my eyes (Hosea 13:14 RSV).ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς, ποῦ ἡ δίκη σου, θάνατε; ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου, ᾅδη; παράκλησις κέκρυπται ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου. (Hosea 13:14 LXX).
O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον; (1 Corinthians 15:55)
The RSV translation comes from the Hebrew text. The word 'your plagues' is דְבָרֶיךָ (transliterated as devareika). 'ka' means 'your'.
In Septuagint, it becomes 'your judgment, cause, vengeance and penalty' ἡ δίκη σου. It seems to have been corrupted. The 'varei' sound after 'de' is missing.
Paul probably was doing some word-play and changed it to 'your victory' τὸ νῖκος to suit his purpose.
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (taken from Isaiah 25:8)
"O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Paul changed the Isaiah LXX text from κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας to κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος.
My dear Advocate, God punishes and God heals. Through Jesus, death is defeated. Our eternal life is guaranteed. May we become Your ambassadors of peace to bring this good news to all our neighbours. Amen.
Friday 11 July 2008
Feast of St. Benedict of Nursia
St. Benedict, the Father of Western monasticism and brother of Scholastica, is considered the patron of speliologists (cave explorers). He was repelled by the vices of the city and in about the year 500, fled to Enfide, thirty miles away. He decided to live the life of a hermit and settled at the mountainous Subiaco, where he lived in a cave for three years, fed by a monk named Romanus. He organized the monks into a single monastic community and wrote his famous Rule prescribing common sense, a life of moderate asceticism, prayer, study, and work, and community life under one superior. It stressed obedience, stability, zeal, and had the Divine Office as the center of monastic life; it was to affect spiritual and monastic life in the West for centuries to come. (This is lifted from Catholic Online.)
I caught a flu and am not feeling well. So, I will be short today. In the reading of Hosea today, I found two passages which appear in the gospel of Luke and Matthew.
and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall upon us.
καὶ ἐροῦσιν τοῖς ὄρεσιν Καλύψατε ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς Πέσατε ἐφ̓ ἡμᾶς. (Hosea 10:8b LXX)
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.'
τότε ἄρξονται λέγειν τοῖς ὄρεσιν· πέσετε ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς· καλύψατε ἡμᾶς· (Luke 23:30)
Notice how Luke exchanged the pair of verbs. Why? Any suggestion?
Jesus was on his way to be crucified. He was consoling the women of Jerusalem and warned them of the coming disaster to Jerusalem in 70 AD. When Jesus quoted Hosea, he respected the intention of Hosea.
and out of Egypt I called my son.
καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ. (Hosea 11:1b LXX)
Out of Egypt have I called my son.
ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. (Matthew 2:15b)
Obviously, Matthew did the translation himself without referring to LXX. Moreover, Matthew did not respect the intention of Hosea. This quotation is out of context and the view is opposite to the intention of Hosea.
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them, the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and burning incense to idols. (Hosea 11:1-2)
Matthew applied this prophecy to the nativity story of Jesus. Joseph brought Mary and baby Jesus to flee the massacre of Herod the Great and hid in Egypt. After the death of Herod the Great, the Holy Family returned from Egypt. Matthew wanted the readers to see this as the fulfillment of Hosea's prophecy. Actually, Hosea was not predicting the future. Rather, he recounted the Exodus story in the past! Now, is it legitimate for Christians today to follow Matthew's way of interpreting the scripture? I have trouble following Matthew.
My dear Advocate, let me follow Jesus' footsteps, consoling others while himself was suffering. Grant me such heroic love for my neighbours. Amen.
I caught a flu and am not feeling well. So, I will be short today. In the reading of Hosea today, I found two passages which appear in the gospel of Luke and Matthew.
and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall upon us.
καὶ ἐροῦσιν τοῖς ὄρεσιν Καλύψατε ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς Πέσατε ἐφ̓ ἡμᾶς. (Hosea 10:8b LXX)
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.'
τότε ἄρξονται λέγειν τοῖς ὄρεσιν· πέσετε ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς· καλύψατε ἡμᾶς· (Luke 23:30)
Notice how Luke exchanged the pair of verbs. Why? Any suggestion?
Jesus was on his way to be crucified. He was consoling the women of Jerusalem and warned them of the coming disaster to Jerusalem in 70 AD. When Jesus quoted Hosea, he respected the intention of Hosea.
and out of Egypt I called my son.
καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ. (Hosea 11:1b LXX)
Out of Egypt have I called my son.
ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. (Matthew 2:15b)
Obviously, Matthew did the translation himself without referring to LXX. Moreover, Matthew did not respect the intention of Hosea. This quotation is out of context and the view is opposite to the intention of Hosea.
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them, the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and burning incense to idols. (Hosea 11:1-2)
Matthew applied this prophecy to the nativity story of Jesus. Joseph brought Mary and baby Jesus to flee the massacre of Herod the Great and hid in Egypt. After the death of Herod the Great, the Holy Family returned from Egypt. Matthew wanted the readers to see this as the fulfillment of Hosea's prophecy. Actually, Hosea was not predicting the future. Rather, he recounted the Exodus story in the past! Now, is it legitimate for Christians today to follow Matthew's way of interpreting the scripture? I have trouble following Matthew.
My dear Advocate, let me follow Jesus' footsteps, consoling others while himself was suffering. Grant me such heroic love for my neighbours. Amen.
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