First Advent Sunday (Year C)

Fr. Patrick Sun celebrated the 11 a.m. mass this morning. Instead of expounding the readings, he focused on the Gospel Acclamation which reads
Show us thy steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation (Psalm 85:7).
Fr. Sun told us to reflect upon our life. What would our salvation be?

Immediately, someone who owes other people a lot of money appears in my mind. He or she might be a compulsive gambler, a shopaholic or whatever. He or she owes load sharks huge sum of money so much so that his monthly income nearly cannot cover the debt. If somehow, his debt is written off, that is salvation. It will not only be a salvation of this person, but also the salvation of his family. In reality, this "somehow" will not happen.
Other than money, we may owe people something emotional. We may deeply hurt other people's feelings. We may have done something not ordinarily forgivable. In such cases, if the party hurt is willing to forgive us, that is salvation. Reconciliation is the salvation of both parties because both hatred and guilt hurt and harden our hearts. In fact, I have my boss in mind. In a formal occasion, he spoke again to the same audience, his traumatic experience on the day his HKCEE result was released. When he called home, full of anticipation, his mother coldly said that if she had money, she would spend it on his more promising siblings. We could feel the hatred he harbours, after all these years of hard work and his present successes. He needs salvation. He needs to forgive and let go.

Fr. Patrick stressed on the steadfast love of God. God loves us not because of our goodness. He loves us no matter how evil, how rebellious or how destructive we are. He takes care of us even when we despise ourselves. If God does not despise us, why should we continue to despise ourselves? If God does not hate our mother, who am I to continue to hate our mother?

Only then did Fr. Patrick Sun return to the gospel briefly.
He said that the end of the world would only scare non-believers or baptized Christians who lead a life not much different from non-believers. We Christians are not afraid of the end of the world. Rather, we welcome it instead because God would rectify the mistakes of the world. He will restore our reputation, recompense us for the unfair treatment we have received.
Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28).
In the Graduation Mass this afternoon, Bishop John Tong gave us another perspective.
It is certainly curious to read of the end of the world in Advent. Isn't Advent a season to prepare ourselves for Christmas? This is not a wrong interpretation of Advent. It is only an incomplete one. Advent is not only the coming of baby Jesus in the crib. The Lord's Prayer reminds us constantly that it is the coming of the Kingdom of God that we pray for.
Adveniat regnum tuum (Matthew 6:10).
Therefore, Advent is a season not only for the preparation of Christmas, but also of the Kingdom of God. We Christians are responsible for the bringing about of the end of this world, the bringing in of the Kingdom of God.

Dear Lord, we have nothing to fear at the end of the world. I pray that Your healing power be generously showered on our personal wounds so that we can be more generous to reconcile. Amen.

Did Daniel talk about the end of the world?

All communications are at least bi-directional or even multi-lateral. There is at least one sender and some recipients. Through some media or channels, messages are conveyed. Revelation is no exception. God is the sender and we are the recipients. Since, at least two parties are involved, the quality of communication depends on several factors.

First of all, it depends on the sender. More concretely, it depends on how much the sender wants to communicate and how well the send delivers his message. Granted that God is a perfect communicator, He has no problem in revealing His will to us. Still, He may want to send His will bit by bit or He may change His mind in the course of time. In many occasions, the Old Testament tells us that God "repents" for His plan to destroy the Israelites.
Secondly, it depends on the recipients. In the parable of the Sower, Jesus describes 4 classes of people. Some reject the Word of God outright. Others listen out of courtesy or pragmatism. They do not really believe. Still others listen and believe. However, their hearts have been occupied by worldly worries. They could not put their belief into practice. Truly, many people are not ready to repent and turn back to God.
Lastly, it depends on the quality of the media or the channel. Our language is one limitation. Our knowledge is another. Many concepts are culturally and historically determined. It was only natural for ancient people to view the earth immobile and the sun circled around the earth. Nowadays, we still say "sun rises", "sun sets" even though we know very well that the earth is actually rotating along its own axis one cycle per 24 hours. When human rights were declared for the first time after the French Revolution and men began to vote for their government, women and negroes were denied such voting rights. Were women or black slaves sub-human? The answer depends on which historical stage you are in.

Returning to the question I posed in the title, I think that Daniel 7 does not talk about the end of the world as people popularly understand it. We have to wait until the book of Revelation to fully expound the concept of the end of the world. Of course, we can identify many preliminary concepts in Daniel 7.
First of all, people nowadays are very much interested in numbers. They want a date. Their understanding of the end of the world is a pre-determined date. They will be disappointed with the book of Daniel because they will not be able to find such a date written down there.
I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).
If the Second Coming of Jesus Christ means the end of the world, Daniel 7 does not tell us when. There is no date.
Secondly, before the end of the world, there is a struggle between the good and the evil.
The second half of Daniel 7 explains the vision. Daniel asked "... one of those who stood there ..." (Daniel 7:16). Was he an angel? Was he one of those saints fighting against the evil? Whoever he was, he was able to interpret the meaning of those symbols.
These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.
But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, for ever and ever (Daniel 7:17-18)
What about the meaning of the horn and the last beast?
As I looked, this horn made war with the saints, and prevailed over them,
until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints received the kingdom (Daniel 7:21-22).
Unfortunately, this is not very informative. Ask yourself. In which era was/is man free from this good-evil struggle? No such era has ever existed and we don't expect one to exist. The fight between the good and the evil is an eternal truth, a kind of background music for all men to grow and develop. Daniel was simply telling an obvious daily experience his contemporary fellow Jews were facing. He was only conveying this simple truth in an apocalyptic package.
Lastly, Daniel had a conviction. The saints would receive the kingdom. Would you want a share? If you do, you must take the side of the saints and bear the brunt of fighting against the evil.

Dear Lord, I learned tonight in the make-up lesson that without conversion, we will not be able to attain the truth. Lord, You are the truth and You bear witness to the truth. I beg You for my own conversion and the conversion of my sons. Amen.

A World of Symbols

Human beings live in a world permeated with symbols. Through symbols, men interact. The language we speak is a system of symbols conveying meanings. The money we earn and spend are symbols of values. Some symbols are easily understood and their meanings are shared by many people. However, some symbols are deliberately designed to mislead and conceal the true intention of the authors. We are reading some of these today in Daniel 7. 

Leaving Daniel 6, we leave behind a world of narratives. In the first six chapters of Daniel, there are stories which have beginnings, developments and endings. Once we reach Daniel 7, we have entered a totally different world. We see some images which defy our logic and our understanding of the world. It is the famous vision of 4 beasts. The four beasts are a lion, a bear, a leopard and a nameless monster. Many scholars have offered their opinions on their identity. These opinions are easily accessible on the Internet. I will not discuss them.
Daniel uses some conventional symbols to depict the background.
Daniel said, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea (Daniel 7:2).
This brings to mind the beginning of the Creation story in which the Spirit of God (great winds) hovered over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). The sea/waters is a symbol of chaos, of evil and enemy of God. So, Daniel set a scene of an opposition between God and evil. In the end, God would bring forth order out of chaos.

In making dreams, man himself is the director. This director searches his memory store to pick up useful stuff to repackage them into socially acceptable images that appear in his dreams. It is no coincident that in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a statue that which is made up of 4 layers of metals to represent four empires; while in Daniel 7, Daniel saw in his night visions 4 beasts to represent, most probably, the same four empires. Daniel had already passed judgment on these 4 empires. They were evil and life-threatening like these wild beasts.
I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things (Daniel 7:8).
Most scholars agree that this little horn was Antiochus IV who desecrated the Temple.
For Christians, the most important verse is the one that contains the "Son of Man". They discovered another reason why Jesus always called himself "the Son of Man". Other than being humble, it means the authority to judge the living and the death at the end of the world.
I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him (Daniel 7:13).

Dear Lord, You let us see that however fearsome worldly powers are, You are still the Lord to us, to the world and to the whole Creation. May the faithfully departed find their true resting place. Amen.

God saved Daniel in the lion den

Today, we come to the famous story of Daniel in the lion den. The king was Darius, a Mede by birth.
Darius was a very effective administrator. He divided up the administration of the Empire into 120 regions and headed by 120 satraps (Daniel 6:1). Over these 120 satraps, there were 3 presidents and Daniel was one of them. The performance of Daniel was the best among the presidents and the king intended to set up Daniel to take care of the whole kingdom. The other 2 presidents and the 120 satraps were jealous and they planned to set up a trap to kill Daniel (Daniel 6:4-5). So, they tricked Darius into signing an interdict that would kill Daniel.
Then these presidents and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, "O King Darius, live for ever!
All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked."
Therefore King Darius signed the document and interdict (Daniel 6:6-9).
Those jealous presidents manipulated the king to do their will. Truly, the more power/authority one has, the more wisdom/prudence he must possess. This is true not just for people in authority. An agency or government department, such as the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of the Hong Kong SAR government for one, is not exempted from being manipulated. Very often, people file a complaint against their rivals to ICAC, which would start the investigation and the innocent victims have to suffer for at least 18 months of interrogation or more.

What should the innocent do? How would they fight back? How would they protect themselves? Should they modify their routines or compromise their principles to avoid persecution?
No need. Even Old Testament teachings would tell you to leave all these dirty jobs to God.
"Vengeance is mine." (Deuteronomy 32:35).
Daniel was special and deserved "special treatment". Therefore, king Darius spent a sleepless night fasting for him (Daniel 6:18) and God sealed the mouths of the lions to save him because Daniel still had important messages to leave behind to the world. For other ordinary people like us, we will end up becoming martyrs. Our bones would be broken into pieces (Daniel 6:24).
Of course, it is only natural for us to evade persecutions. Who doesn't want to preserve his own life? In face, not all of us are made of martyr stuff. Many of us will crack under pressure or in full view of anticipated tortures. We need to pray to God to strengthen our soul and our conscience so that we would be able to withstand persecutions.

Dear Lord, I continue to pray for the soul of Rita. May she rest in peace. I pray for her husband that he might be able to come out quickly from bereavement. May my students understand the value of life and their roles as stewards of God given treasures. Amen.

Sometimes God speaks

We have skipped the famous fiery furnace story and the story of King Nebuchadnezzar lived like a beast. King Nebuchadnezzar had died and his son King Belshazzar succeeded him.
One day, he was feasting with his lords, wives, concubines and many others. He ordered golden and silver vessels be brought out from the Jerusalem Temple and used them to drink wine. Of course, God was angry with this blasphemous behaviour. God wrote 4 Hebrew Words on the wall and took immediate actions after the banquet. King Belshazzar died that night. Darius succeeded him.

King Belshazzar had asked other magicians, enchanters and astrologers to explain the words on the wall. None could do it. Then somebody reminded the King of the capabilities of Daniel. When Daniel arrived, he was more like a teacher than a subject of the King. He explained how the king's father became a powerful king and had fallen from God's grace and lived like an animal.
And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,
but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored (Daniel 5:22-23).
Then Daniel proceeded to explain the meaning of those words.

God is not always silent. Sometimes He speaks in His own strange ways. But most of the time, we can find His words in the Bible. Many people think that they are able to interpret what the Bible says without consulting experts. They believe that the Holy Spirit is residing in them. Therefore, they are able to interpret the Bible themselves. Today, the story of Daniel, once and for all, dispels this faulty appeal to the Holy Spirit. In order to interpret God's words correctly, we need to seek the help of experts. The Church is one such expert.
Many people are not willing to submit themselves to the teaching authority of the Church. They don't like her conservative stance, her insistence on her own authority, her role as the custodian of the Truth etc. Perhaps the Church is inadequate in reflecting the true face of Christ to the world. People simply do not see this community of believers make up the Mystic Body of Christ. The Church should put more effort in galvanizing her words and deeds. The salvation of many depends on whether the Church is being respected.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who dedicate their whole life to serve You. May their service nourish Your flock as well as themselves. I pray for Rita who was born on the same day I was born. She returned to You early this morning. May her soul find peace in You. Amen.

Appendix:

וּדְנָה כְתָבָ‍א דִּי רְשִׁים מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִין

And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. (Daniel 5:25)

דְּנָה פְּשַׁר־מִלְּתָ‍א מְנֵא מְנָה־אֱלָהָ‍א מַלְכוּתָךְ וְהַשְׁלְמַהּ

This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; (Daniel 5:26) 

תְּקֵל תְּקִילְתָּה בְמֹאזַנְיָ‍א וְהִשְׁתְּכַחַתְּ חַסִּיר

TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; (Danile 5:27)

פְּרֵס פְּרִיסַת מַלְכוּתָךְ וִיהִיבַת לְמָדַי וּפָרָס

PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5:28)

Feast of Vietnamese Martyrs (Year B)

The late Pope John Paul II beatified 117 Vietnamese Martyrs on June 19, 1988. There is very little information about them. Today, the Catholic Church celebrates their feast. What can we benefit from such celebrations?
Nowadays, many countries and cities are prosperous. However, most of them suffer under the curse of their own successes. Prosperity comes with a culture of death. The attitude of many citizens towards life is very negative. Their choices are very short-term. Their temper is very short-fused. Very easily, people commit suicide to runaway from sufferings. Therefore, I feel strongly that we can learn something from the examples of these martyrs. Their deaths (and of course their lives) can be very valuable and positive. A Chinese idiom says, "Death can be weighty as Tai Mountain and lighter than the breast feather of a swallow." Indeed, to be able to die a martyrdom for the Lord is really the smartest investment of a lifetime! Our ordinary and insignificant life is suddenly crowned with the glory and honour of a martyr. Isn't this the best investment strategy?

Today, we read Daniel 2. This is a famous passage and many people have offered their interpretations of the 4 or 5 kingdoms symbolized by the different parts of the statue. A search on the Internet for "Nebuchadnezzar's statue vision" will even yield a lot of pictures and webpages. Therefore, I will not take part in this identification parade.
Biblical scholars agree that the editor of this book of Daniel was actually working in about 160 B.C., during the time of the Seleucid Dynasty. Therefore, this story is not a foretelling of the future but a wrapping up of the current history in a "prophetic" way. The author seemed to be talking about the future but in fact, he was telling the present in code. The author could not name names directly. Otherwise, he would be the first of a company to be summoned and publicly executed.
Usually, prophetic books are collections of oracles which are not arranged in any coherent order. Neither are they arranged chronologically nor geographically. We seldom find large portions of narratives in these books. However, the book of Daniel reads more like a novella than a collection of unrelated oracles. Therefore, it is not put among the Prophets but among the Writings in the Hebrew Scripture.

So, what can we learn from this chapter?
We Christians cherish a worldview in which God is the author of human history. Though He is silent, He intervenes actively in human activities. We are confident that behind and above all kings and rulers, God is working to protect His elected ones. Therefore, the Vietnamese Christians were not afraid to die a martyrdom. They rested assured that God would receive their souls in heaven.

Dear Lord, You, who are the author of human history, help us discern and carry out the will of the Father on earth. Amen.

The story of Daniel

This is the last week of the liturgical year and it is appropriate to read some apocalyptic materials.
Septuagint and Vulgate put Daniel among the major prophets and put this book after Ezekiel. However, the Hebrew Scripture does not include it among the Prophetic books. Rather, it goes along with the Wisdom Literature such as Job, Psalm and Proverbs etc. There must be a reason for such an arrangement.
As far as its contents are concerned, the book of Daniel does not tell the people to repent, like most prophets do. Rather, it consoles and encourages its readers to endure patiently the present trials and tribulations. In his visions, he sees the end of the world which they should embrace because this would be their true salvation. Therefore, the book of Daniel does not belong to the genre of Prophets.

Daniel was among the youth of the nobility exiled to Babylon. Three other young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah together with Daniel, were selected to receive a 3-year training and later to serve in the King's court. The king ordered good food and drinks to feed these outstanding Jews. However, Daniel was different. He would not want to be defiled by the food and drink of the King. He requested the eunuch-in-charge to test them for ten days. If eating vegetables alone made Daniel ill, he would follow the instructions of the eunuch-in-charge. Otherwise, he should be given the freedom not to eat the food and drinks supplied by the king. This is a reasonable request but read how the book treats the response of the chief eunuch.
And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs;
and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear lest my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink, should see that you were in poorer condition than the youths who are of your own age. So you would endanger my head with the king." (Daniel 1:9-10)
God works behind the scene. But the chief of the eunuchs must also be reasonable. Had he been somebody neurotic, he would not have accepted Daniel's 10-day proposal. So, this eunuch had, without his knowing, worked for God. God allowed Babylon to conquer Judah. Her king was blinded and exiled together with many nobilities. It seemed that God had abandoned them. But in fact, God had turned underground. He was still working and staying with these few Jews.

God stayed with Daniel, like Joseph and Samuel in the Old Testament. After 3 years, Daniel had attained outstanding abilities. The passing out ceremony was an opportunity for Daniel to show off his Lord to the king.
And in every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
And Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus (Daniel 1:20-21).

Dear Lord, please stay with us even in times of adversities. Amen.

Feast of Christ the King (Year B)

This is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. In 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King to combat against the tides of nationalism and secularism at that time. In 1969, Pope Paul VI made this feast the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year.
Some years ago, our parish, the Holy Redeemer Church, still celebrated her feast day on Transfiguration which is on the 6^th of August. However, August is very hot and many people travel abroad during the summer holiday. The parish priest at that time was Fr. John Baptist Kwan. He is a very capable administrator. He boldly changed the feast day to Christ the King.

Fr. Milanese celebrated the feast day of the parish for the first time today. He began his mass with a little story of a king who gave all his treasures to his subjects. This king was also compassionate towards the sick, the poor and the needy. In the end, he had given up all his treasures and commanded no more authority. Yet, he was well loved by all his subjects. This king was Jesus.
I think he told this story before mass because today, some 26 teenagers were going to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Fr. Milanese was trying to explain the nature of Jesus' kingship in an easily accessible way. Christ is not just one more king in this world. He is very special and different from the others because this king empties himself for his subjects. No king on earth would do that.

In his homily, Fr. told us a bit of the history of the Feast of Christ the King. He mentioned how Pope Pius XI instituted this feast to fight against nationalism and secularism in 1925. Secularism is a humanism without God. Many people are attracted by its promises, especially because the Church has lost her attraction. Fr. Milanese told the teenagers that in their secondary school life, they will meet many wrong teachings and theories. These teachings are very attractive. They promise to build a kingdom of heaven on earth without God. They are scientific etc. Milanese encouraged our teenagers not to be afraid of these assaults because we have Jesus Christ who is willing to empty himself for our good. No scientific theory can replace his love for us.

Dear King, You are the King of the Universe. In my mind's eyes, I can see You enthroned, yet not very clearly. It is because You are very far away from me. There are millions and millions of people standing between us. Lord, I don't have the motivation to go closer. Perhaps it is not people but sins that are standing between us. Help me see my sins, mourn over them and beg You for Your pardon. Amen.

Feast of the Presentation of the BVM

The gospel of Luke tells us that when Jesus was 8 days old, he was circumcised and given the name Jesus (Luke 2:21). At the end of the purification process, i.e. 40 days, Jesus was presented to the Temple according to the law (Luke 2:22). For baby daughters, the purification period was doubled., i.e. 80 days. According to Leviticus 12:6, whether a woman gives birth to a boy or a girl, a sin sacrifice would be offered at the end of the purification. According to Exodus 13:12, only the first born boy should be (presented to the Temple to be) redeemed. I suspect that baby girls were not redeemed and thus not presented to the Temple. The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I wonder what the Church wants to celebrate.

According to the protoevangel of Jacob, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary were Joachim and Anna. Joachim was a rich man but his wife Anna was barren. She was very grieved. In her garden she sat down beneath a laurel tree and saw a nest of sparrows in the tree. That made her grieve more and Anna sang a dirge to herself. An angel appeared to Anna and told her that she would conceive and give birth to a child of whom the whole inhabited world should speak. Anna answered that if she gave birth, whether a male or female, she would present it as a gift to the Lord and it would be a ministering servant to the Lord all the days of its life.
Nine months later, Anna gave birth to Mary and as promised, the parents presented Mary to the Temple when she was three. When she was twelve, she was betrothed to Joseph. The rest of the story is recorded in Matthew and Luke. This story is very much similar to that of Samuel, the judge and prophet before kings were institutioned. But this story has an "annunciation by angel" part not found in the Old Testament. [I may probably have missed some OT annunciation stories. Tell me if you find one.] In short, this story does not add any new revelation, but a repackaging of old themes.

Scholars believe that the core of the gospels was the passion of Jesus. In the passage of time, people wanted to know more about Jesus. Miracles and teachings were added. Later, the time line was pushed back even earlier! Matthew and Luke collected the infancy narratives of Jesus. Other stories could not make it into the New Testament Canon because their narratives are too fanciful. Thus, the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary could only be found in these apocrypha. Perhaps these stories provide food for contemplation and prayer. But their contribution to theology is questionable.
On the other hand, the Catholic Church has announced several Marian doctrines which are not recorded in the Bible. For example, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the doctrine of Immaculate Conception in 1854 and Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Our Lady as an article of faith in 1950. These are things which Catholics have long believed, though not officially written down. It is important to defend these truths because they support our belief in Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus is truly God and truly man. He spent nine months in the womb of Mary, exchanging his blood with hers. It would be unthinkable for Jesus to be nursed in a sinful environment etc. So the arguments go.
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a different story. My spirituality is not strong enough to distill any theology out of it. I am sure there are people out there who can supply me with their insights.

Dear Lord, I hope I have not forgotten to keep any promises I made. I pray for all the people I know of. May their needs be met, their prayers answered. Amen.

The Jewish Feast of Dedication of the Altar

1 Maccabees 4 tells us about the origin of the Jewish feast of dedication of the altar --- Hanukkah. The Greek overlords wanted to push forth her Hellenization process. They tried to abolish Judaism and struck her at her nerve-centre. These overlords had no respect for the religion of other people. They even defiled their Temple and altar.

With God's help, Judah Maccabeus and his 3000 unarmed men (2 Maccabees 4:6) were able to defeat an army of 5000 infantry and 1000 cavalry (2 Maccabees 4:1).The next year, Judah led 10000 men (2 Maccabees 4:29) to meet 60000 infantry men and 5000 cavalry (2 Maccabees 4:28) and defeated them. Once again, God proves that the success of the Israelites depends on Him, not on numbers nor military might. Judah Maccabeus cleansed up the defiled Temple, rebuilt the altar and dedicated it again to God. This was the origin of the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah.

In the war cry, Judah encouraged his men to rely on God to fight their battle. He quoted the story of the crossing of the Red Sea. However, his language bordered on putting God to the test. I don't think it is a problem of translation. See the Greek text below.
But Judas said to the men who were with him, "Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge.
Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them.
And now let us cry to Heaven, to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our fathers and crush this army before us today.
Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel." (1 Maccabees 4:8-11)
"to see whether He will ..." Was this not putting God to test?
εἰ θελήσει ἡμᾶς καὶ μνησθήσεται διαθήκης πατέρων 
(whether favour us and remember covenant fathers)
In the second encounter with the 650000 army, Judah was more certain of God's help. In his war cry, he quoted the campaigns of David and Jonathan against the Philistines.
So do thou hem in this army by the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry.
Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction.
Strike them down with the sword of those who love thee, and let all who know thy name praise thee with hymns.(1 Maccabees 4:31-33)

The quotations taken from OT history are worthy studying. In the first speech, their continued existence was called into question. Therefore, Judah quoted the story of crossing the Red Sea. This crossing was critical. Without it, Israel did not even exist. Judah was facing a similar situation. These unarmed men desperately needed a miracle to survive.
One year later, their position was more consolidated, though still insecure. They were outnumbered but they would win because they had God on their side.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your patience with us. We are insecure and weak in faith. Allow us to call on You for help. Amen.

Several moral questions in 1 Maccabees 2

The story of Mattathias in 1 Maccabees 2 is very colourful. It offers some moral questions for us to debate.
Mattathias, a priest, had 5 sons: John, Simon, Judas, Eleazar and Jonathan. They moved away from Jerusalem to Modein because they could not bear seeing the Temple being defiled by the Greek overlords. But where else could they go? They were still living under Greek dominion. At last, the king's officers had descended to Modein. Everybody was assembled to offer sacrifice to pagan gods. The officer in charge targeted Mattathias, hoping to make use of the respect Mattathias could command among the people to help him finish his job quickly.
Then the king's officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: "You are a leader, honored and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers.
Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts." (1 Maccabees 2:17-18)
Many of Mattathias' countrymen had already done it. (Meaning: it would not be wrong to follow the crowd.) Gold, silver and high status were offered. (Meaning: the reward would be attractive.) But Mattathias' answer was a categorical no. He didn't even offer any rationalization. Then the story took a violent turn.

When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Modein, according to the king's command.
When Mattathias saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar.
At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.
Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri the son of Salu (1 Maccabees 2:23-26).
Here we have two cases of killing. Was it lawful for Mattathias to kill the Jew and the king's officer?
To modern people, the case was a double murder. Though killing in the name of religion is nothing new, we cannot condone such taking of lives. In the light of the New Testament, we should not pass judgment on others, even though it is obvious that that particular Jew had turned his back against God. Let God pass judgment on him. We do not play God.
The story of Phinehas is recorded in Numbers 25:6-15. God was angry that some Israelites offered sacrifice to Baal and God told Moses to hang the chiefs of the people in the sun (Numbers 25:4). Instead, Moses ordered the judges to kill those who "yoked themselves to Baal of Poer" (Numbers 25:5). We are not here to debate why Moses could possibly change God's instructions. No matter what, it was Moses' instruction and Moses had the backing of God. Therefore, the killing of that Jew was in accordance to Moses' instruction and thus it was lawful. However, was the order given by God/Moses in Numbers 25 universally binding in all ages? Was it possible that God/Moses gave the order for just that particular occasion?
What about the killing of the King's officer? Was it lawful to kill a foreigner who forced you to worship idols? I doubt very much. Killing a fellow Jew is reasonable because of their covenant with God. But the morality of killing a Gentile who was carrying out his duty was questionable. Mattathias could have died a martyr. Instead, he became a murderer out of righteous anger!

Mattathias and his family fled. Many others followed their example and went down to the wilderness to dwell there (1 Maccabees 2:29). Then came the famous story of non-resistance on Sabbath, resulting in the death of 1000 people (1 Maccabees 2:29-38).
To the modern eyes, this was sheer stupidity. But Fr. Robert Ng has always taught us that it was difficult to be a deontologist. One must be prepared to become a martyr in order to follow duty ethics without exception. These 1000 people were martyrs. We should respect their choice.
In the observance of Sabbath, Jesus has taught us clearly that Sabbath is for the good of man (Mark 2:27).
In the healing of the man with a withered-hand, Jesus made it clear that keeping Sabbath should be positive.
And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent (Mark 3:4).
Self-defence is to do good, to save life. Therefore, self-defence on Sabbath is lawful. This conclusion was also reached by the Mattathias family (1 Maccabees 2:40-41).

Dear Lord, open up our hearts so that our zeal for Your truth may burn anew, so that when occasion demands, we may be ready to surrender our lives for the love of You. Amen.

To make sense of sufferings

This is an age old problem. It happens at different levels: personal, social, national and even global. The duration and intensity vary. Some last briefly but many others seem endless. Some sufferings are more difficult to endure because they are very senseless. They are senseless in the sense that we don't know how they come about and we don't see what good they bring. When we witness innocent people suffer for no reason, we will be weighed down by a burden of puzzlement. Naturally, we will look up to heaven and demand an answer. In most of the time, heaven is silent.

The Maccabees books are very graphic in their description of tortures. In this second book of the Maccabees, after describing how the 90-year-old scribe Eleazar died, the author continues with the martyrdom of a heroic mother and her 7 sons. This time, they were anonymous. The first book of Maccabees talks about the event between 137^th (1 Maccabees 1:8) to 177^th (1 Maccabees 16:14) year of the Greek Empire.
Let us assume that the author of Maccabees starts counting the Greek Empire after the rise of Alexander the Great in 333 B.C. Then the first book of Maccabeestalks about the four decades between 196 B.C. and 156 B.C., well within the Seleucid Empire. The second book of Maccabees mentions the years between 151^st (2 Maccabees 14:4) to 188^th (2 Maccabees 1:9) year of the Greek Empire. 145 B.C. still falls within the Seleucid Empire.
The work on Septuagint began in the third century B.C. and finished  before 132 B.C. Therefore, most of the Jews in the Maccabean stories spoke Greek. It is interesting to note that under torture and interrogation, the second son answered in Hebrew.
He (the second son) replied in the language of his fathers, and said to them, "No." Therefore he in turn underwent tortures as the first brother had done (2 Maccabees 7:8).
She encouraged each of them in the language of their fathers. Filled with a noble spirit, she fired her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them (2 Maccabees 7:24).
Again, the mother spoke in Hebrew. So, who were these Jews that kept speaking in Hebrew during this period of Hellenization? Did they belong to the priestly family?

The author puts into the lips of the second, the fourth sons and the mother, the hope of resurrection.
And when he (the second son) was at his last breath, he said, "You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe willraise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws." (2 Maccabees 7:9)
And when he was near death, he said, "One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!" (2 Maccabees 7:14)
"I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you.
Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of man and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws." (2 Maccabees 7:22-23)
The mother and her 7 sons were able to make sense of their sufferings. They took the sufferings as a disciplinary action from God. For example, the sixth son had the following to say.
After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, "Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore astounding things have happened (2 Maccabees 7:18).
Tortures are more bearable when you can make sense of them. Sustained by the hope of resurrection, we can become martyrs heroically.

Dear Lord, Your sufferings bring God and sinners together again. Sufferings become redemptive. May we be able to overcome the fear in our hearts and have the courage to choose the right and the good things. Amen.

Feast of Elizabeth of Hungury

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231). Though a queen, Elizabeth led an austere life and spending most of her time doing charity. Blessed are the poor in spirit. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs (Matthew 5:3).

The reading of 2 Maccabees today offers a rare glimpse of the moral height of the author of this book. It is the story of the martyrdom of Eleazar (2 Maccabees 6:18-31). To celebrate the birthday of the king, a decree was issued such that all the people, including the Jews, should partake of the sacrifices in which meat, unclean according to the Jewish law, was offered.
Eleazar was a 90-year-old scribe (2 Maccabees 6:18, 24). He was forced to eat the pork offered in sacrifices. If he refused, he would be beaten to death in public.
If you were Eleazar, what would you do, and why?

At first, Eleazar refused to eat. The officers in charge of the sacrifices were his long-time friends. They urged Eleazar to bring his own meat, proper for him to use, to make it a show in order to save his life (2 Maccabees 6:21).
If you were Eleazar, would you accept the good will of your friends? If not, can you explain why?
This is a good moral theology exercise. I strongly recommend you to read the story yourselves to check against your answer. After more than 2000 years, our morality may not be any better than that depicted in this martyrdom story.
This is how the author finishes the story.
When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: "It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him." (2 Maccabees 6:30)
The fear of the Lord is a typical Old Testament value. It appears 18 times in the Wisdom Literature and 3 times in Isaiah. Perhaps the translation is not very accurate or perhaps it is accurate, but modern men do not appreciate this value.
This verse also reflects a typical Greek dualism --- body vs. soul. It also sings praises to the triumph of the soul over the body. After all, Hellenization was not totally rejected by all Jews.

Dear Lord, I pray that men learn to lead a more civilized life and to respect other people's views, especially in our workplace. Much barbarism will be avoided when we do not impose our own views on others. Amen.

Atrocities against humanity

The books of Maccabees are the bloodiest books in the Bible. Its graphic depiction of tortures sends a chill down our spine. In the books of Joshua and Judges, we read of bloody warfare, ethnic cleansing, massacre of non-combatants. Even the aged and the little children were not spared. Maccabees are not about conquests but persecutions. The table was turned. It was Israel's turn to become victims.

After the death of Alexander the Great, the Greek Empire was divided among his generals. The Seleucids ruled the north and Ptolemy rules Egypt in the south. Antiochus Epiphanes invaded the south and brought down the Ptolemies. On his way back, he sacked Jerusalem, plundered and defiled the Temple. Then Antiochus pushed forth a Hellenization program. Seeing advantages, many Jews gave up their faith and their identity as the people of God. Some would never betray their covenant with God.
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,
and that each should give up his customs.
All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath (1 Maccabees 1:41-43).
Hellenization was packaged into a beautiful vision --- that all should be one people!
Eight years into his reign, Antiochus turned the screw and resorted to violence. Freedom was banned and religion was imposed upon his subjects.
The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire.
Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death (1 Maccabees 1:56-57).
According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised,
and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers' necks (1 Maccabees 1:60-61). 

For those of us born after WWII and leading a relatively peaceful life in Hong Kong, it is difficult for us to imagine how such madness could be committed. If history can be of any guide, rulers should know that persecutions could only lead to the opposite of the intended results. The faith of the persecuted would only become stronger.
But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food.
They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die (1 Maccabees 1:62-63).
Persecution makes martyrs and turns the weak into heroes.
Nowadays, we understand that violence is a waste of resources. If you want to conquer other peoples, make your own economy strong. Then, other peoples would be attracted by your huge market. They would do business with you, learn your language and nationalize into your country. There is no need to fire even one single shot.

Dear Lord, teach us to live peacefully with each other, learn not to impose unreasonable demands on the others. Amen.

Thirty third Ordinary Sunday (Year B)

Tonight, I attended the 8 p.m. mass celebrated by Fr. Milanese. We read the book of Daniel, the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Gospel of Mark. In his homily, Fr. Milanese showed his scholarship in the study of Bible. He began his homily with the question why horror movies were so popular nowadays. Watching movies is supposed to be entertaining and relaxing. Why do people watch disturbing movies to torture themselves?

Movies of the previous generation were usually very positive. The good always defeated the bad to restore the normal life of people. But nowadays, movies depict many threats to our life ---- alien invaders / monsters from the outer space, direct impact from asteroids, natural disasters created by global warming and suicidal attacks from terrorists etc. All these movies do not carry the positive themes of the previous generation. It seems that a tragic end of the world is a certainty.
To a certain extent, there is a little bit of truth in these horror movies. The Bible also agrees that the end of the world is a certainty. But for us Christians, it will not be a tragic one. We have a loving Father. He will take care of us.

When Daniel wrote his apocalypse, the Jews were experiencing a crisis. The bad had defeated the good. The Maccabees were successful at the beginning in their fight for Jewish independence. However, it did not last long and Judah became once again a Greek province. The overlords imposed Hellenization. The Jews were fighting a losing battle against it. They were losing their identity, their culture and their faith. God was silent when they were suffering persecutions. It was in this background that Daniel wrote his apocalypse. He saw the end. However grim the present might be, the end shall be a bright one. There shall be a resurrection of all. The righteous will be rewarded and the wicked put to shame.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12:2-3).
Showing his scholarship, Fr. Milanese continued to explain why Daniel wrote in this style. He had to write in this genre, using enigmatic symbols and numerology to put on a mysterious shroud, to protect himself from persecutions from the rulers. In the New Testament, John followed his example when he wrote the Revelation. We Christians should cherish this hope for the end of the world. Many have gone before us, suffering persecutions of various kinds. Their hope was strong. Even if God did not come to deliver them at their times of tribulations, God would make the records straight at the end.

I was still a little bit lost because his homily is not quite rooted in this community. Don't be so demanding. Fr. Milanese has come for just one and a half month.

Dear Lord, at the moment, we are not quite persecuted. May we take this good time of peace to sing praises to You so that in times of difficulties, we remember to call on You to save us. Amen.

Matrimony

It was my pleasure to attend the matrimony ceremony of the parents of my two godsons who are teenagers now. The ceremony was held in a beautiful chapel dedicated to St. Padre Pio. It was solemn and meaningful. There was a private reception afterward.

Fr. John Paul officiated at the ceremony. In his homily, he made it clear that the true ministers of this sacrament were not him, the priest, but the bride and the bridegroom. This occasion is a happy occasion. It is a celebration, a celebration of the union between a man and his wife. Such a union is an inexhaustible source of spirituality. He humbly limited himself to mention just three points.

In matrimony, husband and wife give themselves without reservation to the other party. This total commitment does not depend on moods and romantic feelings. It is an act of love which must be out-giving, not just outgoing.
Secondly, they become one. But it is not just a physical union of the flesh but also a union of the mind and soul. It is particularly important for Christian husbands and wives to share their spiritual life. Most of them are probably spiritually very deep in private without knowing that they can nourish the spiritual life of each other.
Lastly, their love is everlasting. In their nuptial vows, they swore to God, in the presence of the Church, that till death they part. But even death is unable to kill their love. Many widows or widowers still experience and miss their deceased spouses. Their love for each other lasts beyond death, until they reunite again in heaven.
It was a lovingly touching homily.

Thank God. Many priests are able to show the mercy and love of God while others act more or less like judges in upholding the Canon Law. These friends of mine have been married by civil rites for many years without undergoing the proper matrimony rites in the Church. From the point of view of the Canon Law, their marriage is not "valid". They are only cohabiting together and giving birth to children for many years. But Fr. John Paul looks at it in a different way. These years of living together to build up a family and raising children concretely demonstrate the faithfulness and truthfulness of their love! They are not living in a state of sin.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love (1 John 4:18).

Dear Lord, I pray for the marriages of the friends I know. Bless their marriages so that they bear good fruits, raising the spirituality of them, their children, friends and neighbours who witness the success of their marriages. Amen.

God wants all to be saved

Genesis tells us that we were created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Though Adam and Eve disobeyed God, thus releasing the poison of sins to contaminate the world, God did not give up. He wants all of us to be saved. Of course, God has given us freedom. Without freedom, our love of God would be forced and worthless. In order to respect our freedom, God risks losing some souls to Satan. Even one of Jesus' chosen apostles committed suicide. But God is almighty. It is only logical that He should save all fallen mankind. And this is indeed what He intended to do. Paul has the following to say.
This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
What made Paul so optimistic that all of us would receive God's salvation?
Paul was not alone. His view was shared by John who wrote some four decades later. But John added a condition.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Again, this is a popular Protestant quotation which appears in many outdoor neon light displays.
This God's desire for all men to be saved carries a condition. According to John, whoever believe in Jesus will be saved. Paul was not wrong. John only made things clearer. But Paul has also mentioned the importance of faith. Protestants like to quote Paul out of context and stress much about justification by faith. Catholics also hold the belief in the justification by faith. Their difference lies in the difference between Protestant and Catholic interpretations of faith. Is faith only a mind game, or does it requires actions? Protestants favour the former interpretation while Catholics insists on the latter. Protestants argue that Jesus has come to establish the New Covenant. Therefore, Christians do not need to follow the Torah. However, Jesus himself said that he came to fulfil the law, not to abolish it.
Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them (Matthew 5:17).
Therefore, faith does not exclude actions.  

Several times in Wisdom 12, the author expresses a similar hope as Paul.
For thy immortal spirit is in all things.
Therefore thou dost correct little by little those who trespass, and dost remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin, that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in thee, O Lord (Wisdom 13:1-2).
But judging them little by little thou gavest them a chance to repent, though thou wast not unaware that their origin was evil and their wickedness inborn, and that their way of thinking would never change (Wisdom 13:10).
However evil we may be, God still gives us a chance to repent. So, let us take out our actions to show that our repentance is genuine. Of course, at the end of the day, God still respect our freedom not to repent.

Dear Lord, enkindle our love for You. Then we learn to cherish Your mercy. Let our mistakes continue to prod us forwards. Amen.

Feast of Josaphat (Year B)

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Josaphat, a bishop, a martyr. He died a martyr when he tried to bring some of the congregation back to the Roman Catholic Church. He had supporters but also many more opposers. He was killed for a noble cause. But was he wise to insist returning to the Catholic Church?
Wisdom is a lofty topic. I am afraid I am not qualified enough to talk about her. Try to explain the following line.
for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible,
beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle
Ἔστιν γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ πνεῦμα νοερόν, ἅγιον, μονογενές, πολυμερές, λεπτόν, εὐκίνητον, τρανόν, ἀμόλυντον, σαφές, ἀπήμαντον, φιλάγαθον, ὀξύ,
ἀκώλυτον, εὐεργετικόν, φιλάνθρωπον, βέβαιον, ἀσφαλές, ἀμέριμνον, παντοδύναμον, πανεπίσκοπον καὶ διὰ πάντων χωροῦν πνευμάτων νοερῶν καθαρῶν λεπτοτάτων. (Wisdom 7:22-23).
The author made use of 20 adjectives to describe Wisdom. I am dumbfounded.
Who are qualified to possess Wisdom? Those who are intelligent, pure and most subtle. But why pure?
The author continues to explain just two of these qualities of Wisdom.
For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things
πάσης γὰρ κινήσεως κινητικώτερον σοφία, διήκει δὲ καὶ χωρεῖ διὰ πάντων διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα· (Wisdom 7:24)
I quote them in length simply to show my ignorance. But this verse actually helps me appreciate more one of the Beatitudes.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God
μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. (Matthew 5:8).
Since pureness allows Wisdom to pervade and penetrate all things, those pure in heart will also be able to pervade and penetrate (see through) all things. Then they shall be able to find God in all things. Then they shall not be afraid of persecution.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account
μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ' ὑμῶν [ψευδόμενοι] ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ (Matthew 5:10-11).

My Lord, You who are the embodiment of Wisdom, grant us a pure heart so that we may be able to see God in all things, to bear You witness despite persecutions. Amen.

Feast of St. Martin of Tours (Year B)

St. Martin was an army officer before he became a Christian. He attained this rank not by military successes but by birth right. So, he had to work harder in order to earn the respect from other soldiers. However, he chose the way of humility. He pursued monasticism and was much sought after. He became a bishop and performed his pastoral duties with dedication. The Catholic Church celebrates his feast day today.

Paul made use of various vivid images to press home his points. We can immediately call to mind military and sports images. For example:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).
Consider the hostile environment Paul was working in, it is understandable that he had a rather combative mindset. In one breath, Paul spells out his two favourite images.
In the Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul left us with a famous passage about the full armour of a Christian. In Romans, he had already mentioned the armour of light.
the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12).
But two verses later, Paul talks about putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. After all, the armour of light is Jesus Christ. The military image is not yet forceful. InEphesians, he developed this armour image more fully. Six pieces of equipment were mentioned. Yet, it is interesting to read and find in Wisdom a rather primitive prototype of armour image. Check out the following comparison table.

Equipment	Wisdom 5:18-20	Ephesians 6:14-17
breastplate	righteousness
shield	holiness	faith
helmet	impartial justice	salvation
sword	stern wrath	the word of God
belt		truth
shoe		gospel of peace

What would you say about this? The situations were different. 
The author of Wisdom was probably fighting against the Hellenization of Judaism. Therefore, attaining holiness by the strict observance of Torah was probably the only shield that protected them from the onslaught of Greek culture. They had been conquered and become a Greek province. Therefore, God's wrath was the only sword to punish the corrupt Greek-sympathizers.
Paul was writing in the first century and the message he preached, i.e. Christianity, is not exclusively Jewish. It is open to the whole world. It is Catholic. Therefore, Christians were not fighting against one particular culture. Rather, they had to fight against heresies. Faith in the Lord and the teachings of the apostles was their weapon to fight against schisms. They were not fighting against Roman or Greek sympathizers. Rather, Christians have been fight against Satan and its evils. Therefore, God's punishment is not appropriate. Rather, Paul suggests using Biblical teachings to combat against evil. To quote Paul, "Let all things be done for edification." (1 Corinthians 14:21)

Dear Lord, the world we are living in is indifferent rather hostile towards Christianity. Send forth Your Spirit so that Your Creation may be renewed. Amen.

Feast of St. Leo the Great (Year B)

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Leo the Great, a pope in the 5^th century. The Church was assaulted by a different type of difficulty --- heresy. Thanks be to God. Pope Leo I was able to consolidate the truth of Christian faith and fended off the invasion of the barbarians.

We begin to read a book called the Wisdom of Solomon. Scholars deduce that it was written in Greek in around 150 B.C. Since a Hebrew version does not exist, the Protestant tradition does not include this book in the canon. For example, KJV, RSV put this book in the Apocrypha section after the book of Revelation. The Catholic tradition has never doubted its canonicity. This book is inspired by God. Though this book is written in Greek, its theology is very Jewish. So, the translators of the Chinese Bible, the Franciscan fathers believe that the author of this book was a Jew. He wrote this book to console and support the Jews who were suffering persecution. The author wrote in Greek because most of the Jews at that time did not know Hebrew. They were living under the Greek Empire. Naturally, Greek became the official tongue.

The book of Wisdom began with righteousness. It sets the tone of the whole book.
Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him with sincerity of heart (Wisdom 1:1).
Wisdom will make you righteous. If you have wisdom, you are able to discern right from wrong. God will be delighted. Therefore, you work hard to study, to accumulate wisdom. Then you will be saved. How convenient! The author cherished a very optimistic outlook.
Do not invite death by the error of your life, nor bring on destruction by the works of your hands;
because God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living.For he created all things that they might exist, and the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them; and the dominion of Hades is not on earth.
For righteousness is immortal (Wisdom 1:12-15).
You feel like reading the New Testament --- God is not God of the dead, but of the living.

Then the author turns to examine why the righteous must suffer. Starting in chapter 2, the author listed several wrong attitudes commonly held by ungodly people. They would say, life is sorrowful and short. We come into existence only by chance. Therefore, let us enjoy it.
Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist, and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.
Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes, and let no flower of spring pass by us.
Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.
Let none of us fail to share in our revelry, everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment, because this is our portion, and this our lot (Wisdom 2:6-9).
As if it was not enough, they hated the righteous because the righteous provided a mirror for the ungodly, making them shameful.
Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training.
He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord.
He became to us a reproof of our thoughts;
the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange.
We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father(Wisdom 2:12-16).
Because of these ungodly people, the righteous are persecuted.

Dear Lord, we are mirrors for each other. Let us lead a life worthy of the gifts You bestow on us. Amen.

Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica (Year B)

Man is mortal but he longs for immortality. Therefore, people in the Middle Age in Europe built magnificent cathedrals whose Gothic spires showed man's desire to reach upwards to heavens. Among these cathedrals, the St. John Lateran Basilica is regarded as the mother of all these cathedrals. Today, the Catholic Church celebrates her dedication.

On the macro level, i.e. social and cultural level, Paul was very much concerned with the building up of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. On the micro level, i.e. interpersonal level, Paul cared very much about edification. Our relationship with each other should improve / promote our relationship with Christ who is the very foundation of our faith, our Church.
For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).
What are the building blocks of this relationship with Jesus?
There are three. The theological virtues: faith, hope and charity.
Strong faith is good. But it is good for oneself only. Hope is indispensable in times of crisis and tribulation which will surely come near the end of the world. In good times, hope shies away from the foreground. In bad times, hope sustains us till our end. Still hope is a personal conviction. Of course, this hope can be shared by a community of believers. But charity is better, because it is good for all. Charity is edifying. That is why Paul concludes his ode of love with the following line.
So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In trying to dissuade the Corinthians from factionism, Paul painted a big picture. We are all parts making up the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. Cephas, Apollo and Paul were just fellow workers cultivating God's field, building God's house.
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building (1 Corinthians 3:9).
Then Paul continues to compare the quality of the missionary work of the apostles anonymously: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay and straw (1 Corinthians 3:12). Their missionary work will undergo the test of fire. Then the quality of their work will be shown.
Then Paul turns to the believers who are the handicrafts the apostles are working on. Since the apostles are building up God's Church, therefore, Paul claims that the believers are God's Temple.
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Depending on our conception of the Temple, we have as many ways to understand Paul's "God's Temple" as people's faces. Very likely, many will think along the line that they, as an individual, as a person, are a Temple, like a temple standing tall and alone, overseeing a particular region. Some may think along the line that they are the meeting places between God and men, a place of reconciliation. Some may think themselves places / persons of prayers. Some think that they are holy and solemn and do not allow for any blemishes. Some have grander ideas to think of themselves a building bricks, joining forces with other believers to build up a magnificent Gothic cathedral etc. This is worth exploring. After all, Paul allows us room for interpretation as long as we keep the image he offers.
If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are (1 Corinthians 3:17).
The magnificent Jerusalem Temple must have provided Paul with the image he invokes in this writing of God's temple. But Paul did not live to see the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. He died before the siege of Jerusalem. I wonder if he would retract his statement for God did not destroy Titus Flavius Vespasianus. Or perhaps Paul means martyrdom. God would avenge the blood of martyrs with His wrath.

Dear Lord, we praise You. You are our foundation, our life. I pray that we care more about the needs of our neighbours, speak edifying words to encourage them so that we may build up a Church that is able to withstand Your fire of purification. Amen.

Thirty Second Ordinary Sunday (Year B)

Today, Fr. Lejeune chose reading the longer version of the Gospel, both Jesus' criticism of the scribes and the poor widow's offering (Mark 12:38-44). Reading them together gave us a new perspective.

In the Moral Theology course, we learn something about "Fundamental Option". Deep in our innermost self, we freely make one choice. We choose either God or ourselves.
When we choose ourselves, whatever we do, we do it for ourselves. We take care of our health for ourselves. We help others for ourselves. We go to Church for our own salvation.
When we choose God, whatever we do, we do it for God. We take care of our health for God. We help others for the love of God. We go to Church to praise and worship our God.
At the end of the day, or rather, at the end of our life, we will go before God to account for all the choices we have made, all the actions we have taken and all the things we have done.

The scribes whom Jesus criticized were simply doing their jobs. They gave legal advie, handled inheritance transactions, worked for their clients and even said prayers for the widows. They looked respectable on the outside. However, Jesus exposed their hypocricy. The scribes chose themselves in their fundamental option. They did not choose God. Whatever they did, they did it for themselves.
The gospel tells us that Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, watching people putting money in. The sitting posture was a very strange scene, wasn't it? But we know that the sitting posture was a posture of teaching. Jesus taught anywhere he chose. The treasury became a classroom / laboratory. Jesus was prepared to teach a fundamental truth, our fundamental option.
We are all familiar with the story. Jesus made a remark on the widow who offered two copper coins.
And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living."  (Mark 12:43-44).
Jesus was not teaching arithmetics. He was not teaching percentage. He praised the widow, not because she had offered 100%. Rather, she had offered her whole living, her best while others had offered what they could spare. When we offer what we could spare, we love God with reservation. God is only marginal and dispensable for us. When we give our best back to God, we are loving God with our whole heart, our whole soul, our whole mind and our whole strength, without reservation (Mark 12:30). This was what the poor widow had demonstrated. She loved God with her whole life. She had chosen God for her fundamental option.
The gospels do not leave us any record of the remaining days of this particular widow. Probably, she joined the Christian community after the Pentecost. Her earthly needs had been taken care of just like the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17.

In Hong Kong, this year is the Year of Priestly Vocation. Fr. Lejeune appealed to the young people in the congregation to pray for priestly vocation as well as for their own vocation. Let us be generous. God will be more generous.

Dear Lord, enkindle our love for You so that we may respond more generously to You. Amen.

Prominent people in the Church in Rome

Though Paul did not preach in Rome before he sent this epistle (Romans 15:20), he had already established a powerful network there. The last chapter of theRomans reads like a hall of frame.

The first person Paul mentioned is Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae (Romans 16:1).
Throughout the centuries, quite a number of offices have become obsolete. The most obvious one is the office of prophet. Perhaps the church hierarchy has not been able to accommodate the challenges posed by these people. Or perhaps the revelation from God is completed. He does not send any more prophets to the Church.
The service of deacons and deaconess was to meet the needs of the local churches. When a certain need arose which was best handled by deaconess, the office of deaconess was created. When the need no longer existed, the office vanished. When permanent diaconate is re-introduced in the Catholic Church in the twentieth century, women are excluded in the name of tradition. Of course, what worked in the first century is not a strong enough justification for doing it in the twentieth century. Indeed, a lot of first century practices are not put in practice anymore nowadays. For example, sharing all property in common.

The following is the Hall of Frame in Rome.

1. Prisca and Aquila (Romans 16:3-4) and the church in their house (16:5). Paul calls them fellow workers in Christ. Perhaps they were the Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18.
2. Urbanus (16:9), fellow worker in Christ
3. Tryphaena and Tryphosa (16:12), workers in the Lord.
4. beloved Persis (16:12), who worked hard in the Lord.
5. Mary (16:6) who worked hard among the Romans.
6. beloved Epaenetus (16:5), the first convert in Asia
7. Ampliatus (16:8), beloved in the Lord
8. beloved Stachys (16:9)
9. Andronicus and Junias, kinsmen and fellow prisoners (16:7)
10. Herodion (16:11), kinsman.
11. Apelles (16:10), approved in the Lord. What does that mean?
12. the family of Aristobulus (16:10)
13. the family of Narcissus (16:11)
14. Rufus (16:13), eminent in the Lord. Perhaps because his father had carried the cross for Jesus (Mark 15:21)
15. Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas (16:14)
16. Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas (16:15)

A total of 26 names of eminent people in the Church of Rome are mentioned.
Then a short list of names from his side.

1. Timothy (16:21), fellow worker
2. Lucius and Jason and Sosipater (16:21), kinsmen
3. Tertius (16:22), copyist of this epistle
4. Gaius (16:23), host of Paul
5. Erastus (16:23), the city treasurer
6. Quartus (16:31), brother

A total of 8 names in the Church of Corinth are mentioned. Because of the paucity of information, many of these people have nothing more than their names written down in the New Testament.

Dear Lord, teach me to work with others as a team. Amen.