Today, I attended the ceremony of Profession of Perpetual Vow of Sr. Maria Laetitia Crucis, SSVM, in Ss. Peter and Paul parish in Yuen Long. Cardinal Joseph Zen, SDB officiated at the mass. There were other dignitaries such as the Mother Superior who flew all the way from Rome, Vatican representatives in Hong Kong etc. Many Shung Tak teachers and old students also attended because Sr. Laetitia was an old student as well. The ceremony was solemn as well as emotional and many tears, from relatives and old teachers, were shed.
In his homily, the Cardinal told us that the third Advent Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of Joy. It acts as a "breaker" of long penitential seasons (e.g. the Laetare Sunday of Lent). Instead of purple or black, the celebrants put on rose-coloured vestments, indicating the joyful mood of the liturgy. We should be joyful for the Lord is near. But today, there was one more reason to be joyful. It was because God has chosen among us a maid to devote her whole life to serve Him and the world.
Why do we set aside four weeks of Advent to prepare for Christmas. Jesus had already been born. So, what does it mean to prepare for the coming of Jesus? The natural answer is that we should prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus, viz. the end of the world. But today, the gospel reading reminds us that in our daily life, we usually forget how much God loves the world, what He has done for us. God has done what He could have done. It is our turn to answer His call. But we are very forgetful. We need to be reminded!
When John the Baptist carried out his mission to prepare the hearts of the Jews to receive the Messiah, he took a shock approach.
He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:7-9)
The trouble is that God works at a different time frame. One thousand years for Him are but just one day. He does not act/react in a "real-time" manner. He has been very patient and giving us a second chance, a third chance ..., a four hundred and ninetieth chance ...
A lack of immediate feedback leads many to draw a dangerous conclusion that crime pays. Our irresponsible deeds carry no consequence. Global warming is just one such situation. People enjoy convenience at the risk of flooding Malta thousands of miles away and driving polar bears to extinction. Similarly, we lead a routine life and God's joy and peace do not cross the threshold of our awareness.
Each of us should be a John the Baptist. It is our duty as a Catholic to bring this awareness of God's mercy to people around us. But first of all, we ourselves should be joyful and peaceful. Only then can we bring this joy and peace to the people we meet. Today, Sr. Laetitia is doing this.
Before the whole congregation, she vowed to devote her life for the service of the Lord, through chastity, poverty and obedience. The whole Church, including the Glorious Church in Heaven and the Pilgrim Church on earth bear witness and pray for her. Spontaneously, I knelt down when the congregation sang the litany of the saints.
Why do we set aside four weeks of Advent to prepare for Christmas. Jesus had already been born. So, what does it mean to prepare for the coming of Jesus? The natural answer is that we should prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus, viz. the end of the world. But today, the gospel reading reminds us that in our daily life, we usually forget how much God loves the world, what He has done for us. God has done what He could have done. It is our turn to answer His call. But we are very forgetful. We need to be reminded!
When John the Baptist carried out his mission to prepare the hearts of the Jews to receive the Messiah, he took a shock approach.
He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:7-9)
The trouble is that God works at a different time frame. One thousand years for Him are but just one day. He does not act/react in a "real-time" manner. He has been very patient and giving us a second chance, a third chance ..., a four hundred and ninetieth chance ...
A lack of immediate feedback leads many to draw a dangerous conclusion that crime pays. Our irresponsible deeds carry no consequence. Global warming is just one such situation. People enjoy convenience at the risk of flooding Malta thousands of miles away and driving polar bears to extinction. Similarly, we lead a routine life and God's joy and peace do not cross the threshold of our awareness.
Each of us should be a John the Baptist. It is our duty as a Catholic to bring this awareness of God's mercy to people around us. But first of all, we ourselves should be joyful and peaceful. Only then can we bring this joy and peace to the people we meet. Today, Sr. Laetitia is doing this.
Before the whole congregation, she vowed to devote her life for the service of the Lord, through chastity, poverty and obedience. The whole Church, including the Glorious Church in Heaven and the Pilgrim Church on earth bear witness and pray for her. Spontaneously, I knelt down when the congregation sang the litany of the saints.
Dear Lord, I pray that I may be able to offer a sacrifice acceptable to You, for Your service and the service of the needy. Amen.
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