Today Fr. Martin celebrated the monthly youth guitar mass at 11 a.m. with us. As his usual practice, he began with a touching story to bring out his theme.
Once a family of five went on a long-distance trip. The father drove the family car. The mother purchased some potato chips, gave them to the eldest son sitting at the back and told him to share them with his younger brother and the youngest sister of six. The journey looked very enjoyable.
However, when they reached a junction, argument between the parents erupted so heated that the father got out of the car, slammed the door and stood on the roadside, gasping for breath. The deadlock seemed unbreakable. One of the parents had to stop insisting on his/her correctness. Somebody had to do something. Just at this moment, without any prompt, the daughter climbed from behind to the front and kissed the mother on the cheek. She told her mother, "Go. Share this with father." With this tiny gesture, the explosive atmosphere vapourized and the whole family resumed their enjoyable journey.
Father Martin said, "Love is something which we are not eager enough to give but we always complain that we have not received enough."
Not only was this little girl generous enough to show her love, but she was also wise enough to make her mother reconcile with love.
However, when they reached a junction, argument between the parents erupted so heated that the father got out of the car, slammed the door and stood on the roadside, gasping for breath. The deadlock seemed unbreakable. One of the parents had to stop insisting on his/her correctness. Somebody had to do something. Just at this moment, without any prompt, the daughter climbed from behind to the front and kissed the mother on the cheek. She told her mother, "Go. Share this with father." With this tiny gesture, the explosive atmosphere vapourized and the whole family resumed their enjoyable journey.
Father Martin said, "Love is something which we are not eager enough to give but we always complain that we have not received enough."
Not only was this little girl generous enough to show her love, but she was also wise enough to make her mother reconcile with love.
God understands not only our inertia, our weaknesses but also our needs. We need reconciliation and love, but our weaknesses prevent us from stepping forward. Therefore, God did not hesitate to give us His salvation, took up human flesh to live among us, teach us and die for us.
Jesus began his public ministry by proclaiming the fulfillment of the Isaian prophecy.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19, Isaiah 61:1-2)
Who are the poor? They are both the materially and the spiritually deprived. They may be victims of natural disasters such as the Haitians. They may suffer from character faults and land themselves in troubles after troubles. They may suffer from brutalities, harassments, injustice because of no fault of their own etc.
What is the good news? God takes the initiative, extends His hand to reconcile with sinners.
In practice, God releases the captives from the bondage of sins; recovers the sight of the blind so that they are able to see the truth; set the oppressed free so that they are no longer under the influence of mental and physical addictions. God announces the acceptance and forgiveness of all. God is prepared to shower us with whatever it takes to redeem us.
Jesus began his public ministry by proclaiming the fulfillment of the Isaian prophecy.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19, Isaiah 61:1-2)
Who are the poor? They are both the materially and the spiritually deprived. They may be victims of natural disasters such as the Haitians. They may suffer from character faults and land themselves in troubles after troubles. They may suffer from brutalities, harassments, injustice because of no fault of their own etc.
What is the good news? God takes the initiative, extends His hand to reconcile with sinners.
In practice, God releases the captives from the bondage of sins; recovers the sight of the blind so that they are able to see the truth; set the oppressed free so that they are no longer under the influence of mental and physical addictions. God announces the acceptance and forgiveness of all. God is prepared to shower us with whatever it takes to redeem us.
Jesus has finished his public ministry. The ball is now in our court. We have to "return the serve". Otherwise, the game cannot continue and we lose the game. If we reject this offer, the game is over.
Look at the situation from another angle. Suppose your colleagues are impolite to you, not greeting you in the morning, what do you do?
Some people will follow the Old Testament ethics and react with like kind, tit for tac, an eye for any eye. You greet, I greet. You don't greet, I don't greet. No matter what, I will not offend you unless you offend me first.
Some people will follow an inter-testament ethics and set a limit, say 7 times. I will continue to greet you for seven times and no more. After giving your colleagues sufficient number of chances, you stop greeting him.
Both strategies above are reactive. You react to external influences. In a sense, you are controlled by others.
Christians should follow Jesus' advice and greet seventy times seven, literally infinite. No matter what your colleagues do, I will continue to greet whether you return the greeting or not because I am a polite person.
Returning to God, I will accept His offer because I am a redeemable sinner. If I do, I need to reform, to put down my own insistence, my stubbornness and even my face. "I am sorry. I have wronged You. Will You forgive me so that we may continue?" Yes, the game continues. I can continue to transcend my old self until perfection.
Look at the situation from another angle. Suppose your colleagues are impolite to you, not greeting you in the morning, what do you do?
Some people will follow the Old Testament ethics and react with like kind, tit for tac, an eye for any eye. You greet, I greet. You don't greet, I don't greet. No matter what, I will not offend you unless you offend me first.
Some people will follow an inter-testament ethics and set a limit, say 7 times. I will continue to greet you for seven times and no more. After giving your colleagues sufficient number of chances, you stop greeting him.
Both strategies above are reactive. You react to external influences. In a sense, you are controlled by others.
Christians should follow Jesus' advice and greet seventy times seven, literally infinite. No matter what your colleagues do, I will continue to greet whether you return the greeting or not because I am a polite person.
Returning to God, I will accept His offer because I am a redeemable sinner. If I do, I need to reform, to put down my own insistence, my stubbornness and even my face. "I am sorry. I have wronged You. Will You forgive me so that we may continue?" Yes, the game continues. I can continue to transcend my old self until perfection.
Dear Lord, help me put down my resistance to embrace Your redemption. Amen.
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