The God of Covenant

The Biblical God is peculiar among the deities of human civilizations. Most of those deities are symbols of unknown forces of the nature. They are invoked to shower down rains, to pacify storms, to strike enemies with thunders and lightning and to guarantee harvests etc. Usually, the communication is one-way. Men have learnt to offer sacrifices to bribe them into actions or placate their angers. Men are not interested in building up any personal relationships with these deities, safe those pragmatic ones. The Chinese customs are more sophisticated. Parents would arrange their infant children to be adopted by a local deity in order to defeat infantile mortality. Even though these children are "adopted" sons or daughters of the deity, the relation, if we may call it so, remains one-way.
However, the Biblical God is a personal God in the sense that He is eager to build up personal, social and even national relations with mankind.

Psalm 23 is a beautiful song singing the relationship with God on a personal level. On the social level, the Biblical God is a God of morality. He gave the Ten Commandments for us to guide our social relations with each other and He Himself is the judge of final appeal. He takes no bribe and executes justice for the defenceless.
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing (Deuteronomy 10:17-18).
On a macro level, God establishes covenants with mankind. It began with the covenant with Noah (Genesis 8:21-22), then with Abraham (Genesis 15) and his children. At last, God built up the Sinai Covenant with Israel (Exodus 19:5-6). Today, we read of this covenant again in Deuteronomy.
You have declared this day concerning the LORD that he is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his ordinances, and will obey his voice;
and the LORD has declared this day concerning you that you are a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,
that he will set you high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honor, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he has spoken (Deuteronomy 26:17-19).
Had Israel kept the covenant, she would have been a nation high above all nations in praise and in fame and in honour. Her failure did not discourage God from building relations with mankind. God sets up the New Covenant with all mankind through the incarnation, passion and resurrection with Jesus of Nazareth. The Church Jesus sets up embodies this Covenant and acts as an authentic vehicle to channel God's blessings to mankind until the end of time.

Lent is a season of personal conversion. It is also a time to tidy up the social structure of the society in which Christians live. The Catholic Church in Hong Kong makes "Who is my neighbour" the theme of Lent Campaign this year. This was the question raised by a teacher of the law to challenge Jesus (Luke 10:29). Jesus answered with the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. The Hong Kong Government is doing her part in maintaining a healthy society but there are inevitably many neglected spots which need to be taken care of. Catholics have their part to play to manifest God's love in Hong Kong. The government cannot legislate charity. It is up to us to practise charity on the societal level to support the disadvantaged and the needy. To quote Mother Teresa, when we touch the poor, we touch Christ. Let us call up friends we have forgotten. Let us visit those we have not visited for a long time.

Dear Lord, we are not on a par with You for You are majestic. Yet You come to us and stay with the poor and needy. Give us the strength and determination to serve You among the unwanted and the neglected. Amen.

A sense of justice

If I did not write clearly enough yesterday, I apologize. If you get the impression that I put man and God on the same footing, I apologize.
It is obviously wrong to put creatures and the Creator on an equal footing. Truly, man is higher than most of the creatures, second only to angels. We are created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Unlike other creatures except angels, we are aware of our own existence. Perhaps other animals are aware of their own existence as well. But man is more than that. We are able to reason, to develop a philosophy of our existence, our being.
We are created a little bit lower than angels and yet God enjoys building up relations with us (Psalm 8:4-5). He even takes up our lowly nature in order to reveal to us and to die for us (John 1:14). We are honoured to enter into relations with Him. He exists and makes us exist. He exists even when we do not. Yesterday, when I wrote "Israel exists because God exists and God exists because Israel exists", there is no way I could mean Israel exists and makes God exist. Israel cannot be on a par with God. Israel is not a Creator and God is the Uncreated. Therefore, what I meant was that the existence of Israel shows the existence and characteristics of God. Their encounters with God have demonstrated to the whole world the divine nature of God, His power, His faithfulness, His love.

Man experiences injustice in interpersonal relations, in social networks and in the society. In such a background, man experiences the justice of God. But God's justice is different from and goes beyond man's sense of justice.
Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel mention a Jewish proverb, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Jeremiah 31:29, Ezekiel 18:2).
I do not know much about the background of this proverb. It probably means the sins of the parents affect their children, or the children have to repay the debts of their parents. In Jesus' time, this idea was still current. Even the disciples of Jesus asked their master the cause of the blindness of a man who was born blind (John 9:2).
The Chinese also have had a similar legal precept 「父儥子還」 "The son has the obligation to repay the debts of his deceased father" for more than a thousand years as such. Therefore, I suppose this legal precept/principle must have been honoured among many civilizations for centuries. It enshrines a sense of human justice. But God disagrees. God has a different sense of justice. He wanted a man to be held accountable for his own sins only.
Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4).
Therefore, the children should not suffer for the sins of their fathers. Is this understanding correct? If it is, it will run against the doctrine of the Original Sin!
I think "the soul that sins shall die" does not imply "the children should not suffer for the sins of their fathers". The children will have a greater probability to sin when they grow up in a sinful environment built up by their fathers. Therefore, there is a possibility that the children die for their own sins which they have picked up from their parents such as gambling, drug addiction, domestic violence etc. Children do die for the sins of their parents. As of this writing, a single-parent family mother jumped off from the Tsing Yi Bridge with her 7 years old son. The woman died and the body of the boy is still missing. How tragic it is!
However, God's focus is not on the punishment of the sinner but rather his conversion. Here is the famous line.
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? (Ezekiel 18:23)
We have a very narrow sense of justice. We want retribution. We want to see the evildoers punished, an eye for an eye. We want to 'rectify' the injustice inflicted on the victims. We want restitution. We want debts to be repaid etc.
In our eyes, God's mercy has messed up His sense of justice. How can God forgive and treat mercifully a cold-blooded serial killer that finds pleasure in raping and mutilating his terrorized victims? Our blood boils whenever we know of such news. Many accuse Christians for being merciful to such beasts and thus being brutal to our children and women, because appeasing them is nurturing evils 「姑息足以養奸」.
It is not easy to defend this image of merciful God in modern times when more people do not believe in God than people who do. It will be more embarrassing if the offender is himself a Christian.
The experience of the Israel tells us that God claims the inheritance of all souls. Since all souls belong to God, God has a stake in taking care of the serial killer. God allows him to run his natural course. God allows him to put fire on his own head until his evils are full. Then, his soul will probably be lost forever. God lives in a different time frame and appears to be very patient to us human. Our life is short. People want to see "justice, human style" done within their life span.
Jesus' attitude speaks loud and clear that God is not a God of the dead, but of the living. God wants all souls to be saved.
For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live (Ezekiel 18:32)

Dear Lord, allow us to see Your justice so that we may rest in satisfaction. Amen.

When we are desperate

What do you do when you are desperate? Seek help.
What do you do when you are desperate and no help is in sight? ...
Being a Christian has an advantage over people who do not believe in any deity. Christians have access to God. This God is the Creator of the universe. Therefore, God is omnipotent. Moreover, this God is willing to build up a relation with mankind. He is good. In our desperate situations, this God is willing to deliver us. He is merciful. That is why Christians have an advantage. But how do they know this? They know this through their own personal experience. Furthermore, they know this through the experience of a people recorded in the Bible. Today, we read of the story of Esther, a Jewish girl made the queen of the Persian king, Artaxerxes the Great aka Ahasuerus.

Queen Vashti shunned the king's invitation to appear before a banquet (Esther 1:12). The king was enraged and with the advice of his counsellors, he abrogated Vashti and chose Esther to replace her (Esther 2:4, 17). Esther was brought up by Mordecai, a Jew who sat at the king's gate. When Mordecai overheard a plot of 2 eunuchs against the king, he passed on the information to Esther and saved the king (Esther 2:21-22). There was a man called Haman whom the king had promoted over all the princes. All the king's servants bowed down before him except Mordecai (Esther 3:1-2). Haman was infuriated and plotted against all the Jews (Esther 3:5-6)! Mordecai sought the help of Esther. Esther was desperate for her life was threatened as well. Who could help her? Esther turned to the Lord God of Israel. Today, we read of her prayer recorded in the Additions to the Book of Esther.

This is how Esther began her prayer.
Lord, thou only art our King; help me, who am alone and have no helper but thee,
for my danger is in my hand (AddEsther 14:3-4).
God knows everything. Esther did not need to explain her situation in details. Neither do we need to. God is close at hand. We only need to call out and God shall answer.
Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that thou, O Lord, didst take Israel out of all the nations, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, for an everlasting inheritance, and that thou didst do for them all that thou didst promise (AddEsther 14:5).
God does not need to be reminded. Rather, it is us who need to. Here, Esther remembers the faithfulness of God which her people have experienced and passed on to her. As parents, we have this responsibility to pass on this knowledge of this Saviour God to our children so that in times of difficulties, they may remember to seek help from God.
And now we have sinned before thee, and thou hast given us into the hands of our enemies,
because we glorified their gods. Thou art righteous, O Lord! (AddEsther 14:6-7)
Esther continued to confess the sins of her people, idolatry. She knew that they did not deserve God's help because they had turned away from God. Esther was confident in the faithfulness of God. She knew that God would not abandon them. Then she switched to appeal to the righteousness of God. It is no longer a matter of the survival of her people which was the inheritance of God. Their survival was a testimony of God's faithfulness before all nations, a demonstration of God's sovereignty.
And now they are not satisfied that we are in bitter slavery, but they have covenanted with their idols
to abolish what thy mouth has ordained and to destroy thy inheritance, to stop the mouths of those who praise thee and to quench thy altar and the glory of thy house,
to open the mouths of the nations for the praise of vain idols, and to magnify for ever a mortal king.
O Lord, do not surrender thy scepter to what has no being; and do not let them mock at our downfall; but turn their plan against themselves, and make an example of the man who began this against us.
Remember, O Lord; make thyself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! (AddEsther 14:8-12)
God has chosen the Israelites to be His inheritance. This relation means their mutual existence. Israel exists because God exists and God exists because Israel exists. Of course, God can do away with Israel and choose some other peoples. But His existence must somehow be demonstrated by the existence of a Chosen People, be it Israel or any other people on earth. This Chosen People makes known to the world the existence of God. Of course, this is not the only way to prove the existence of God. It is one of the many ways. That is why Ezekiel, a priest turned prophet at the time of Captivity in Babylon, had proclaimed several times that God had delivered the Israelites many times before for the sake of His name (Ezekiel 20:9, 14, 22, 44; 36:22, 32). Therefore, we should be confident in the faithfulness of God.

Dear Lord, we are sorry for not living up to the name of Christian. You don't need us to manifest Your name. Rather, it is our honour to be Your chosen vessel to glorify Your name. Support us in difficult times to play our parts well. Amen.

My brother's keeper

Today is the last teaching day for the S5 students. They will sit for their Mock Examination tomorrow.
Among the S5 Arts classes, 5M is the weakest and I have been teaching them RS since last year. Many of them are not interested in the subject because they are low-achievers. They are not interested in many other subjects as well. At least, this is how I explain to myself and keep myself up. As a teacher, especially an RS teacher, I cannot give them up even when they seem to have given up the subject.
I finished the revision of the syllabus and there were 10 minutes left. They were eager to take pictures on these last few days. Their mood was festive. This seems to be a tradition the school tolerates. They gave me a surprise present, a big greeting card on which there were 4 big Chinese characters「天主愛你」God loves you. Moreover, each student wrote a few lines of gratitude to me! How heart warming! Most of them thank me for my perseverance. They appreciate that I have not given them up.
After school, another surprise came. While I was burying my head over a difficult essay, somebody knocked on my shoulder. It was Eddie Kwok whom I had taught for 3 years! Our relation had been sour for reasons which I had mentioned in my earlier blog entries. I feel I owe him a pleasant school life and have been looking for opportunities of reconciliation. Today, Eddie wore a smile and was nicely dressed. He is repeating S5 in another school and came back to meet his girl-friend. I told Eddie to support each other with his girl-friend and wished him good results in the coming exam. It is another heart warming present from God!

We are our brothers' keepers, even though sometimes we shun the responsibility. We have many excuses but God wants none of them.
Jonah was a legendary prophet, perhaps a fictitious one. His story is well known.
Jonah disliked the people of Niveveh because they were evil in his eyes as well as God's. Still, God finds no pleasure in seeing sinners perish.
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? (Ezekiel 18:23)
For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live (Ezekiel 18:32)
Therefore God sent Jonah to warn the people of Niveveh.
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me (Jonah 1:2).
Jonah shunned the mission and fled by sea. But who can run away from the presence of the Lord? God stirred up a storm to wreck Jonah's ship and at last, sent a big fish to swallow Jonah and delivered him directly to Niveveh. What else could Jonah do? Now, his life was bundled up with that of Niveveh. If Niveveh perished, Jonah perished. If our brothers perish, we perish. But usually, we don't see it this way. What a pity!
The people of Niveveh believed in Jonah's proclamation. They fast and repented (Jonah 3:5). Then, the king was alerted and proclaimed a decree for fasting and repentance. How democratic!
The decree ended with this line.
Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we perish not? (Jonah 3:9)
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? (KJV)

מִי-יוֹדֵעַ יָשׁוּב וְנִחַם הָאֱלֹהִים וְשָׁב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ, וְלֹא נֹאבֵד

Once more, the KJV translation is more loyal to the Hebrew text.
God is patient. He gives us time to turn away from our sins. However, man is impatient. He does not give his brothers time to turn away from their shortcomings. Two years, four years. It takes a long time for men to change. In fact, a lot of changes have been going on without our notice. How can we not give our brothers time to accomplish their changes?

Dear Lord, I thank You for the surprise gifts You have generously bestowed on me. Surely, You have been merciful to me and cheer me up always. Assist me in accomplishing the mission You assign me. Amen.

God's word is powerful

The Biblical Creation story is well known. God created the known universe simply by issuing commands (Genesis 1). He spoke and "things" appeared. He did not need any physical matters or any quantum fluctuations to get things done. In short, God created out of nothing "Creatio ex Nihilo". God's word must have been very powerful indeed.
I like to fancy how Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves of bread to feed 5000. I always muse on Einstein's famous E=mc² formula and transpose it to m=E/c². With large amount of energy, we can theoretically transform it back to matter. Physicists have been building ever powerful accelerators to collide elementary particles to produce newer particles. They are able to produce more elementary particles that last for a few nano-seconds. The word of the Lord must have been very powerful indeed.
The Psalmist followed the Genesis tradition and said,
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth (Psalm 33:6).
The Prophet Isaiah told us that God is faithful and continues to sustain His Creation. God's word shall not return empty. It will nourish the earth like water.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).
God's word shall not return empty. What about us?

Confucius exhorts us to model ourselves on heaven in our actions. He said,
天行健，君子以自強不息。【周易‧乾‧象傳】
Heaven moves continuously. The Righteous man models himself on heaven to transcend himself without rest. (I-Qing, Qian).
This advice matches what Jesus said about God in the gospel of John.
It was Sabbath. Jesus saw a man who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus cured him with his word. The Jews challenged Jesus.
But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working." (John 5:17)
God continues His work even on Sabbath. We should continue our work of self-transcendence without rest.
Confucius further cautions us to be careful with our words.
駟不及舌【論語‧顏淵】
A 4-horse chariot cannot catch up our tongue.
at quadrijuges neque assequuntur linguam (DISSERTAE SENTENTIAE CAPUT VI, PARS POSTERIOR 8)
Later, this becomes an idiom which says 「一言既出，駟馬難追。」A word once said cannot be recalled even by a 4-horse chariot.
子曰：君子恥其言而過其行。【論語‧憲問】
The righteous man is ashamed when his word exceeds his act.
Philosophus ait: sapiens modestus suis verbis, at excedens suis actibus (DISSERTAE SENTENTIAE CAPUT VII, PARS POSTERIOR 28)
We should watch our tongue. Don't gossip. Don't tell lies. Don't make promises casually.
In our Philosophy class tonight, Fr. William Yip also touched on the topic of telling lies. We were studying the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel who also touched on the concepts of being and self. Self is created in an I-You relation. In telling lies, we lose our "self"! It is very harmful for us, not just for the others. We have to teach our students not to tell lies. Simple but true.

Dear Lord, allow us to model ourselves on You. Help us put a tight grip on our tongues to speak edifying words. Amen.

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter 2010

The Roman Catholic Church makes a lot of claims. For example, St. Peter was the first Pope, the Prince of the Apostles, the Vicar of Christ etc. All these come about in the history of the Church throughout the centuries. If you insist on limiting the truth within the Bible only, you will miss a lot of events that had happened after the Bible had been canonized (finalized) in around the third century. Of course, such claims cannot contradict the truth revealed in the Bible. They cannot be made without finding hints in the Bible. Otherwise, such claims will be baseless. Such claims come about in Church history as a result of a deeper understanding of the truth revealed in the Bible. Studying Church history will help us understand more how the Church struggles to make Biblical messages more accessible to the contemporary situation throughout the ages.

We will not be able to find the missionary work of St. Peter after Acts 15. His work can only be found in the Church History, Book II written by Eusebius of Caesarea (260-341). There are other sources supplying information about his setting up of the Church in Rome together with St. Paul and their subsequent martyrdom there. A rich tradition about these two great Apostles has come down to us. Christianity cannot be practised by individuals. It has to be lived in a community, the Church. Therefore, we need to learn Church History in order to understand the Church nowadays. In short, we need to go beyond the Bible.

The title "pope (papa)" had been used rather loosely in the early centuries until Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) restricted it to refer to the successors of Peter, who naturally had never called himself a pope. But the gospels of Matthew and John clearly state that Jesus made Peter the head of the Church (Matthew 16:17-19, John 21:15-17). Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that St. Peter was the first pope.
The title "Prince of the Apostles" sounds very feudal. I suspect this was an invention of a latter age, reflecting the growing importance of the Bishop of Rome in maintaining security and order during the Dark Age in Europe, amid the invasions of the barbarians. Perhaps it is also due to the picture of Peter painted in the gospels and the Acts. In many occasions, Peter stood up to answer Jesus' questions, to make proposals among the eleven apostles, to make public proclamation on the Pentecost, to work miracles and to speak for the twelve apostles in front of the Jewish Council etc. No doubt, Peter had been the head of the "college of apostles".
The title "Vicar of Christ" is easier to understand. A vicar is a deputy, an authorized representative. Jesus told Peter, and no others, to feed his lambs, to feed his sheep (John 21:16-17). Therefore, Peter and his successors bear the responsibilities to run the Church of Christ. The title "Vicar of Christ" is limited within the Church only. A passage from the First Epistle of Peter comes to mind.
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly,
not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:1-3).
True to his own words, the author wrote as a fellow elder among the elders but unlike other elders, he was a witness of the sufferings of Christ. He told the elders to tend the flock of God (the lambs and sheep) by being examples to the flock. He himself, as the Vicar of Christ, set examples. He should not be domineering over those in his charge. Alas! This is easier said than done. The use of authority cannot be an exact science but an art of delicacy. Abuses are inevitable.

Dear Lord, we thank You for electing a humble fisherman to be our shepherd. With Your help, he was transformed to be a man of great stature. His examples are edifying for us sinners. I pray that You continue to protect our Pope and guide him to tend the Church. Amen.

First Lent Sunday (Year C)

We don't have to be Biblical scholars in order to read the Bible. The Bible is a collection of 73 books (according to the Catholic tradition) which you can consider as books of classical literature. If you are more particular, you may classify them in finer details such as books of rituals, poems, history, novels, aphorisms, oracles and codes of behaviour etc. But for Christians, most of these books are considered family letters sent from their Father in heaven. They were penned by men but inspired by God. I said most because among the 73 books, there is at least one book which is obviously authored by men, and not by God. While most of the books are interpreted from God's perspective, this single book is a collection of songs written by men to express their emotions towards God. This is the Book of Psalm. But people can even find dig up prophecies in this book! People can find new uses of a hymnal. Isn't it amazing? The Bible is a gift bestowed by God and is central to the life of Christians. They draw inspirations from the Bible to deal with their daily life.

Imagine yourself studying Deuteronomy 30. How do you apply it to your present situation? St. Paul gave us an example.
For this commandment which I command you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.
It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'
Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'
But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).
Moses was exhorting the Israelites to internalize the commandments God gave them. Moses understood the importance of internalization. When you obey the law out of fear of punishment, it is no use because punishment comes from without and you will find loopholes to escape. When you understand the spirit of the law and know well that the law helps you lead a happy life that you desire, helps you become a good man, you will want to follow the law out of your own initiative. The motivation comes from within. It is in your mouth and in your heart. When you are able to practise this, you will be a virtuous man.

When St. Paul was writing the epistle to the Romans, he was thinking of the inadequacy of the laws in bringing about justification before God. First of all, it is impossible to follow all the laws. There are always exceptions to the law. There are always situations which make us impossible to follow the laws to the letters.
Secondly, the laws are incomplete and cannot cover every aspect of our life, especially our spiritual life. You may be required by the law to fast once a week, but fasting does not guarantee true piety.
Lastly, keeping the laws gives us the false impression of achieving justification before God. The attitude of the Pharisees was a good illustration.
St. Paul was recommending another route to achieve justification. It is faith in Christ. Therefore, when he was writing to the Romans, he applied Moses' exhortation with a twist. Instead of the commandment, St. Paul thought of Christ. Christ replaces the law.
For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified.
Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it.
But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" that is, to bring Christ down
or "Who will descend into the abyss?" that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.
But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart that is, the word of faith which we preach (Romans 10:4-8).
When the word of faith is on your lips and in your heart, you are justified, blameless before God.
With Christ in our heart, we will undergo transformation. We will become like Christ, become sons of God. Our sinful nature will be transformed to become saintly, that is to be dedicated to God and God alone. God will become the centre, the focus of our daily life. We no longer live for our sake, but for the glory of God and for the sake of our fellow men. St. Paul assures us that Christ is not far from us. Christ is within us. Whatever we do, we ask what Jesus would do.

The gospel reading today tells us the temptations Jesus underwent in the wilderness before his public ministry. Satan offered Jesus shortcuts to save the world. Jesus showed us that we should make God the centre of our life.
When we are hungry, lack of resources, put our trust in God for His word will satisfy our needs (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3). When we face impossible situations and in need of miracles, refrain from demanding God to do the work for us (Matthew 4:7, Deuteronomy 6:16). When we are offered opportunities to gain wealth, power and whatever we fancy of, remember that God is our destiny (Matthew 4:10, Deuteronomy 6:13).
Once again, Jesus interpreted and applied the messages of the Bible in the particular situation he was put in. We should follow his footsteps.

Dear Lord, following You is our honour. Let us make good use of the Lent season to revigorate our spiritual life. Amen.

To love till it hurts

Today, we continue to study Isaiah 58. To recap, Isaiah criticized the hypocrisy of the Israelites who wrapped up their sins with piety. Isaiah made it clear that true piety could not be superficial and ritualistic. God wanted reconciliation and charity instead.
What are the fruits of true piety?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am (Isaiah 58:8-9a).
What does "your righteousness צִדְקֶךָ" mean? The Chinese translation has a more meaningful rendering.
你的救援要走在你前面，Your deliverance shall go before you.
When our piety is true, God will answer us when we call. God will deliver us and heal us. The glory of the Lord will protect us from behind. Then we will become a guiding light for the others, cheering them up and giving them hope. Once more, it is not glory for our own sake, but for the good of the others. It is a reminder of community spirit in this individualistic age.

When we give, we usually give from our spare. When we give, we calculate and reserve some for our own use. How many of us would buy a flag on Saturday for $1000? Of course, people will praise you because you are very generous indeed. Still, you can spare $1000.
What does Isaiah say?
if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday (Isaiah 58:10 RSV).
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; ... (KJV)
你若把你的食糧施捨給飢餓的人，滿足貧窮者的心靈； If you give your food to the hungry and satisfy the soul of the poor ...
KJV is the closest to the Hebrew original. The RSV translation is not satisfactory. The Chinese one is the easiest to understand but not loyal to the original. If you read only one translation of the Bible, you will miss a lot.
Drawing out your soul is more demanding than pouring yourself out and even more challenging than giving your food. It hurts to draw out your soul. God is asking us to empty ourselves until it hurts, to love others until it hurts. Remember to love others not according to our wish, to satisfy our ego, but to love for the dignity and good of the others. This is exactly what Jesus has done for us, to love until he bleeds. Loving your family members can hurt.

My father was discharged this afternoon. It proves that my conjecture was wrong. His condition is stable but my younger brother has to keep watch over him, especially during the critical hours in the morning. For three times my father was rushed to the hospital in the morning before seven. I will visit my father tomorrow after mass.

Dear Lord, I thank You for Your kindness to my father. Lord, help me to love more. Amen.

True to oneself

Today, Isaiah decried the hypocrisy of the Israelites, the house of Jacob. They did not follow the commandments and statues of God. Yet, they wrapped themselves with piety. In so doing, they looked good in front of people, but not in the sight of God.
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God (Isaiah 58:2).
One way to demonstrate their piety was fasting. Yet, in the sight of God, their fasting was worthless because it was selfish and quarrelsome. It did no good to anybody, including themselves.
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.
Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high (Isaiah 3b-4).
God taught them the proper way of fasting. God did not want outward shows of bowing the heads, spreading the sackcloth and ashes. God demanded reconciliation and charity.
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
God wants us to be true to ourselves. Our lives should not be a show to please the others. Otherwise, we shall be controlled by the others.

My father is still staying in the hospital. His condition is stable in the ward. However, the doctor has not been able to identify the cause of the heart condition of my father. He withheld and then resumed the drug prescribed by Dr. John Lee, a cardiology specialist, a Shung Tak alumnus. My younger brother and I expect him to keep my father in the ward until next Monday when Dr. John Lee commences his work after the Lunar New Year. In the meantime, there is nothing we can do but to wait. I stay in Chai Wan with my mother and my brother to keep them company. It gives me a good opportunity to talk with my mother.

My mother was very domineering and possessive. She insisted on Erminia and I staying overnight in Choi Hung in the early days after our marriage. She insisted on buying a flat in Amoy Garden which is close to Choi Hung so that she could take care of our meals. She could not let go her son and surrender him to another woman. I appreciate that she did all these out of her maternal love for me. But I had grown up and married. I needed autonomy. So I moved to Tuen Mun, giving her a lousy excuse that Erminia and her elder sister, Teresa, could support each other. To this day, she still puts the blame on Teresa for my moving away from her. However, she will not display her displeasure in front of my in-laws. Whatever she does, she makes sure that she looks good in front of all. She is never to be blamed. My diabetes is a godsend occasion for our reconciliation. At last, she is able to let go her son and is grateful to Erminia for taking good care of me.
My mother is losing her memory. My younger brother bought some fresh bread and brought it up to the ward to replace some old one for my father. Two minutes later, she asked me where my younger brother had gone. She knows that her memory is failing. She works hard to hold on to her remaining precious memories. But unfortunately, most of her stories are unpleasant ones. In our conversations, she repeats and repeats all those unpleasant stories of old, blaming this relative or that friend. But these stories are her interpretations. She chooses to interpret them with her own prejudice. All that she does, she does to maintain her self-image. She showers favours on people around her to buy herself good relations but they are not grateful. She works hard to stay superior in front of all. She is never to be blamed. I am not saying that my mother is hypocritical. But in the end, she is not happy. To soothe her pains, she resorts to alcoholism. When we try to reason with her, she will put the blame on my father for buying her the wine. In a sense, my mother is not living in the present. She cannot enjoy the good life my father and my younger brother are trying to provide for her. Alas! If we do not choose to be true to ourselves, whatever we do will come back to haunt us. We cannot afford not to be true to ourselves.

Dear Lord, have mercy on my mother. It is my wish as well as my brother's that my parents may spend their remaining days in a peaceful and happy manner. Amen. 

Why is idolatry so bad?

From the point of view of Westerners, Chinese are superstitious because they worship many idols. Besides Buddhas, Chinese people worship many historical heroes, legendary Taoists fairies and local deities. Chinese are very pragmatic. Whatever works, they will keep it working. They are able to put even ghosts from Hell into use. Looking deeper, we see that these customs are reflections of the ways the governing state has been run. Chinese people sublime their worldview to encompass Heavens, Oceans and Hell. Their cosmo is run exactly like the earthly bureaucratic kingdom. What about Yahweh of the Bible?

The Biblical Yahweh is not simply the God of Creation. Yahweh is also ethical. He is the absolute standard against whom human actions are measured. Besides Him, there is no god (Deuteronomy 4:35). If other civilizations have their deities, these deities do not care whether human actions are ethical or not. For us Chinese, deities are there to bring benefits or to protect them from evils. Ethical behaviour is the concern of philosophers such as Confucius, not deities.
See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you this day, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to take possession of it (Deuteronomy 30:15-16).
The Biblical Yahweh is ethical. He gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments to guide their behaviours. If they followed, they lived. Otherwise, they perished. But Yahweh does not stop short at the Israelites. He cares about all. The Israelites were only the vehicle to deliver all mankind to life. Christians inherit this mission in history.

But why is idolatry so bad? Why did God command, in particular, against idolatry?
But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them,
I declare to you this day, that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land which you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess (Deuteronomy 30:17-18).
The Chinese way of life may throw light on why it is bad. Chinese are idolatrously pragmatic. They seek benefits and avoid evils. Translate into contemporary terms, they make money by enhancing protein contents in dairy products with melamine. With the money made, they bribe government officials to protect them and make sure that they continue to make more money. Consequently, many Chinese babies are hospitalized for kidney failures.
Idols do not care about an ethical life. But Yahweh cares.
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing (Deuteronomy 10:17-18).
Yahweh cares about justice and charity. His people should do likewise.

Nowadays, the human race is bedevilled by the consequences of technological advances. Their existence is threatened by global warming. It dawns to them that their children shall suffer from the evils of the convenience they are now enjoying. God's word rings truth.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Heaven and earth bear witness against us today with hurricanes and earthquakes. Our conscience also condemns us of our greed and our unscrupulousness. We are responsible for our children. If we choose life, i.e. restrain our desires and follow the commandments of God, we and our descendants may live. No idols can instruct us this truth. Yahweh did.

Dear Lord, help us discipline our mind and our actions. We cannot afford to fail our children. Give us the moral strength to choose life and act accordingly. Amen.

Ash Wednesday 2010

This morning, my father was re-admitted to the hospital. His heart was racing at 150 per minute. When my younger brother visited him again in the evening, his pulse had returned to normal. But to his dismay, my brother found that the doctor told my father to re-take his hypertension drug which the doctor who discharged my father told him not to take! How confusing! My Lord, in Your hand I entrust my father. You know best.

My brother did not inform me immediately because I was going to regular consultation. When I asked the doctor if I, being a patient of chronic disease, should take the H1N1 jab, he expressed his reservation because of known cases of nervous inflammation. It is always safe to seek a second opinion on medical matters.

In the afternoon, I met my theology buddies to discuss their paper on Creation. This assignment helps us know more about the theological concept of Creation. We found that it is not enough to read the first two chapters of Genesis. In fact, many passages in the whole Bible talk about Creation, in the Wisdom Literature, in the Prophets and in the New Testament. Moreover, Creation is not a once and for all event. It is continuous because God is good. He creates and sustains the Creation until the end of time. Man has a special status in the Biblical theology of Creation. He stands in a special relationship with his Creator, with his fellow men and the Creation as a whole. Therefore, Creation has to be understood in the relational dimension as well. At last, Creation has a purpose, a finality. At the end of time, there will be a new Creation, a new heaven and a new earth. In doing this assignment, a new horizon is open to us.

We don't have to wait until the end of the world to see the new Creation. We are the new Creation.
Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation καινὴ κτίσις; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
St. Paul sees the break-in of the new when Christ comes. When Christ comes, it marks the end of the old. The old has passed away. The new has alreadybegun but not yet accomplished. The new Creation begins here and now. Its completion ends at the end of time.
Lent begins today and is a season of renewal. We will spend forty days to prepare ourselves for the Paschal Mystery. It is a time of acceptance by God, a time of reconciliation with Him.
For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
οὕτως λέγει κύριος Καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά σου καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας ἐβοήθησά σοι (Isaiah 49:8a, 2 Corinthians 6:2a)
Through Christ, God reconciles with sinners. Through us, God repairs the injured Creation. We participate in the reconciliation mission of Christ. We are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Therefore in this season of Lent, let us not focus on ourselves, on our preparation for Easter only. Let us look for every opportunity of reconciliation and work towards it.

Dear Lord, I pray for the health of my father. I pray for my younger brother who is burdened with taking care of my father. I pray for my theology buddies who are working towards a better understanding of Creation and Redemption. I pray for all and may we gain acceptance in this reconciliation season. Amen.

How to lead a truly religious life?

According to the psychosocial theory of personality development developed by Erikson, religion satisfies our basic trust. Religion provides us with a reliable worldview. Our world is a reliable place to live in. There are many religions and pseudo-religions around us. Which ones are reliable? Which ones are suitable for us? That there are many religions suggests that one single religion cannot satisfy all. Different people have different needs. Therefore, we need to look into the matter from the human side, from man himself. The Epistle of James suggests the following.

For some people, religion is useless for them. Who are they? James describes them as double-minded men and their spiritual life is void.
For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7-8).
Religion enshrines wisdom on one hand and demands faith in the Transcendence on the other. In our daily life, our faith is beset with trials and frustrations. Some give up. Others persist. James has this advice.
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:3-4).
Trials and frustrations will make our faith stronger. Then we will become perfect and complete. However, to be able to overcome trials and frustrations, we need wisdom to see through them. This wisdom comes from God.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him (James 1:6).
But God will not give wisdom to double-minded men. Therefore, the whole business of religion is useless for double-minded people.
In short, from the human side, a man should possess faith and steadfastness in order to lead a fruitful spiritual life. He will be perfect with wisdom.

One source of frustrations comes from our own desires. Very often, we put the blame on God when we undergo temptations. James puts the blame on our own desires instead. He insists that God is good and good things come from God.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change(James 1:16-17).
Wisdom is one such perfect gift which is able to save our souls (James 1:21c). In order to receive wisdom, we cannot be double-minded as mentioned above. But what makes us double-minded? Our desires. In order to satisfy our desires which usually go against righteousness, we do not persist in upholding righteousness. James takes one such example: anger.
Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:19-21).
We are eager to speak, eager to please others, eager to gain advantages and eager to vent our frustrations etc. James advises us to slow down, to put away our lusts. If such an attitude does not seem to be too passive, James advises us to do good.
If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world (James 1:26-27).
Practise what you believe. Help orphans and widows in their needs. Hold your tongue and persevere in times of frustration. Then the religion you believe in is beneficial. Then the God you believe in is true. Your world is reliable and full of hope. Congratulations!

Dear Lord, I thank You for my father has been discharged from the hospital. I am not able to find appropriate words of gratitude. Yet, in many situations, I find it hard to hold my tongue and my temper. Lord, give me more opportunities to practise charity, to serve You so as to purge my lusts. Next time when You open my lips, my tongue shall praise You. Amen.

Daily trials

Chinese "commence the year 開年" on the second day of Lunar New Year. Bosses will feast with their employees on eight specially designed dishes. They will give out lai-see 利是 to cheer up the employees so that everybody will work hard in the year ahead. My father used to bring my younger brother and me to attend this feast with his boss. Once a year, I would be able to taste the luxury in the life of the rich. My father was a dedicated employee. He had served only two bosses throughout his career. If God so wills, I will render my service in only two schools.

It is truly meaningful to read the Epistle of James during Lunar New Year. This is how James begins his letter.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greeting.
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials (James 1:1-2).
We should count ourselves honoured to be a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout his life, St. Christopher had been searching for a master worthy of his service. At last, he bore the child Jesus to wade through a river. He became the patron saint of travellers. It was an inspiring legend. Who doesn't want to be able to fully utilize his potential to serve a good boss and who can be a better boss than Jesus?
Daily troubles, frustrations and trials are depressing. But Jesus and James taught us to look at them from a different perspective.
Count it all joy (James 1:2)! My yoke is easy and my burden light (Matthew 11:30)!
There is no logic proving its validity. There is only faith in the promise of Christ. Accept it for our own good.

Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12).
We have no clue as to what the "trial" James refers to. James was stoned to death by the Jews in 62 A.D. Therefore, he was probably writing to the Jewish Christians who were living in increasing tension with the Jews not only in Jerusalem, but in Dispersion. Both Jews and Christians profess to love God. Actually, they are siblings. Alas! Sibling rivalries have been one of the major themes running through the Bible. They persecute each other, depending who are in power. On both sides, they believe that they would receive the crown of life when they are able to stand the trial. Let us not forget we are brothers, Jews, Muslims and Christians, in God though not in Christ.
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures (James 1:18).
We are the first fruits of God's creatures and we prove we are when we have stood the test.

Dear Lord, in the year ahead, let us embrace our depression with joy. Amen.

Happy Lunar New Year of the Tiger

Dear Readers,

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR OF THE TIGER
Wish you and your family
An Energetic Year ahead
Good health
Good luck and
An overflowing grace
From our Lord
Amen.

Today is also the sixth Ordinary Sunday of the year. We had Sunday mass as usual. Therefore, we could not have lunch with my father and dinner with my father-in-law as we used to do in previous years. Things turned out to be worse this year. When we arrived at Chai Wan, my younger brother broke the news that father was hospitalized this morning. He was shaking and fell down in the kitchen. My brother was alarmed and found father a bit confused and sweating. My brother called the ambulance and father spent the first day of the Lunar New Year in hospital. Thank God, when we visited him in the ward, father was OK. In fact, I worry more about my brother. His burden is heavy taking care of our aging parents. I will stay with him tomorrow and hopefully, father will be discharged soon.

Dear Lord, You are our strength in times of hardship. In Your hands I entrust my parents and my brother. Amen.

Rehoboam and Jeroboam

After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam his son, went to Shechem and all Israel gathered at Shechem to make him king (1 Kings 12:1). Jeroboam returned from Egypt and they assembled in Shechem to make their request known to the new king.
Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke upon us, and we will serve you (1 Kings 12:3).
It was a reasonable request. After forty years of forced labour, the people were exhausted and wanted some rest. Rehoboam told them to come back three days later to hear his decision. In the meantime, Rehoboam sought advice from the "old men" who had been with Solomon. Their advice was likewise as wise. This piece of advice would have saved Rehoboam of his kingdom.
And they said to him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants for ever." (1 Kings 12:7).
This piece of advice is very Christian. When his apostles were arguing among themselves who should be the greatest, Jesus taught them.
If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35b).
However, good advice is often not comfortable to the ears! Rehoboam rejected it because he was the king. He turned to his buddies who told him what was pleasing to his ears but disastrous to the kingdom.
thus shall you say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
And now, whereas my father laid upon you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.' (1 Kings 12:10c-11)
It was sheer stupidity. Did Solomon think with his loins? Does the size of his little finger (the symbol of his penis?) matter in the governing of a kingdom?

Was one such statement the cause of division? Let's turn to Confucius to seek his opinion.
定公問一言而可以興邦，有諸？孔子對曰：言不可以若是其幾也，人之言曰，為君難，為臣不易。如知為君之難也，不幾乎一言而興邦乎？曰：一言而喪邦，有諸？孔子對曰：言不可以若是其幾也，人之言曰，予無樂乎為君，唯其言而莫予違也。如其善而莫之違也，不亦善乎？如不善而莫之違也，不幾乎一言而喪邦乎？ 【論語‧子路】
The ruler of Lu asked Confucius if there was one such statement as to raise a country. Confucius said that there wasn't but one which could be close. For example, people used to say, "It is difficult to be a king and not easy to be his ministers". If the king and his ministers understood the difficulties of governing a country and worked hard on it, wouldn't the country be close to rising. The ruler continued to ask Confucius if there was one such statement as to lose a country. Confucius answered that there wasn't but one which could be close. For example, people used to say, "There is no greater happiness than being a king. His command is never contradicted." If a king's command was good and not contradicted, wasn't it good? If his command was evil and not contradicted, wouldn't the country be close to losing? (Analect XIII.15).
Because of his wisdom, Solomon was never contradicted. Alas! Wisdom is not everything and Solomon was not all wisdom! The evil of forced labour was reaped by his son.
And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, "What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So Israel departed to their tents (1 Kings 12:16).
The people stoned Adoram, the taskmaster over forced labour, to death and Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:18). The king had forgotten that the people were his power base. When a ruler loses touch with his people, his sovereignty is doomed.
庶人安政，然後君子安位。傳曰：「君者舟也，庶人者水也；水則載舟，水則覆舟。」此之謂也。【荀子‧王制篇第九】
The subjects were comfortable with the government. Only then could the ruler be comfortable in his throne. Commentary says, "Kings are ships, subjects are waters. Waters can carry ships, and can capsize ships." Thus it means. (Xun Yu, caput IX)
There is a certain amount of validity in this aphorism. Its truthfulness, however, depends on the quality of the waters, on how well organized they are. To be sure, if their energies are not properly mobilized and channelled, catastrophes arise.

And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. (1 Kings 12:20-21).
Here is a confusion. Only one tribe, the tribe of Judah, followed Rehoboam. What about the tribe of Benjamin? So, how many tribe(s) remained with Rehoboam, one or two? What about the tribe that was dedicated to God, the Levites? Was the tribe of Levi counted among the twelve?
In the end, God sent Shemaiah to persuade the 180,000 warriors home (1 Kings 12:22-24). A bloody civil war was avoided.

Jeroboam started with a handicap. The Temple together with the Ark of Covenant were in Jerusalem. They legitimized the rule of Rehoboam. Furthermore, he anticipated the Israelites going to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice in the Temple. Very soon, his subjects would turn away from him. He acted too quickly without consulting God. He took counsel from men instead.
So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan (1 Kings 12:28-29).
He also made houses on high places, and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites (1 Kings 12:31).
The last action was a total break off from the Sinai Covenant mediated by Moses. Jeroboam had in effect, set up another religion for political purposes. This religion could not be qualified to be a true religion. It served political purposes only. The rest is history. That is why there is only a religion called Judaism, but not Israelitism.

Dear Lord, the human drama unfolds before our eyes and teaches us the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with You. Without Your providence, we are not. Help us in our inadequacy to follow Your commandments. Amen.

God punished Solomon

Let me catch up with what I had left unread yesterday, 1 Kings 11.
Solomon was diplomatic in forming marriage alliances with his neighbours so as to secure an international peaceful environment for the prosperity of Israel. Obviously, he became addicted to sleeping with alien women.
He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart (1 Kings 11:3).
This reminds me of the teaching of St. Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians.
"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12).
"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up (1 Corinthians 10:23).
St. Paul warned us twice on the danger of addiction not without reasons. King Solomon was a vivid example. He had to please his wives and built high places on the mountain east of Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to their gods (1 Kings 11:7-8)! God was angry with Solomon. He raised three enemies against Solomon. Hadad the Edomite disturbed Israel from Egypt (1 Kings 11:14-23), Rezon the son of Eliada from Syria (1 Kings 11:24-25). Solomon himself put his servant, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, in charge of the forced labour of the house of Joseph (1 Kings 11:26-28). Jeroboam was destined to tear 10 tribes away from the hand of the son of Solomon.

Perhaps this was the third apparition of God to Solomon.
Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.
Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen." (1 Kings 11:11-13)
God punished Solomon but He spared him the pain of punishment in his life. God would tear up the Kingdom after his death. God would also leave his son one tribe (actually two), for the sake of David and Jerusalem, His seat. When the door is slammed closed, God leaves us windows.

One day, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, he met the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite on the road. Ahijah tore his new garment into twelve pieces to symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. He gave ten to Jeroboam. Through the lips of Ahijah, God made a promise to Jeroboam.
And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel.
And if you will hearken to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you (1 Kings 11:37-38).
God's requirement was simple. Hearken to all that He commands, and walk in His ways and do what is right in God's eyes by keeping His statues and His commandments. God will be with you. Indeed, Solomon did not murder, nor did he commit adultery like his father David. Solomon's only fault was to worship idols and that was enough.
God punishes but always leaves room for repentance. He punishes but not forever.
And I will for this afflict the descendants of David, but not for ever (1 Kings 11:39).
Solomon reigned for forty years. After his death, Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead (1 Kings 11:43). The age of Divided Kingdom began.

Dear Lord, You punish us to chasten us of our sins. You remember the good deeds of the fathers and treat their children leniently. We thank You for Your mercy. Let us return to the right path. Amen.

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubiroux, in Notre-Dame de Lourdes on 11^th February, 1858. Since then, many miraculous cures, both spiritual and physical, have taken place. In 1907, Pope Pius X extended the celebration of this feast to the whole Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is blessed with a caring Mother who intercedes for her children in times of difficulties. Catholics should live up their faith and take care of the well being of all mankind. Tonight, in our Fundamental Theology class, there was a lively exchange over the four Marian dogmas. How appropriate it has been!

Fr. Peter Choy was making a point about the hierarchy of truth. He took the four Marian dogmas as an example.
The Christian faith is handed down through a deposit of revelation. The Bible and the teachings of the Church are the vehicles. The Bible is not self-explanatory. Interpretation is needed and thus teachings of the Church arise. When controversies arise and are settled, they become dogmas. In the early centuries, there were persecutions and Christians did not have the energy and the time to reflect on their faith. Time and situation change and new articulations of faith are demanded. When peace came at last to the Church some three hundred years after Christ, the witnesses of the apostles were insufficient to satisfy the new situation. The Church adopted Greek philosophy to explain her belief to the world. For the next few centuries, the Church had to struggle with how the divinity and humanity of Christ worked together. Many heresies arose either because they stressed too much on Jesus' divinity or too much on Jesus' humanity.
Mary is the mother of Jesus who is truly God and man. Thus, many Church Fathers have written about the BVM as the Mother of God. The issue was raised when Nestorius denied Mary the title of the Mother of God. A third ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in 431. Among the many issues discussed, the Council proclaims the BVM to be Theotokos, the Mother of God. This is the first Marian dogma.

Later, the virgin birth of Christ was questioned. In 649, the Church defended this in the Lateran Council which teaches that the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ was a virgin before, during and after the conception and birth of her divine son. This becomes the second Marian dogma which teaches the perpetual virginity of the BVM.

In 1854, Pope Pius IX settled once and for all the controversy among theologians throughout generations over the Immaculate Conception of the BVM. By a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ the Saviour of human race, the BVM was preserved exempt from the stain of Original Sin the first moment of her conception. This is the third Marian dogma which defines the Immaculate Conception of the BVM.

In 1950, Pope Pius XII, exercising his infallibility authority in matters of faith and moral, proclaimed the corporeal assumption of the BVM as a dogma. This becomes the fourth Marian dogma in the Catholic faith. We should keep in mind that these Marian dogmas are meant to defend our faith in Jesus. They are not simply pious devotion towards his mother.

The nature of dogmas is rather defensive. They try to stamp out negatively misinterpretations rather than defining positively the contents of Catholic faith. Moreover, they are historically conditioned. Therefore, they should be understood in the historical context. On the positive side, dogmas are symbols rather than hard cast texts. They point to the direction towards which we should lead our life and practise our faith. Had Jesus been God and not man, we would not have enjoyed the freedom of believing him or rejecting him. We would not have been able to freely love him and our love of God would not have merited anything.

This morning, I met Susanna, my tutor and we shared our ups and downs. Her observation is sharp. She brings to my attention my frequent self descriptions as being extreme. Susanna told me that she had also gone through such a stage in her civil service career. Now that she has been through, she wishes that I will also do the same. I confessed that I had been rather diffident due to my upbringing but she saw otherwise. It is illuminating and very encouraging indeed. Thanks Susanna.

Dear Lord, I thank You for Your generosity in making the BVM our mother while You were still hanging on the cross. Let us lead a humble life after the model Your Blessed Mother has set before us. Amen.

King Solomon was not above the Law

After twenty years of building projects, God appeared to Solomon a second time (1 Kings 9:1-2).
God is elusive. He does not appear frequently. Instead, He allows us room to roam freely. We may work diligently. We may fool around. We will reap what we sow. King Solomon was gifted with an understanding mind. His wisdom shone forth in judging between two mothers who compete for the custodian of a surviving child. Solomon made good use of the wisdom God gave him in rendering justice (1 Kings 3:16-28). He became legendary.

God did not need to dwell in a Temple. Solomon knew it well.
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built! (1 Kings 8:27)
But God appreciated the good will of King David and it was His will for Solomon to build the first Jerusalem Temple. God blessed the Jerusalem Temple and promised to keep an eye on it.
And the LORD said to him, "I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, and put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time." (1 Kings 9:3).
Though God does not need men to build Him a Temple, He allows us freedom to build Him a house to worship Him. Throughout ages, men built magnificent churches to worship God, to bear witness to the existence of the transcendence and to elevate people's souls to heaven. Church buildings are good for our souls and form an essential component of human civilization. But hardware alone is insufficient. It must go hand in hand with a proper attitude towards life and proper actions. Morality is as important as church buildings. Solomon had done exceedingly well in building the first Temple. He also needed to act properly. Modern men have done exceedingly well in advancing science and technology. They need to strengthen their morality as well. Alas! Our morality is not able to catch up with the pace of technological advancements which have created unheard of ethical dilemmas for us. We are playing God but we are not possessing a mind of God.

Solomon was told to keep the law. He was not above the law.
And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my ordinances,
then I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel.' (1 Kings 9:4-5)
For his own sake, Solomon had to walk before the Lord with integrity of heart and uprightness. Then his throne would be secured. This was personal. But there were higher dimensions.
But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them,
then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and the house which I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. (1 Kings 9:6-7)
The fate of the whole nation was tied to the behaviour of the king or the king's children. Not only did their actions carry personal consequences, they also carried social and political consequences, affecting the fate of the kingdom.
Scientists do not work for personal fortunes alone. Their researches generate social and political ripples across the whole humanity and this fragile planet, a lonesome spaceship revolving around an average star, flying through an immense universe. Our existence is insignificant compared with the vastness of the universe. Yet, this fragile spaceship called Earth is very sensitive to the damages done to the environment.

Solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3a). To please his foreign wives, Solomon worshipped their gods and built high places to offer sacrifices to their gods. Solomon had forgotten God's warning in the second vision. The rest was history.
Modern men play harlot with technology. We worship science instead of God. If we do not turn back to discover the true meaning of life, we shall be history.

Dear Lord, may we be able to discern the truth so that our hearts will not go after scientific idolatry. Amen.

God's will be done

King David was supposed to be the man after God's heart. God appointed him to replace the disobedient King Saul (1 Samuel 13:14). Indeed, God continued to support David throughout his life, even after his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. God forgave him and King David died at a ripe old age of 70 (1040-970 B.C.).

In Solomon's speech at the inauguration of the Temple, he recounted how King David had intended to build this Temple and God had another idea in mind.
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
But the LORD said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart;
nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.' (1 Kings 8:17-19)
God appreciated the good will of King David. He praised David for doing well that it was in his heart to build a Temple for His name. Nevertheless, God had another idea in mind. Once again, this incident teaches us one important attitude in life. We should cherish good will and yet we should not insist. Instead, we should seek God's will. Alas! The path to hell is paved with good intentions! Therefore, we should not insist however justified our good will appears to be. God's will be done! Even King David, a man after God's heart, did not override the will of God. Let us be mindful of our relationship with God.

We do well in keeping the commandments of God. However, when we fall short of the targets, we sin. Then, we should turn to God, acknowledge His holy name and make supplication to God.
When thy people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against thee, if they turn again to thee, and acknowledge thy name, and pray and make supplication to thee in this house;
then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again to the land which thou gavest to their fathers (1 Kings 8:33-34).
God offers us the possibility to have our sins forgiven. We are allowed to start anew. This is the basic mode of life of the ancient Israelites and modern Christians. This is a life we lead until the day we rest in peace.

Dear Lord, I thank You for allowing me to renew my life every day. Let me tread the path You have prepared for me, to serve You and my neighbours. Amen.

Does God live in the Temple?

The question is not fair because the Second Jerusalem Temple no longer exists. Since the Temple does not physically exist, people must think up some ways to make its existence meaningful. Otherwise, many religions will suffer. Nowadays, the idea of the Temple has been generalized to mean the hearts of the believers. God dwelt in the first two Jerusalem Temples. Nowadays, He dwells in the hearts of Christians, Jews and Muslims under different names (in alphabetical order. The name of God is another issue as demonstrated in Malaysia recently).

The Ark of Covenant was officially moved into the Temple built by Solomon in the reading today. The dream of David and the promise of God finally came true today (1 Kings 8:1-13). He took seven years to build this Temple (1 Kings 6:38). His own palace, Solomon took thirteen years to build (1 Kings 7:1). Was God satisfied with this Temple? Of course not. How can we build a house for God? Some years later, Isaiah wrote the following verse.
Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool; what is the house which you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?"(Isaiah 66:1)
Therefore, the Jerusalem Temple did not serve God, but man's political ambition. Solomon understood it well. Therefore, when the Temple was shrouded in think cloud (1 Kings 8:11-12), Solomon made the following statement.
Then Solomon said, "The LORD has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness." (1 Kings 8:12)
God prefers remaining elusive. He would dwell in thick darkness. In the end, God is unknowable unless He reveals Himself. We should remain humble because however hard we try to understand God, He remains beyond our reach. Only a lucky few have been able to contemplate God, to stay enveloped in His presence. Let us put down our rationality to feel His pleasant presence.

In the dark recesses of our hearts, God beckons. Darkness is terrifying. We feel swallowed. But shall we be afraid of darkness? No need. We may meet God in darkness. He knows that we need the security of light. God will shine forth in darkness to console us. Be patient. Wait.

Dear Lord, Your glory fills heavens and earth. Allow us to cheer and exclaim with the Seraphim קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת (Isaiah 6:3). Amen.

Comment by andrea0blue:
This is the first blog I see from your xanga. It's very intersting lo. (I only read the first 4 lines...)