What makes Chinese Chinese, and Christians Christians?
First of all, to be a Chinese, you must be a human being. On top of being a human being, you must belong to a particular race, with a particular set of genetic traits. Then, you add on the language spoken by Chinese, the customs carried on by Chinese and of course, you love being a Chinese.
I think I am not being harsh in setting up these requirements. You may call me a racist in demanding a particular set of genetic traits. But I think it is common sense. Perhaps one day in the not so near future, when people are free to migrate anywhere they want and they have no qualm marrying people from different races, the genetic pool of the world will become more homogeneous. Then and only then can we drop the genetic criterion to define a Chinese or any nationalities. Only then is genetic makeup not a differentiating factor in determining the nationality of a person.
You may object by quoting the nationalization procedures in which a person is free to nationalize to whatever nations they want after fulfilling certain legal requirements. I agree. But don't forget, people would give up their nationality by birth and nationalize to a desired country because that country is more desirable than their country of origin, say being richer and/or more democratic. Now, who would desire to nationalize to become a Chinese?
Being a Christian does not require possessing special genetic traits, or speaking Latin. Therefore, it boils down to practising what Christians do and longing for being a Christian. If you are a Christian reader, ask yourself. Do you look like a Christian? Do you practise? And do you long for being a Christian?
Let me begin with the second criterion. That is, do you long for being a Christian?
St. Paul did not paint a favourable portrayal of Christians at the beginning of his First Epistle to the Corinthians. Christians were described as foolish, weak and lowly (1 Corinthians 1:26). There was nothing for Christians to boast of and to be proud of. So, if you accept what St. Paul said, do you still want to be a Christian? Do you have anything or have you done anything you can be proud of yourself? Throw it away in order to become a Christian.
Do you look foolish enough, weak enough and lowly enough to look like a Christian? We are lucky to live in a modern democratic society in which personal background counts very little. Employers look at your academic certificates, not your birth certificates. It is alright to come up from a lowly family background. But who wants to appear foolish and weak in this competitive society? Who, then wants to become a Christian?
Let me turn now to the first criterion. That is, what do Christians do?
They keep the 10 Commandments.
Well, what is so special about Christians keeping the 10 Commandments? The 10 Commendments are universal moral precepts which nearly all peoples keep, though not honouring them with the title of the 10 Commandments. Which people encourage murder, or adultery, or stealing or telling lies? Which people do not honour their parents? Which people do not worship deities? Therefore, keeping the 10 Commandments is not a defining characteristic of a Christian.
I think the defining criteria are the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-12. They are even called the Magna Carta of Christianity. Some nine Christian values are enshrined in those lines. Through pursuing these values, Christians pursue happiness, true happiness that lead to eternal life.
Fr. Lejeune celebrated the 11 a.m. mass with us. In his opening greeting, he brought our attention of the Lunar New Year decorations in the Church. There are a number of Chinese character "Happiness 福 (fook)" on the wall. He invited us to ponder on the meanings of true happiness. In the rite of contrition, he told the congregation to repent and ask God for His mercy because we had concentrated our efforts on the wrong kind of happiness. In his homily, he commented incisively on the meaning of the Beatitudes (真福八端).
He told us that at first, he objected to hanging the character "fook" upside down which had become very popular in the last decade. He did not like it because there were superstitious elements in such a practice. Gradually, he did not object anymore because he was able to see beatitudes in the inverted "fook" --- Christ has turned what the world thinks to be "happiness" upside down.
When people think that being rich is good, Christ teaches us to be poor in spirit.
When people prefer laughters to depression, Christ teaches us to mourn for our sins.
When people believe that might is right, Christ teaches us to be meek and mild.
When people put benefits above fairness, Christ teaches us to be hungry and thirst for justice.
When people are calculating and demand justice, Christ teaches us to be forgiving and merciful.
When people indulge in enjoyment, Christ teaches us to be pure and focussed in our heart.
When people stir up conflicts in order to gain advantages in the confusion, Christ teaches us to make peace.
When people pervert the course of justice, Christ teaches us to suffer injustice quietly.
Jesus has truly turned the world upside down. He is truly revoluntary in whatever ages his teachings are proclaimed.
Fr. Lejeune shared with us that when he went against the current wisdom to become a missionary priest in Vietnam after his ordination, his country fellows did not support him. A war was raging over there and there was a lot of pastoral work to do in France. Why put your life at risk? As it turns out, Fr. Lejeune is made wise and strong by becoming a missionary priest in North Vietnam.
but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong,
God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:27-30)
Fr. Lejeune is a truly humble old man. He asked the congregation to wish him a better child of God during this Lunar New Year and thanked them in advance. After serving God for sixty years as a missionary priest, this Lejeune still thinks that he is not yet a good enough Christian.
Dear Lord, I thank You for sending a wise priest to shepherd us. May his life inspire more people to follow Your footsteps to bring forth the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Amen.
Sunday 30 January 2011
Sunday 23 January 2011
Choose to become a fisher of men
In our younger days, parents made choices for us. After having grown up, we make our choices. However, when we make choices, we make them under many constrains.
Gigi is the voluntary "official" babysitter of Symphorian. We don't have to pay her because Erminia is her god-mother. Whenever both of us are out, we will put Symphorian under her care. Of course, had Symphorian been a difficult child to handle, he would not have been so lucky to have Gigi as his babysitter. He gives her a lot of happiness because Gigi and her husband begot only one son who is already working in a bank. Gigi came from a rural background and naturally loves children. Therefore, she and her husband treat Symphorian like their own son. I am grateful to God that so many people show kindness to this child of ours. Symphorian has been very lucky. The flat we are living in is a bit crowded and Gigi lives in a more spacious flat. Therefore, Symphorian loves going to Gigi's flat whenever the opportunity arises.
This evening, we will be going over to Shatin to eat the Lunar New Year Eve reunion dinner. Symphorian will be meeting his cousin, Ainsley from Australia. They are of similar ages, Symphorian being a bit younger. Both of them enjoy each other's company though Symphorian has to speak in English. Though he is reluctant to speak English with us, Symphorian has not qualm speaking in English with this cousin from Australia. Now that there is a choice between going to Gigi's flat and meeting Ainsley in Shatin, how would Symphorian choose?
Sorry, Symphorian is too young. Erminia saves him from the "dilemma" of making a choice. She has chosen for him. After mass, they will be going to Shatin.
While I was wondering what this trivial incident I noticed meant for me, Fr. Martin gave me the answer in his homily this morning. The concept is indeed very ordinary --- marginal utility. Whenever we make a choice, we need to sacrifice the option which we do not choose. Life is fair. There is no free lunch. We cannot enjoy the best of both worlds. Either this world or that.
This morning, we read of the vocation story of Jesus' first disciples (Matthew 4:18-22), which has been read many many times. Usually, we focus on how the fishermen promptly answered Jesus' call. But Fr. Martin brought our attention to the necessity to sacrifice things we have cherished for a long time.
Fr. Martin began his homily with a reminder that all Christian churches pray for the unity of Christians this week. The Catholic Church has been split for more nearly a thousand years. In 1054, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church broke up. Some 450 years later, the Protestant Reformation tore the European churches and states apart. After so many years of separation, each side has developed their own traditions. There are legitimate variations in liturgies and in theologies. Therefore, any attempt of Christian unity must take into consideration of the variety of traditions. Uniformity is out of the question. The Catholic Church cannot and should not demand Protestant pastors and Eastern priests to remain celibate. Nor can Protestants demand the Catholic Church to ordain woman priests or Catholic priests not to hear confessions. However, some sorts of concensus must be reached and in the course of reaching this concensus, some sacrifices/concessions need to be made.
I believe that such a schism, though tragic, is the will of God. Without His consent, nothing of such a grand scale would have been possible. Still, all Christians should strive for Christian unity because it is the will of God. The second reading today made it clear.
For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren.
What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apol'los," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?(1 Corinthians 1:11-13)
Let me return to Martin's homily. He did not ask us to give up our families, like the first disciples, to answer God's call. Yet, we need to give up some of our long cherished prejudices in order to better receive God's grace. He took the Chinese Dog (唐狗) as an example.
The Chinese Dog is a mixed-breed dog. Therefore, people used to think that it was cheap. Nowadays however, with the advances in genetic knowledge, people begin to appreciate the advantages of mixed-breed dogs over purebred ones. People have to give up their long cherished belief in the purity of blood in order to enjoy the benefits of keeping healthier, more easily trained and more obedient mixed-breed dogs.
As for me, I am not adventurous enough to accept God's invitation to join Him. I have been very very hesitant in answering His call. Even today, I still question myself the motive behind my joining the diaconate. Do I want to buy a medical insurance? Have I long been feeling unappreciated and wanted to attain recognition of my talents inside the Church? Or do I love God and the Church so much so that I want to join the hierarchy to better serve Him and His Church? I am still unable to answer with certainty.
Unlike the pursue of priesthood, at this stage, I do not have to give up anything to pursue the diaconate. Indeed, I will be able to spend my retirement more meaningfully and fruitfully as a deacon. It is an attractive option. My God, I would be too selfish to reason along such a line. But I cannot refute such a line of accusation against myself.
Dear Lord, I do not love You enough. Perhaps I need to unload more in order to love You more. So, help me Lord. Amen.
Gigi is the voluntary "official" babysitter of Symphorian. We don't have to pay her because Erminia is her god-mother. Whenever both of us are out, we will put Symphorian under her care. Of course, had Symphorian been a difficult child to handle, he would not have been so lucky to have Gigi as his babysitter. He gives her a lot of happiness because Gigi and her husband begot only one son who is already working in a bank. Gigi came from a rural background and naturally loves children. Therefore, she and her husband treat Symphorian like their own son. I am grateful to God that so many people show kindness to this child of ours. Symphorian has been very lucky. The flat we are living in is a bit crowded and Gigi lives in a more spacious flat. Therefore, Symphorian loves going to Gigi's flat whenever the opportunity arises.
This evening, we will be going over to Shatin to eat the Lunar New Year Eve reunion dinner. Symphorian will be meeting his cousin, Ainsley from Australia. They are of similar ages, Symphorian being a bit younger. Both of them enjoy each other's company though Symphorian has to speak in English. Though he is reluctant to speak English with us, Symphorian has not qualm speaking in English with this cousin from Australia. Now that there is a choice between going to Gigi's flat and meeting Ainsley in Shatin, how would Symphorian choose?
Sorry, Symphorian is too young. Erminia saves him from the "dilemma" of making a choice. She has chosen for him. After mass, they will be going to Shatin.
While I was wondering what this trivial incident I noticed meant for me, Fr. Martin gave me the answer in his homily this morning. The concept is indeed very ordinary --- marginal utility. Whenever we make a choice, we need to sacrifice the option which we do not choose. Life is fair. There is no free lunch. We cannot enjoy the best of both worlds. Either this world or that.
This morning, we read of the vocation story of Jesus' first disciples (Matthew 4:18-22), which has been read many many times. Usually, we focus on how the fishermen promptly answered Jesus' call. But Fr. Martin brought our attention to the necessity to sacrifice things we have cherished for a long time.
Fr. Martin began his homily with a reminder that all Christian churches pray for the unity of Christians this week. The Catholic Church has been split for more nearly a thousand years. In 1054, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church broke up. Some 450 years later, the Protestant Reformation tore the European churches and states apart. After so many years of separation, each side has developed their own traditions. There are legitimate variations in liturgies and in theologies. Therefore, any attempt of Christian unity must take into consideration of the variety of traditions. Uniformity is out of the question. The Catholic Church cannot and should not demand Protestant pastors and Eastern priests to remain celibate. Nor can Protestants demand the Catholic Church to ordain woman priests or Catholic priests not to hear confessions. However, some sorts of concensus must be reached and in the course of reaching this concensus, some sacrifices/concessions need to be made.
I believe that such a schism, though tragic, is the will of God. Without His consent, nothing of such a grand scale would have been possible. Still, all Christians should strive for Christian unity because it is the will of God. The second reading today made it clear.
For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren.
What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apol'los," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?(1 Corinthians 1:11-13)
Let me return to Martin's homily. He did not ask us to give up our families, like the first disciples, to answer God's call. Yet, we need to give up some of our long cherished prejudices in order to better receive God's grace. He took the Chinese Dog (唐狗) as an example.
The Chinese Dog is a mixed-breed dog. Therefore, people used to think that it was cheap. Nowadays however, with the advances in genetic knowledge, people begin to appreciate the advantages of mixed-breed dogs over purebred ones. People have to give up their long cherished belief in the purity of blood in order to enjoy the benefits of keeping healthier, more easily trained and more obedient mixed-breed dogs.
As for me, I am not adventurous enough to accept God's invitation to join Him. I have been very very hesitant in answering His call. Even today, I still question myself the motive behind my joining the diaconate. Do I want to buy a medical insurance? Have I long been feeling unappreciated and wanted to attain recognition of my talents inside the Church? Or do I love God and the Church so much so that I want to join the hierarchy to better serve Him and His Church? I am still unable to answer with certainty.
Unlike the pursue of priesthood, at this stage, I do not have to give up anything to pursue the diaconate. Indeed, I will be able to spend my retirement more meaningfully and fruitfully as a deacon. It is an attractive option. My God, I would be too selfish to reason along such a line. But I cannot refute such a line of accusation against myself.
Dear Lord, I do not love You enough. Perhaps I need to unload more in order to love You more. So, help me Lord. Amen.
Monday 17 January 2011
I did not know him myself
At last, we finished our Sacramental Theology today. Today, the last four (out of ten) groups presented what they had read in the textbook written by Fr. Hon who filled up our inadequacy afterwards. Our group was the last. We knew that most of our materials would have been mentioned by the other groups. So, we came to the understanding that we should speak less, leaving more time for Fr. Hon to speak. After all, no matter how good our presentation would be, we would never be on a par with the author. However, like most of the other classmates, once they spoke from the pulpit, they left themselves open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and spoke. Though they were nervous, they would speak fluently once they stepped on the podium.
Our group did not do well. We did not have any chance to sit together to come up with an understanding. Our configuration was like a star of which I was the centre. We relied on email to communicate. It was convenient and efficient. But when we came to the actual presentation after lunch, my group members seemed to have forgotten our understanding and spoke in an unrestrained way. It was understandable. Everyone was eager to share their hard work in front of the author as a compliment.
Year 3 students were very much attached to Fr. Hon as I discovered in our Closing Prayer that they went together on a pilgrimage before, probably to the Holy Land. The Closing Prayer was a traditional hymn the lyrics of which were rewritten by them. The lyrics were hilarious as well as touching. They were a collection of their feelings of Fr. Hon within and without the classroom. I can see that the Year 3 classmates are very creative and artistic as well.
Photo sessions followed and we celebrated mass together to finish the day.
In his homily, Fr. Hon shared with us some of his random thoughts. He mentioned how his father gave him his name. They were not yet Catholics at that time. But God's hand had been guiding him. Today, working in the Congregation of Evangelization, Fr. Hon would be actualizing his name --- a huge radiance （大輝） to people sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. This same story appears in Kung Kao Pao today.
Of course, Fr. Hon would not miss the messages in the readings today. In the Gospel, John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus (John 1:29-34). The Baptist told the people that Jesus was the Son of God. However, there are two puzzling verses.
I did not know him myself ... (John 1:31, 33).
These two verses are illogical. Had the Baptist not known Jesus, how would he have borne Jesus witness? But to a certain extent, these 2 verses are right.
After baptism, Christians are supposed to bear witness for Jesus to the whole world. Our role is very much like that of the Baptist. The Baptist confessed that he did not know Jesus. Again, are you sure that we know Jesus well enough? Most of us would say no and shrink from talking about Jesus in front of other people. Why do we hesitate? Do we want to study enough theology and only after that would we start talking about Jesus? Paradoxically, like most subject matters, the more we study theology, the more we know we don't know. This Sacramental Theology course is one such example. So, we don't wait until we know well enough to evangelize. Do we want to become a morally good enough man and only after that would we start talking about Jesus so that we would bring Jesus a bad name? Chances are we will never be morally good enough. Most of us have a personality flawed somewhere, somehow. Old habit dies hard. Ideally speaking, we strive for excellency in our daily dealings as well as our moral. Yet, it is only an ideal. So we don't wait until we are morally good enough to evangelize.
I think we do not love Jesus enough, love our fellow men enough so that we are reluctant to evangelize. It is not a matter of knowledge, but a matter of motivation. We need a push to start the engine rolling.
Dear Lord, we thank You for creating us in such a way that we are able to share our life with You. We love You but not enough. Have mercy. Grant us the Holy Spirit to move us so that we may love You more. Amen.
Our group did not do well. We did not have any chance to sit together to come up with an understanding. Our configuration was like a star of which I was the centre. We relied on email to communicate. It was convenient and efficient. But when we came to the actual presentation after lunch, my group members seemed to have forgotten our understanding and spoke in an unrestrained way. It was understandable. Everyone was eager to share their hard work in front of the author as a compliment.
 |
| Betty, Jenny, Fr. Hon and Cosmas |
Photo sessions followed and we celebrated mass together to finish the day.
In his homily, Fr. Hon shared with us some of his random thoughts. He mentioned how his father gave him his name. They were not yet Catholics at that time. But God's hand had been guiding him. Today, working in the Congregation of Evangelization, Fr. Hon would be actualizing his name --- a huge radiance （大輝） to people sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. This same story appears in Kung Kao Pao today.
Of course, Fr. Hon would not miss the messages in the readings today. In the Gospel, John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus (John 1:29-34). The Baptist told the people that Jesus was the Son of God. However, there are two puzzling verses.
I did not know him myself ... (John 1:31, 33).
These two verses are illogical. Had the Baptist not known Jesus, how would he have borne Jesus witness? But to a certain extent, these 2 verses are right.
After baptism, Christians are supposed to bear witness for Jesus to the whole world. Our role is very much like that of the Baptist. The Baptist confessed that he did not know Jesus. Again, are you sure that we know Jesus well enough? Most of us would say no and shrink from talking about Jesus in front of other people. Why do we hesitate? Do we want to study enough theology and only after that would we start talking about Jesus? Paradoxically, like most subject matters, the more we study theology, the more we know we don't know. This Sacramental Theology course is one such example. So, we don't wait until we know well enough to evangelize. Do we want to become a morally good enough man and only after that would we start talking about Jesus so that we would bring Jesus a bad name? Chances are we will never be morally good enough. Most of us have a personality flawed somewhere, somehow. Old habit dies hard. Ideally speaking, we strive for excellency in our daily dealings as well as our moral. Yet, it is only an ideal. So we don't wait until we are morally good enough to evangelize.
I think we do not love Jesus enough, love our fellow men enough so that we are reluctant to evangelize. It is not a matter of knowledge, but a matter of motivation. We need a push to start the engine rolling.
Dear Lord, we thank You for creating us in such a way that we are able to share our life with You. We love You but not enough. Have mercy. Grant us the Holy Spirit to move us so that we may love You more. Amen.
Thursday 13 January 2011
Pray to God for strength
 |
| Fr. Savio Hon & Fr. William Lo Group photo with BRS undergrads Jan 13, 2011 |
After the Vesper, Fr. William Lo said a few words of thanks and told us that Fr. Hon started his teaching career in the Seminary in 1983.
When Fr. Hon took over the microphone, he was facing a special congregation. Among them were his current students, former students, some of whom were ordained and had become his colleagues in the Seminary. This is the harvest of his career.
So, Fr. Hon began his sharing humbly with words of thanks for his colleagues and students. He mentioned them by names, one after another, priests, nuns and even lay professors. He felt privileged to be able to concentrate on teaching and doing research in theology. He joked that he did not learn much in studying theology. Rather, it was in the teaching of theology that he had learned most. His jokes are serious ones.
He encouraged the congregation to do theology for the service of God. Doing theology is a mission. It sharpens our awareness of the presence of God. Therefore, the reading of Scriptures makes more sense after doing theology. We are better able to discern what God is telling us in every passage we read.
He knew that we were all curious about how he was appointed. He confessed that he had spent the prime of his life in this Seminary, He studied here and had since taught here for nearly 28 years. His life had been tied up with this Seminary. Therefore, he felt uprooted with his appointment to serve in the Vatican which works in a way not comprehensible to outsiders. Considering his upbringing here in Hong Kong and the theology career he had gone through, he did not think himself suitable for the post. Yet, as a religious priest, he seeks God's will in the orders of the Superiors. Obedience is one of the three Evangelical Counsels. He will humbly obey the order of Vatican as God's will. Knowing that the assignment is something too big for him, he prays to God for the necessary strength and wisdom to do this job properly.
In his life so far, he had never before received so many congratulations and blessings. What he likes most are the promises of prayers from the well-wishers.
On one hand, we live with our shortcomings. On the other, we pray to God for strength to overcome all hurdles. We all need God's support.
Dear Lord, I am just an unworthy servant. I pray that I may be a good enough channel of Your peace. Lord, grant me the grace that I need to serve You and my neighbour. Amen.
Sunday 9 January 2011
Baptism of the Lord 2011
This week, my life seemed to fall apart. Quite a number of misfortunes gave me troubles.
First of all, my hearing impediment is not improved after taking several doses of the herb. Of course, it is something not very noticeable and I am still functioning.
Then, for some unknown reasons, the clip of my fountain pen simply fell off, making me unable to steady the pen on the desk. It would roll away unattended. How inconvenient it is!
Then, the zip of the cap of my jacket just wore off. I could no longer put on the cap in this cold snap. The weather has been cold and dry for many days this winter. My DM skin is very itchy and annoying. Though these are very trivial matters, they bother me in an unexpected way. I don't know why I would notice them. Are they messages sent from God, telling me to pay more attention to some imminent dangers?
In the meantime, this week and the next would be a very hectic week because Fr. Savio Hon had to rush through his Sacramental Theology course because he has to report for duty in Vatican on February 5. Therefore, on this Sunday and the next, we have to attend his course from nine to three in the Seminary.
And I had dinner with some La Salle old students who would celebrate their 30th anniversary of graduation next year. If God allows, I would also celebrate my 30th anniversary of marriage next year too. I have a special kind of bonding with this particular group of boys, probably because some of them, though not present during the dinner, had helped out in my wedding mass. Anyway, I am always grateful to God for allowing me the opportunity to teach these elite students. They are now professionals serving Hong Kong society in different capacities. Most of them have built up families and have children of their own. Very early in my career, I did not see myself as their teacher. I felt more comfortable to be pilgrims, sharing our lives and destinies together.
This Sunday, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus and then we will enter the 1st week of Ordinary time tomorrow. In his meditation and homily, Fr. Martin Ip looked at the humanity of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God. He is omnipotent as the Father and worked with Him in the Creation of the known universe. Yet, he obeyed God's will, humbled himself and put on the finitude of man to redeem us. He even went to be baptized by John anonymously among the multitude.
According to the gospel of Matthew, John recognized him among the crowd and would have stopped him.
John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" (Matthew 3:14)
但若翰想要阻止他說：「我本來需要受你的洗，而你卻來就我嗎？」
The Chinese translation suggests that Jesus lowers and accommodates himself to John.
But Jesus insisted though John might never understand the meaning of his action.
I can tell from my own experience that it is extremely difficult to be humble and accommodating. We have a tendency to show off and will become crestfallen easily when others do not notice us. This morning, no sooner had Cosmas finished the presentation of their section of Sacramental Theology, he met a salvo of questions I fired. I found his use of the term "sacramental" a bit vague. He called the Church a "sacramental" community. He was not wrong, but the term had several meanings and I would like him to clarify. Cosmas was caught unprepared. Yet he bravely tried to answer. Fr. Hon had to intervene to save him ... I am really a difficult comrade to work with. Perhaps deep down inside me, there is an urge to be attention-seeking.
Dear Lord, make me more aware of my arrogance and stop me from hurting people close to me. Amen.
First of all, my hearing impediment is not improved after taking several doses of the herb. Of course, it is something not very noticeable and I am still functioning.
Then, for some unknown reasons, the clip of my fountain pen simply fell off, making me unable to steady the pen on the desk. It would roll away unattended. How inconvenient it is!
Then, the zip of the cap of my jacket just wore off. I could no longer put on the cap in this cold snap. The weather has been cold and dry for many days this winter. My DM skin is very itchy and annoying. Though these are very trivial matters, they bother me in an unexpected way. I don't know why I would notice them. Are they messages sent from God, telling me to pay more attention to some imminent dangers?
In the meantime, this week and the next would be a very hectic week because Fr. Savio Hon had to rush through his Sacramental Theology course because he has to report for duty in Vatican on February 5. Therefore, on this Sunday and the next, we have to attend his course from nine to three in the Seminary.
And I had dinner with some La Salle old students who would celebrate their 30th anniversary of graduation next year. If God allows, I would also celebrate my 30th anniversary of marriage next year too. I have a special kind of bonding with this particular group of boys, probably because some of them, though not present during the dinner, had helped out in my wedding mass. Anyway, I am always grateful to God for allowing me the opportunity to teach these elite students. They are now professionals serving Hong Kong society in different capacities. Most of them have built up families and have children of their own. Very early in my career, I did not see myself as their teacher. I felt more comfortable to be pilgrims, sharing our lives and destinies together.
According to the gospel of Matthew, John recognized him among the crowd and would have stopped him.
John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" (Matthew 3:14)
但若翰想要阻止他說：「我本來需要受你的洗，而你卻來就我嗎？」
The Chinese translation suggests that Jesus lowers and accommodates himself to John.
But Jesus insisted though John might never understand the meaning of his action.
I can tell from my own experience that it is extremely difficult to be humble and accommodating. We have a tendency to show off and will become crestfallen easily when others do not notice us. This morning, no sooner had Cosmas finished the presentation of their section of Sacramental Theology, he met a salvo of questions I fired. I found his use of the term "sacramental" a bit vague. He called the Church a "sacramental" community. He was not wrong, but the term had several meanings and I would like him to clarify. Cosmas was caught unprepared. Yet he bravely tried to answer. Fr. Hon had to intervene to save him ... I am really a difficult comrade to work with. Perhaps deep down inside me, there is an urge to be attention-seeking.
Dear Lord, make me more aware of my arrogance and stop me from hurting people close to me. Amen.
Sunday 2 January 2011
The Fourth Magi
Last Sunday, the Deacon shared the story of the Magi in their monthly meeting which I have discovered to be a treasure trove of inspiration. I develop the habit of jotting down notes of what the deacons say.
Chung Wah spoke first. He said that gifts in time of needs were the most precious. His neighbour was busy renovating the house. It so happened that Chung Wah met him and invited him over for dinner because Chung Wah saw that he did not have time to prepare meals. His neighbour appreciated this gesture of generosity very much.
Deacon Tse saw the star in Fr. Savio Hon, SDB who was recently made Archbishop to take up the post of the secretary of the Congregation of Evangelization. The Catholic Church has long been perceived as a Western religion tied up with the history of Europe. Since the discovery of the New World and the Reformation, the Church has seen the need to reach out to the other continents. The Congregation of Evangelization aims at just this. Deacon Tse saw Fr. Hon as a rising star and invited us to pray earnestly for him.
Deacon Tsang had a totally different experience. He saw deacons as stars of beacon. He shared with us his pastoral experience with an old patient in the hospital. The patient has been very hesitant in receiving Catholic baptism because he had been troubled by the sale of indulgence and the "worship" of Mary in the Catholic Church. As a deacon, Tsang had no problem in resolving his doubts. In this, he saw himself as the star pointing the way for seekers of the truth.
However, there are frustrating cases which are beyond his capacity. Most of these come from aggressive Protestant family members. For example, though he is the Catholic Chaplin in the Tuen Mun Hospital where Jason Leung is staying, he is barred from visiting Jason at the request of the Protestant aunt of Jason! In another email Tsang sent to all the deacons, he shared with us the frustration of conducting funeral services of deceased Catholics who have Protestant family members. They are very hostile to Catholics. This is another issue deacons need to face in their pastoral work.
Comas saw the fragile Messiah in one of his pupils who was hospitalized. The doctors were not able to find out the cause. The pupil managed to survive and was very anxious to return to school. Comas visited him and asked himself what he could do to help the boy and his mother. In fact, he has to accept the fact that there was not much the medical staff, the school principal and teachers can do to help the boy. They could not entrust the life of this boy to God.
Cecilia, wife of Deacon Ng, meditated on offering the Holy Infant gifts. Her daughter-in-law suffered from cancer and was healed. However, recently, she relapsed. Cecilia had to take intensive care of her and do a lot of house chores. In times, she felt a kind of indescribable helplessness. Somehow, in this helplessness, she was able to feel God's abundant grace. Now, daily chores become her prayers.
Deacon Li saw the star of inspiration in his daughter who wants to study space science. Li had been very worried about this choice until recently he watched a TV documentary on the known universe. Light travels with a finite speed and it takes years for the light of the nearest star outside our solar system to reach us. Very often, we fail to admire God's wonders and works with a sense of gratefulness.
Fred's wife had undergone micro-surgery on her knees. Before the operation, she received a short message from a friend to cheer her up. She felt much relieved and felt God's blessing through her friends. We too could to the same for our neighbours. This agreed inadvertently with what Fr. Milanese preached today in his homily.
Fr. Milanese told us the story of Artaban, the Fourth Magi, who spent his whole life searching for the true king of the cosmo. On his way, he was delayed and missed the rendezvous with the other three Magi. He tried to follow their footsteps and was always one step behind, from Bethlehem to Egypt, back to Jerusalem and Nazareth etc. In the meantime, he spent all his treasures which he intended for the king on the poor and needy until some thirty years later, he returned one last time to Jerusalem where he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was rejected as the king of the Jews and on his way to be crucified. Artaban still had one last pearl and he wanted to ransom this king of the Jews ...
It is a touching story and encourages us to seek Jesus our King among our needy neighbours all the days of our life until we give out our last breath. We often complain that God is elusive. But in fact, Jesus has already told us where to find him.
My mood had been a bit negative on those days because I was acutely aware of my hearing impediment. I know my kidneys are failing as a consequence of my chronic diabetes.
During the sharing, Herod the Great kept ringing inside my head. Though a famous builder, Herod was a paranoid and notorious for his cruelty. Why did his image, and not the Magi, nor the star, keep popping up in my mind? I had no idea but this evil man had successfully done a good job for me. He cautioned me not to follow his examples. In trying to secure his own kingship, he denied himself an opportunity to receive the Messiah, whereas the Magi were ready to sacrifice whatever was needed to seek the True King. In my vocation of deacon, seek the Lord. In seeking Him, I may find my true self.
Dear Lord, now I know that seeking You is a life long journey. The TV station has just broken the news of the demise of Szeto Wah. He spent his whole life building democracy in Hong Kong. If I am not mistaken, he was also a Christian. He has set a brilliant example of what a good Christian can be. In him, we may be able to get a glimpse of You.
May his soul find eternal peace in You. May his example continue to inspire those who follow his footsteps. Amen.
Photo Credit: life.mingpao.com
Chung Wah spoke first. He said that gifts in time of needs were the most precious. His neighbour was busy renovating the house. It so happened that Chung Wah met him and invited him over for dinner because Chung Wah saw that he did not have time to prepare meals. His neighbour appreciated this gesture of generosity very much.
Deacon Tse saw the star in Fr. Savio Hon, SDB who was recently made Archbishop to take up the post of the secretary of the Congregation of Evangelization. The Catholic Church has long been perceived as a Western religion tied up with the history of Europe. Since the discovery of the New World and the Reformation, the Church has seen the need to reach out to the other continents. The Congregation of Evangelization aims at just this. Deacon Tse saw Fr. Hon as a rising star and invited us to pray earnestly for him.
Deacon Tsang had a totally different experience. He saw deacons as stars of beacon. He shared with us his pastoral experience with an old patient in the hospital. The patient has been very hesitant in receiving Catholic baptism because he had been troubled by the sale of indulgence and the "worship" of Mary in the Catholic Church. As a deacon, Tsang had no problem in resolving his doubts. In this, he saw himself as the star pointing the way for seekers of the truth.
However, there are frustrating cases which are beyond his capacity. Most of these come from aggressive Protestant family members. For example, though he is the Catholic Chaplin in the Tuen Mun Hospital where Jason Leung is staying, he is barred from visiting Jason at the request of the Protestant aunt of Jason! In another email Tsang sent to all the deacons, he shared with us the frustration of conducting funeral services of deceased Catholics who have Protestant family members. They are very hostile to Catholics. This is another issue deacons need to face in their pastoral work.
Comas saw the fragile Messiah in one of his pupils who was hospitalized. The doctors were not able to find out the cause. The pupil managed to survive and was very anxious to return to school. Comas visited him and asked himself what he could do to help the boy and his mother. In fact, he has to accept the fact that there was not much the medical staff, the school principal and teachers can do to help the boy. They could not entrust the life of this boy to God.
Cecilia, wife of Deacon Ng, meditated on offering the Holy Infant gifts. Her daughter-in-law suffered from cancer and was healed. However, recently, she relapsed. Cecilia had to take intensive care of her and do a lot of house chores. In times, she felt a kind of indescribable helplessness. Somehow, in this helplessness, she was able to feel God's abundant grace. Now, daily chores become her prayers.
Deacon Li saw the star of inspiration in his daughter who wants to study space science. Li had been very worried about this choice until recently he watched a TV documentary on the known universe. Light travels with a finite speed and it takes years for the light of the nearest star outside our solar system to reach us. Very often, we fail to admire God's wonders and works with a sense of gratefulness.
Fred's wife had undergone micro-surgery on her knees. Before the operation, she received a short message from a friend to cheer her up. She felt much relieved and felt God's blessing through her friends. We too could to the same for our neighbours. This agreed inadvertently with what Fr. Milanese preached today in his homily.
Fr. Milanese told us the story of Artaban, the Fourth Magi, who spent his whole life searching for the true king of the cosmo. On his way, he was delayed and missed the rendezvous with the other three Magi. He tried to follow their footsteps and was always one step behind, from Bethlehem to Egypt, back to Jerusalem and Nazareth etc. In the meantime, he spent all his treasures which he intended for the king on the poor and needy until some thirty years later, he returned one last time to Jerusalem where he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was rejected as the king of the Jews and on his way to be crucified. Artaban still had one last pearl and he wanted to ransom this king of the Jews ...
It is a touching story and encourages us to seek Jesus our King among our needy neighbours all the days of our life until we give out our last breath. We often complain that God is elusive. But in fact, Jesus has already told us where to find him.
My mood had been a bit negative on those days because I was acutely aware of my hearing impediment. I know my kidneys are failing as a consequence of my chronic diabetes.
During the sharing, Herod the Great kept ringing inside my head. Though a famous builder, Herod was a paranoid and notorious for his cruelty. Why did his image, and not the Magi, nor the star, keep popping up in my mind? I had no idea but this evil man had successfully done a good job for me. He cautioned me not to follow his examples. In trying to secure his own kingship, he denied himself an opportunity to receive the Messiah, whereas the Magi were ready to sacrifice whatever was needed to seek the True King. In my vocation of deacon, seek the Lord. In seeking Him, I may find my true self.
Dear Lord, now I know that seeking You is a life long journey. The TV station has just broken the news of the demise of Szeto Wah. He spent his whole life building democracy in Hong Kong. If I am not mistaken, he was also a Christian. He has set a brilliant example of what a good Christian can be. In him, we may be able to get a glimpse of You.May his soul find eternal peace in You. May his example continue to inspire those who follow his footsteps. Amen.
Photo Credit: life.mingpao.com
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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