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 30^th anniversary of graduation next year. If God allows, I would also celebrate my 30^th 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 1^st 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.