I began my teaching career as a substitute teacher in La Salle College after graduation from the university. That was not my ambition and I did not feel happy teaching those born with a silver spoon in their mouths because I was raised up in a low-cost housing estate. My dream was to become a social worker, helping the needy in the society. Those rich boys were not the needy.
I studied sociology and psychology in the university. I took part in social actions, collecting signatures from the public to object against the increase of telephone fees; taking to the streets and sitting outside government offices in Lower Albert Road etc. I was not at all radical. But these actions agreed with Christ's teaching:
And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40)
When we fight for social justice, we are doing this in the name of Christ. Those La Salle boys belonged to the exploiting class rather than the exploited.
God has been very patient and merciful. He kept me in La Salle to coach me, to tame my arrogance. Gradually, I learn that God's will, not mine, be done. I learn that God works wonders even with trash; that He turns evils to blessings. I also learn that a good teacher is not a popular teacher; that nobody is indispensable and that you respect the principal's position, not the person (I thank the late Brother Raphael Egan FSC, my first boss, for imparting these insights in me). I am a slow learner indeed. I took 20 years to graduate from La Salle.
My dear La Salle boys, I feel privileged to have spent so many years with you, growing up together with you. Many of you are now professionals, contributing to the well-being of Hong Kong. I am proud of you. My dear ex-colleagues in La Salle, I feel honoured to have the opportunity to work with you. Each one of you is unique in your own way and is of excellent calibre as teachers. I pay my respect to all the Brothers I have met. They are noble souls and wonderful educators. Their dedication to the boys is admirable. May the La Sallian spirit continue to inspire us all in our daily life. St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us!
Today, we reflect on the beginning of the discourse on the Bread of Life in John. The 5000 sought Jesus after the feeding miracle. Who would not? Jesus would provide for your needs. In the 1950s when a lot of refugees fled China and came to Hong Kong, the Church provided them with flour and milk powder. A lot of people were baptized. Even today, some priests resent their motives and their presence in the Church. But Jesus did not. He did not chase the crowd away because of their lowly motives. Rather, he took the opportunity to show them a higher way.
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." (John 6:26-27)
Truly, I was idealistic and still am to a lesser extent. Thinking back, I probably have laboured for 'food which perishes'. My ideals may not be His. I have strayed into many blind alleys and wasted much of God's time. Even today, I am still drifting. My God, where do You want me to go? For the time being, I know I will continue to sing my song.
My sweet Jesus, there are still obstacles ahead. Help me clear the way and continue to bring Your peace to everyone I meet.
St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for me. Amen.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Monday, 7 April 2008
3rd Sunday of Easter (Year A)
Unlike Buddhism or Taoism, Christianity is a religion of a community. If you are a Buddhist or Taoist, you can locate a holy mountain; meditate in a holy cave to become a holy man, to achieve enlightenment. As for Christianity, one cannot gain salvation outside the community, the Church. Christians need one another to practise their faith. Therefore, you would never be the sole survivor on earth after a nuclear Armageddon. Your mission would be to seek out other survivors, in order to save your own soul.
In the gospel we read today, we heard of how two disciples encountered the risen Lord on their return to Emmaus.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:16) because of their preconception of Jesus. Seeing his mighty deeds and hearing his words of authority, they expected Jesus to liberate them from the colonial rule of the Roman Empire.
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel (Luke 24:21a).
Jesus patiently explained to them the messages in the Old Testament concerning him. It was during supper that the 2 disciples were able to recognize Jesus.
When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them (Luke 24:30).
Just when they recognized that the total stranger was indeed the risen Lord, Jesus vanished. The 2 disciples rushed back to Jerusalem to report their experience to the 11 apostles and those who were with them.
who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (Luke 24:34).
Luke did not tell us what happened to Simon Peter, the circumstances in which the risen Lord appeared to him. I can only imagine that Peter must have felt very apologetic to have denied Jesus 3 times. But he wept when Jesus turned back to look at him at the house of the High Priest before his trial (Luke 22:61-62). Peter was too far away and even if Jesus said he forgave him, Peter would not hear it. He was too emotional and ashamed at that moment. Now, he had probably recovered a bit from this traumatic experience. Jesus might have forgiven Peter on the first day of his resurrection. Whatever had happened, the most important thing we should keep in mind is the fact that Simon's experience, the 2 disciples' experience together with experiences of many other Christians who have encountered the risen Lord contribute, in each of their own way, the edification of our faith. These experiences of encounters are the building blocks of Christianity.
Mrs Teresa Leung passed away on Monday in the Holy Week, after complaining about a little chest pain on Passion Sunday. She is survived by her husband and three married daughters who were Shung Tak graduates. All three daughters work in the medical establishment and are no strangers to births and deaths. This time, it is different. It is their beloved mother. Yesterday, we attended her requiem mass.
After homily, Louisa, the eldest sister, spoke to the congregation in tears, thanking them for their condolence. She was not able to see or hear her mother anymore. Yet, she saw the contributions of her mother in the parish, her services among the parishers bear fruits. She shared with us that her daughter told her that grandmother taught her not to weep, to be strong. Louisa believes that her mother is speaking to her through her daughter. She feels her presence. Throughout her sharing, Louisa was not able to contain her sobs. She looks fragile but I feel that she is strong despite her tears.
Helen, the second daughter, spoke next. She shed no tears and her voice was determined and calm. She was grateful that her mother passed away swiftly with minimum pains during the Holy Week. She could see her mother go through the Passover with the sweet Lord Jesus. She is not disappointed. It has been Ching Ming and the weather has been gloomy with drizzle. Yesterday, it was sunny and hot. Helen sees this as an omen of Resurrection. She may rest assured that her mother has resurrected into the bosom of God. Rita, the youngest daughter did not speak. Yet, the whole celebration has been an enriching experience.
My sweet Jesus, I thank the Leung sisters for their candour. They are strong indeed. May Your unspeakable grace be with their families always. Let us all be generous in sharing our encounters with You. May Your Church grow from strength to strength, boldly witnessing Your renewing Passover to the world. Amen.
In the gospel we read today, we heard of how two disciples encountered the risen Lord on their return to Emmaus.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:16) because of their preconception of Jesus. Seeing his mighty deeds and hearing his words of authority, they expected Jesus to liberate them from the colonial rule of the Roman Empire.
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel (Luke 24:21a).
Jesus patiently explained to them the messages in the Old Testament concerning him. It was during supper that the 2 disciples were able to recognize Jesus.
When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them (Luke 24:30).
Just when they recognized that the total stranger was indeed the risen Lord, Jesus vanished. The 2 disciples rushed back to Jerusalem to report their experience to the 11 apostles and those who were with them.
who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (Luke 24:34).
Luke did not tell us what happened to Simon Peter, the circumstances in which the risen Lord appeared to him. I can only imagine that Peter must have felt very apologetic to have denied Jesus 3 times. But he wept when Jesus turned back to look at him at the house of the High Priest before his trial (Luke 22:61-62). Peter was too far away and even if Jesus said he forgave him, Peter would not hear it. He was too emotional and ashamed at that moment. Now, he had probably recovered a bit from this traumatic experience. Jesus might have forgiven Peter on the first day of his resurrection. Whatever had happened, the most important thing we should keep in mind is the fact that Simon's experience, the 2 disciples' experience together with experiences of many other Christians who have encountered the risen Lord contribute, in each of their own way, the edification of our faith. These experiences of encounters are the building blocks of Christianity.
Mrs Teresa Leung passed away on Monday in the Holy Week, after complaining about a little chest pain on Passion Sunday. She is survived by her husband and three married daughters who were Shung Tak graduates. All three daughters work in the medical establishment and are no strangers to births and deaths. This time, it is different. It is their beloved mother. Yesterday, we attended her requiem mass.
After homily, Louisa, the eldest sister, spoke to the congregation in tears, thanking them for their condolence. She was not able to see or hear her mother anymore. Yet, she saw the contributions of her mother in the parish, her services among the parishers bear fruits. She shared with us that her daughter told her that grandmother taught her not to weep, to be strong. Louisa believes that her mother is speaking to her through her daughter. She feels her presence. Throughout her sharing, Louisa was not able to contain her sobs. She looks fragile but I feel that she is strong despite her tears.
Helen, the second daughter, spoke next. She shed no tears and her voice was determined and calm. She was grateful that her mother passed away swiftly with minimum pains during the Holy Week. She could see her mother go through the Passover with the sweet Lord Jesus. She is not disappointed. It has been Ching Ming and the weather has been gloomy with drizzle. Yesterday, it was sunny and hot. Helen sees this as an omen of Resurrection. She may rest assured that her mother has resurrected into the bosom of God. Rita, the youngest daughter did not speak. Yet, the whole celebration has been an enriching experience.
My sweet Jesus, I thank the Leung sisters for their candour. They are strong indeed. May Your unspeakable grace be with their families always. Let us all be generous in sharing our encounters with You. May Your Church grow from strength to strength, boldly witnessing Your renewing Passover to the world. Amen.
Sunday, 6 April 2008
Jesus' walking on the water
For us Chinese, we have a wealth of legends in which the miracles are far more spectacular than those recorded in the Bible. It is not easy for us to appreciate their significance unless we study the Bible thorough enough to gain a certain level of background understanding. Walking on the water seems ordinary enough. Even heroes in martial art novels are able to perform such fits. So, what is the significance of Jesus' walking on the water?
All canonical gospels except Luke tell this walking on the water story. This happened after Jesus had fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. It took place at night. The disciples were rowing a boat across the sea while Jesus was praying alone somewhere on the land. They were struggling with the waves.
In Mark, the disciples were shown in a bad light. They had witnessed many miracles of Jesus up close, yet their hearts were hardened.
for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:52).
In Matthew, we have an extra episode of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. He lost faith and sank. Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him. Peter would have performed the same miracle as Jesus did had he kept his faith. Yet he failed.
And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 15:33)
In John, the mood is totally different. John did not cast the disciples in such a bad light. Yes, like the other 2 gospels, the disciples were frightened to see Jesus walking on the water. This fear is interpreted as a fear in the presence of the divine. (In Mark, the disciples were frightened because they thought they were seeing a ghost!) Yet, Jesus did not blame them. He simply said "It is I Ἐγώ εἰμι; do not be afraid μὴ φοβεῖσθε." (John 6:20), confirming their feeling that they were meeting God. The story ends in a cheerful mood.
Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going (John 6:21).
In the gospel of John, the statement Jesus made, Ἐγώ εἰμι I AM , is a label referring to his divinity. It reminded the Jews the scene of the burning bush in which God revealed His name to Moses: I AM WHO I AM ᾽Εγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν· (Exodus 3:14 LXX). Therefore, this episode is a theophany, God appearing to man. The scene calls up many OT images. For example, in Genesis, there were darkness and chaos and God was hovering upon the water. In Exodus, God accompanied the Israelites to cross the Reed Sea into safety and freedom. We need more background understanding of the bible in order to appreciate the significance of this and similar miracles.
My sweet Jesus, I adore You. You are my God and my Lord. Walking with You, we are not afraid of any turmoil. Our school is in deep trouble. Come to our aid and see us through. Amen.
All canonical gospels except Luke tell this walking on the water story. This happened after Jesus had fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. It took place at night. The disciples were rowing a boat across the sea while Jesus was praying alone somewhere on the land. They were struggling with the waves.
In Mark, the disciples were shown in a bad light. They had witnessed many miracles of Jesus up close, yet their hearts were hardened.
for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:52).
In Matthew, we have an extra episode of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. He lost faith and sank. Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him. Peter would have performed the same miracle as Jesus did had he kept his faith. Yet he failed.
And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 15:33)
In John, the mood is totally different. John did not cast the disciples in such a bad light. Yes, like the other 2 gospels, the disciples were frightened to see Jesus walking on the water. This fear is interpreted as a fear in the presence of the divine. (In Mark, the disciples were frightened because they thought they were seeing a ghost!) Yet, Jesus did not blame them. He simply said "It is I Ἐγώ εἰμι; do not be afraid μὴ φοβεῖσθε." (John 6:20), confirming their feeling that they were meeting God. The story ends in a cheerful mood.
Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going (John 6:21).
In the gospel of John, the statement Jesus made, Ἐγώ εἰμι I AM , is a label referring to his divinity. It reminded the Jews the scene of the burning bush in which God revealed His name to Moses: I AM WHO I AM ᾽Εγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν· (Exodus 3:14 LXX). Therefore, this episode is a theophany, God appearing to man. The scene calls up many OT images. For example, in Genesis, there were darkness and chaos and God was hovering upon the water. In Exodus, God accompanied the Israelites to cross the Reed Sea into safety and freedom. We need more background understanding of the bible in order to appreciate the significance of this and similar miracles.
My sweet Jesus, I adore You. You are my God and my Lord. Walking with You, we are not afraid of any turmoil. Our school is in deep trouble. Come to our aid and see us through. Amen.
Saturday, 5 April 2008
From Ching Ming Festival to the Holy Eucharist
Ching Ming is a traditional Chinese festival to remember the ancestors. In the political arena of Chinese politics, Ching Ming Festival has been a convenient date for student unrests in the name of remembering the deceased political giants such as Chou En-lai 周恩來 and Hu Yao-bang 胡耀邦. Nobody in the political hierarchy dare to muddle with them. Sometimes, these student unrests drag on and results in massacre. It is difficult to imagine that such a traditional festival, celebrating the conservative Confucius ideology of honouring ancestors can be so subversive and explosive.
Christianity was once a revolutionary ideology when Christians were underdogs of the society. Love your enemies! Lay down your life for your friends, like your Master! Blessed are the poor and meek, not the powerful etc. When Roman Empire embraced this religion, it was probably out of utilitarian considerations. Such a religion would help rule the Empire. Once it became the official religion, the revolutionary elements in this faith were played down to support the status quo. It takes generations of martyrs to rediscover its full meanings and many more unsung heroes to make this faith meaningful and applicable to each new generation.
The contents of the Gospel, the Good News Christians preach were canonized by Peter within the life span of Jesus between his baptism and ascension (Acts 1:22). Therefore, all 4 canonical gospels contain records Jesus' baptism, Jesus' passion, resurrection and ascension. Other materials were presented to flesh out the whole story as understood by the evangelists to respond to the needs of the community they lived. Each gospel is therefore a reflection on Jesus' deeds and teachings to make them accessible, meaningful to their respective communities. From their experience, Christians of later generations draw inspiration. Therefore, only Matthew and Luke contain the nativity story, the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer etc. Luke also has many beautiful parables such as the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son etc. not found in the other gospels. The only other story recorded by all 4 gospels is the feeding of 5000.
The story of the feeding of 5000 was meaningful to contemporary Jews because it reminded them of how God had fed the Israelites in wilderness for 40 years with manna. This story is meaningful for Christians of all generations because it reminds them how the good Lord Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist to nourish their spiritual life. Now then, how do we make this feeding of 5000 meaningful to the people in the 21st century?
The feeding story in John came from an insider. It tells us that it was Philip who said that they needed 200 denarii to feed so many people (John 6:7). There were 5 loaves of bailey bread. They came from a child and this was found by Andrew (John 6:8-9). John treats all miracles as signs which demonstrate God's presence among us. They also show us God's love and glory. This feeding miracle is yet another sign to show God's providence for the needy.
Nowadays, our world still suffers from global hunger. But will this feeding story fill the stomach of the hungry? Worse still, how do we make sense out of natural disasters such as the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that killed more than 300,000 people? Christians have a hard time pondering over where God was. It is indeed difficult to be a modern Christian.
Dear Holy Spirit, You come upon the bread on the altar everyday to make them the body of Christ for us to consume. We are grateful to be nourished with this heavenly food. Enlighten us that we may know how to make the Christian story meaningful to our neighours. Help us live out this Christian story in our life. Amen.
Christianity was once a revolutionary ideology when Christians were underdogs of the society. Love your enemies! Lay down your life for your friends, like your Master! Blessed are the poor and meek, not the powerful etc. When Roman Empire embraced this religion, it was probably out of utilitarian considerations. Such a religion would help rule the Empire. Once it became the official religion, the revolutionary elements in this faith were played down to support the status quo. It takes generations of martyrs to rediscover its full meanings and many more unsung heroes to make this faith meaningful and applicable to each new generation.
The contents of the Gospel, the Good News Christians preach were canonized by Peter within the life span of Jesus between his baptism and ascension (Acts 1:22). Therefore, all 4 canonical gospels contain records Jesus' baptism, Jesus' passion, resurrection and ascension. Other materials were presented to flesh out the whole story as understood by the evangelists to respond to the needs of the community they lived. Each gospel is therefore a reflection on Jesus' deeds and teachings to make them accessible, meaningful to their respective communities. From their experience, Christians of later generations draw inspiration. Therefore, only Matthew and Luke contain the nativity story, the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer etc. Luke also has many beautiful parables such as the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son etc. not found in the other gospels. The only other story recorded by all 4 gospels is the feeding of 5000.
The story of the feeding of 5000 was meaningful to contemporary Jews because it reminded them of how God had fed the Israelites in wilderness for 40 years with manna. This story is meaningful for Christians of all generations because it reminds them how the good Lord Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist to nourish their spiritual life. Now then, how do we make this feeding of 5000 meaningful to the people in the 21st century?
The feeding story in John came from an insider. It tells us that it was Philip who said that they needed 200 denarii to feed so many people (John 6:7). There were 5 loaves of bailey bread. They came from a child and this was found by Andrew (John 6:8-9). John treats all miracles as signs which demonstrate God's presence among us. They also show us God's love and glory. This feeding miracle is yet another sign to show God's providence for the needy.
Nowadays, our world still suffers from global hunger. But will this feeding story fill the stomach of the hungry? Worse still, how do we make sense out of natural disasters such as the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that killed more than 300,000 people? Christians have a hard time pondering over where God was. It is indeed difficult to be a modern Christian.
Dear Holy Spirit, You come upon the bread on the altar everyday to make them the body of Christ for us to consume. We are grateful to be nourished with this heavenly food. Enlighten us that we may know how to make the Christian story meaningful to our neighours. Help us live out this Christian story in our life. Amen.
Friday, 4 April 2008
Did Jesus baptize?
If we read only the Synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke), we don't know whether Jesus ever baptized people like John the Baptist did. The 3 gospels do not contain any record of Jesus baptizing anyone. However, we cannot argue from this absence of record that Jesus had never baptized anyone. The absence of record does not imply absence of activity.
Entering the 21st century, scholars and biblical popularizers (such as a number of BBC documentaries) suggest that in the 1st century, Christianity had to compete for believers with many other religious movements such as the Baptist, the Qumran community etc. Acts of the Apostles talks about Simon the Magician as well as many disciples of John the Baptist as far as Corinth (Acts 18:25) and Ephesus (Acts 19:3)
The relationship between Christians and the disciples of John the Baptist would be an embarrassing one. No gospel denies the fact that Jesus was baptized by the Baptist. Therefore, in a sense, Jesus was one of the disciples of the Baptist. Put it in another way, the disciples of Baptist could demand respect from Christians because it looked as if Christianity was only a branch of the Baptist Movement. If we read the gospels' report of Jesus' baptism, we find that Mark, whose audience were Christians living in Rome, was direct and states that the Baptist acknowledged Jesus' superior status over him. Matthew, on the other hand, takes great pain to show that the Baptist himself wanted to be baptized by Jesus. Luke was ambiguous whether Jesus was baptised by the Baptist. During the time the Synoptic evangelists wrote their gospels, Christians were trying not to be identified with the Baptist Movement on one hand and absorbing their followers on the other.
When John wrote his gospel, the Baptist Movement seemed to have been a lost cause. John did not shy away from telling us that the first disciple of Jesus was Andrew. He was actually a disciple of the Baptist (John 1:35-40). In today's reading, we read of Jesus baptizing people in the land of Judea in the south while the Baptist at Aenon near Salim near Samaria in the north (John 3:22-23, 26). So, early in his ministry, Jesus was doing things similar to those of the Baptist. By the time John wrote his gospel, Christianity must have been quite well established while the Baptist Movement had withered. Of course, this is a bold assertion and needs scholarly affirmation. The last statement made by the Baptist in John is
He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).
Then John reflects on the situation and makes the following conclusion:
He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all (John 3:31). The Baptist belongs to the earth and speaks of things of the earth. Jesus is above all. This is the last nail driven into the coffin of the Baptist. It spells the end of the Baptist Movement. Jesus is above all because
the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him (John 3:35-36).
My sweet Jesus, Glory and honour be Yours forever. You are the Son of God. Yet You are humble enough to take up our lowly humanity to die for us. In Your resurrection we trust. May our hope in You sustain us till we meet again in Paradise. Amen.
Entering the 21st century, scholars and biblical popularizers (such as a number of BBC documentaries) suggest that in the 1st century, Christianity had to compete for believers with many other religious movements such as the Baptist, the Qumran community etc. Acts of the Apostles talks about Simon the Magician as well as many disciples of John the Baptist as far as Corinth (Acts 18:25) and Ephesus (Acts 19:3)
The relationship between Christians and the disciples of John the Baptist would be an embarrassing one. No gospel denies the fact that Jesus was baptized by the Baptist. Therefore, in a sense, Jesus was one of the disciples of the Baptist. Put it in another way, the disciples of Baptist could demand respect from Christians because it looked as if Christianity was only a branch of the Baptist Movement. If we read the gospels' report of Jesus' baptism, we find that Mark, whose audience were Christians living in Rome, was direct and states that the Baptist acknowledged Jesus' superior status over him. Matthew, on the other hand, takes great pain to show that the Baptist himself wanted to be baptized by Jesus. Luke was ambiguous whether Jesus was baptised by the Baptist. During the time the Synoptic evangelists wrote their gospels, Christians were trying not to be identified with the Baptist Movement on one hand and absorbing their followers on the other.
When John wrote his gospel, the Baptist Movement seemed to have been a lost cause. John did not shy away from telling us that the first disciple of Jesus was Andrew. He was actually a disciple of the Baptist (John 1:35-40). In today's reading, we read of Jesus baptizing people in the land of Judea in the south while the Baptist at Aenon near Salim near Samaria in the north (John 3:22-23, 26). So, early in his ministry, Jesus was doing things similar to those of the Baptist. By the time John wrote his gospel, Christianity must have been quite well established while the Baptist Movement had withered. Of course, this is a bold assertion and needs scholarly affirmation. The last statement made by the Baptist in John is
He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).
Then John reflects on the situation and makes the following conclusion:
He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all (John 3:31). The Baptist belongs to the earth and speaks of things of the earth. Jesus is above all. This is the last nail driven into the coffin of the Baptist. It spells the end of the Baptist Movement. Jesus is above all because
the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him (John 3:35-36).
My sweet Jesus, Glory and honour be Yours forever. You are the Son of God. Yet You are humble enough to take up our lowly humanity to die for us. In Your resurrection we trust. May our hope in You sustain us till we meet again in Paradise. Amen.
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Living out Christian faith nowadays
Tonight, I began attending a course on Ruth & Esther. It is very enjoyable, studying bible courses without examination pressure. I was brought up a science student in secondary education. In HKU, I switched to social sciences. It was an eye-opening experience. After spending 3 years, I find it a beginning of a life long search for meanings and values in life. These things are intangible and not the subject matters for scientific studies which I still enjoy reading. I have imperceptibly migrated to languages and literature.
The Bible is a fascinating library of literature. There are, according to the Catholic tradition, 73 books which are records of encounter experiences of people with God. These records span across at least 700 years from 600 BC to 100 AD which is more than 1900 years from us. The milieu of these records was different from ours as well as theirs. The situation of the apostles was different from that of the prophets. Yet they serve as valuable signposts to encounters with God and we can learn many lessons from them. Of course, there are many Christians who treat them as absolute truth revealed by God and they are free to do so. However, we are living in a pluralistic and global community and there are many other voices worth attending to.
In the reading today Acts 5:17-26, we read of the imprisonment of the apostles by Jewish authority in Jerusalem. An angel of the Lord released them (Acts 5:19), leaving the prison securely locked and sentries standing at the doors (Acts 15:23). The angel instructed them
Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words πάντα τὰ ῥήματα of this Life τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης (Acts 5:20).
Nowadays, Christians still face hostilities and even persecutions from the government. But we don't expect God to send angels to save them miraculously. Instead we will appeal to the mass media to demand justice and the protection of human rights from the government. Today, we Christians still have the same message of Life with God to offer all mankind. But this message has to be packaged in such a way that it is meaningful to modern man. This is the challenge for all Christians nowadays. What is this message of Life with God?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). This comment from John is an absolute truth subscribed to by Christians. God loves the world. God shows His love by giving us His only Son Jesus to embrace or reject. This is the absolute truth part. But eternal life is conditional. It is a truth on condition that we believe in him, embrace him. Otherwise, eternal life is meaningless for those who reject him. Here comes the challenge for Christians. How do we help others to believe in Jesus?
Here, John was rather pessimistic.
And this is the judgment ἡ κρίσις, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). What is our situation today? Should we pass judgment on people's deeds? I will not. I feel that people nowadays are more indifferent than evil. How do we help indifferent people? I know not.
Dear Holy Spirit, Come and kindle our hearts as well as those of our neighbours. Turn our hearts of indifference to passion. Teach us to embrace life, to meet our challenges and glorify our Father in heaven. I pray for the health of our Cardinal who recently has a heart pacer installed. I pray for the recent violence orchestrated by Tibetan freddom fighters. May people come to their senses and choose non-violent resistance instead. Amen.
Comment from NotAllGoodPeopleGoToHeaven:
```````
The (pagan) belief in immediate transit of individual souls after death to a state of perfect blessedness (heaven), or to a state of continuous punishment (hell), or to an intermediate state of purification (purgatory) has greatly weakened the expectation of Christ's Coming."
-Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.
Retired Professor of Theology,
Andrews University
``````
The Bible is a fascinating library of literature. There are, according to the Catholic tradition, 73 books which are records of encounter experiences of people with God. These records span across at least 700 years from 600 BC to 100 AD which is more than 1900 years from us. The milieu of these records was different from ours as well as theirs. The situation of the apostles was different from that of the prophets. Yet they serve as valuable signposts to encounters with God and we can learn many lessons from them. Of course, there are many Christians who treat them as absolute truth revealed by God and they are free to do so. However, we are living in a pluralistic and global community and there are many other voices worth attending to.
In the reading today Acts 5:17-26, we read of the imprisonment of the apostles by Jewish authority in Jerusalem. An angel of the Lord released them (Acts 5:19), leaving the prison securely locked and sentries standing at the doors (Acts 15:23). The angel instructed them
Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words πάντα τὰ ῥήματα of this Life τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης (Acts 5:20).
Nowadays, Christians still face hostilities and even persecutions from the government. But we don't expect God to send angels to save them miraculously. Instead we will appeal to the mass media to demand justice and the protection of human rights from the government. Today, we Christians still have the same message of Life with God to offer all mankind. But this message has to be packaged in such a way that it is meaningful to modern man. This is the challenge for all Christians nowadays. What is this message of Life with God?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). This comment from John is an absolute truth subscribed to by Christians. God loves the world. God shows His love by giving us His only Son Jesus to embrace or reject. This is the absolute truth part. But eternal life is conditional. It is a truth on condition that we believe in him, embrace him. Otherwise, eternal life is meaningless for those who reject him. Here comes the challenge for Christians. How do we help others to believe in Jesus?
Here, John was rather pessimistic.
And this is the judgment ἡ κρίσις, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). What is our situation today? Should we pass judgment on people's deeds? I will not. I feel that people nowadays are more indifferent than evil. How do we help indifferent people? I know not.
Dear Holy Spirit, Come and kindle our hearts as well as those of our neighbours. Turn our hearts of indifference to passion. Teach us to embrace life, to meet our challenges and glorify our Father in heaven. I pray for the health of our Cardinal who recently has a heart pacer installed. I pray for the recent violence orchestrated by Tibetan freddom fighters. May people come to their senses and choose non-violent resistance instead. Amen.
Comment from NotAllGoodPeopleGoToHeaven:
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The (pagan) belief in immediate transit of individual souls after death to a state of perfect blessedness (heaven), or to a state of continuous punishment (hell), or to an intermediate state of purification (purgatory) has greatly weakened the expectation of Christ's Coming."
-Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.
Retired Professor of Theology,
Andrews University
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April 5, 2008
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Feast of St. Patrick
In recent years, the Parish Council organizes feast day celebrations for the priests, deacon and pastoral sister serving in the parish. It is meant to be a family gathering where we show our gratitude for the services they render. Usually, these feast days seldom fall on Sundays. Therefore, only a smaller crowd of dedicated parishers would turn up. Nevertheless, it is also a good occasion for building up relations. Somehow, life in the parish still centres around the religious.
Fr. Patrick Sun is one of the assistant parish priests. This year, the Feast of St. Patrick, March 17, fell within the Holy Week. Therefore, he chose to delay the celebration until today. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is renowned for his visions. His colour is green. Nowadays, with heightened environmental awareness, people associate St. Patrick with environmental protection.
Tonight, showing their fraternity, all the priests and deacon of the parish celebrated mass together. Then, there was a tiny cake-cutting reception. During homily, Fr. Sun shared his thoughts in his childlike trademark. Of the priests I know, some are great administrators, but their spirituality is wanting. Others are wonderful spiritual directors. Fr. Sun belongs to the latter category. We will have to wait until he has the opportunity to demonstrate his administrative skills. He humbly told us that he wishes to be a cell of Jesus, to be able to laugh and feel sorrow with Jesus. With the help of Our Lady, he is sure he can make it. Then he shared with us what he learnt from St. Patrick. Grace and faith are gifts from God, not from our efforts or merits. This is an insight we often overlook. He also believes that with our sinful inclination, we should work towards actions which incur our aversion. Work which we feel too lowly, too uneasy, too embarrassing, too repulsive and unattractive should be our target, our devotion. Of course, this is the occasion in which we will be able to reap the greatest grace from God. I can sense a deep and childlike spirituality resulted from many years of discipline. I thank God for sending this wonderful man among us to take care of our souls.
The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit (John 3:8).
The Holy Spirit is a mystery to us. Though God the Father is invisible, we can see His Creation. The Son of God is tangible. We can see and touch him. The Holy Spirit? Well, what can we say? Perhaps we can discover It in the lives of Its believers, us Christians. We need to know It better.
Dear Holy Spirit, You are not pure energy but a person. You spoke to the apostles in Acts. Come and dwell in us and make us God's instrument of peace where peace is wanting. Amen.
Fr. Patrick Sun is one of the assistant parish priests. This year, the Feast of St. Patrick, March 17, fell within the Holy Week. Therefore, he chose to delay the celebration until today. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is renowned for his visions. His colour is green. Nowadays, with heightened environmental awareness, people associate St. Patrick with environmental protection.
Tonight, showing their fraternity, all the priests and deacon of the parish celebrated mass together. Then, there was a tiny cake-cutting reception. During homily, Fr. Sun shared his thoughts in his childlike trademark. Of the priests I know, some are great administrators, but their spirituality is wanting. Others are wonderful spiritual directors. Fr. Sun belongs to the latter category. We will have to wait until he has the opportunity to demonstrate his administrative skills. He humbly told us that he wishes to be a cell of Jesus, to be able to laugh and feel sorrow with Jesus. With the help of Our Lady, he is sure he can make it. Then he shared with us what he learnt from St. Patrick. Grace and faith are gifts from God, not from our efforts or merits. This is an insight we often overlook. He also believes that with our sinful inclination, we should work towards actions which incur our aversion. Work which we feel too lowly, too uneasy, too embarrassing, too repulsive and unattractive should be our target, our devotion. Of course, this is the occasion in which we will be able to reap the greatest grace from God. I can sense a deep and childlike spirituality resulted from many years of discipline. I thank God for sending this wonderful man among us to take care of our souls.
The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit (John 3:8).
The Holy Spirit is a mystery to us. Though God the Father is invisible, we can see His Creation. The Son of God is tangible. We can see and touch him. The Holy Spirit? Well, what can we say? Perhaps we can discover It in the lives of Its believers, us Christians. We need to know It better.
Dear Holy Spirit, You are not pure energy but a person. You spoke to the apostles in Acts. Come and dwell in us and make us God's instrument of peace where peace is wanting. Amen.
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