Our God, the God of Christ or the Christian God is an elusive God. He respects human freedom and in order not to force us to believe in Him and to love Him, God is rather elusive. His presence is not very obvious. We need to apply our faith as well as our reasons to know God.
Theologians are experts who seek an understanding of faith in rational terms. They say that God is all-loving and almighty. Immediately, this claim encounters difficulties. Ancient Greek philosophers had reasoned that the two concepts, viz. all-loving and almighty, did not work well together. If God is all-loving, why does He allow sufferings on earth? If God is almighty, why does He not stop sufferings on earth? Either He is not almighty or He is almighty but not all-loving. The existence of sufferings on earth is an embarrassment to the God of the theologians.
For ordinary sufferings in our daily life, we can point our fingers to the evil hearts of our neighbours. They are ambitious and they are greedy. They are jealous and they are lazy ... Consequently, someone has to bear the outcomes and we Christians are generous people. Naturally, we suffer more than the others. God is acquitted of these kind of sufferings. But what about natural disasters, the typhoon that devastated Myanmar and the earthquake that rocked Sichuan? Hundreds of thousands of innocent lives are lost. Christians, where was your God when these disasters struck? Unfortunately, the Christian God is very elusive. His line is currently very busy. Leave a message of your curiosity. He will definitely find time to call you back. In the meantime, donate money to help the disaster victims.
It is difficult to defend God's position. We can only stand in awe before these elements of the nature. What is man, but an arrogant ape currently occupying the apex of the evolutionary ladder. They butcher each other in millions. Such atrocities dwarf the devastation of natural disasters. Yet, an all-loving and almighty God is not supposed to take any innocent life. Why didn't He create a better world without killer typhoons and earthquakes? I have no ready defence. It is a mystery which I am not capable of fathoming.
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures (James 1:18).
St. Paul also mentions 'first fruits' in 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23. He refers to Christ. His resurrection makes him the first fruits of the dead. He is our guarantee of eternal life. St. Paul also mentions us as the 'first fruits' in Romans 8:23 in relation to the whole creation. Both James and Paul saw us as the first fruits of the salvation of the whole creation.
In the beginning when God created the whole universe, He saw that it was good. Somewhere along the line, it became flawed. Man pollutes the environment. The environment fights back. But this is only a very recent episode in the long history of evolution. Long before man polluted the environment, man had suffered from the elements. Therefore, we should not put the blame on pollution. Rather, we are but tiny, insignificant but numerous creatures on this planet which has a life of its own. When it sneezes and cough, millions of men perish. It is just natural. But our existence on this planet must somehow be essential to the well-being of this planet. That is why both James and Paul called us the 'first fruits' of creation which awaits salvation, a return and reconciliation to the Creator.
My Advocate, I pray for the victims and their relatives in these disasters. May they and their countries recover soon. May we learn from these painful experiences our proper position in the creation. I firmly believe that when disasters strike, it is also a time of abundant grace.
Our Lady, see how your children suffer. Console them, comfort them. Amen.
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Monday, 12 May 2008
Who wants to lose?
For me as a believer in God, it is difficult to imagine life without God. How can people deal with tragic events in life without God? Widows stay alive, probably because of their children who give them hope for a brighter future. Therefore, the woman who jumped to her death, carrying her 14-month baby with her, might have suffered from post-natal depression to such an extent that she saw no hope for any future. She literally denied herself and the baby a future. Modern couples don't want babies. They are unwilling to take up the burden of educating these children. I wonder what hope they cherish for their married life in the future. Don't we say that children are the future of our society? Life without any hope of a future is really hard for most people to lead.
Nor is life a bed of roses for the rich and powerful. I have never paid attention to Taiwan politics. Yet, the news of the sudden death of the Interior Minister-designate, Liao Feng te, left us bewildered, pondering over the absurdity of life. Whatever hope you hold for your future or the future of the country, death always comes at the most inconvenient moment! Therefore, putting our hope on our children does not enable us to fare any better. We can only echo with the author of Ecclesiastes,
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
Christianity is an expert in the field of handling sufferings. Christ suffered to set the tone for all Christians to follow. They see sufferings as trials, as the testing of faith and most important of all, they bear these sufferings with joy! Christianity really drives one crazy!
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2-3).
Sufferings, trials and the testing of faith involve failures of some sort, loss of a kind. We suffer because our health fails, our relationship fails and our business fails. We suffer because we lose loved ones, we lose confidence from others and we lose our hope. Sufferings, failures and losses are inevitable. But who wants to lose? Who doesn't want to win? Then, it seems to me that to be an authentic Christian, you are willing to lose, to fail and to be defeated and humiliated. Don't worry. We have God to vindicate us and to lift us up.
James seemed not to be friendly with the rich and powerful. He said,
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits (James 1:11).
I think here, the rich does not simply refer to those financially abundant. It may refer to those who have been successful and powerful so far. Sometimes, these successful people need to lose and to be defeated so as to recoup their resources and faith. There is wisdom in James' advice.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him (James 1:5).
Of course, for those who don't believe in the existence of God, or who feel that God probably exists but is irrelevant in their life, I have no idea how to persuade them to accept losses and defeats. Without God, only fools would lose. Without God, only the stupid and the weak would be defeated. Life follows the rules of the jungle. If you are being eliminated or fall prey to stronger rivals, think of yourself contributing to the continued survival of the mighty. You will feel better.
My Advocate, allow me to see hope in the future. In times of trials and tribulations, allow me to go through and grow up. I pray for my students so that their hopes keep burning in their hearts. Allow them to see what I see. Amen.
Nor is life a bed of roses for the rich and powerful. I have never paid attention to Taiwan politics. Yet, the news of the sudden death of the Interior Minister-designate, Liao Feng te, left us bewildered, pondering over the absurdity of life. Whatever hope you hold for your future or the future of the country, death always comes at the most inconvenient moment! Therefore, putting our hope on our children does not enable us to fare any better. We can only echo with the author of Ecclesiastes,
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
Christianity is an expert in the field of handling sufferings. Christ suffered to set the tone for all Christians to follow. They see sufferings as trials, as the testing of faith and most important of all, they bear these sufferings with joy! Christianity really drives one crazy!
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2-3).
Sufferings, trials and the testing of faith involve failures of some sort, loss of a kind. We suffer because our health fails, our relationship fails and our business fails. We suffer because we lose loved ones, we lose confidence from others and we lose our hope. Sufferings, failures and losses are inevitable. But who wants to lose? Who doesn't want to win? Then, it seems to me that to be an authentic Christian, you are willing to lose, to fail and to be defeated and humiliated. Don't worry. We have God to vindicate us and to lift us up.
James seemed not to be friendly with the rich and powerful. He said,
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits (James 1:11).
I think here, the rich does not simply refer to those financially abundant. It may refer to those who have been successful and powerful so far. Sometimes, these successful people need to lose and to be defeated so as to recoup their resources and faith. There is wisdom in James' advice.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him (James 1:5).
Of course, for those who don't believe in the existence of God, or who feel that God probably exists but is irrelevant in their life, I have no idea how to persuade them to accept losses and defeats. Without God, only fools would lose. Without God, only the stupid and the weak would be defeated. Life follows the rules of the jungle. If you are being eliminated or fall prey to stronger rivals, think of yourself contributing to the continued survival of the mighty. You will feel better.
My Advocate, allow me to see hope in the future. In times of trials and tribulations, allow me to go through and grow up. I pray for my students so that their hopes keep burning in their hearts. Allow them to see what I see. Amen.
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Mother's Day & the Pentecost
This year, it was an astronomical event that brought the Mother's Day and the Pentecost together. In 2008, the Spring Equinox (or Vernal Equinox) falls on the 20th of March, a Thursday. Two days later, it is full moon. Therefore, the Easter of the Western churches falls on the 23rd of March, 2008.
Deacon Tsang talked about the reality of the Holy Spirit and touched on the Mother's Day as well. He mentioned something that aroused my curiosity. He said that the celebration of the Mother's Day was in fact an emphasis on the contribution of women to the society. For him, it was part of the Women's Right Movement. Then he quoted several significant events in the Church to show that the Catholic Church is not as conservative as most people think. She also has her part to contribute to the recognition of women's right.
The Independence of USA from British colonial rule in 1776 produced the Declaration of Independence, a document that enshrines basic human rights, especially the right to rebel against tyranny. In 1789, the French Revolution produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. However, women and negroes were still denied the right to vote. Then began the Women's Rights Movement. In 1890, the National American Woman Suffrage Association was formally set up to fight for the voting right of women. In 1903, the National Women's Trade Union League was established to advocate for improved wages and working conditions for women. In 1914, USA declared the first national Mother's Day. Then other issues were raised such as birth control (1921). In broad strokes, I try to paint the background against which Deacon Tsang claimed the Church's contribution to Women's Right Movement.
Deacon Tsang quoted the following. In December 1854, the Catholic Church declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1858, Our Lady appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes. In 1917, she appeared again to 3 peasant children in Fatima. In November 1950, the Church declared the dogma of the Assumption of Our Lady. All these cases involve Our Lady whom the Catholic Church has a long history of devotion. Granted that the Catholic Church recognizes women's contribution to family life, she systematically bars women from holding offices in the hierarchy. I cannot find even the weakest link between the declared dogmas, the apparitions of Our Lady and women's rights. Sorry, Deacon Tsang.
In the gospel reading today, Jesus appeared to his disciples. He greeted them with peace.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:22-23)
When Simon confessed the Messiahship of Jesus, Jesus renamed him Peter, the Rock on which he would build his church. Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heavens and the authority to forgive or retain people's sins.
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19).
Therefore, after his resurrection, Jesus extended this authority of forgiveness to all disciples, not exclusively to Peter. The Holy Spirit is the key. It empowers the forgivers as well as the forgiven. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak in different tongues to proclaim the good news of reconciliation with God to all men. In fact, the same Spirit empowers everyone with different gifts to serve the same Lord (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). Again, forgiveness is the key to unlock this empowerment. We cannot fully realize our potentials because of our human weaknesses. It is through forgiving each other, through reconciliation with God that these precious gifts of the Holy Spirit can be fully put into service. May we then reconcile with God and our fellow men.
My Advocate, may You be our sweet guest and reside in our hearts to warm them up. May You lift up our downtrodden heads to hope for our eternal life which You have prepared for us. Strengthen our feeble arms and legs to fight for the rights of the underprivileged. Amen.
Our Mother in Heaven, you are always around when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers. Pray for us, your miserable children. In your loving motherly care, we entrust our life. Amen.
Deacon Tsang talked about the reality of the Holy Spirit and touched on the Mother's Day as well. He mentioned something that aroused my curiosity. He said that the celebration of the Mother's Day was in fact an emphasis on the contribution of women to the society. For him, it was part of the Women's Right Movement. Then he quoted several significant events in the Church to show that the Catholic Church is not as conservative as most people think. She also has her part to contribute to the recognition of women's right.
The Independence of USA from British colonial rule in 1776 produced the Declaration of Independence, a document that enshrines basic human rights, especially the right to rebel against tyranny. In 1789, the French Revolution produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. However, women and negroes were still denied the right to vote. Then began the Women's Rights Movement. In 1890, the National American Woman Suffrage Association was formally set up to fight for the voting right of women. In 1903, the National Women's Trade Union League was established to advocate for improved wages and working conditions for women. In 1914, USA declared the first national Mother's Day. Then other issues were raised such as birth control (1921). In broad strokes, I try to paint the background against which Deacon Tsang claimed the Church's contribution to Women's Right Movement.
Deacon Tsang quoted the following. In December 1854, the Catholic Church declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1858, Our Lady appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes. In 1917, she appeared again to 3 peasant children in Fatima. In November 1950, the Church declared the dogma of the Assumption of Our Lady. All these cases involve Our Lady whom the Catholic Church has a long history of devotion. Granted that the Catholic Church recognizes women's contribution to family life, she systematically bars women from holding offices in the hierarchy. I cannot find even the weakest link between the declared dogmas, the apparitions of Our Lady and women's rights. Sorry, Deacon Tsang.
In the gospel reading today, Jesus appeared to his disciples. He greeted them with peace.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:22-23)
When Simon confessed the Messiahship of Jesus, Jesus renamed him Peter, the Rock on which he would build his church. Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heavens and the authority to forgive or retain people's sins.
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19).
Therefore, after his resurrection, Jesus extended this authority of forgiveness to all disciples, not exclusively to Peter. The Holy Spirit is the key. It empowers the forgivers as well as the forgiven. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak in different tongues to proclaim the good news of reconciliation with God to all men. In fact, the same Spirit empowers everyone with different gifts to serve the same Lord (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). Again, forgiveness is the key to unlock this empowerment. We cannot fully realize our potentials because of our human weaknesses. It is through forgiving each other, through reconciliation with God that these precious gifts of the Holy Spirit can be fully put into service. May we then reconcile with God and our fellow men.
My Advocate, may You be our sweet guest and reside in our hearts to warm them up. May You lift up our downtrodden heads to hope for our eternal life which You have prepared for us. Strengthen our feeble arms and legs to fight for the rights of the underprivileged. Amen.
Our Mother in Heaven, you are always around when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers. Pray for us, your miserable children. In your loving motherly care, we entrust our life. Amen.
Our Lady, Queen of China
In La Salle College, there are 5 Legion of Mary praesidia. Three of them are English and two Chinese. Each praesidium is named after one title of Our Lady. For example, the two Chinese praesidia are called, the House of Gold and Queen of China respectively. I feel blessed and privileged to have served the former for about seventeen years alongside the other LaSallian Brothers. Then, I was transferred to an English praesidium, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for two years before I threw all responsibilities of extra-curricular activities back to the school administration in protest for an injustice done to an alumnus teacher. One year later, I followed his footstep and left La Salle.
I feel blessed serving as the Spiritual Director of the praesidia because I have been nourished with Marian spirituality for so many years. I feel privileged to accompany the spiritual growth of these young, enthusiastic and heroic souls of La Salle boys. That is also the same reason I have been so infuriated for the imprisonment of Our Lady in Shung Tak. Of course, this is just a feeling and experience unique to myself. Others may not share the same degree of frustration. Therefore, I have kept it to myself for already four years.
In 1924, the First Synod of Chinese Bishops was held in Shanghai. The theme was to develop an authentic Chinese Catholic Church in China. All bishops present decided to dedicate China to the motherly care of Our Lady. In 1941, the Curia declared a Feast of Our Lady, Queen of China. Since 1973, the feast day has been fixed on the 2nd Saturday in May. Anyone truly faithful to Christ should also pay due respect to the Mother of Christ. There have been debates on whether the motherhood of Mary should be restricted to the humanity of Jesus only. But it would lead to a heresy because the divinity and humanity of Jesus are inseparable. Jesus, the incarnated Word of God is truly God and man. Therefore, Mary is also the Mother of God and not just the mother of man Jesus. Christianity can really drive one crazy!
Our Lady is not just the mother of Jesus. On the cross, he requested Mary to take care of all Christians in the future generations.
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" (John 19:26)
No doubt, Mary would consent. She fulfilled her motherly duties humbly and quietly, keeping everything in her heart, as she always had been.
All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers (Acts 1:14).
When the Holy Spirit first broke into the world, it was upon Mary that It descended (Luke 1:35). She then gave birth to Jesus. When the Holy Spirit came again at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, it was during his baptism, confirming that Jesus is the Son of God (Luke 3:22).
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place (Acts 2:1).
Then the Holy Spirit descended, in the presence of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Once again, she gave birth to her children in Spirit, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. If Christians believe that they form the Mystical Body of Christ who is her head, it follows naturally that Mary, the mother of Christ should also be the mother of this Mystical Body as well. That is what the Catholic Church means when she declares Mary to be the Mother of Church. The Church dedicates the month of May to Our Lady. It is probably no coincidence that the Mother's Day is celebrated in May.
My sweet Jesus, I thank You for Your generosity to bestow Your Mother to be our mother as well. She delivered You to this world. She is truly the first Christian. She has led an exemplary life for us to imitate. May her constant intercessions for us be answered. May she nurture us like You so that we may be authentic children of God. Amen.
Queen of China, pray for us. Amen.
I feel blessed serving as the Spiritual Director of the praesidia because I have been nourished with Marian spirituality for so many years. I feel privileged to accompany the spiritual growth of these young, enthusiastic and heroic souls of La Salle boys. That is also the same reason I have been so infuriated for the imprisonment of Our Lady in Shung Tak. Of course, this is just a feeling and experience unique to myself. Others may not share the same degree of frustration. Therefore, I have kept it to myself for already four years.
In 1924, the First Synod of Chinese Bishops was held in Shanghai. The theme was to develop an authentic Chinese Catholic Church in China. All bishops present decided to dedicate China to the motherly care of Our Lady. In 1941, the Curia declared a Feast of Our Lady, Queen of China. Since 1973, the feast day has been fixed on the 2nd Saturday in May. Anyone truly faithful to Christ should also pay due respect to the Mother of Christ. There have been debates on whether the motherhood of Mary should be restricted to the humanity of Jesus only. But it would lead to a heresy because the divinity and humanity of Jesus are inseparable. Jesus, the incarnated Word of God is truly God and man. Therefore, Mary is also the Mother of God and not just the mother of man Jesus. Christianity can really drive one crazy!
Our Lady is not just the mother of Jesus. On the cross, he requested Mary to take care of all Christians in the future generations.
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" (John 19:26)
No doubt, Mary would consent. She fulfilled her motherly duties humbly and quietly, keeping everything in her heart, as she always had been.
All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers (Acts 1:14).
When the Holy Spirit first broke into the world, it was upon Mary that It descended (Luke 1:35). She then gave birth to Jesus. When the Holy Spirit came again at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, it was during his baptism, confirming that Jesus is the Son of God (Luke 3:22).
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place (Acts 2:1).
Then the Holy Spirit descended, in the presence of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Once again, she gave birth to her children in Spirit, the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. If Christians believe that they form the Mystical Body of Christ who is her head, it follows naturally that Mary, the mother of Christ should also be the mother of this Mystical Body as well. That is what the Catholic Church means when she declares Mary to be the Mother of Church. The Church dedicates the month of May to Our Lady. It is probably no coincidence that the Mother's Day is celebrated in May.
My sweet Jesus, I thank You for Your generosity to bestow Your Mother to be our mother as well. She delivered You to this world. She is truly the first Christian. She has led an exemplary life for us to imitate. May her constant intercessions for us be answered. May she nurture us like You so that we may be authentic children of God. Amen.
Queen of China, pray for us. Amen.
Saturday, 10 May 2008
Simon, do you love me?
I declined to take up the post of RS Panel Chair after Mr. Anthony Wong. I could see that besides the Principal, there were a number of people eager to see me taking up the post. They are loyal to the school and they wanted to retain me in Shung Tak to improve on her ethos. Probably, they also thought that I could join and strengthen their camp to make sure that the post of vice-principal would not fall into the hand of their rivals whose hearts they thought were not for Shung Tak.
I was in no position to pass judgment on their good will. But I was really not inclined. The traumatic experience in La Salle has sunk deep and I was still licking my wounds. To ward off their pressure, I posed a challenge. Find me, within a certain deadline, a verse in the gospel of John to tell me to take up the post . If they were able to meet this challenge, I would accept the post. In order to be fair, I submitted my answer to Sr. Michelle, the Supervisor, so that I would not retract my promise. Suddenly, I had sent them into a frenzy of reading the gospel of John. Praise be the Lord! In the end, the Principal submitted a photocopy of John 10. He did not highlight any verse. The others had come up with several verses. None of them hit. I have to thank them for their efforts. I am sure the sweet Lord would reward them with abundant grace. As for me, I continued to render my full support to Mr. John Wong. Since then, I have been doing the duties in fact but not in name.
The answer is in the reading today. Peter had earlier denied Jesus three times. So, after his resurrection, Jesus granted three chances for Peter to amend his betrayal. Jesus asked Peter three times the following questions.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?Each time, Simon answered
Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.
Peter was well aware of his weaknesses. His master knew them through and through, even better than he himself. Jesus accepted his weaknesses and forgave Peter three times and commissioned him to take care of his flock, his Church.
Forgiving a person gives him a new lease of life. He will be able to stand up from his previous fall to scale new heights. Had forgiveness been denied, we would not have a St. Peter. His denials reminded him of weaknesses he had not been aware of before. Now that he had known his weaknesses and had been forgiven, he should remain humble.
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go (John 21:18).
My sweet Jesus, I am old enough now. I humbly submit myself to You. Carry me wherever You wish, even where I do not wish to go. Amen.
I was in no position to pass judgment on their good will. But I was really not inclined. The traumatic experience in La Salle has sunk deep and I was still licking my wounds. To ward off their pressure, I posed a challenge. Find me, within a certain deadline, a verse in the gospel of John to tell me to take up the post . If they were able to meet this challenge, I would accept the post. In order to be fair, I submitted my answer to Sr. Michelle, the Supervisor, so that I would not retract my promise. Suddenly, I had sent them into a frenzy of reading the gospel of John. Praise be the Lord! In the end, the Principal submitted a photocopy of John 10. He did not highlight any verse. The others had come up with several verses. None of them hit. I have to thank them for their efforts. I am sure the sweet Lord would reward them with abundant grace. As for me, I continued to render my full support to Mr. John Wong. Since then, I have been doing the duties in fact but not in name.
The answer is in the reading today. Peter had earlier denied Jesus three times. So, after his resurrection, Jesus granted three chances for Peter to amend his betrayal. Jesus asked Peter three times the following questions.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?Each time, Simon answered
Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.
Peter was well aware of his weaknesses. His master knew them through and through, even better than he himself. Jesus accepted his weaknesses and forgave Peter three times and commissioned him to take care of his flock, his Church.
Forgiving a person gives him a new lease of life. He will be able to stand up from his previous fall to scale new heights. Had forgiveness been denied, we would not have a St. Peter. His denials reminded him of weaknesses he had not been aware of before. Now that he had known his weaknesses and had been forgiven, he should remain humble.
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go (John 21:18).
My sweet Jesus, I am old enough now. I humbly submit myself to You. Carry me wherever You wish, even where I do not wish to go. Amen.
Friday, 9 May 2008
The Spiritual Journey of Confucius
Christianity is a comprehensive religion. It encompasses the totality of human existence and beyond. I teach my S5 RS students a pyramidal model to analyse personal and social problems. It is based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. All the problem areas defined in the HKCEE RS syllabus can be analysed with the following model: physiological layer, psychological layer, interpersonal, economical, societal, political, cultural and a spiritual to top them all. The layers are not isolated compartments. The cultural layer is on the top. Yet, it also touches the psychological and even the physiological. Unfortunately, I cannot supply a picture here. A picture speaks more than a thousand words. So, apply your imagination to draw one yourself or ask anyone of my S5 RS students if you happen to know any of them.
Christianity has her personal as well as social faces. Some Christians emphasize their personal relationship with God. Others emphasize social justice and see serving the needy as an inroad to encounter God. Being a Chinese Christian, I see the teachings of Confucius as a treasury of gems glowing with Christian lights. Of course, Confucism is not Christ-centred. How could it be? But I am confident that it is a piece of fertile soil for the enrichment of Christianity. Take the passage from 【大學】 for an illustration. It charts eight stages of personal growth. They are:
格物、致知、誠意、正心、修身、齊家、治國、平天下。
It begins with empirical experience, intellect, mind, heart, personality, family, country and the whole world. Our personal growth does not stop short at the family level but the global level. Remember, it was a time of collectivity. The concept of an individual was unknown. Some would argue that 平天下is the political ideal of Confucius. Yet, it begins with our personal experience and fixes our eyes towards the whole world. What a balanced and grand plan!
Christian spirituality stresses much on the personal union with God in contemplation. The whole object is to melt ourselves in God. No. our Lord Jesus Christ has a much grander vision. He is the Lord of the universe. God's object of redemption is not confined to man, but the whole Creation. Therefore, we should not stop short at our personal union with God, but the universal union of the whole Creation with God. St. Paul said it well in the letter to the Romans.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God;
for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:19-23).
John 17 does not mention the Holy Spirit. In the reading today, John 17:20-26, Jesus stresses a lot not so much about a personal union with the Father, but the collective union of the Christian community with the Father. Jesus prayed
that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me (John 17:21-23).
Indeed, this social, even universal aspect of spirituality needs to be stressed more if we are genuine Christians. Confucius has offered a practicable signposts to follow the Way. I really feel blessed to be a Chinese Christian.
My Advocate, may we be diligent in following the Way. May our hearts desire more than an intimate personal union with the Blessed Trinity. May we desire what Jesus desires, pray what Jesus prays for. May the whole Creation be restored and transcended. In this month of Our Lady, may the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, be our Mediatrix and our Perpetual Help. Amen.
Comment from THEGODOFJESUSCHRIST:
"Jesus declared...'salvation is from the Jews. ... the true worshipers will worship THE FATHER.' "
(John 4:23,24)(NIV)-BibleGateway
Christianity has her personal as well as social faces. Some Christians emphasize their personal relationship with God. Others emphasize social justice and see serving the needy as an inroad to encounter God. Being a Chinese Christian, I see the teachings of Confucius as a treasury of gems glowing with Christian lights. Of course, Confucism is not Christ-centred. How could it be? But I am confident that it is a piece of fertile soil for the enrichment of Christianity. Take the passage from 【大學】 for an illustration. It charts eight stages of personal growth. They are:
格物、致知、誠意、正心、修身、齊家、治國、平天下。
It begins with empirical experience, intellect, mind, heart, personality, family, country and the whole world. Our personal growth does not stop short at the family level but the global level. Remember, it was a time of collectivity. The concept of an individual was unknown. Some would argue that 平天下is the political ideal of Confucius. Yet, it begins with our personal experience and fixes our eyes towards the whole world. What a balanced and grand plan!
Christian spirituality stresses much on the personal union with God in contemplation. The whole object is to melt ourselves in God. No. our Lord Jesus Christ has a much grander vision. He is the Lord of the universe. God's object of redemption is not confined to man, but the whole Creation. Therefore, we should not stop short at our personal union with God, but the universal union of the whole Creation with God. St. Paul said it well in the letter to the Romans.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God;
for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:19-23).
John 17 does not mention the Holy Spirit. In the reading today, John 17:20-26, Jesus stresses a lot not so much about a personal union with the Father, but the collective union of the Christian community with the Father. Jesus prayed
that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me (John 17:21-23).
Indeed, this social, even universal aspect of spirituality needs to be stressed more if we are genuine Christians. Confucius has offered a practicable signposts to follow the Way. I really feel blessed to be a Chinese Christian.
My Advocate, may we be diligent in following the Way. May our hearts desire more than an intimate personal union with the Blessed Trinity. May we desire what Jesus desires, pray what Jesus prays for. May the whole Creation be restored and transcended. In this month of Our Lady, may the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, be our Mediatrix and our Perpetual Help. Amen.
Comment from THEGODOFJESUSCHRIST:
"Jesus declared...'salvation is from the Jews. ... the true worshipers will worship THE FATHER.' "
(John 4:23,24)(NIV)-BibleGateway
May 11, 2008.
Thursday, 8 May 2008
What is Eternal Life?
I have to catch up with the reading of the gospel of John. We should be reading John 17:11-19 today. In the course of reflecting on these verses, a story returned to my mind.
Four years ago, Mr. Anthony Wong, the then RS Panel Chair, was going to retire. The school needed to hire an RS teacher to take up the RS lessons left by him. I was invited to take part in the interviews. There were 3 of us, Mr. Anthony Wong, the Principal and me. It is interesting to note that those interviews were just 'first interviews'. Yet, the Principal took great interest and indeed he was the chief interviewer. Mr. Wong and I sat on both sides. In those years, the economy of Hong Kong was yet to recover. There were literally hundreds of application letters for other subjects. But it was not the case for RS plus English. We interviewed several applicants. Each time, the Principal always asked this question in Chinese. "Suppose a student asks you what eternal life is, how would you answer?" He would role-play the student and persisted for a while.
After several interviews, I was curious and wanted to know the 'model answer' of the Principal. Off hand, he only gave me some very vague answers. Not satisfied, I searched for the answer myself in the Bible and I came up with the answer in the gospel of John and shared it with Mr. Wong. Then came the next stage of the issue. Who would take up the Panel Chair? With the La Salle experience behind, I declined the invitation from the Principal.
One day, the Principal called a meeting of all Catholic teachers and he wanted to apply group pressure on me to take up the responsibility. It was a good opportunity for all Catholic teachers to share experience but I would not bend. Somehow, I brought up the question the Principal posed in the interviews. The other teachers put forth their ideas and when it was the Principal's turn, he gave an answer, summarizing others' but adding no more of his own. I then went up to the staff room to get a copy of the Bible and handed it to Mr. Wong. But he was not able to locate the verse I shared earlier with him. I then gave the following answer.
And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (John 17:3).
In the end, Mr. John Wong was generous enough to take care of the Panel and I gave him my total support.
To this day, I think I have done the right thing for Shung Tak. With the vice-principal at the helm, the religious atmosphere of the whole school has been greatly improved. Mr. John Wong is a wise and prudent man. Shung Tak owes him a lot, not just in religious matters. To name just one fact, fewer S5 students drop RS these days. Had I taken up the post, I would not have been able to restore such respectability to the subject. I am honoured to be his RS sidekick.
A search of RSV yields 44 verses of eternal life in the New Testament. 17 are found in the gospel of John, mostly about gaining eternal life. Only does the verse above define unambiguously what eternal life is: to know the only true God and to know Jesus Christ.
My sweet Jesus, I thank You for revealing to us what eternal life is. You died for our sins and with Your resurrection, Your death effectively wipes out our sins. Your resurrection guarantees our eternal life. May we know You better and deeper. May we abide in You forever and ever. Amen.
Four years ago, Mr. Anthony Wong, the then RS Panel Chair, was going to retire. The school needed to hire an RS teacher to take up the RS lessons left by him. I was invited to take part in the interviews. There were 3 of us, Mr. Anthony Wong, the Principal and me. It is interesting to note that those interviews were just 'first interviews'. Yet, the Principal took great interest and indeed he was the chief interviewer. Mr. Wong and I sat on both sides. In those years, the economy of Hong Kong was yet to recover. There were literally hundreds of application letters for other subjects. But it was not the case for RS plus English. We interviewed several applicants. Each time, the Principal always asked this question in Chinese. "Suppose a student asks you what eternal life is, how would you answer?" He would role-play the student and persisted for a while.
After several interviews, I was curious and wanted to know the 'model answer' of the Principal. Off hand, he only gave me some very vague answers. Not satisfied, I searched for the answer myself in the Bible and I came up with the answer in the gospel of John and shared it with Mr. Wong. Then came the next stage of the issue. Who would take up the Panel Chair? With the La Salle experience behind, I declined the invitation from the Principal.
One day, the Principal called a meeting of all Catholic teachers and he wanted to apply group pressure on me to take up the responsibility. It was a good opportunity for all Catholic teachers to share experience but I would not bend. Somehow, I brought up the question the Principal posed in the interviews. The other teachers put forth their ideas and when it was the Principal's turn, he gave an answer, summarizing others' but adding no more of his own. I then went up to the staff room to get a copy of the Bible and handed it to Mr. Wong. But he was not able to locate the verse I shared earlier with him. I then gave the following answer.
And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (John 17:3).
In the end, Mr. John Wong was generous enough to take care of the Panel and I gave him my total support.
To this day, I think I have done the right thing for Shung Tak. With the vice-principal at the helm, the religious atmosphere of the whole school has been greatly improved. Mr. John Wong is a wise and prudent man. Shung Tak owes him a lot, not just in religious matters. To name just one fact, fewer S5 students drop RS these days. Had I taken up the post, I would not have been able to restore such respectability to the subject. I am honoured to be his RS sidekick.
A search of RSV yields 44 verses of eternal life in the New Testament. 17 are found in the gospel of John, mostly about gaining eternal life. Only does the verse above define unambiguously what eternal life is: to know the only true God and to know Jesus Christ.
My sweet Jesus, I thank You for revealing to us what eternal life is. You died for our sins and with Your resurrection, Your death effectively wipes out our sins. Your resurrection guarantees our eternal life. May we know You better and deeper. May we abide in You forever and ever. Amen.
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