Tonight, Mum did not drink! To support her, we didn't drink too. At the same time, there was no more complaint stories. Throughout the day, we only talked about trivial things. She insisted that I should put on a pair of trousers to hide the scars on my feet. Probably due to a hangover, she didn't have any appetite for McDonald's breakfast. Her tooth is aching. Dad went to the doctor to pick up coughing syrup for her. The grocer cheated her of one dollar etc. Thank God for granting her peace.
We continue the reading of Ezekiel. In chapter 11, Ezekiel pronounced judgment on 25 princes in the Temple. One of them, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, died on the spot (Ezekiel 11:13).
Then, God promised to gather all the dispersed remnants of Israel and give them a new heart and a new spirit.
Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.'
And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations.
And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 11:17-20).
We will find the same prophecy repeat once more in Ezekiel 36:24-28.
In chapter 12, Ezekiel performed another symbolic action. He carried an exile baggage and went into exile by day in the full sight of the people. At night, he dug through a hole in the wall with his own hand and walked through it into the darkness in their sight.
Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.'
Say, 'I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.' (Ezekiel 12:10-11)
Though the book of Ezekiel puts this symbolic action as an oracle, a prediction, to me it reads more like a reenactment of historical events, perhaps an annual ritual to commemorate the national exile.
In chapter 13, Ezekiel prophesied against the false prophets.
Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins, O Israel (Ezekiel 13:3-4).
The existence of false scholars/prophets is a perennial problem for any nation. Therefore, there is no time limit for Ezekiel's warnings against false prophets. They are forever applicable. Other oracles about God's chastisement of Israel and Judah, about famines, wars and exiles sound more like history than predictions. These prophecies follow a formula: such and such shall fall on you/them and you/they shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 6-7, 11-13). God punished His Chosen People in order to remind them that He is the LORD. They should not worship other gods. Probably, Ezekiel needed to remind the Jewish exiles in Babylon not to follow local idolatry for convenience's sake. They should remember Yahweh instead.
In a foreign land, there might be false prophets meting out cheap consolations, or false teachers encouraging cultural integration into the Babylonian empire or witches promoting magic and superstitions. Probably, Ezekiel was combating against all of these or more. Well, thus far, I can only put forth some hypotheses. I am still piecing together a big jigsaw puzzle.
My dear Advocate, I pray for Mum. Have kindness on her soul and continue to grant her peace. Living up the Catholic faith in this pluralistic society demands true knowledge and diplomacy. Grant our government officials and leaders integrity and truthful hearts. Amen.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Piece together a jigsaw puzzle
Mum complains because she feels that nobody, not even my father, understands her sufferings. Her husband did not appreciate how much she had suffered after marrying him! Did he not?
Mum constructs her own reality. Her self-esteem is high. In her drunkenness (she had consumed one third of a bottle tonight), she keeps telling the same story of the wife of a good friend abandoning the husband and children and how she, despite poverty, had persevered to these days. She would not do such irresponsible things. Usually, my father keeps quiet without saying anything to contradict her. But tonight, he broke his silence and simply added one crucial detail which Mum has missed: the husband forced his own wife to prostitution in those harsh days!
Though Mum's story is incomplete, it makes sense and helps build up her self-esteem.
The book of Ezekiel is full of symbolic actions. Interpretation of these symbols is not a science, but an art. We may not have the whole story. Our job is to try our best to construct a sensible picture out of what is at hand. We have seen some UFO in chapter 1. We have seen Ezekiel eating a scroll in chapter 3. There are more to come.
In chapter 4, God instructed Ezekiel to lie on his left side for 390 days to symbolize the number of years the house of Israel would receive punishment. Well, this is not prophecy. Ezekiel was already in exile. Israel had been conquered more than 200 years ago.
For I assign to you a number of days, three hundred and ninety days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment; so long shall you bear the punishment of the house of Israel (Ezekiel 4:5).
And when Ezekiel had finished, he would turn and lie on his right side, this time for 40 days only. Now, this is good news for those Jewish exiles in Babylon.
And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah; forty days I assign you, a day for each year (Ezekiel 4:6).
Notice that in these symbolic actions, God counted one day for one year. For example, Moses sent men, one from each tribe, to spy on Canaan. They spied on the land for forty days.
According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. (Numbers 14:34)
Instead of occupying the land immediately, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
OK, even if we accept this numbering convention, we still have difficulty in harmonizing the prophets. Jeremiah prophesized 70 years of Babylonian Captivity (Jeremiah 25:11-12). Now, Ezekiel said 40 (Ezekiel 4:6). How shall we harmonize them? Furthermore, Israel never recovered from Assyrian Captivity. So, what did the 390 years Ezekiel refer to? These are good questions a Biblical Institute student should ask.
In Ezekiel chapter 5, God told Ezekiel to shave (the book did not say how much) off his hair and beard with a sharp sword. Weigh it with a balance. Ezekiel was to burn one third in the fire, to strike with sword another one third and to scatter to the wind the last one third (Ezekiel 5:2). This action symbolizes how the population in Jerusalem would suffer. Again, this was not prophecy, but what Ezekiel witnessed with his own eyes what had happened during the fall of Jerusalem. In the vocabulary of Ezekiel, God chastised them with pestilence, the sword and famine.
In Ezekiel chapter 8, God showed what evil people in Jerusalem had done in secret. In chapter 9, God sent a man to mark on the foreheads of those who were righteous in Jerusalem. Then after him, God sent 6 executioners to butcher those without the mark.
And the LORD said to him, "Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it."
And to the others he said in my hearing, "Pass through the city after him, and smite; your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity;
slay old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the house. (Ezekiel 9:4-6).
Later in chapter 10, Ezekiel saw the UFO again. This time, he was able to identify them as the Cherubim of God.
In conclusion, the books of prophets do not necessarily foretell the future. Sometimes, they needed to package history in apocalyptic terms to press on his message. As for a proper interpretation of Ezekiel, we need to construct a fuller picture. Now that we only have a few jigsaw pieces, we need to read more before we can draw any meaning conclusions.
My dear Advocate, I really admire those who are able to read people like a book. I find people fascinating. Every man is a mystery. They live in a virtual reality constructed by themselves. Help me understand them better so as to be able to reach them and channel Your peace to them. Amen.
Mum constructs her own reality. Her self-esteem is high. In her drunkenness (she had consumed one third of a bottle tonight), she keeps telling the same story of the wife of a good friend abandoning the husband and children and how she, despite poverty, had persevered to these days. She would not do such irresponsible things. Usually, my father keeps quiet without saying anything to contradict her. But tonight, he broke his silence and simply added one crucial detail which Mum has missed: the husband forced his own wife to prostitution in those harsh days!
Though Mum's story is incomplete, it makes sense and helps build up her self-esteem.
The book of Ezekiel is full of symbolic actions. Interpretation of these symbols is not a science, but an art. We may not have the whole story. Our job is to try our best to construct a sensible picture out of what is at hand. We have seen some UFO in chapter 1. We have seen Ezekiel eating a scroll in chapter 3. There are more to come.
In chapter 4, God instructed Ezekiel to lie on his left side for 390 days to symbolize the number of years the house of Israel would receive punishment. Well, this is not prophecy. Ezekiel was already in exile. Israel had been conquered more than 200 years ago.
For I assign to you a number of days, three hundred and ninety days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment; so long shall you bear the punishment of the house of Israel (Ezekiel 4:5).
And when Ezekiel had finished, he would turn and lie on his right side, this time for 40 days only. Now, this is good news for those Jewish exiles in Babylon.
And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah; forty days I assign you, a day for each year (Ezekiel 4:6).
Notice that in these symbolic actions, God counted one day for one year. For example, Moses sent men, one from each tribe, to spy on Canaan. They spied on the land for forty days.
According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. (Numbers 14:34)
Instead of occupying the land immediately, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
OK, even if we accept this numbering convention, we still have difficulty in harmonizing the prophets. Jeremiah prophesized 70 years of Babylonian Captivity (Jeremiah 25:11-12). Now, Ezekiel said 40 (Ezekiel 4:6). How shall we harmonize them? Furthermore, Israel never recovered from Assyrian Captivity. So, what did the 390 years Ezekiel refer to? These are good questions a Biblical Institute student should ask.
In Ezekiel chapter 5, God told Ezekiel to shave (the book did not say how much) off his hair and beard with a sharp sword. Weigh it with a balance. Ezekiel was to burn one third in the fire, to strike with sword another one third and to scatter to the wind the last one third (Ezekiel 5:2). This action symbolizes how the population in Jerusalem would suffer. Again, this was not prophecy, but what Ezekiel witnessed with his own eyes what had happened during the fall of Jerusalem. In the vocabulary of Ezekiel, God chastised them with pestilence, the sword and famine.
In Ezekiel chapter 8, God showed what evil people in Jerusalem had done in secret. In chapter 9, God sent a man to mark on the foreheads of those who were righteous in Jerusalem. Then after him, God sent 6 executioners to butcher those without the mark.
And the LORD said to him, "Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it."
And to the others he said in my hearing, "Pass through the city after him, and smite; your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity;
slay old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, but touch no one upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the house. (Ezekiel 9:4-6).
Later in chapter 10, Ezekiel saw the UFO again. This time, he was able to identify them as the Cherubim of God.
In conclusion, the books of prophets do not necessarily foretell the future. Sometimes, they needed to package history in apocalyptic terms to press on his message. As for a proper interpretation of Ezekiel, we need to construct a fuller picture. Now that we only have a few jigsaw pieces, we need to read more before we can draw any meaning conclusions.
My dear Advocate, I really admire those who are able to read people like a book. I find people fascinating. Every man is a mystery. They live in a virtual reality constructed by themselves. Help me understand them better so as to be able to reach them and channel Your peace to them. Amen.
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Am I my brother's keeper?
Probably Mum tries to retain her memories. She repeats the same stories without variation: how her husband's younger brother used abusive languages against her (Fxxx your mum etc.) in her husband's absence; how she retorted (Speak again and I'll stretch your dick and tie a knot with it!); how she warded off the groping hand; how the wife of a friend abandoned her two little children; how ... I listen patiently. Sometimes I teased her. Sometimes I tried to look at the incidents from another perspective etc. Of course, she will not change her mind, her self perception and pride.
Mum made progress. This evening, I said my evening prayers in her room at 5 p.m. She did not bother me and let me finish my prayers. At half past five, we chatted, mostly trivial things. At 5:50, she poured a glass of brandy and started eating her meal. My brother and myself have accepted the fact that it is impossible for her not to drink. We only hope that she drinks happily, without any wailing and complaining. When she wanted to drink another glass, I deliberately stood beside her, watching her pour the brandy. She was restrained. She poured only one-fifth of a glass. Indeed, she is capable of controlling her drinking. It is only a matter of will. Throughout dinner, there was no wailing, though a bit complaining. Thank You, Lord.
Today, we continue reading Ezekiel 2-3. There are no more otherworldly visions, but down-to-earth mission statements. Ezekiel was sent to a rebellious and stubborn people. He had to speak, whether or not they would listen to him. God made it clear that the mission of a prophet is to pass on God's message. A prophet should not worry about the end result. It is God's business, not mine.
The people also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them; and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'
And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that there has been a prophet among them (Ezekiel 2:4-5).
Therefore, don't make any excuse not to teach the Bible. Unfortunately, some Catholic schools give up the teaching of CEE Religious Studies. Instead, they only offer some watered-down version of Religious Education or even Moral Education lessons instead. I insist the teaching of CEE RS, whether the students or parents are interested or not. They should be given a chance to know about God. On Judgment Day, they have no excuse.
Then Ezekiel entertained us with the vision of eating a scroll.
and he spread it before me; and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe (Ezekiel 2:10).
What taste would you expect from this scroll of mourning and woe? Bitter? Sour?
Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey (Ezekiel 3:3b).
Strange huh? The Psalmist, Jeremiah and Ezekiel found that the word of God is sweet! For Ezekiel, even words of lamentation, mourning and woe are sweet! We really have a lot to learn from them. Probably, lamentation is a kind of sweetness we mistakenly run away from. We have to learn.
Ezekiel took it his responsibility to speak out. As a prophet, we should never be reticent. If we do not speak and people perish, it is our fault (Ezekiel 3:18, 33:8). If we speak and people do not listen, it is their fault (Ezekiel 3:19, 33:9). Though Cain denies it, he is, after all, Abel's keeper. Matthew extends this teaching further.
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother (Matthew 18:15b).
Of course, prophets should extent this and see all the people as their brothers. We should speak up if people are not doing what is right in God's eyes. If people listen to our warning and repent, we have gained our brothers. Otherwise, they would die in their iniquities. Are you happy to see them die? As sons, we cannot bear to see Mum perish.
My dear Advocate, Mum is making progress. She is still bitter and we know bitterness hurts. Have mercy on her and grant her peace. Amen.
Mum made progress. This evening, I said my evening prayers in her room at 5 p.m. She did not bother me and let me finish my prayers. At half past five, we chatted, mostly trivial things. At 5:50, she poured a glass of brandy and started eating her meal. My brother and myself have accepted the fact that it is impossible for her not to drink. We only hope that she drinks happily, without any wailing and complaining. When she wanted to drink another glass, I deliberately stood beside her, watching her pour the brandy. She was restrained. She poured only one-fifth of a glass. Indeed, she is capable of controlling her drinking. It is only a matter of will. Throughout dinner, there was no wailing, though a bit complaining. Thank You, Lord.
Today, we continue reading Ezekiel 2-3. There are no more otherworldly visions, but down-to-earth mission statements. Ezekiel was sent to a rebellious and stubborn people. He had to speak, whether or not they would listen to him. God made it clear that the mission of a prophet is to pass on God's message. A prophet should not worry about the end result. It is God's business, not mine.
The people also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them; and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'
And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that there has been a prophet among them (Ezekiel 2:4-5).
Therefore, don't make any excuse not to teach the Bible. Unfortunately, some Catholic schools give up the teaching of CEE Religious Studies. Instead, they only offer some watered-down version of Religious Education or even Moral Education lessons instead. I insist the teaching of CEE RS, whether the students or parents are interested or not. They should be given a chance to know about God. On Judgment Day, they have no excuse.
Then Ezekiel entertained us with the vision of eating a scroll.
and he spread it before me; and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe (Ezekiel 2:10).
What taste would you expect from this scroll of mourning and woe? Bitter? Sour?
Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey (Ezekiel 3:3b).
Strange huh? The Psalmist, Jeremiah and Ezekiel found that the word of God is sweet! For Ezekiel, even words of lamentation, mourning and woe are sweet! We really have a lot to learn from them. Probably, lamentation is a kind of sweetness we mistakenly run away from. We have to learn.
Ezekiel took it his responsibility to speak out. As a prophet, we should never be reticent. If we do not speak and people perish, it is our fault (Ezekiel 3:18, 33:8). If we speak and people do not listen, it is their fault (Ezekiel 3:19, 33:9). Though Cain denies it, he is, after all, Abel's keeper. Matthew extends this teaching further.
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother (Matthew 18:15b).
Of course, prophets should extent this and see all the people as their brothers. We should speak up if people are not doing what is right in God's eyes. If people listen to our warning and repent, we have gained our brothers. Otherwise, they would die in their iniquities. Are you happy to see them die? As sons, we cannot bear to see Mum perish.
My dear Advocate, Mum is making progress. She is still bitter and we know bitterness hurts. Have mercy on her and grant her peace. Amen.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Honour your parents
Saturnia is a good girl. She is willing to take time to show kindness to grandma. In fact, we all inherit grandma's genes to a certain extent. If there be any liabilities, they can all be found in our genes. We are the extension of her genes, her generosity and her vulnerabilities. If we are able to outlive her defects, we survive.
Grandma is very smart. I know her hours. So, around 5 p.m., I deliberately said my evening prayers in her room, watching over her bottles of brandy. Yet, she managed to conjure up some excuses to send me out of her room. Then she felt comfortable (actually, she was cheating herself) to pour her glass of brandy. I protested in vain. Tonight, she was restrained because her granddaughter would have dinner with her. Yet, in her drunkenness, she repeated to Saturnia some unpleasant stories of hers.
Why would someone act in such a way to make oneself unhappy? Drinking is not a problem as long as you drink happily. But every time Mum drinks, she always wails and complains. She is unhappy and makes everybody unhappy. She is really domineering. It is not easy for us to understand the psychology of aged parents. We are too involved. No rational reasoning of senior citizens makes sense to me. Why has she systematically cut herself off from all relatives and friends? Doesn't she care that every action she takes will exact a price on us? Is her self-esteem low, but she is always proud of herself?
My younger brother is a retired electrical engineer. He lives with Dad and Mum and bears all the brunt of her frustrations. He is able to see the grim future. He tries his best to delay the last days. I spend these days in Chai Wan with Mum. I do not expect to gain any breakthrough. I accept what cannot be changed and simply want to stay a couple of days with her. Hopefully, I will be able to share some of the burden off my younger brother. He is not married. He has sacrificed a lot so that I can have a family of my own. I don't know how to repay him. After all, he is my brother. We share the same gene pool.
Today, we start reading the book of Ezekiel. It is a book of images and symbols. His language is enigmatic. His background was similar to the other major prophets. Together with Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel was also a priest.
the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar (Ezekiel 1:3).
The Jews were already in exile in Babylon. It was no use to warn them against idolatry. They were already suffering the consequences of such bad behaviours. Therefore, the oracles of Ezekiel are full of promises and hopes. Yet, Ezekiel used a lot of images which were difficult to decipher: the four winged living creatures, the wheels and the human form seated on the throne above the firmament over the heads of the living creatures which had four faces: of a man in front, a lion on the right, an ox on the left and an eagle at the back (Ezekiel 1:10). Nobody knows for sure what Ezekiel was trying to tell us. The truth is, even man himself puts up more that four faces in his daily dealings. Man is a mystery.
My dear Advocate, grant me understanding. Without understanding, our actions of goodwill will only be futile. May our actions be pleasing to You and to men. Amen
Grandma is very smart. I know her hours. So, around 5 p.m., I deliberately said my evening prayers in her room, watching over her bottles of brandy. Yet, she managed to conjure up some excuses to send me out of her room. Then she felt comfortable (actually, she was cheating herself) to pour her glass of brandy. I protested in vain. Tonight, she was restrained because her granddaughter would have dinner with her. Yet, in her drunkenness, she repeated to Saturnia some unpleasant stories of hers.
Why would someone act in such a way to make oneself unhappy? Drinking is not a problem as long as you drink happily. But every time Mum drinks, she always wails and complains. She is unhappy and makes everybody unhappy. She is really domineering. It is not easy for us to understand the psychology of aged parents. We are too involved. No rational reasoning of senior citizens makes sense to me. Why has she systematically cut herself off from all relatives and friends? Doesn't she care that every action she takes will exact a price on us? Is her self-esteem low, but she is always proud of herself?
My younger brother is a retired electrical engineer. He lives with Dad and Mum and bears all the brunt of her frustrations. He is able to see the grim future. He tries his best to delay the last days. I spend these days in Chai Wan with Mum. I do not expect to gain any breakthrough. I accept what cannot be changed and simply want to stay a couple of days with her. Hopefully, I will be able to share some of the burden off my younger brother. He is not married. He has sacrificed a lot so that I can have a family of my own. I don't know how to repay him. After all, he is my brother. We share the same gene pool.
Today, we start reading the book of Ezekiel. It is a book of images and symbols. His language is enigmatic. His background was similar to the other major prophets. Together with Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel was also a priest.
the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar (Ezekiel 1:3).
The Jews were already in exile in Babylon. It was no use to warn them against idolatry. They were already suffering the consequences of such bad behaviours. Therefore, the oracles of Ezekiel are full of promises and hopes. Yet, Ezekiel used a lot of images which were difficult to decipher: the four winged living creatures, the wheels and the human form seated on the throne above the firmament over the heads of the living creatures which had four faces: of a man in front, a lion on the right, an ox on the left and an eagle at the back (Ezekiel 1:10). Nobody knows for sure what Ezekiel was trying to tell us. The truth is, even man himself puts up more that four faces in his daily dealings. Man is a mystery.
My dear Advocate, grant me understanding. Without understanding, our actions of goodwill will only be futile. May our actions be pleasing to You and to men. Amen
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Staying focussed
Today, Fr. John Baptist Kwan co-celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass with a visiting Chinese priest who is on his way to Manila to further his theological training. Fr. John Kwan is a very experienced pastor. To warm up, he casually touched on the Beijing Olympic Games and how the athletes went through tough trainings etc. He believes that the key to the successes of the athletes is their ability to stay focussed.
As Christians, we believe in one true God. Yet, all of us have different perceptions of our God. Unfortunately, a wrong perception would only lead us to disasters. The first reading today came from 1 Kings. It talks about the epiphany of God to Elijah. God appeared to Elijah in Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8-14).
Since God is almighty. We expect Him to be powerful, mighty and decorated with wonders of all sorts. Yet, the story tells us that God was not in the strong wind that rented the mountains, not in an earthquake, nor in a great fire. God was in a still voice (1 Kings 19:11-12). The story of Elijah tells us that God is found in where He is least expected. Similarly, when the Messiah was born, who could have imagined that he was to be found in a manger? When Jesus began his ministry, who could have thought that the son of a carpenter was the Messiah? However, a wrong perception is not simply a hit or a miss. It could be life-threatening as the Matthean story of Jesus' walking on the water testifies.
The Matthean version includes some interesting details not found in Mark. It tells us how Peter, knowing that it was Jesus walking on the water, attempted to walk from the boat to Jesus over the water.
And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water."
He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; (Matthew 14:28-29).
Now, what prompted Peter to risk his life, to put himself in such a precarious situation? Peter was a seasoned fisherman. He should know better than anyone else the perils at sea. Why then did he take such a stupid action?
This incident happened just after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. As a true believer and a true disciple, of course Peter would want to do what his master had done. What's more, Jesus bid him go. Therefore, it was not a 'mistake' to walk on the water to Jesus. That is to say, Peter would have been successful and made a name in history to be the first man to walk on the water. (Though Jesus is truly a man, he is too special for us to count him in the Guinness World Records.)
Fr. John Kwan explained that Peter failed because he did not focus on Jesus. How can we guarantee that we do not misunderstand God? We have to stay focussed on Jesus. Only then can our perception be purified. Only then will we not be distracted from worldly worries. Had Peter focussed on Jesus, he would not have been distracted by the winds and waves. He would have succeeded.
but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." (Matthew 14:30)
On the contrary, Jesus was able to focus exclusively on God. Therefore, he was able to reject the mob's attempt to crown him king after the miracle (Matthew 14:22). Moreover, he stayed tuned to God's will all the time through prayers (Matthew 14:23).
In conclusion, Fr. Kwan urged the congregation to stay focussed on Jesus through bible study and prayers.
My dear Advocate, many times we impose our wills on You instead of seeking Your will. May we always stay tuned to Your will. Amen.
As Christians, we believe in one true God. Yet, all of us have different perceptions of our God. Unfortunately, a wrong perception would only lead us to disasters. The first reading today came from 1 Kings. It talks about the epiphany of God to Elijah. God appeared to Elijah in Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8-14).
Since God is almighty. We expect Him to be powerful, mighty and decorated with wonders of all sorts. Yet, the story tells us that God was not in the strong wind that rented the mountains, not in an earthquake, nor in a great fire. God was in a still voice (1 Kings 19:11-12). The story of Elijah tells us that God is found in where He is least expected. Similarly, when the Messiah was born, who could have imagined that he was to be found in a manger? When Jesus began his ministry, who could have thought that the son of a carpenter was the Messiah? However, a wrong perception is not simply a hit or a miss. It could be life-threatening as the Matthean story of Jesus' walking on the water testifies.
The Matthean version includes some interesting details not found in Mark. It tells us how Peter, knowing that it was Jesus walking on the water, attempted to walk from the boat to Jesus over the water.
And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water."
He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; (Matthew 14:28-29).
Now, what prompted Peter to risk his life, to put himself in such a precarious situation? Peter was a seasoned fisherman. He should know better than anyone else the perils at sea. Why then did he take such a stupid action?
This incident happened just after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. As a true believer and a true disciple, of course Peter would want to do what his master had done. What's more, Jesus bid him go. Therefore, it was not a 'mistake' to walk on the water to Jesus. That is to say, Peter would have been successful and made a name in history to be the first man to walk on the water. (Though Jesus is truly a man, he is too special for us to count him in the Guinness World Records.)
Fr. John Kwan explained that Peter failed because he did not focus on Jesus. How can we guarantee that we do not misunderstand God? We have to stay focussed on Jesus. Only then can our perception be purified. Only then will we not be distracted from worldly worries. Had Peter focussed on Jesus, he would not have been distracted by the winds and waves. He would have succeeded.
but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." (Matthew 14:30)
On the contrary, Jesus was able to focus exclusively on God. Therefore, he was able to reject the mob's attempt to crown him king after the miracle (Matthew 14:22). Moreover, he stayed tuned to God's will all the time through prayers (Matthew 14:23).
In conclusion, Fr. Kwan urged the congregation to stay focussed on Jesus through bible study and prayers.
My dear Advocate, many times we impose our wills on You instead of seeking Your will. May we always stay tuned to Your will. Amen.
Saturday, 9 August 2008
The Righteous shall live by faith
Mum did not have a good appetite this morning. Last time when we had breakfast in the McDonald's in Tuen Mun, she ate a Fillet-O-Fish and two more hash-browns. However, this morning, she could only eat half a Fillet-O-Fish and brought home the other half. The whole morning and after lunch, she busied herself in the kitchen, preparing the dishes for dinner.
Before noon, a niece made a call to ask after the senior uncle and aunt. Among this generation of cousins and nieces, this half-sister of mine is Mum's favourite. It is because she is grateful and knows the manners. Then Mum started complaining one after another how ungrateful the other cousins and nieces have been. Mum has showered them with gorgeous presents and gifts at their weddings and other occasions. Yet, these ungrateful lots! Actually, Mum finds most of them, even her siblings and in-laws, fall short of her expectations. They are ungrateful, unappreciative of what she has done for them. Mum is really bitter. It is still early. I hope Mum will not overdrink again tonight.
Today, we read the book of Habakkuk, a minor prophet. Again, he left us with only three chapters. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah. People remember him most for a verse which St. Paul quoted several times.
ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται.
Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4).
ὅτι δὲ ἐν νόμῳ οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ θεῷ δῆλον, ὅτι ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται·
Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law; for "He who through faith is righteous shall live" (Galatians 3:11)
δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν, καθὼς γέγραπται·ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." (Romans 1:17)
ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον,ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονίσει·
ὁ δὲ δίκαιός μου ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται,καὶ ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ.
For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry;
but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:37-38).
Of course, Habakkuk deserves more attention. He was a mystic and his hymn in chapter 3 is recited on Friday mornings in the second cycle of the daily Office.
It was 4:50. Mum's drinking urge returned. This time, she did not hide herself to drink. She poured a glass of brandy and we talked. During dinner, she drank only a quarter of a glass. She was very restrained tonight. She needs someone to talk to and there is a lot of things she wants to tell me. Though my younger brother lives with her, I am still her favourite son, the apple in her eyes.
My dear Advocate, make me a good listener. Mum deserves somebody to listen to. Grant her peace. Amen.
Before noon, a niece made a call to ask after the senior uncle and aunt. Among this generation of cousins and nieces, this half-sister of mine is Mum's favourite. It is because she is grateful and knows the manners. Then Mum started complaining one after another how ungrateful the other cousins and nieces have been. Mum has showered them with gorgeous presents and gifts at their weddings and other occasions. Yet, these ungrateful lots! Actually, Mum finds most of them, even her siblings and in-laws, fall short of her expectations. They are ungrateful, unappreciative of what she has done for them. Mum is really bitter. It is still early. I hope Mum will not overdrink again tonight.
Today, we read the book of Habakkuk, a minor prophet. Again, he left us with only three chapters. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah. People remember him most for a verse which St. Paul quoted several times.
ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται.
Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4).
ὅτι δὲ ἐν νόμῳ οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ θεῷ δῆλον, ὅτι ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται·
Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law; for "He who through faith is righteous shall live" (Galatians 3:11)
δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν, καθὼς γέγραπται·ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." (Romans 1:17)
ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον,ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονίσει·
ὁ δὲ δίκαιός μου ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται,καὶ ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ.
For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry;
but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:37-38).
Of course, Habakkuk deserves more attention. He was a mystic and his hymn in chapter 3 is recited on Friday mornings in the second cycle of the daily Office.
It was 4:50. Mum's drinking urge returned. This time, she did not hide herself to drink. She poured a glass of brandy and we talked. During dinner, she drank only a quarter of a glass. She was very restrained tonight. She needs someone to talk to and there is a lot of things she wants to tell me. Though my younger brother lives with her, I am still her favourite son, the apple in her eyes.
My dear Advocate, make me a good listener. Mum deserves somebody to listen to. Grant her peace. Amen.
Friday, 8 August 2008
Feast of St. Dominic
Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Dominic (1170-1221). He was the founder of the Order of Preachers. Interestingly, he is the patron saint for astronomers. Interested readers should try to know more about him.
I stay in Chai Wan today and tomorrow. Mum seems to be very happy. She had actually made such a request many times before but only now do I make up my mind to entertain her wish. Yesterday, she only consumed a quarter of a bottle of brandy. It seems to be a very good start. Her anticipation was enough to keep her from overdrinking.
She had a lot to tell me, though many of the stories had been told many times before. Those were not just the good old days. With her tales, I could reconstruct how this confident rich young lady of twenties, roaming around with her two soul-mates, sharing the same bed, girlie-talking all through the nights etc. I could also envision how a young man of the countryside followed her, trying to step on her sandal from behind --- what a way to introduce himself to a young lady of his fancy. Unfortunately, many of the people in her stories have already passed away. Such is the inevitable sadness of being advanced in age.
When it was 4:30, she started to struggle a bit and became restless. At 5:15, she succumbed to her drinking urge. She entered her room and consumed probably the remaining three-quarters of the bottle of brandy. The alcohol began to swing her mood and she started retelling darker and more negative stories.
It took more than two and a half year after marriage for mum to be able to move to Hong Kong to meet my father who worked as a shopkeeper in a stamp collecting shop. My father had served only two bosses throughout his career. And that was the first boss. His income was meagre but the boss was generous enough to provide boarding for his employees. Living space was congested and the only privacy was a piece of 'curtain' hanging between the beds. At night, mum had to ward off groping hands from the other side of the 'curtain' by placing me in between as her shield. She had to endure such humiliations because my father was not able to earn enough money to rent a cubicle of our own! I believe in her stories and this was also part of the Hong Kong perseverance stories of the late 1950's.
On a more positive note, mum always prides herself for not abandoning her husband and children though at that time, a number of couples broke up because of poverty. She endures and sees our living standard improving to this day. From our perspective, it is a pity for her to waste her life away on alcohol. May God have mercy on her soul.
Today, we read Nahum. He is a minor prophet and has left us only three chapters. His oracles were directed against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. Unlike Jeremiah, there was no accusations against Israel or Judah. However, we find an image shared by both Jeremiah and Nahum.
Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face;
and I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame (Nahum 3:5).
I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen (Jeremiah 13:26).
Nahum was speaking against Assyria in around 622 BC while Jeremiah against Judah some thirty years later. Jeremiah saw Babylon as an instrument of God. If Babylon had fulfilled Nahum's prophecy in raping Assyria, Babylon would do the same to Judah.
My dear Advocate, everyone of us is a story, a song. Some songs are joyful while some are sad. May our songs be sung, pleasing to You. St. Dominic, pray for us that our songs be attractive enough to pass on the Gospel of Jesus. Amen.
I stay in Chai Wan today and tomorrow. Mum seems to be very happy. She had actually made such a request many times before but only now do I make up my mind to entertain her wish. Yesterday, she only consumed a quarter of a bottle of brandy. It seems to be a very good start. Her anticipation was enough to keep her from overdrinking.
She had a lot to tell me, though many of the stories had been told many times before. Those were not just the good old days. With her tales, I could reconstruct how this confident rich young lady of twenties, roaming around with her two soul-mates, sharing the same bed, girlie-talking all through the nights etc. I could also envision how a young man of the countryside followed her, trying to step on her sandal from behind --- what a way to introduce himself to a young lady of his fancy. Unfortunately, many of the people in her stories have already passed away. Such is the inevitable sadness of being advanced in age.
When it was 4:30, she started to struggle a bit and became restless. At 5:15, she succumbed to her drinking urge. She entered her room and consumed probably the remaining three-quarters of the bottle of brandy. The alcohol began to swing her mood and she started retelling darker and more negative stories.
It took more than two and a half year after marriage for mum to be able to move to Hong Kong to meet my father who worked as a shopkeeper in a stamp collecting shop. My father had served only two bosses throughout his career. And that was the first boss. His income was meagre but the boss was generous enough to provide boarding for his employees. Living space was congested and the only privacy was a piece of 'curtain' hanging between the beds. At night, mum had to ward off groping hands from the other side of the 'curtain' by placing me in between as her shield. She had to endure such humiliations because my father was not able to earn enough money to rent a cubicle of our own! I believe in her stories and this was also part of the Hong Kong perseverance stories of the late 1950's.
On a more positive note, mum always prides herself for not abandoning her husband and children though at that time, a number of couples broke up because of poverty. She endures and sees our living standard improving to this day. From our perspective, it is a pity for her to waste her life away on alcohol. May God have mercy on her soul.
Today, we read Nahum. He is a minor prophet and has left us only three chapters. His oracles were directed against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. Unlike Jeremiah, there was no accusations against Israel or Judah. However, we find an image shared by both Jeremiah and Nahum.
Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face;
and I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame (Nahum 3:5).
I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen (Jeremiah 13:26).
Nahum was speaking against Assyria in around 622 BC while Jeremiah against Judah some thirty years later. Jeremiah saw Babylon as an instrument of God. If Babylon had fulfilled Nahum's prophecy in raping Assyria, Babylon would do the same to Judah.
My dear Advocate, everyone of us is a story, a song. Some songs are joyful while some are sad. May our songs be sung, pleasing to You. St. Dominic, pray for us that our songs be attractive enough to pass on the Gospel of Jesus. Amen.
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