2011 Nov 1 Tue: ALL SAINTS S. Holy Day of Obligation. Rv 7: 2-4. 9-14

Ps 24: 1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6

1 Jn 3: 1-3

Mt 5: 1-12a 

1When Jesus* saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to

him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven.

11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you

falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Reflection:

Holiness is always a road less travelled. The question we need to ask is, “Is holiness the enemy of being human?” We were created for no other purpose. To be human is to be holy and to be holy is to be truly human. There is no other secret to living the purpose of our lives.

Today’s solemnity is a strong reminder that we profess our faith in the ‘communion of saints’. If they could, why not I? They set their gaze first on the Kingdom; everything else fell in line. Holiness begins

when we set our face on the person of Jesus and on His gospel. The beatitudes of Jesus are the recipe to live better and holy lives.

Holiness is a road that is always under construction. Don Bosco proposed ‘Cheerfulness’ as the path to living a holy life. A Happy Person is a Holy Person…

Can I be happy today? What prevents me from having a cheerful countenance?

2011 Nov 2 Wed: THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) Readings from Common of Masses for the Dead 

Mt 11: 25-30

25 At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Reflection:

Unlike all plant or other animal life, humans have the gift of memory, of connection… a spiritual presence. Death no doubt leaves a void. The physical absence is real… but no grave can ever prevent one from experiencing the power of reconnection. Those who have gone ahead of us are not away from us. They continue to intervene in our lives in mysterious ways. The power of memory urges us to model our lives, to walk their paths and to set our goals on the reward of everlasting life.

Heaven is a continuation of the life we live here on earth. Life is one gift given equally to all…but, if I have stopped ‘living’ now, then what have I made of this gift?

The commemoration of All Saints is an opportunity to look honestly into my life and start living life to the full. Am I ready to allow the breath of God to blow into my dead bones?

2011 Nov 3 Thu: Ordinary Weekday/ Martin de Porres, r Rom 14: 7-12

Ps 27: 1bcde. 4. 13-14

Lk 15: 1-10 

15Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

3 So he told them this parable: 4‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

8 ‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’

Reflection:

Life is always a ‘finding and a losing’. As humans we are always seekers. But in our ‘seeking’ we often lose focus of the treasure we have found… We ‘give up our search’ and begin to feel comfortable in the cheap ‘alternatives’ that sparkle along the way. The gospel of today invites us to be constant seekers. Even in losing, we can become re-seekers. Giving up ‘in life’ and ‘on life itself’ is the biggest self-defeat. There are no celebrations in defeat. When we allow God to re-find us, we can be victorious; we can become daily ‘celebrants of life’.

God believes more in who you are meant to be. Your youthful past, however painful, sinful, broken or disillusioned is never the reason to deserve God’s wrath. He awaits your return to start afresh… Jesus came to seek and find the lost…. You can become His ‘new find’, His ‘new treasure’.

Are you ready to surrender your past and allow God’s grace to work in you?

2011 Nov 4 Fri: Charles Borromeo, bp M Rom 15: 14-21

Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4

Lk 16: 1-8, Lk 16: 9-15

16Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” 3Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.” 5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” 6He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.”7Then he asked another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” 8And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

Reflection:

In life, the need to ‘pay back’ is real. We have made it a habit to live the philosophy of ‘an eye for an eye’ and a ‘tooth for a tooth’. There is no place for concession, for compromise, for charity, for compassion. When I am caged in – with no way out – any option for freedom is welcome. Bribery, corruption, lies, slander, extortion, murder… The list is long, but the need to ‘survive’ – even at the cost of the other – is an instinct we cannot give up easily.

However, no choice is ever consequence-free.

Jesus’ parable today challenges me to look at my options in life. When I face a closed door, when I am caught between a wall and a hard rock, when I am pulled up for my irresponsibility… what are my options?

2011 Nov 5 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM Rom 16: 3-9. 16. 22-27

Ps 145: 2-3. 4-5. 10-11

Lk 16: 9-15 

9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

10 ‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? 13No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.’

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. 15So he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.

Reflection:

Who am I? Is there a ‘me-ness’ that makes me really unique? Often, who I am is determined more by what I have than by who I am. But possessions can never make me. I am not what others think I am… My uniqueness comes from the fact that I am God’s child, His favourite. God ought to be my first love. This personal relationship must free me from being bound to the lure of money.

Serving two masters is impossible. The gospel of today invites me to make a choice… a choice that seen even in ‘little things’. When I can be trusted in ‘little things’, the river of abundance will flow into my life. Trust is a big investment. May I never betray it… not even for the sake of a few coins.

2011 Nov 6 SUN: THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Wis 6: 12-16

Ps 63: 2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8 (2b)

1 Thes 4: 13-18

Mt 25: 1-13 

25‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” 9But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also,

saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” 12But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Reflection:

We live in a world of ‘spares’… a ’spare wheel’, a ‘spare battery’, a ‘spare mobile’. When I am caught in a difficult situation, I can bank on my ‘spares’ to pull me through. The ‘spares’ that I carry along are, in fact, not excess baggage. They are not there by chance. I have prepared myself to make them a part of my check-list. Not to have ‘spares’ is to act foolish. The greater folly is to forget the bare essential.

The parable of Jesus invites me to look at my life’s check-list. First things first. There is no room for forgetfulness, for drowsiness, for falling asleep. There are no alternatives for ‘staying awake’, for ‘running out of oil’.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock”, says the Lord, “If you open, I will enter and sup with you.” Am I ready to open the ‘door’ or will I be busy today trying to ‘borrow oil ‘for my lamp?

2011 Nov 7 Mon: Ordinary Weekday Wis 1: 1-7

Ps 139: 1b-3. 4-6. 7-8. 9-10

Lk 17: 1-6 

17Jesus* said to his disciples, ‘Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! 2It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble.3Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, “I repent”, you must forgive.’

5 The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ 6The Lord replied, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.

Reflection:

Life’s greatest treasures always come in small packages. ‘Small words’ have power in them. ‘Small hinges’ turn ‘big doors’. ‘Small deeds’ can have major consequences. A small vice, a small fall, a small deception…a small good deed, a small kind word… the results are always ‘big’. Can I care for everything that is ‘small’?

Forgiveness and Faith are two small hinges on which my whole life revolves. Can I be more forgiving today? Can I be more ‘faith-filled’ today? What can I do with my life today… do I want to be cast into the deep sea with a mill stone around my neck or do I want to be a mountain-mover? Let my mantra for today be “Lord, increase my faith.”

2011 Nov 8 Tue: Ordinary Weekday Wis 2: 23 – 3: 9

Ps 34: 2-3. 16-17. 18-19

Lk 17: 7-10 

7 ‘Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at once and take your place at the table”? 8Would you not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink”? 9Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” ’

Reflection:

Noble people have their gaze on the needs of the other. The comfort of the other comes before their concern. Selfish people are limited by their own immediate needs. Noble people make service their spirituality. Their level of sacrifice and generosity empowers them to treat the other as equal… as sharers of the same meal. Selfish people live by the philosophy ‘to be served rather than to serve’.

At the end of my life, I will not be judged by how much I have earned or how much I have achieved. I will be judged by just one standard… was I deeply humane? Have I made myself a servant to others?

The world needs more servants. The sign board ‘Wanted Servants’ will always stare me in the face. There is always a vacancy. ‘Servant hood’ is everyone’s vocation. Am I ready to respond to Jesus’ invitation to ‘Christian Servanthood’?

2011 Nov 9 Wed: DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME F Ez 47: 1-2. 8-9. 12

Ps 46: 2-3. 5-6. 8-9

1 Cor 3: 9c-11. 16-17

Jn 2: 13-22 

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’17His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ 18The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’ 19Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ 20The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ 21But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Reflection:

When people begin to commercialize God and His Temple it becomes big business. Faith is replaced by greed and by the need to witness to the spectacular or the miraculous. Places of Worship become – in the words of Jesus – ‘a den of robbers’. Reflection and silence are traded for the noise of the marketplace. God cannot be bought or sold… and neither can heaven.

St Paul says, “You are the Temple.”

As I stand in the presence of the God I worship, I know that in the ultimate analysis it is His love for me that really matters, and not the gold or silver that I throw at His feet. I need God; He does not need my gold.

2011 Nov 10 Thu: Leo the Great, pp, dr M Wis 7: 22b – 8: 1

Ps 119: 89. 90. 91. 130. 135. 175

Lk 17: 20-25 

20 Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; 21nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.’

22 Then he said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.23They will say to you, “Look there!” or “Look here!” Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. 24For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.

Reflection:

Sight is for seeing objects outside of us. Vision is for introspection, reflection and direction on the inside. To have sight without vision is to walk through life without purpose and meaning. Sight only helps us to see the various signposts along the road of our life. Vision is the power to recognize the meaning it offers me at that point in time.

Jesus offered us the Kingdom of God. It was a Kingdom not made of bricks and stones. The Pharisees wanted to see it with their sight. “Was it here or was it there?” they asked Jesus. The Kingdom of God is ‘within you’. It is ‘righteousness, peace and joy in the holy Spirit’.

If the Kingdom of God is ‘within me’, do I spend my entire life trying to search for it in my ‘shadow’?

2011 Nov 11 Fri: Martin of Tours, bp M Wis 13: 1-9

Ps 19: 2-3. 4-5ab

Lk 17: 26-37 

26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 27They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. 28Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed all of them 30—it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. 32Remember Lot’s wife. 33Those

who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. 34I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.’ 37Then they asked him, ‘Where, Lord?’ He said to them, ‘Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.’

Reflection:

Our lives are often governed by our daily routine. We keep repeating the same things… we become creatures of habit. We gradually become mechanical in all we think, say and do. We begin to live lives of imitation and model our lives on second hand living. We give up our birthright to live as unique human beings.

But the time will come when I have to give an account of my life. I will not be asked to give an account of someone else’s life. It has to be mine. Will it be too late? Will my life be only too leafy? Fruitless?

“Anyone who tries to preserve his life will lose it; and anyone who tries to lose it will keep it safe”… What is it that I need to ‘lose’ today in order to keep my life safe?

2011 Nov 12 Sat: Josaphat, bp, r, mt M Wis 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9

Ps 105: 2-3. 36-37. 42-43

Lk 18: 1-8 

18Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” 4For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone,5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” ’ 6And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

Reflection:

Why is God so silent? Why does He not respond? Why is He so distant from me? May be He isn’t real after all… what is the use of all my prayers? My offerings? My sacrifices?

When the Gospel does not become the benchmark of my way of living, then my heart becomes hardened to the cries of people around me. When my view of God is faulty, then my view of the world around me will also be wrong. I will give up on everything very easily.

Today I am challenged by the persistent prayer of the widow amidst the apparent arrogance of the unjust judge. Persistence pays. God never gives up on me… His delays are not his denials. He knows what is best for me now and always. Am I ready to accept His will for me now?

2011 Nov 13 SUN: THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Prv 31: 10-13. 19-20. 30-31

Ps 128: 1-2. 3. 4-5

1 Thes 5: 1-6

Mt 25: 14-30 

14 ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” 21His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.”23His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” 24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” 26But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Reflection:

In the game of life, you and I are invited to become ‘talent doublers’. One must become two; five must become ten. You and I must invest in life. Trying to gauge my life on the standards of another is only a wasteful hobby. Life cannot be lived on the measures of comparison – his/her life is better than mine; they have more and I have less. The grass is always greener there than here…

To become a ‘talent-doubler’ I have to believe in myself. There is no profit in burying my talents or resources. Worse still, I cannot blame the demanding personality of the other for my inability to perform. If this happens, I will be branded for life as a ‘good-for-nothing’. To choose not to be a ‘talent-doubler’ is to choose being ‘wicked and lazy’…

Lord, help me today to realize that with your grace and my will power the miracle of multiplication will always take place.

2011 Nov 14 Mon: Ordinary Weekday 1 Mc 1: 10-15. 41-43. 54-57. 62-63

Ps 119: 53. 61. 134. 150. 155. 158

Lk 18: 35-43 

35 As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ 38Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 39Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 40Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, 41‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’ 42Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.’ 43Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Reflection:

On the road of life, where am I? A traveler, a spectator, a guide … or perhaps just sitting along the road begging. When I quit or prefer to just stand and look, the journey becomes miserable. I no longer become part of the daily celebration. I become defocused and my vision of life and things around me become hopeless. In my anguish and self-pity, I have only one prayer to cling on to, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”

Jesus the Master knows that my need is more than just mere ‘pity’.’ Dilution of Focus’ leads one nowhere. I can only sit in the mire and bemoan my pitiable state. My prayer request for ‘mere pity’ is shallow and self-defeating. I am called to expect more for the Savior. “Lord that I may see again.”

Jesus always wishes that I go back to my original self…. Seeing again with the eyes of faith.

Am I ready today to move from ‘pity’ to greater purpose in life?

2011 Nov 15 Tue: Ordinary Weekday/ Albert the Great, bp, r, dr 2 Mc 6: 18-31

Ps 3: 2-3. 4-5. 6-7

Lk 19: 1-10 

19He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. 3He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.5When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’6So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ 8Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ 9Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

Reflection:

Looking for Jesus? Why look for him, he isn’t lost. Am I serious about it? Who is the one really lost? In the story of my life, like Zacchaeus, I often stand alone with a placard in hand: ‘Lost, waiting to be found.’ My work, my economic status, my circle of friends, my past, or even my intentions and plans for the future may not be glorious. My life seems ‘stunted’ by my attitudes, my personality, and by my choices for popularity, fame and money.

There is only ‘one seeker’ with a difference… Only He comes to seek the Lost. Even in a crowd, I matter most to Him. I don’t need any ‘props’ to climb onto to see him. His loving gaze has already seen me. My miserable past does not change the course of his gaze. He wants to dine with me now. The invitation to return and celebrate is always ‘now’… Am I ready to climb down and to face my life on level ground, and to start afresh so that ‘salvations’ may come to my house today?

2011 Nov 16 Wed: Ordinary Weekday/ Margaret of Scotland, mw/ Gertrude the

Great, v, r 2 Mc 7: 1. 20-31

Ps 17: 1bcd. 5-6. 8b and 15

Lk 19: 11-28

11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12So he said, ‘A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, “Do business with these until I come back.” 14But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, “We do not want this man to rule over us.” 15When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16The first came forward and said, “Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.” 17He said to him, “Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.” 18Then the second came, saying, “Lord, your pound has made five pounds.” 19He said to him, “And you, rule over five cities.” 20Then the other came, saying, “Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.”22He said to him, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.” 24He said to the bystanders, “Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.” 25(And they said to him, “Lord, he has ten pounds!”) 26“I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.” ’

28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Reflection:

At the end of my life what is it that I will hold in my hands? Will they be empty? Or full? The goods I have accumulated will have to be left behind. The only thing I take along with me is ‘the good’ that I have done. The only remark that I will need to hear is “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

A purposeful life has no excuses attached to it. Excuses like ‘I was afraid of you’ or ‘You reap where you have not sown’… can never cancel the obligation to do good and to be faithful.

The one who has more is always the one who has been and done more. Am I satisfied with being and doing the bare minimum? What more may I do and be today?

2011 Nov 17 Thu: Elizabeth of Hungary, mw, r M 1 Mc 2: 15-29

Ps 50: 1b-2. 5-6. 14-15

Lk 19: 41-44 

41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.’

Reflection:

The most obvious things in life are the numerous opportunities that come our way. And yet, the obvious is not always recognized. It slips right out of our reach… perhaps, never to come again. I then begin to life a life of regret. My self talk is all about “if only I had…” The past will never come back; the opportunities lost today are gone forever. I have to be an ‘opportunity grabber’.

In today’s gospel, Jesus sheds tears over an entire city because they ‘didn’t recognize their opportunity when God offered it!’

Dropped catches lose matches. Dropped opportunities can cost me much more than just a mere tear… Jesus believes in you. Seize the graces he bestows on you and life your life more meaningfully.

2011 Nov 18 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Dedication of the Churches of Peter and Paul/ Rose Philippine Duchesne, v, r, ms 1 Mc 4: 3-37. 52-59

1 Chr 29: 10bcd. 11abc. 11d-12a. 12bcd

Lk 19: 45-48. Proper readings for Peter & Paul: Acts 28: 11-16. 30-31

Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4. 5-6

Mt 14: 22-33, Lk 19: 45-48

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

28 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

Reflection:

Billboards, TV ads, Newspapers are always customer-oriented. They believe in the power of the word. Motivational slogans and one-liners capture the mindsets of people.

Jesus, the wonder teacher used simple parables and stories to capture the minds and hearts of his hearers. The gospel tells us that ‘people as a whole hung on to his words’. The ‘good news’ of Jesus still captivates everyone even today.

Being a Christian means that I feed on the word of God every day. Am I ready to ‘hang on to the words of Jesus’?

2011 Nov 19 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM 1 Mc 6: 1-13

Ps 9: 2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19

Lk 20: 27-40 

27 Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him 28and asked him a question, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall

marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; 30then the second 31and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless.32Finally the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.’

34 Jesus said to them, ‘Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; 35but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36Indeed they cannot die any more, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.37And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.’ 39Then some of the scribes answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ 40For they no longer dared to ask him another question.

Reflection:

To trap God, one can always invent enough case studies to prove him wrong. Humanity has dominated the world and its resources for ages. There is only one power that is greater than us – God. For those who believe in God, there is no need of any proof or miracles… their faith is enough. But for those who deny his existence, no amount of proof or miracles will ever be sufficient.

As a Catholic, I profess my faith in the Risen Lord. Like the Sadducees in the gospel of today, I may come across a lot of people who try to trap me with their stories and explanations. Am I strong enough to face these people? Can I stand up today to defend my faith? What more do I need to do to strengthen my faith today in the Risen Lord?

2011 Nov 20 SUN: CHRIST THE KING S (Thirty-fourth and Last Sunday in Ordinary Time) Ez 14: 11-12. 15-17

Ps 23: 1-2. 2-3. 5-6 (1)

1 Cor 15: 20-26. 28

Mt 25: 31- 46 

31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed

me,36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” 41Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

Reflection:

At the end of my life, the Master will seek the ‘fruits’ of my life. The quality of my life will be measured by only one yardstick – LOVE. Have I been ‘selfish’ or have I been ‘selfless’? “In as much as you did it to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.”

The ‘Least’ of humanity has to become my circle of concern and outreach. Christ the King is also the King of the Least. As a Christian I am called today to walk the extra mile…to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to quench the thirst of people, to visit the sick, to console the prisoner… To neglect them is to neglect Jesus Himself.

Christ ‘walks and lives among the least’ of today. Can I take a small step towards them today?

2011 Nov 21 Mon: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary M Dn 1: 1-6. 8-20

Dn 3: 52. 53. 54. 55. 56

Lk 21: 1-4 

21He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; 2he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’

Reflection:

Generosity is never measured by ‘how much’ I give but by ‘why I give’. When I give because of the abundance of my resources, my ‘giving’ is in fact very little because there is very little sacrifice attached

to it. When I give with love from the ‘little’ that I have, my giving is praise worthy. Jesus in the gospel of today appreciates the generosity of the Widow. Her giving was total… generosity in full measure.

God has been generous with me. When I look at my life honestly there is ‘much’ that I have and really need. Can I give till it hurts? Can I share my life, my resources, my strengths, my time… with those around me? God loves a cheerful giver.

2011 Nov 22 Tue: Cecilia, v, mt M Dn 2: 31-45

Dn 3: 57. 58. 59. 60. 61

Lk 21: 5-11 

5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.’

7 They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’ 8And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.

9 ‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’ 10Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

Reflection:Nothing lasts. We live in a world of short lived guarantees. Commercial products are always labeled with their expiry dates. Consumers are attracted with the ‘best before’… a product is off the shelf once its expiry date is close at hand … may be to resurface again with just a new label.

Jesus promised us one thing… LOVE ETERNAL. Jesus never promised us anything with a one or two year guarantee. He promised us everything Eternal: Eternal Word, Eternal Bread, Eternal Life, Eternal Kingdom.

Do I respond to his invitation to seek the things that are Eternal?

2011 Nov 23 Wed: Ordinary Weekday/ Clement I, pp, mt/ Columban, ab, ms/ Bl Miguel Augustín Pro, p, r, mt Dn 5: 1-6. 13-14. 16-17. 23-28

Dn 3: 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67

Lk 21: 12-19 

12 ‘But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14So make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; 15for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17You will be hated by all because of my name. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Reflection:

We are all called to be Christ-bearers. The paradigm for a peaceful world is found in that one great commandment… Love. To be a Christ bearer is to be a sign of love. And yet, people who have been ‘signs of love’ are the ones often persecuted, beaten, betrayed and killed. It is easy to run away, to abandon the Gospel and Jesus.

When my circle of friends and neighbours ridicule me for being a Christ-bearer, how do I respond? Run away? Face the crowd? Prepare my defense? Jesus assures me once again to ‘fear not’.

Let my mantra for today be: Fear not, Jesus gives me the eloquence and wisdom

2011 Nov 24 Thu: Andrew Dung-Lac, p, mt, & co., mts M. Thanksgiving Day. Dn 6: 12-28

Dn 3: 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74

Lk 21: 20-28. Proper Mass in Thanksgiving to God, esp. Sir 50: 22-24

1 Cor 1: 3-9

Lk 17: 11-19, Lk 21:20-28

11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ 14When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.17Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ 19Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

Reflection:

There is no liberation without pain, without sacrifice and above all without ‘giving up the old’. The new world order has to overcome the old. New wine in new vine skins. God’s kingdom cannot coexist with the power of evil. There must be the shattering of the old to allow the new Kingdom of God to reign.

I need to look honestly at the world I have created in my mind and heart. What dominates my world order? What are the benchmarks that surround my world of thought and action? Is there something radical in Jesus’ message and gospel that I need to accept today even at the cost of shattering my ‘safe world’ of living and being?

Jesus’ message is always liberating… My old world must shatter to allow God’s Kingdom to reign in me.

2011 Nov 25 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Catherine of Alexandria, v, mt Dn 7: 2-14

Dn 3: 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81

Lk 21: 29-33 

29 Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees;30as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Reflection:

Like the seasons, our life from birth to death is filled with many changes and challenges. Growth is best when changes occur and challenges are met. In the face of changes and challenges, it is resilience rather than resistance that brings out the best in a person. The river that follows the path of least resistance runs crooked. So do people!

God is often encountered in the ‘crisis’ of my life than in the ‘comfort’ of it. With my life’s picture in front of me, where do I stand in discovering the God who journeys with me? In the midst of my life, can I see the Kingdom of God near me?

2011 Nov 26 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM Dn 7: 15-27

Dn 3: 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87

Lk 21: 34-36 

34 ‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’

Reflection:

Stay awake and pray at all times… How many times have I heard that?

Jesus said to Peter, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not leave you.” In life there are so many things that simply ‘tire me out’ – stress, failures, the high expectations of others, peer pressure, the media… the list goes on. In the midst of all this tiredness, my heart and mind is surrounded by despair and hopelessness. I give up… the journey is too long, my cross too heavy, and my Calvary too steep. My faith hangs on a thin thread!!!

Where can I get the strength to survive all this? “Stay awake… pray at all times,” says Jesus.

2011 Nov 27 SUN: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Is 63: 16b-17. 19b; 64: 2-7

Ps 80: 2-3. 15-16. 18-19 (4)

1 Cor 1: 3-9

Mk 13: 33-37 

33Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

Reflection:

In a world of hurry, we are caught up in a rat race. Our world is fuelled by the need for immediate results… we want it now. We seek replies to everything ‘now’. ‘To wait’ is to lose out on it. ‘To wait’ is to prove one as lazy or a procrastinator. Waiting’ is the most difficult task of all.

Advent is a season of waiting… a time of Holy waiting… of expectant waiting. I am invited this holy season to be an active ‘door keeper’ and a ‘faithful servant’.

Can I slow down from my rat race and live life more humanely? How can I be patient, watchful and faithful today?

2011 Nov 28 Mon: Advent Weekday Is 2: 1-5

Ps 122: 1-2. 3-4b. 4cd-5. 6-7. 8-9

Mt 8: 5-11 

5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him 6and saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, in terrible distress.’ 7And he said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ 8The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ 10When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

Reflection:

People sought Jesus for many reasons: to see his miracles, to hear his words, to test him, to ridicule him, to stone him, to follow him… and some even to crucify him. Many would have liked to have Jesus ‘under their roof’. The Roman Centurion was honest. He had no time for personal invitations. His servant was in great pain and a ‘speedy Jesus word’ was enough. Faith is all that Jesus desires to see in us.

In the midst of my turmoil, my stress, my difficulties and anxiousness, where am I in my quest for Jesus? When my friends and foes are in pain and in distress, do I run to Jesus to seek a ‘word’ from his lips that will heal their soul?

Today, I do not have to run to anyone else. Jesus’ word is sufficient for me. Say but the word, Lord.

2011 Nov 29 Tue: Advent Weekday Is 11: 1-10

Ps 72: 1-2. 7-8. 12-13. 17

Lk 10: 21-24 

21 At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

23 Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Reflection:

A prayer from one’s heart is better than one that is read from the pages of a book. To make a prayer from the heart, one has to be spirit-filled. One has to be in communion with the Abba.

To be a follower of Jesus, I must be aligned with the will of my ‘Abba’. The time I spend with my ‘Abba’ will enable me to bear much fruit… fruit that will last. There is no ‘Beatitude’ without this personal relationship… ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see and hear what you hear’

Advent is a time for me to be open to the Spirit. God continues to reveal Himself to me through His word, the sacraments, His people and world. Only if I am spirit-filled and ready to become a ‘mere child’ once again, will I be able to see and hear Him.

It pleases God to reveal the secrets of His Kingdom to mere children. Am I ready to grow up as a child?

2011 Nov 30 Wed: Andrew, ap F Rom 10: 9-18

Ps 19: 8. 9. 10. 11

Mt 4: 18-22 

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. 19And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Reflection:

Andrew… the one who found the Messiah. In finding, he brought his brother to Jesus. Jesus is a treasure that cannot be stored. Jesus has to be shared. The more I share Jesus with others, the more ‘apostle’ I become. At the miracle of the loaves, it was Andrew who identified the generosity of the young boy and brought him to Jesus. Great Apostles bring people to the Lord and also take the Lord to many people.

In the busy schedule of my day, Jesus will invite me to a higher calling. Am I ready to respond to Him with generosity and a sense of immediacy? This Advent, how can I prepare myself better to respond to the Lord?