Wisdom - A prayer.

A prayer based on the Book of Wisdom9: 1-6, 9-11 (Morning Prayer: Week 3, Saturday)

Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us this opportunity to gather here to pray. We thank You Lord for creating all things and made each one of us in Your image and likeness, and in Your infinite wisdom, chose to make all people as a part of Your eternal plan.

Father, we acknowledge that without You, we are as nothing. We earnestly beg You Father, to give us the wisdom we need, the same wisdom that You have revealed in Your Son Jesus Christ, that we too may be like Him in word and deed. Send Your wisdom from Your holy heavens Lord, so that wisdom may work by our side and that we may learn what pleases You and wisdom would guide us intelligently in all that we do and say.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.

Mother Mary, the Seat of Wisdom…….Pray for us. Amen.

Advent - To meet the Lord, we must be prepared for life, not just for death!

Travellers wait for buses and planes, students wait for their exam results. Waiting is part of life. Life is not like instant coffee, there is always more to life than we can grasp its fullness at any one time.

Advent invites us to wait for the Lord and surely we must wait for the Lord who will come at the moment of our death. Hence Advent calls us always to be ready to meet the Lord at our death. But as Christians, we should be ready not just for the final coming of Christ but for His constant coming every day of our lives.

If we are alert, we can find the Lord popping up in the ordinary activities and possibilities of life. If I am watchful, He may be tapping me on my shoulder when I meet my 'sisters and brothers'. If only we have 'those eyes that see, those ears that hear' (Is. 64:4), we can meet Him in His supreme visit, which He makes in a thousand ways. To meet the Lord, we must be prepared for life, not just for death!

As a community waiting in prayer, we pray...

Prayer is WAITING and so is Advent.

Prayer is WAITING.

Waiting, places the emphasis on the other person who is coming.

To wait is to express my powerlessness, my insufficiency because the other is in control. And that is how our attitude should be towards God. I cannot force God to come. All I can do is wait and be present. In simply waiting for God, I admit that God is important to my life.

As a people waiting in prayer, we pray...

Psalm 50 (51)

Psalm 50 (51) is one of my favourite psalm. I am very happy that this psalm is said every Friday morning at Lauds. For me this psalm is like a child begging or non-stop asking (pestering) the father for something and the child will only stop when the father says yes or gives it to the child. Likewise through praying this psalm, I am the child asking God my father for His grace of forgiveness and His love.

I dare not and will not say that I am perfect for I am a sinner. By praying this psalm, I am able to feel and receive God's forgivenes, assurance of His mercy and His love.

I have identify a 'mini penintential service' in this psalm:-

a) Introduction - a song of hope and assurance of God's forgiveness (verses 1-2) - confident that God will forgive me.

b) Confessing of one's sins / acknowledging of sins (verse 3-6)

c) Act of Contrition - prayer for forgiveness (verse 7-12)

d) Penance - to bring others back to God (verse 13)

e) Thanksgiving (verses 14-17)

f) Intercession (verses 18-19)

What attracted me to this psalm is God's constant love, His great compassion and His assurance of His forgiveness (verse 1-2). That God is able to create a pure heart and able to give me a new spirit. Just like the 'drummer boy' (a Christmas song) who could only play his drum as a gift for the newborn King, I can only offer my broken spirit and my broken heart to God as a sacrifice (verse 17).

Advent invites us to straighten-up, as we WAIT.

Christmas is fast approaching. We can feel the commercialized presence of Christmas already in our TV, Radio and Newspapers' advertisements and not forgetting the music and decorations in all the malls. Many in fact started either end of November or beginning December.

In the midst of this swelling excitement, worshippers in churches are reminded to be watchful, to repent, to do penance. Now, I am afraid that you are beginning to wonder whether Advent is a joyful season or a penitential period! It is true that Advent brings joy and feelings of excitement as we wait, but it also calls us to straighten up our lives.

Let us then "Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight" (Mk 1:3).

Advent, a call to WAIT...

We have come to the end of the liturgical year and tomorrow (in fact later in the evening) we begin a new liturgical year with the season of Advent. My personal prayer theme for this year's Advent is 'Waiting'.

As early as in mid-November, there were already people getting excited that even in their facebook status tags were on the theme of Christmas. I even noticed one guy who even used a Christmas Carol on his status just after Deepavali (which was on Oct 27 this year). Many now have begun the countdown to Christmas. So what are they doing? They are all 'waiting' for Christmas!

The Catholic church is so beautiful and wise. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the church did not just give us a day to celebrate Christ's birth into history instead has given us 4 weeks to prepare the great day i.e. Christmas.

The 4 weeks of Advent focuses on waiting for the Second Coming of the Lord in glory while remembering His first coming in history. In this way Advent is a preparation for Christmas. But the primary emphasis is on looking forward to the Lord's final coming at the end of time. This focus is geared to awaken the believer to a recognition of the Lord's daily advents into life now in what are often referred to as grace-filled moments.

At this time in my life, I too am waiting for God's answer and His divine intervention in the happenings of my life. "Lord, Your will be done. ...Amen".

Introduction to Lauds (Saturday - Wk 2 & 4).

'When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you have arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?' (Ps. 8:4-5)

Many times in life we have been advised by many to take a break and enjoy moments in particular to enjoy what God has created for us. We are called to consider the works of God's hand.

We have taken His works for granted and fail to see the beauty. The beauty of ourselves, others, the beauty of nature and the world of cosmos.

I am amazed always, especially is it is a clear night, that whenever I look up at the sky and see the moon and the stars, I wonder how superb the 'un-moved mower' is; to place all of them in its place.

I think I can understand Abraham Lincoln of what he said to his friend one night when looking up the sky, "I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down the earth and be an atheist but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God."

So friends, 'In the stars is God's creative ability shown.
In the moon that brightens the night sky is His deliverance assured.
In thunder and lightning is His power displayed.
And in the silence of the night is His peace felt.' (source unknown)

Come let us praise God, our creator and the creator of all things!

Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (Nov 11)

Today the church commemorates the Memoria of St. Martin of Tours.

When Martin was forced by popular acclamation to become the Bishop, in spite of his reluctance, this is what he prayed; "Lord, if your people still need me, I do not refuse to do your work; may Your will be done."
Many times we too have prayed that God's will be done in our lives, have we actually meant what we have been praying? Have we allowed God to have His way in us?

Allowing God's will to be done in his life, Martin has set an example as the Good Shepherd. We pray that we too will allow God's will be done in our lives and by doing this we may imitate Christ the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for others and give Him all glory and praises.

An unhappy St. Martin is made Bishop of Tours, as depicted in a 13th-
century window in Tours Cathedral.

Introduction to Lauds: Week IV, Friday.

O see in guilt I was born, a sinner was I conceived (Ps.51 [51]:7).
I am sure many will agree that life is full of fun, it is so unique, important, and at the same time it is fragile too; and yes, through sin, we have fallen short (Rom.3:23 - all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God).
But God who is full of love and mercy, has raised us up again and given us the dignity through His Son, Jesus (Rom.3:24 - they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus). Click here for the full scripture text.

So we pray, that with conviction, we may echo with St. Paul; "My real life is the faith I have in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal.2:19-20 - Scripture Reading for Lauds).

"Father, how wonderful Your care for us! How boundless Your merciful love. To ransom a slave you gave away Your Son. O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer". (Exsultet - Easter Proclamation) Click here for the scripture text on humanity's sin through Adam and grace and life through Christ.

"God so love the world that He gave us His Beloved Son" (Jn.3:16). As a people celebrating His love, we pray...
Here is a video clip on the Exsultet

Introduction to Lauds: Week 3, Thursday.

One of the famous image for Christ is the image of the Good Shepherd. And in relation to others, many people think that this image of the 'shepherd' is also only for the bishops and priests. This notion is wrong, for everyone is called to be like the 'Good Shepherd'; for a shepherd cares and loves his/her sheep and each one of us are called to do the same for others.

In this morning's canticle (Is.40:10-17) we see the image of God as a Shepherd, who feeds his flock and gather the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom. Being a 'shepherd' is not being authoritative or over powering but a 'shepherd' who cares and loves. This is a beautiful image, so let us all strive to be shepherds who are courages, present, real, respectful and loving.

Introduction to Lauds: Week 2, Thursday.

Psalm 79 (80) is the prayer of the people of Israel in deep disgrace. Their enemy invaded their land and destroyed the holy city and its temple. Because of this situation, it appears that God is indifferent as He remains silent in spite of the plight of His people. They asks: "O Shepherd of Israel, how long will you frown on Your people's plea?...Look down from heaven and see! Come to visit this vine and protect it."

Praying this psalm, we too can pray as God's Church - the beloved vineyard of the Lord- just as the people of Israel did. As the New Israel, we the church, are frequently attacked by 'enemies'. The message of the Church finds so much internal and external opposition.

We pray that the Lord will visit His church, His vine and protect it. "May Your hand be on the 'people' You have chosen Lord, the 'people' You have given Your strength".

As a community having so much love for His church; His vine, we pray...

Introduction to Lauds: Week 2, Tuesday

This morning's scripture reading (1Thess 5:4-5), we are reminded that we are sons/daughters of light and of the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness.

Those who follow their evil desires are people of darkness, hiding to do evil. While children of the light are transparent before God and with nothing to hide from Him.

Keeping this in mind, as children of the light, we offer ourselves and be truthful to God and to ourselves.

This picture was taken during my flight to Australia (8 Aug 2008).
As you can see, we were moving towards the light.
At this point i was reflecting of my journey.
I was making a journey of hope, an opportunity, a new beginning.
A journey from my darkness, my past; towards the LIGHT.
(I am the Light of the world...says Jesus - Jn.8:12)

"If i am your child, oh my God, it is because You did give me such a Mother" - Memoria of St. Monica.

Feast Day - August 27.

St. Augustine said this of his mother, St. Monica; "Never can i describe what her love was for me! By her glance as well as her words, she raised our hearts to God. If I am your child, oh my God, it is because You did give me such a mother".

It never actually hit me when when my friends says fond things about my mother after having met her, until i read what Augustine had to say of his mom.
This made me to reflect that my mother was one of the source of my inspiration to be a priest. I believe her simple ways and her prayer life has given me the courage, the love and the joy of wanting to serve Christ. Her words like "Praying for you" and "I love you" after each time I call gives me the motivation to persevere.

I'm sure we all have someone praying for us or someone who has been an inspiration in our life, that now we want to be Christ-like (be it our mother, father, a priest, saints, politician, humanitarian and charity workers, the many unsung heroes or even a friend, etc.). They might still be alive or even dead. So today in a special way we remember them and thank the Lord for them and its our turn now to pray for them.

All those who have been influential in our life have lead us to know God the father who loves us very much, with childlike trust we pray...

Perseverance - Memoria of St. Monica (August 27)

The church commemorates the memoria of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine on 27 August. Saint Monica succeeded in converting her husband through gentleness and she shed so much tears and went all out, to lead her son, Augustine to the truth. She loved him and prayed unceasingly for the conversion of her son. Her prayers were not answered immediately but it finally bear fruit because of her perseverance.

Through her example, we are taught to persevere and go all out in our ministry of service. We might be praying for someone or something and sometimes it never seems to be heard or answered or the answers are not what we had expected. Through the life story of St. Monica and St. Augustine, we are reminded that God actually answers at times He feels right for us and what is best for us.

We pray that we may be given the strength to persevere and let God's will be done in our life.

Memoria of St. Bernard, Abbot & Doctor of the Church (Feastday August 20)

Introduction to Lauds.
“For Sion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest” In this phrase taken from the Canticle (Isaiah 61), we can see the prophet’s eagerness and anticipation in restoring the holy city.
 
Likewise we can see the same sentiments in the life of St. Bernard whose memorial we celebrate today. He was very much concern for the happenings of the church even though living an austere monastic life. He exposed the fallacies, which exalted human reason and rationalism and thus restored peace and unity in churches which have been divided. During the 2nd crusade, when Jerusalem and Antioch were threatened he went to preach the crusade.
 
We pray that we will be like St. Bernard, standing up to our faith and defending the church and it’s teachings in the midst of all kinds of scandal and happenings around the world.  

As a community, having so much love for the church, we pray…

Introduction to Lauds: Week 3, Thursday

Defect by Comparison

Through the scripture reading today (1 Peter 4:10-11), we are reminded of our responsibilities of our gifts or graces God has entrusted to us. But many times we have given comments or excuses saying; “I am just this…or…just that.” The word ‘just’ implies a limitation or defect by comparison. We basically put ourselves down.

God has created each of us as a wonderful human being with something special we are meant to share with our world. With all that graces we are called to be of service to others. All gifts have value in the eyes of God only if they have developed and share with love.

We pray that we may recognize and accept the beauty of who we are in God’s eyes and all His gifts to us.

As good stewards of God’s gifts, we pray…

Memoria of St. Dominic, Priest (August 08)

We celebrate the Memorial of St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), which is dedicated to the improvement of morals, the extirpation of heresy, and the strengthening of the faith.

St. Dominic once taught; “A man who governs his passions is master of the world”. Feelings or passions are emotions or movements of the sensitive appetite (internal & external senses) that incline us to act or not to act in regard to something felt or imagined to be good or evil (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1763). The sensitive appetite leads us to desire pleasant things we do not have, e.g. the desire to eat when we are hungry, or to warm ourselves when we are cold. These desires are good in themselves, but often they exceed the limits of reason and drive us to greed, avarice and concupiscence. The effects of greed can be obesity, avarice arising from the passion of riches and power. And we can take an old incident in the United States i.e. the Clinton & Lewinsky’s scandal as an example for concupiscence. Clinton tried to take over the world but his passions took over him. I’m sure in our local political scene, this example can be relevant too (You know who I am referring to right? – we shall wait for the decisions of the courts).

So we pray that we may discern what is good and bad for us and pray for God’s strength to govern our passions. For Jesus too became human like each one of us.

“A man who governs his passions is master of the world”.

Solemnity of Sts. Peter & Paul, Apostles.

June 29.

"No. Not me! God doesn't choose people like me. He doesn't want people like me!
Very often we hear people especially young people say this when we ask them about choosing priestly or religious life. I myself used to say this until I discovered that God actually chooses people who do not expect to be chosen; people who feel that they are losers, unqualified and not worthy, or maybe even over-qualified!

We can see those elements above in the two great men and Apostles of the church; Saints Peter and Paul, the two pillars, on which the church was founded. Peter a fisherman and if we look closely, he is a man with poor self-esteem. Paul is a persecutor, who thinks that he is 'high & mighty' for what he is doing.

But, when they allow God to use them, we see how they have been used mightily for the building of God's Kingdom. We see changes and growth. I think it really amazes each one of us, when we look back and see where we were before and how God has actually called people like us.

We pray that like Sts. Peter and Paul, we may allow God to use us, for God has a purpose for each one of us.

Memorial of St. Irenaeus, Bishop & Martyr.

June 28.

Today we celebrate the Memoria of St. Irenaeus. Just like his name in Greek which means 'peacemaker', he helped solve many disputes in the church. One which is worth to be mention is, his famous appeal to Pope Victor I, not to excommunicate the Asiatic Bishops for refusing to conform to the Roman practice concerning the Easter date.

Today, we find very few people or associations who are peacemakers. This is because it is not an easy task, and many have the attitude of 'its not my problem', 'it doesn't concern me'. Locally we say it the tidak apa attitude.

We pray that we may be bold enough to be peacemakers. We pray also for those countries and associations who are peacemakers.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. (Mt.5:9)

Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist.

It is interesting to note that there are only 3 birthdays celebrated in the liturgy. The birth of Jesus, His mother Mary and John the Baptist whose birthday we celebrate today.

The name 'John' means 'Yahweh's gracious gift'. The child's name speaks of his origin and vocation: he comes as a gift from God, and his life will be a gift to God's people.

So how about us? Come, let us be a gracious gift too. We have said 'yes', but this is not enough. John died to himself and exalted Jesus. Let us emulate John. It is not going to be easy but let his words be our prayer; "He must increase and I must decrease" (Jn.3:30).

As a people wanting to be Yahweh's precious gift, we pray...