Created as Male & Female: God's Original Plan - Talk 2

By Jack Chui

Theology of the Body - Talk 2. Is about going back to where it all began... to the very beginning in Genesis and the intention of God's whole creation of us as people - man and woman. We need this because history has morphed what sex really is about. There are different views of sex now - depending on who you hang around, but JPII in TB tries to enlighten us on what the truth is meant to be (as best he humanly can) in a series of his reflections of Genesis.

One big caveat of Genesis is that the book shouldn't be taken literally and should be appreciated as a symbolic representation of a deeper understanding. It written in symboli lanugage to help us understand a deeper spiritual truth. I didn't actually understand the book or at least the story of creation like this but after the 2nd talk, this makes more sense for me. God inspired the writer of Genesis to write a story of creation in a way which we humans could understand it at the time --- and a that time us humans didn't know a lot =P

A lot of the below are just notes which I've written. All of it is good, but not all of it makes perfect sense or is understandable to me (some things have to be a mystery right =P) I didn't take a lot out that was mind blowing or anything so best I can do is just rehash the bits I found useful - which is most of it. The reflections are apparently very deep so this only scratches the surface, but I think its good enough for me...

JPII talks about 3 fundamental truths of Genesis.

1. Original Solitude - Man is "Alone" in the World

A-Dam is actually the Hebrew word for "man". So when Genesis mentions "Adam", its more that God is talking about 'man' or people rather than a person called Adam...

"It is not good that the man should be alone" Gen 2:18. This is a reference to human beings (male and female) are "alone" in the visible world as a person. We (humans) are spiritual because God 'breathed' into Adam. Adam realises he's "different" from the animals. We have freedom - the capacity to choose between good and evil. Animals do not have the capacity for evil or love. Man is "spiritual" - Freedom and Love are spiritual.

Adam discovers a lot of the above by looking at his body. He's different to the animals by their look, but similar in other ways - yet he still reached the conviction that he was 'alone'. Maybe a blunt way of putting this is that as a male, he wasn't just hard wired to go and have sex with all the other female animals...

2. Original Unity - Called to Live in Relationship

Man can't be alone, because we need someone to actually love...

"Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh" Gen 2:24.

Becoming 'one flesh' refers not only to the joining of 2 bodies but is a "sacramental" expression which corresponds with a deep spiritual communion of persons. A sacrament makes visible what is invisible - something a wedding ring is to marriage. The sexual plan is not the result of sin - it was the plan from the beginning - "be fruitful and multiply", "and God saw that it was good". Men and women were designed to live in the image of God - relationship/sex is the original blessing of creation! Our bodies were meant to reveal the inner mystery of life of the Trinity.

* Does our society view our fertility as a blessing or curse?

3. Original Nakedness - Naked with Shame

The key for understanding God's original plan for man and woman. (I'm not sure how this is meant to be "key" but I'll take it from JPII =). God created sexual desire to be a free gift of love - to express love.

"And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed" Gen 2:25

We experience sexual desire only as the desire to love in God's image. It signifies the original good of God's creation. There's no shame (or fear) in love.

A man's body makes no sense by itself - with woman 'things' just fit! Man and Woman were pure - they saw God's goodness in their bodies. Jesus loved us by giving his body - we are called to be a gift to each other and sex is meant to be a self donation for the good of the other.

So why don't we believe (or at least society) believe in the above?

!! Original Sin - Questioning the Gift

God is the 'creator' and we are the 'creation'. We are the receivers from God just like women are receivers in the act of sex. The serpent targets the woman because She represents humanity to open up God's gift - God wants to impregnate our humanity with his divine life - us humans.

Because we are the receivers from God so we are supposed to discover good and evil. Instead, eating the apple has 'opened our eyes' and so now we start to create or determine what is good and evil. We conceive God as a slave driver - or a killjoy, when in fact, God is perfect love.

God's love 'died' in our hearts, sexual desire became inverted - self seeking. We desire sex for selfish pleasure. Eve covers her body because it is so very good, to protect her dignity against lust. Lust is sexual desire without God's love. Lust causes us almost to stoop back to the level of animals, yet we still know we're called to more - we're called to love.

Theology of the Body: An Education of Being Human - Talk 1

By Jack Chui

The Australian Catholic University is hosting a Theology of the Body series of videos by Christopher West over 8 Wednesday nights which I just started going to. Writing my thoughts of each week on this blog will be a good way keep my learning and share with everyone what I learn / take out especially for those who don't have a chance to attend one of these sessions.

I've watched the videos before in STAY when it we did it over 8 weeks or so, but this time I have the accompanying study guide so I can write notes as I watch the video with others rather than just listen and take in what's being said. It helps me focus more because watching without taking notes or studying for me can make it hard to concentrate. I'm attending again because I'd like to know more about sex (who doesn't...?), relationships and all the challenges that go with it - its just interesting =)

So on to it. I'm not going to recount everything - that would be too long, just the things that struck me and that I took out.

The first talk is like all first talks an introduction, but one which I jogged my memory of the things I took out from the only other time I watched it. What is the Theology of the Body (TB) all about? In one word - sex. Christopher West agrees that the world revolves around it, and so does the Church in fact - where would we all be without sex? TB was started as a series of talks in the 1990's by the late Pope John Paul II which tries to explain the truth about sex (the way the Church sees sex). But its quite complex and very deep, that it took 10 years for someone like Christopher West to study all 129 talks and bring it to the mainstream church in a way that more people (us low laity people =P) can hopefully understand it. That will be my aim for the next 8 weeks.

The aim is to understand what God intended sex to really be and therefore what His whole creation is meant to be. Unfortunately its not obvious as it probably should be because our understanding of sex is a bit 'corrupt' (lacking a less blunt word to use here). Chris West summed up his Catholic education on sex in just 3 words - Don't do it! I think a lot of us cradle Catholics can relate to that. So most of us would then get our sex education from places like MTV to sum it up as a central place. So this TB is to be a breath of fresh air that's to counter the progressive direction society is heading and putting out there - the truth (as I see it and believe it to be). To quote the notes "If the task of the 20th century was to rid itself of the Christian sexual ethic, the task of the 21st century must be to reclaim it".

Not to stay on this point any further, but I can understand a bit how the world has progressed as it has on sex. Its not easy to talk about sex (its hard for me just to type those words) and the Church has had an even harder time talking about it. Would the world be in a different place had the Church been more open about sex --- I don't think so. I'm well aware that we're fighting a losing battle. But God doesn't give up on us - and neither does the Church =)

The truth of sex is not obvious because God is not obvious. God is a mystery - we will never be able to understand God because we're so far below Him. We can't see God, but what we can see is Jesus - God in human form. Our bodies / human flesh is the very "logic" of Christianity. God is revealed through our bodies.

God reveals the 'mystery' to us in the bible. There are many images of God's love in the bible, but the 'spousal' image is used far more than any other. The bible begins and ends with marriages - Adam & Eve and Christ & His Church. God's eternal plan is to "marry" us - He stamps this image of love and communion in our very being by creating us male and female - to become one flesh. This man and woman idea which God designed is a replication of "love" as God sees it or wants to reveal to us. Its the same model as His Trinitarian love between Father and the Son which produces the Holy Spirit. Our body proclaims a great mystery - it reveals the meaning of the universe. We were built and designed for love and the union of man and woman is to proclaim the image of God.

What I learn - While sex is a great thing, it's unlikely that God's idea of love when we reach heaven is going to be the best unending orgasm. Its going to be much much better than that! In a way we can't imagine. But for us little creatures (great at the same time to Him) with our limited understanding, sex (as part of a relationship) is a foretaste of the love that God has for us all in the end. How exciting .!.!.!

Still more questions to be answered but they can't all be done in the first talk. To be answered in future!

Feel free to leave questions or thoughts in the comments section =)

Lonely

By Jack Chui

The last few weeks/months have been a difficult one for the STAY ministry. We only run a cell group each Sunday after morning mass and most times there are very few people coming and sometimes none at all. Its all part of the widely known and difficult challenge of running a young adults/youth ministry. I don't mind failure as I've learnt its Holy Spirit which has to do most of the work, and He decides whether how this ministry ultimately goes.

Its more difficult because I seem to be operating alone. Jean is there but she will leave soon to much greater things =) and when she goes, it will be even more lonely. Being the only leader means I have to do everything and the problem is that I can't. Some things are easy, like sending emails and setting up cell group, but there are functions which I'm not able to do because I'm one person.

Some of the things that the ministry needs that has been lacking in me is being in relationship with the others in STAY. I just have no time to build relationships with people because I'm so busy organising things. Its really relationship that gets people to come to STAY and I've noticed that I just been trying to run a ministry without so much the relationship part.

Another thing I haven't been able to do is to think about what direction and what activities STAY should do. All I know how to do is keep things going. I don't even care enough to pray for STAY and its direction. Have I just assumed that God will work His magic with just me being faithful and just keeping things going?

Its true that the 'successful' youth ministries have a team of leaders and its just too hard for one person to do everything. I've not asked anyone to help me lead so much because no one has really come on a consistent basis. Its just hard with young people as we have so much other stuff to do over the weekend and sometimes they can't always attend. I myself suffer from the same problem but I choose to give my time on Sundays for ministry. Could it be that the timing doesn't suit most people? Either way I think that if its on a weeknight, it would still have the same problem --- there is no good time to meet?

I've been thinking of what STAY should do in the future. Is there actually a need for a young adults ministry in St. Augustine's? The young people must be going somewhere (I hope). Perhaps it just needs to transform into something less formal, much more relationship based. Church is still a place to meet and welcome new people and I'm grateful that STAY has been welcome to many youth who have come to the church over the last few years.

I've been putting off writing about the STAY Ministry for some time, but its useful to share my thoughts and feelings so that those who aren't able to make it, that have come and can not come back, can see what is going on in STAY. Please pray for me, STAY and the young people who we come across.

The Proposal

By Jean Cheng

1^st of June, 2013. The man I love told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and asked me if I would allow him to. Where do I even begin to describe what I am feeling deep within me?

Overwhelmed is probably the word that captures it. Overwhelmed that as much as there is a small voice in me that says I am unworthy of such love, the world seems to keep pouring out such love to me anyway, forcing me to receive the truth that worthy or not – it doesn’t matter – I am deeply loved. I am deeply loved. I am deeply loved.

I am deeply loved by God. I told God that if and when Marcus proposed, I needed a special thing from God… I needed God to also propose to me. I told God, “Let me know that BOTH of you are proposing.” I want Marcus AND God. After all, this relationship has always been one that involves the three of us. It has never been just Marcus and I working at our relationship, but always God working at it with us. Often, it takes those moments when we have been consumed by our fears and worn out from trying to fix each other and ourselves, that we see God’s presence most. Time and time again, God has shown up and reassured us that He is with us. Time and time again, God has reassured us that it is not just me choosing Marcus, or Marcus choosing me, it is also God choosing us. (This is particularly clear to me considering how I was previously in a relationship where my ex and I sought God too but God always felt absent there). So how would God propose to me? I didn’t know but I told God that I didn’t want to make up things in my head to make myself believe that God proposed too, I wanted to know deep in my heart that God was proposing. And God, being God, would know how to grip my heart.

So on June 1, my two good friends told me they were taking me on a birthday pilgrimage around the churches where we would pray together. This made sense because as friends would say, “Jean likes this kind of things”. And I have never done a birthday pilgrimage before, so I was pretty psyched and excited to have friends wanting to do this for me. We met at the first church, St Francis, and they prayed the rosary for me. Then they said the next stop would be my parish church, St Augustine’s church. So off we went. When we reached St Augustine’s, they asked me to close my eyes. I thought “WHY!! Is it because there is a group of people in church with a birthday cake ready to shout surprise?!!!!” Haha… so stupid. 

When I opened my eyes, I saw the roses on the floor shaped in a heart shape and was like erm…… that’s abit weird. I mean it didn’t make sense that two girls would romance me that way. Then they passed me a book and when I opened it, there were pictures of Marcus and I as well as a message and story unfolding. This was followed by a video played on the church wall, which captured our memories. It ended off with a video of Marcus playing the violin then it stopped. I was alone in church.

I turned around, and from the back of the church, Marcus (he was not supposed to be in Melbourne yet!) walked in and continued the song with the violin all the way till he got to the front, knelt down, and asked me the four words, “Will you marry me?”. I said yes, and as we hugged, it suddenly dawned upon me…

… Marcus was kneeling down at the same spot that I had knelt down 4 years ago, completely broken at the death of my previous relationship and the death of a dream that God would actually bless me with my dream of a marriage and a family life – a dream I have had before any other dream, probably since the age of 4.

4 years ago, on that same spot, people were praying over me while I wept uncontrollably. There, I received 2 messages. First, “God wants you to know that He will bless you with the man who is EVERYTHING that your heart desires”. When I heard the word “everything”, it shot through my heart – as though God was truly affirming me that He is not a stingy God, He is a generous one, one who can do the IMPOSSIBLE, and one who WANTS to do the impossible for me.

My next thought was, “But how can this be? I have done my best at being the perfect gf and still, it is not enough. I am not good enough to ever be in a relationship”. At this, I received my second message: “All you need to do is to keep your eyes on God”. Again this message shot through my heart and moved me to tears of relief and joy. I did not know how to be in a successful relationship, but I knew how to keep my eyes on God. It was as if God was telling me that what I was on the right path. I just needed to continue and wait, don’t give up. I have always remembered these words whenever my relationship with Marcus has been shaken with testing and tribulations. Always, when I looked at God, God helped us. Always, He reminded me that “Fear not. I am HERE – in THIS relationship with you and Marcus. It is our relationship. Three in one”.

So when Marcus proposed on that very spot where I was broken and received God’s promise and hope, it was like God saying, “See, I am true to my word. I can do ALL things. And blessed is she who believes that the promise made her by the Lord will be fulfilled. (Luke 1: 45)”. I don’t think Marcus would have ever known the significance of that spot. That part was from God. God proposed.

But it is not just God who loves me, but a man – who naturally has human weaknesses – who still chooses to love me and want me over and over again, in spite of the human struggles. This man is one who loves, cherishes, honours, and protects me in a way that no one has or can (given the unique nature of a romantic relationship) – in a way that constantly brings heaven’s love to me.

He spent so much time and effort to make this day so special and romantic for me (knowing how much I love to be romanced:P), despite his long and hectic work hours. I can’t believe all that he went through for… me. A part of me feels so unworthy of such love, but the fact that Marcus did all that for me is his way of telling me and fighting against my doubts to show me that I am worthy in his eyes.

When I think about how Marcus has been to me in the last 3 years of our relationship, I realize that I have said yes to living my life with a man described in Ephesians 5: 26-28. These are not just words, but flesh in Marcus. Can it really be possible that such a man exists? Yes, I believe that everyone can be such a man, it’s a choice – but it’s not an easy choice to make. Yet, over and over again, Marcus chooses to make a choice to be such a man for me. Being with him, I find myself living a life more and more fully every single day. 

Earlier, I said God chose that spot to propose to me. As for Marcus, he chose to propose to me in St Augustine’s, my parish church. The church that has seen me though the ups and downs of my life in the last 8 years. He chose to propose in front of the tabernacle, in the presence of God, Mother Mary, the angels and the saints. This is a man who knows what my heart desires – my heavenly family. This is a man who knows what is most important and meaningful for me. This is a man who knows me. I am marrying and spending the rest of my life with a man who KNOWS me. And this man, knowing me for all that I am – my strengths and my weaknesses – wants to hold my hand for the rest of his life. It is so scary and yet he wants me not just for the moment, but for eternity. Words fail to describe how blessed, lucky, and excited I am. 

I am deeply loved too by my family and friends who are soooooooo happy for me and celebrating with me. I feel so humbled that I am loved THIS much. Overwhelming. I feel like I better understand why we are called to live as one body – because when part of the body is hurting, the other parts hurt along with it; when one part rejoices, the other rejoices with it. Previously sharing my sorrows with others helped lighten my load and made the sufferings slightly sweeter to bear. Now, sharing my joy with all my loved ones, I really really really feel my joy multiplied exponentially. Thank you all so much for being my companions in my journey, for reminding that sad or happy, I am never alone.

“Happy is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1: 45) Yes Lord, you are a faithful God who offers life to the fullest (John 10:10). Like my Mother, all I can say is, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his lowly handmaid. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His name” (Luke 1: 46-49). My life is yours, God, and entrusted to you, Marcus.

May our prayer be that it is always be Marcus, Holy Spirit, Jean for now and eternity. =)

P.s. Our stories of God are uniquely our stories of God. For those of you who are struggling in your stories at this very moment, no words can even begin to speak of the pain and sufferings you currently bear. I truly pray that your God will show you how He is YOUR living God and how much He loves you. Till then, may He carry you with His comfort and love all the days of your life. 

Pentecost Reflection

By Jack Chui

Its been a while since I wrote something on the blog. I've finished studying, preparing for a big birthday party (not my own) and so now I should have more time to write. I know I should share more about the STAY ministry sometime but for now, I'll start back with a sharing of an amazing homily I heard at Pentecost Sunday by Father Bernie at St. Augustine's.

Father Bernie came as a guest of Father Victor upon his request to say the homily for Father Victor's 39th Anniversary as an ordained priest. Father Bernie is a professor who teaches theology and so his homilies which I had heard before are of the very thoughtful kind. He manages to blend the massive amounts that he knows about God with his own take on things to bring it down to us at the unlearned level.

There were many things said by Father Bernie, some of it related to Father Victor and his ministry but the one I want to share about is about his simple way of understanding Pentecost. I'm a big fan of the Holy Spirit as I have a charismatic background from Sydney - its the main reason why my faith is at the level it is today. I thought I knew lots about Pentecost and what it means when the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, but had not heard it in the way Father Bernie put it.

In Luke's writing (he wrote Luke and then Acts of the Apostles) the gift of the Holy Spirit came to the disciples 50 days after the resurrection. 

In John's gospel, Pentecost on the same day as the resurrection.

John 20:19-23 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

Jesus breathed on the disciples. The significance of this can be related back to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1-14). God led his great prophet Ezekiel to a valley. Ezekiel looked around and all he could see was lots of bones - dry bones. God asked Ezekiel "Mortal, can these bones live?" Ezekiel looks around and says something like "Well........... only You know...". Then God breathed on the bones and they came to life, tendons, flesh and skin. He breathed on them again to make them stand - to give them life.

It is like that with the disciples when Jesus breathed on them - Jesus gave them life! Through the Spirit! So Pentecost is about "life". Father Bernie went to on the reflect on the instances over his time which gave him 'life'. One was Vatican II (he's been around a while) and most recently the election of Pope Francis. Pope Francis is like a breath of fresh air to Father Bernie in the different and radical way he approaches things.

I reflect a little at the times in which I have been given 'new life', like when I first baptised in the Holy Spirit several years ago. But since then and coming from the spiritual high that came from it, the most recent years have been like a desert... where its difficult to feel and pray. I hang in there because my faith keeps me going and knowing that with God, He has the best path and this path is guided by His Church. I wonder when I will next receive 'a new breath' --- for now I will just have to endure and wait patiently.

Love One Another as I Have Loved You

By Jean Cheng

‘Love one another; just as I have loved you… by this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples’ (John 13: 34-35).

I recently read a reflection pertaining to the verse above: “It is clear that the disciple of Christ is not primarily an individual person but an inter-person. I am defined as a disciple not by how I individually behave, by my personal moral life, but by how I interact with other people. He solitary Christian is a contradiction in terms because the Christian is only to be measured by the way he/she loves and that love, by definition, involves other people. I am my relationships.” (www.sacredspace.ie)

That reflection struck me because I often feel that I am best at following Christ alone. Alone where I am not hurt/disappointed and reacting unlovingly as a result. Alone because I am so aware of my sinfulness and the ways I will disappoint others. Alone because at least when I'm alone, the chances of wounding another and being wounded by the other are reduced such that I have more energy, capacity, and stillness within to listen to Christ.

Of course, you can try worshipping God alone and staying away from people and you will be happy initially. But soon, you will feel lonely. You will desire to be in the presence of others. You will desire connection with another person. That's how I feel. And there is always an incredible sense of awe and joy I get whenever I fellowship with others. When it is no longer I coming to God but WE coming to God, then my joy is no longer my own but shared with others. Then their joy is no longer their own but shared with me. Like that, our joy is multiplied. Exponentially. 

Then there will again come a time when being in community with others hurts. When we are not in the best of moods, when we disappoint each other, when we say things we don't mean, when we get angry with each other, when we become suspicious of each other, when we hate ourselves for being the way we are and making others upset. In those moments, again, it seems like we cannot be with others. In those moments, again, it seems like I am condemned to be alone.

But what if we don't just have two choices: alone or in community? What if there is no permanent state of being? Instead, life is actually a rhythm of alone time and time with others? Like the waves that come toward the shore and retreat back into the ocean, what if we too have our moments of running to others to be together and running away in order to contemplate alone? What if this is the rhythm that God created us for?

Maybe then I will be less harsh on myself when I need my time alone. Maybe then instead of calling myself selfish, too wounded to be with others, or any other labels, I can just rest and know that this time is part of me loving others. After all, in order for me to work, I need to eat and sleep. So in order for me to be others, I need to rest alone. In order for me to love, I need to let God love me. If the purpose of being alone is so that I can later love in relationships, then I am already loving others by being alone at the moment. I am loving others in both seasons. 

The time will come when the waves will lead me to others again. Maybe then when I am with others too I will be less harsh on myself in thinking I need to be "always nurturing" and "always loving" - states that are unsustainable. Maybe then I will allow myself to love (i.e., do my best to be a blessing) and be loved (receive others) and in times when I am struggling, I can allow myself to take time out to recover so that I can return again when I am better. Maybe then I will also love others by allowing them to experience their own need to rest and recover, and know that it is not "selfish" or "weak" to do so, it is actually human and loving to rest.

‘Love one another; just as I have loved you… by this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples’ (John 13: 34-35). What if God loves me by inviting me to accept this rhythm I find myself in and know that through it all, I am loving because I choose love in both seasons? Through it all, God is loving because He is with me. 

Holy Thursday

By Jack Chui

This will be my first personal reflection for a long while. I've been busy with work, study, sport, ministry and relationship that there just doesn't seem to be enough time for me to even rest. Its not so bad because God is giving me enough grace to hang in there. Today was no exception of a busy day with a short working week adding more pressure to meet deadlines but at least a long weekend to look forward to. In the near madness to do many things, I managed to find 3 things to share about here:

Everyone's left work early today being the last day before a 'super' long weekend. I was stuck at work, looking to spend more time at work to make sure the madness isn't worse the following short working week... However, Holy Thursday mass is a service I always attend unless I'm flying back to Sydney that evening and mass for me is like a (forced) scheduled timeout from the hectic life to spend some time with God. I think when it seems even more busy, the more I think I seem to get out of mass because I enter a zone where for one hour or more I can leave my other worries aside.

1. Father Victor opened the mass with a wonderful quote to share. He said, quoting from someone I forgot, that "Sometimes, to be able to see more, we have to close our eyes, and open our hearts". I felt more drawn to those words than I normally do because I seem not to 'feel' very much. The benefit is emotional stability but could be at a loss of feeling joy and love... It is something I should explore more.

2. I helped the service by reading the first reading as part of the monthly schedule of lectors. The reading was from Exodus recounting how God instructed the Jews in Egyptian slavery to perform the Passover (Exodus 12:1-8,11-14). When reading to prepare I was drawn to the parts about the lamb and remembering that the 1st and Gospel reading are linked, sought to find that link. Took me a while to sit and think about it, but I can only come up with the idea that the Eucharist which Christ instituted is the new Passover. The lamb's flesh and blood was used in the Passover to save the Jews, and Jesus is the new lamb in the form of bread and wine.

3. As the only attendee from STAY at St. Augustine's, we needed a volunteer to represent us at the washing of the feet. I had never volunteered for this before, shying away from such a front of stage act. Not feeling forced, I came openly knowing that this was a special moment. I had heard priest talk about the act of washing the disciples feet but being close to and in the action brought it to life for me. Father Victor had to kneel to get his hands close to the floor where my feet were. Its a dirty job to wash someones foot and dry it up again. No one has ever washed my foot like tonight and few of us if any would do it in this age. To drive it home, Father Victor bent down and kissed the feet he cleaned after he dried it and looked up to us. I don't think many of us would do that let alone wash someone elses feet. It was very humbling to be a recipient of such an act and to know that Jesus would do this for us, gives me strength to do the same (serve) for others.

Palm Sunday Reflection

From Bishop David Walker:

Holy Week 2013 begins today and Christians the world over are called to their special annual sharing in the story of salvation. More than a mere historical remembrance of one man’s movement through a week that

began on a high note of praise and acclamation only to end on the bitterest note of rejection, suffering and execution, Holy Week provides the gathered assembly with what should be an existential and multi-dimensional experience of passion.

Of course, the primary focus of these days is the passion of Jesus Christ. According to the New Catholic Encyclopaedia, the passion was comprised of the suffering, both interior and exterior, endured by Jesus from his last supper with his friends and followers until his death on the cross. From the earliest centuries of the

Church, Christians have sought to better realise and understand the intensity of Jesus’ passion; to that end, Melito of Sardis, living in the second century C.E., in a homily on the passion exhorted, “Listen while you tremble! He that suspended the earth was hanged up; He that supported the earth was supported upon a tree; the Lord was exposed to ignominy with a naked body; God, put to death!”

During the Middle Ages, the efforts of the faithful to concentrate on the mystery of Jesus’ saving death took the form of plays or dramatic re-enactments of the gospel passion narratives. Performed in the vernacular, these plays brought home to young and old alike, the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ passion and death.

In the readings for today’s liturgy, these circumstances are sketched for the contemporary gathered assembly in vivid verbal portraits. Deutero-Isaiah (first reading) prepares the scene by describing the determination of God’s saving servant: Passionately intent upon carrying out the mission given him, and fully reliant on God’s strength and support, he did not yield until his work was completed. Paul, in the second reading from Philippians, takes us behind the physical pain, buffets and spitting to understand the inner attitude of obedience and self-giving which motivated Christ’s passion. In the gospel, Luke guides us through the last hours of Jesus’ earthly life, portraying the passion and death of Jesus as a gift freely given by a forgiving brother (“Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing”) and loving Son (“Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit!”).

However, there are also other passions which are to be experienced during this Holy Week. Believers cannot look upon the crucified Jesus or listen to the proclamation of his passion without also being aware of the passionate love which motivated such a sacrifice. This week is much more about blessing, loving and giving than it is about cursing, rejecting, taking and killing. Jesus’ passion was contingent upon and prompted by the incredible love of God for all peoples.

In addition to the passion of Jesus and the passionate love of God, this week is also about the ongoing passion of humankind. Rather than simply steer our energies into sympathising with Christ or with his mother, Mary, by remembering what was, no doubt, the most trying and painful period of their lives, this week, which we call holy, also challenges us toward a personal share in the passion of Christ. Karl Rahner (The Great Church Year, Crossroad Pub. Co., New York: 1994) suggested that we do this by bearing the burdens of our life with simple fortitude and without ostentation. For we share by faith in the passion of Christ precisely by realising that our life, with all its joys and sorrows, is a participation in his destiny. These burdens also give us a mysterious share in the destiny of all human beings. However, believers must take care to avoid the deadly danger of egoism, thinking only of ourselves and our own pain. When we can freely accept our own sufferings as a participation in those of Christ and as our contribution to the destiny of all people, then the burdens of others will be lightened.

During this week of passion – passionate suffering, passionate grace, passionate love and passionate forgiving – each of us is called to remember the Christ of Calvary and then to embrace and lighten the burden of the Christ whose passion continues to be experienced in the hungry, the poor, the sick, the homeless, the lonely and the outcast.

Less is More

By Jean Cheng

"Speak to me Lord."

Silence.

"Speak to me Lord, remove the things blocking me from hearing you."

Silence.

I knew that God was with me.

But somehow I couldn't sense Him.

I couldn't feel His presence,

I couldn't hear Him directing me.

All I had was a quiet trust that He knew what He was doing -

But I'm not going to lie,

I was annoyed.

Then came encounter 1 through the Sunday Gospel reading based on the Prodigal Son.

I had just gone through that passage a few days before,

And I have been through that passage MANY times.

So a part of me wondered how God could come up with something new.

Of course, God takes special pleasure in humbling the arrogant,

So He humbled me.

As I went through the passage yet again,

I realised that the younger son had planned what he would say to say to his father,

And he went about executing his plan,

Reciting the exact same words that he had planned.

But before he could even finish,

His father simply dismissed what he was saying,

Calling to the servants to bring out the best robes to lavish on his son.

His father didn't even hear the words that the son said!

He was too excited that his son was home.

The son might as well have just saved his efforts.

He might as well have just showed up silent,

And his father would still have thrown his arms around him, adorning him with da best.

Like the prodigal son, I might as well save my efforts trying to think of what to say everytime I enter into prayer.

Whenever I enter into prayer,

I am plagued with a sense of unworthiness and guilt.

So in my efforts to show how sorry I am,

I go on and on and on and on and on and on about how sorry I am.

But now I know God didn't hear a single word I said!!!

WHAT THE!

He was probably just holding me happily,

Oblivious to all my efforts to apologize.

Lesson 1: Save my efforts. Just show up.

Encounter 2.

A PhD is no joke.

I definitely did NOT know what I was signing up for when I said I will do this.

And I strongly advice anyone thinking of it to really speak to people who are doing it so you know what you are in for.

(P.s. Don't do it).

But I digress.

I mentioned the PhD because there is constantly a million and one things to do and it never ends.

So I tell myself to work faster, and do more.

The goal each day is to be as productive as I can

(and I fail every. single. day.)

Great for the self-esteem, btw.

But that doesn't stop me from trying!

Because if I don't,

I would be "wasting" my day,

Which I have done the day before and the day before.

"So I better get my act together TODAY!!"

With that in mind,

I enter into the day with a spirit of restlessness,

Agitation,

Impatience,

And harshness to myself as well as to others.

Strangely, last week,

Each morning after I prayed quickly and was ready to start my day with restlessness,

The words, "Less is more", came into my mind.

I had a choice to make:

(i) To continue the day in that rushed spirit thereby feeling unhappy all day (and still not accomplishing much) or

(ii) To surrender to how much I can realistically do that day (which isn't much, but at least a few things get done)

On the days I surrendered,

I would tangibly feel a burden lift,

Allowing me to enter the day with a sense of liberation and joy,

Ready to do the "little" that I could.

Knowing that "I Can".

On those days, I felt alive.

Encounter 3.

At a recent retreat,

I asked God why I knew in my mind that He was with me,

But I still struggled to be convicted in my heart?

I didn't like that because whenever my heart doubts,

I just go about the day feeling empty, far from God.

I thought that perhaps one of the reasons is that God is too quiet and gentle.

I missed the God that I first knew - the one I encounter through praise and worship.

The God who wooed me in such powerful emotions my heart could not contain.

Now that He has become quieter,

I did not like it.

I wanted Him to be loud again, powerful again, bring me to a "high" again.

I felt a quiet (yes quiet, again) voice ask,

"Can you love me for who I am?"

Can I also love Him in his quietness, gentleness, and silence?

I hesitated.

But when I finally said, "Yes, Lord, I love you just as you are".

I felt free, a quiet and deep joy entering into my heart.

Just as God gave me the licence to be silent with Him (through the Prodigal Son reflection),

I now gave Him the licence to be silent with me.

There is something very rich about such simplicity.

As my Spiritual Director affirmed upon my sharing,

"You have been brought up with a belief that more is more.

But less is more.

That is the invite to you."

5th Sunday of Lent

By Jack Chui

I'm behind in posting these reflections --- and I don't even have to think about what to write...

We arrive at the fifth Sunday of Lent. The shops have been full of eggs and hot cross buns for weeks now. Amongst all the busyness of preparing for your Easter break and catching up with family and friends, has this Lent been a time of preparation of a different kind for you? What have you been preparing for? As you have read the Lenten readings for the four previous Sundays, have there been any challenges? If not, the reading from John this week challenges us.

It comes from the beginning of Chapter 8 in John’s gospel. Jesus was a teacher and had been teaching in the temple when a woman caught in adultery was brought to him. The people who brought the woman knew the laws, and knew that the law stated that the woman should be stoned to death. They ask Jesus ‘What do you say?’

This is where the story gets interesting. What could Jesus do? He could abide by the law and see the woman stoned, which would be against all that he had been teaching, or he could tell the crowd that she should be forgiven and not receive a punishment, thus condemning himself. The woman was used as a ploy as they wanted to trap Jesus – it seemed that he was in a no-win situation. He needs to come up with a solution where the law is kept intact – he doesn't want to reject it, or change it.

He bends down and writes in the sand – we don’t know what he wrote. Maybe he was listing in the sand all the sins of those who were condemning the woman; others think he was buying time as he didn't want to be rushed as he thought out a solution. We know that he provides a brilliant solution – he invites those without sin to throw the first stone. They all leave!

The woman’s dignity is left intact and Jesus tells the woman that he does not condemn her, but he doesn't just leave it at that. He tells her to sin no more. Is Jesus judging her? Has she done the wrong thing? Does he forgive her?

Jesus is making a judgement – he is not saying that what she has done is OK. He challenges her to start afresh, to realise what she has done is wrong, and to change her life.

How can we relate this to our lives? How many times have you wanted to throw a stone at someone? Especially when they deserved it? Jesus did not throw stones at the woman, and he won’t at us. The woman made a mistake, as we do. Jesus didn't leave the woman, and he won’t leave us. Jesus knows that we all make mistakes, as the woman did. His challenge to her was to ‘sin no more’. This is our challenge too.