Homily: December 3, 2024, Tuesday of the first week in Advent (Blessed)

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 "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, 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."

Compared to my grandparents, I feel incredibly blessed to have seen, used and experienced things and events that they could never even have imagined it - mobile phones, the internet, zoom calls, online Mass, immediate transfer of money and so many other amazing functions made possible by advanced technology.

However, there is one blessing my grandfather had, which I sometimes wish I could have (This wish was before discerning my vocation to priesthood) – that he married my grandmother, a beautiful and capable woman, when he was 16 and she was only 15 years old. Together they had ten children in their 70+ years of marriage! Thanks be to God.

Indeed, compared to previous generations, we are blessed in so many ways. This is also true with regards our faith. We now have a better understanding of God, scripture, and theology, thanks to the huge changes in the way the church teaches.

I remember how my grandfather’s concept of God was so different from mine. He often reminded us to behave well, warning that God would punish us if we didn’t. But the God I know is compassionate and loving, full of mercy and grace, who does not punish.

Today, we have readily available information to help us know fully what the Eucharist is, supported by scientific investigations of Eucharistic miracles which open our eyes and hearts to the profound mystery of Christ’s true presence in the Blessed Sacrament. The previous generations did not have access to such information and knowledge.

Indeed, many before us have desired to see what we see, hear what we hear, but they never did.

The big question for reflection is this: is our faith thus stronger and our trust in the Lord thus firmer than past generations?

With the vast advancement in technology and explosion of information, does the world now believe more in God than it did before?

I ask myself, being more educated in the faith, am I thus more faithful to the Lord and to the church than my grandfather was?

Clearly, the answer is no.

God has “hidden these things from the wise and the learned” and “revealed them to the childlike”.

This generation is indeed blessed in many ways in what we see and hear, but past generations were blessed too, despite their limited exposure. They were more childlike and have embraced faith in simpler ways than we have. 

They believe and trust without having to see and hear as much as we have.

Our generation has seen and heard but remain blind and ignorant to true knowledge and real wisdom.

We are truly blessed only if we recognize the truth in what we see and hear. We begin again in this Advent season to rediscover the Truth, to open our eyes to see, our ears to hear what the Lord wants us to see and hear.

And let us learn again to believe, to act, to grow in the ways of the Lord.

Amen.


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Homily, Wednesday,January 5, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

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Readings:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010522.cfm In the first reading, St. John writes, “Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God”.  Do you truly and fully believe that Jesus is God? Do you know someone who does not believe so? Many, I am sure. Similarly in St. John’s time, there were many early Christian communities who questioned the divinity of Jesus. They followed Jesus’ teachings but regarded Him as simply a human person with the special power to perform miracles. They did not believe He is God. The disbelief stemmed from the humanity of Jesus. He was born from a woman like any other human, he grew from infancy to adulthood in the same way as the rest of humanity. He experienced hunger, pain, emotions and temptations like anyone. But He did not sin. Jesus was indeed fully human, so how could He also be fully divine? Human logic cannot explain it. Science cannot prove it. Thus, many could not accept it. God came to sav...
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Homily April 29, Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

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 “And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus”. Even after being flogged, all day long, the disciples continued teaching and preaching everywhere… Amazing, isn’t it?  These past few days, we have been reading from Acts of the Apostles. We see how the Jewish leaders and high priest tried to stop the apostles from preaching in the name of Jesus. But they failed. The Pharisee Gamaliel rightly said, “if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” How true. The church is from God. The disciples did not stop teaching and proclaiming. They even rejoiced at being flogged for what they were doing. They were on fire for Jesus. They were so eager and excited to tell everyone about Jesus. What about us? If there is a new restaurant serving delicious food or a store is having a great end-of-summer sale, we would hear many people talking about it. Some w...
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Christmas Homily 2021,

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Homily: December 10, 2024, Tuesday of the second week In Advent (Word of God)

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