Brian Bartholomew Tan

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So far Brian Bartholomew Tan has created 343 blog entries.

Mary: Contemplative in Action

Scripture renders very few occasions where it is recorded that Mother Mary spoke. From the 27 books in the New Testament, only 2 of these books report the words that came from Mother Mary. Her presence speaks louder than the words that she says, and this tells us of her role in accompanying Jesus in His ministry - how the [...]

By |2022-12-29T12:42:00+08:00December 29th, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story|Comments Off on Mary: Contemplative in Action

Liturgical Reflection for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

Mary treasured all these things in Her Heart On the first Christmas night, Mary had visitors she did not expect. These were the lowly shepherds who proceeded to share with her the revelation that had been given to them by the angels.  God our Father made the proclamation through the angels to the simple shepherds. Even as she was joyful [...]

By |2022-12-29T12:39:50+08:00December 29th, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story, Liturgical Reflection|Comments Off on Liturgical Reflection for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

The Silence that Speaks at Christmas

Amidst the news that Christ the Messiah, the newborn king of the Jews has arrived, there is certainly a lot of excited chatter. Surrounding the birth of Jesus are noise and clamour – the busy-ness of the census dictated by Caesar Augustus – thousands were making their way back to their hometowns; Herod could not stop talking as he tried [...]

By |2022-12-22T15:59:26+08:00December 22nd, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story|Comments Off on The Silence that Speaks at Christmas

Liturgical Reflections for Christmas (Year A)

Christmas is the promise made good - a promise that God our Father made to Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3:15, the Lord God said to the serpent, the devil,’ I will make you enemies of each other; you and the woman, your offspring her offspring. It will crush your head and you will strike its heel.’ The offspring of [...]

By |2022-12-22T15:58:35+08:00December 22nd, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story, Liturgical Reflection|Comments Off on Liturgical Reflections for Christmas (Year A)

Liturgical reflection for 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A)

Matthew 1: 18 – 24: “… Do not be afraid…”   “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” which means “God is with us”   Luke: 1 – 38: “I am the handmade of the Lord, may it be done to me according to Your Word”   Mary’s full obedience [...]

By |2022-12-12T17:16:31+08:00December 12th, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story, Liturgical Reflection|Comments Off on Liturgical reflection for 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A)

The Real Deal About Christmas

Christmas Celebrations The term Christmas can be traced etymologically to an Old English term, Cristes mæsse, meaning The Mass of Christ (Online Etymology Dictionary, n.d.). There is not a more endearing Festivity that is celebrated around the world than Christmas, and the centuries have seen a plethora of traditions surrounding this season -  from the wild and wacky – In [...]

By |2022-12-12T19:15:06+08:00December 12th, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story|Comments Off on The Real Deal About Christmas

Liturgical Reflections for 29th Ordinary Sunday

Preparing the reflections was a very big task for me. I often felt stressed out as I feel that I am not equipped to write something that people will read or that I would be able to correctly showcase how reflections should be written. After reading the First and Second readings and the Gospel repeatedly, trying to get inspiration, and [...]

By |2022-10-16T12:54:09+08:00October 13th, 2022|Featured story, Liturgical Reflection|Comments Off on Liturgical Reflections for 29th Ordinary Sunday

Custodians of Tradition, Stewards of Transformation

“Every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” – Matthew 13: 52   A central tenet of the faith of a Catholic is that by an act of love, God has revealed Himself and given Himself to man (CCC. [...]

By |2022-10-12T16:15:29+08:00October 12th, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story|Comments Off on Custodians of Tradition, Stewards of Transformation

A New Name

I recently had the honour and privilege of being the responder for the Eucharistic Celebration of the Holy Matrimony of a pair of amazing friends.    While I have been for many weddings, I never really gave much thought to the proceedings. The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony really brings to mind in a surprising way, the parable, "And no one [...]

By |2022-10-04T05:23:13+08:00October 3rd, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story|Comments Off on A New Name

Celebrating the Liturgy in the Every Day

There is a misconception that our lives should be lived separately from the Church. On the contrary, the sacred should be interwoven so intricately into the tapestry and fabric of the every day, that it is indistinguishable from the other.   The Church celebrates the Liturgical Year and permeates our days with the celebrations that are meaningful to our Salvation [...]

By |2022-09-22T19:24:33+08:00September 22nd, 2022|Faith Formation, Featured story|Comments Off on Celebrating the Liturgy in the Every Day