In today’s Gospel one of the Pharisees, “an expert of the law” ventured to test Jesus as to which was the most important law. The Jews were governed by the Mosaic Law which comprised the Ten Commandments and more than 600 auxiliary and additional rules for living. It was more in the Pharisees' interest to defeat Jesus rather than to [...]
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leaded Joseph likes a flock. My God, lead Maria to make her mind , keep the job and changes, to a new department. Help her Lord as she had harder her heart. Many year she had not been to church, thou that dwells between the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin [...]
God is both refuge and strength for us, a help always ready in trouble; So we shall not fear though deadlines are too many, KPIs are impossible to meet, God’s love for us is a surety when we are obedient, thankful and have a contrite heart, Bad bosses come and go, a job lost opens the door to a better [...]
I remember that a few years back, when I was still an undergraduate, I received the news that a teacher who had taught me at Junior College had passed on. I had briefly bumped into her at the university's library just a couple of months shortly prior and in our brief conversation, I understood that she was in the midst [...]
I lift up my eyes to the mountains from where shall come my help As I embark on new journey with Lord Thoughts of fear and insecurities are squashed As my help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth Slipping into old habits and old life of sin, no way! Will he let my foot slip the one [...]
We learn from the first reading that the Persian king, Cyrus was called by name and anointed by the Lord to subdue nations before him with a mission to free the Jewish exiles from captivity in Babylon. Similarly, by virtue of our baptism, we are called by name and anointed as priest, prophet and king and thus commissioned with a [...]
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29) We are called to respond, not to react to the words of others. As human beings, we have the tendency to react according to how [...]
We know that one of Singaporeans’ favourite indulgences is food. Our conversation comes alive and we talk fondly of our favourite dishes or delicacies. In today’s first reading, Isaiah describes the lavish banquet for all people, and speaks of juicy, rich food and refined, aged wine. What is more, at this banquet, death and shame will be lifted from [...]
The presence of COVID-19 has made manifest the undercurrent fissures and cracks that the Catholic Church has been facing for a very long time, but which we forgot about, swept under the carpet, ignored, or were so busy doing a million and one things except the things that we were supposed to do that we were distracted from sitting down [...]
Those of us who have tried growing herbs or veggies will probably find the message from today’s readings familiar with our experiences. Such is the case in the first reading, where the vine-owner “had a vineyard on a fertile hillside; he spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; within it he built a watchtower, and [...]