Christ is our peace

Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year C

One of the greatest desires of every person is that of peace. We constantly hear this all the time. We realize that money cannot always buy happiness. We experience that conflicts and misunderstandings are part and parcel of life. But there is one thing we always hope for is peace. Firstly, it is peace for ourselves and then peace for others – our family, our society and the world.

But in world that is so filled with violence, hatred and wars, where we see conflicts occurring not only in society but also in our own families, we may start to think that peace is only a dream. we realise that though the concept of peace is easy to grasp as far as we all desire it; the dilemmas of peace are more complex, and the implementation of peace even harder. It is no wonder that many have grown sceptical that peace is attainable, a mere Utopian dream. But today’s readings assert the good news that peace is within our reach. Peace is not a dream or something utopian; it is possible. It is true that we cannot manufacture peace. But God can. Peace is possible whenever we align our purpose and will with God’s. To have peace is to trust in God. If sin, through man’s disobedience, is the cause of disharmony and disorder in the world, peace is a recovery of that order, when man submits himself to the will and plan of God. Therefore, St Augustine appropriately described peace as tranquillitas ordinis, the tranquillity of order.

Therefore, it is not ideologies that save the world, but only an unconditional return to the living God, our Creator, the guarantor of our freedom, and the guarantor of what is really good and true; and who at the same time is everlasting love. And what could ever save us apart from love? Love takes delight in truth, it is the force that enables us to make a commitment to truth, to justice, to peace, because it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (cf. 1 Cor 13:1-13). True peace comes when we place our faith in Christ, because “He is our Peace.” True peace comes only when we embrace the truth that He is the author, worker, and perfecter of our faith. Choosing Christ does not guarantee success according to the criteria of today’s world, but ensures that peace and joy that only He can give. Peace comes when we acknowledge that God is in control and surrender to his charge.

Sometimes, it is easy to be disillusioned and to feel that peace can never be attained. I guess the problem lies with our incorrect understanding of what peace really means. Peace is not to absence or the cessation of violence and conflict. Peace is possible even in the midst of conflict. Peace is not only an external reality but something that must take root in our hearts. If there is no peace in our hearts, we can never experience peace outside of ourselves. A great deal of unrest is caused by the unrest in our hearts. There can be no rest in our hearts as long as we constantly want to have things according to our ways. The problem with wanting things according to our ways is that we are never in control of the situation. We want our children to grow up and be successful. We want them to marry good wives and husbands. But we are not in control of these things. When we don’t get things our way, we will not be happy. We won’t have peace in our hearts. The only way in which we can find peace is to allow God to take control of our lives. In the second reading, we are given the example of Christ, who came to obey the will of God the Father. When we are prepared to allow God have his ways and not our ways, then we will have peace in our hearts. It is only when we have peace in our hearts that we can become peacemakers.

A little baby that was born 2000 years ago to a poor family made a difference. In the face of so much opposition and where so much hate and violent exists, one man who spoke of peace made a difference. When so many people were unable to forgive one another for the injury that they have done to one another, a single man on a cross was able to make a difference by forgiving his executors. That man is Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace. Jesus was able to change the course of history, world events and lives of so many people without lifting a gun, starting a war or ruling a country. If today you feel that you are just one person, don’t worry. You too can make a difference. Start by allowing God to take control of your lives. Surrender your life to him and you will find peace, peace even in the midst of problems and difficulties.

Love as he loves!

For the past few weeks, our entire nation has been preoccupied with the mysterious disappearance of MH 370. Although, it seems hardly possible to detect any silver lining in this otherwise sad and tragic incident, we finally have some needed reprieve from the continuous and unprecedented barrage of vitriolic hate speech coming from ultra nationalistic groups which was dominating the headlines prior thereto. Before the recent outpouring of good will and solidarity crossing religious and cultural divide, the country had been experienced an episode of polarisation that no one has ever witnessed before. It has left many thinking – where could so much hate, prejudice and of course, fear, come from? I guess the element of love seems to be disappeared in the society. Of course, this might cause fear among the people. Perhaps, one should ask what is the best and sure way to peace, happiness, and abundant life? 

The prophet Hosea addressed this question with his religious community - the people of Israel. Hosea's people lived in a time of economic anxiety and fear among the nations. They were tempted to put their security in their own possessions and in their political alliances with other nations rather than in God. Hosea called his people to return to God to receive pardon, healing, and restoration. He reminded them that God would "heal their faithlessness and love them freely" (Hosea 14:4). God's ways are right and his wisdom brings strength and blessing to those who obey him.

How does love and obedience to God's law go together? The Pharisees prided themselves in the knowledge of the law and their ritual requirements. They made it a life-time practice to study the six hundred and thirteen precepts of the Old Testament along with the numerous rabbinic commentaries. They tested Jesus to see if he correctly understood the law as they did. Jesus startled them with his profound simplicity and mastery of the law of God and its purpose.

What does God require of us? Simply that we love as he loves! God is love and everything he does flows from his love for us. God loved us first and our love for him is a response to his exceeding grace and kindness towards us. The love of God comes first and the love of neighbor is firmly grounded in the love of God. The more we know of God's love and truth the more we love what he loves and reject what is hateful and contrary to his will.

What makes our love for God and his commands grow in us? Faith in God and hope in his promises strengthen us in the love of God. They are essential for a good relationship with God, for being united with him. The more we know of God the more we love him and the more we love him the greater we believe and hope in his promises. The Lord, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, gives us a new freedom to love as he loves (Galatians 5:13). 

Paul the Apostle says: hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Romans 5:5). 

Divine Mercy Sunday

Source: Catholic Web

Today is the day where the Catholic Church celebrate the feast day of Divine Mercy, as recorded in the diary of Saint Faustina, receives from Jesus himself the biggest promise of Grace related to the devotion of Divine Mercy. The church usually will celebrate it on the Sunday after Easter, the octave of Easter. The devotion was actively promoted by Pope John Paul II.

The Divine Mercy Sunday is a Roman Catholic devotion to the merciful love of God and the desire to let that love and mercy flow through one's own heart towards those in need of it. The devotion is due to the apparitions of the Lord, Jesus received by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska, who is known as the Apostle of Mercy.

Faustina Kowalska reported a number of apparitions, visions and conversations with Jesus which she wrote in her diary, and later published as the book : Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. The three main themes of the devotion are to ask for and obtain the mercy of God, to trust in Christ's abundant of mercy, and finally to show mercy to others and act as a conduit for God's mercy towards them.

Great Blessing for this New Year from God

Two weeks from now, the Chinese community including me will be celebrating Chinese New Year. We can see that people start to decorate their house with new year accessories, which believe will bring luck and joy for them throughout the year. Besides decorating their homes, people were also busy with those magazine that explain about their zodiac throughout the year. In summary, they are more concern toward their luck for this coming year.

We often equate good fortune, happiness and luck as things that are subject to fate. There are greater forces beyond us that determine whether we would have a good year or a bad year. The type and number of crystals that we should display in our house or wear around our wrists; the colour of our hair; the animal zodiac and its influence throughout the year; the number of gold fish that I should rear in my aquarium. We often equate good fortune, happiness and luck as things that are subject to fate. There are greater forces beyond us that determine whether we would have a good year or a bad year. The type and number of crystals that we should display in our house or wear around our wrists; the colour of our hair; the animal zodiac and its influence throughout the year; the number of gold fish that I should rear in my aquarium. 

For this coming new year, I’m not going to tell you what’s your fortune for this year, whether you would be experiencing lots of good luck or bad. No. I have a much better prediction for year. It’s going to be great year, a year full of blessings, a year of true joy. Why? Because God has promised to be with you. If God is with you at all times, you don’t need good luck or good fengshui or good omens. God will be you sustaining you, giving you strength to bear with all the burdens of life. God will be with you to help you through the darkest moments. God will be with you guiding you when you feel lost. God will be with you comforting you in your loneliness and pain. God will be with you healing you, forgiving you and blessing you with his grace.