Monday 24 September 2012

BI, GI

Fr Elmer, in his Homily, related how he would go back to his hometown and connect with his buddies. On one occasion, a family member who was active in one of the laity associations in the parish whispered in his ear that he shouldn’t be associating himself with BIs. He asked for clarification and was told that some of his old friends were “Bad Influence”. It didn’t look good for a priest to be seen with persons of questionable character he was told. He did not heed the advice, preferring to maintain his friendship with the BIs.

He said that Jesus was confronted with a similar admonition from the Pharisees, when He told Matthew to follow him and ate in the latter’s house. “’The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" He heard this and said, 'Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.'" (Matthew 9:11-13)

The Pharisees were wrong about Matthew. Not only did he become one of the Twelve Apostles, he authored one of the Gospels, and died as a martyr. St Matthew, who was labeled “BI”, had become a “GI”, or God’s Instrument.

It is therefore wrong to simply write-off people we perceive as “BI”, for if we, as GIs, are able to touch their hearts, they may turn out to be GIs as well.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Caught Lying

The comedy flick, The Invention of Lying, was reshown on TV and I didn’t really bother to see it. The star of the movie, Rick Gervais is a funny, yet acerbic comic who has hosted the Oscars for the past two years, and with his antics, made the ceremonies controversial. But that is beside the point.

I guess the reason why his movie didn’t get people to the gates is that the premise that a society has all honest and frank people was simply more out-of-this world than say, “Avatar”. Sadly, dishonesty fills the world.

Politicians, spin doctors and even that barber across the street peddle lies; making the truth hazy, if not subject to scrutiny. I’ve encountered quite a number of liars; but there was one who seemed meek as a lamb, yet turned out to have the appetite of a wolf.

To make the long story short, I got fooled, but didn’t tell others about it, out of compassion. But often the truth comes out. The individual had used on others the same scheme that tricked me into his lie.

A liar is dangerous. “A man who bears false witness is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.” (Proverbs 25:18) For lies are like virus, they cause evil things to others. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. We speak according to what is in our hearts, so we need to harbour only truth in our hearts.” (Matthew 12:34,35)

The Lord does not look kindly upon liars. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” (Prov. 12:22). The unrepentant liar must heed this warning: “All liars will have part in the second death, the lake of fire.” (Revelation 21:8)

We must not condemn liars rather we must help them repent, so they can be forgiven. But if they continue to live through lying, we must stay away or else our hearts may be contaminated.

For each one is accountable to the Lord, and He intends to keep in His eternal company those who have clean hands and are pure in heart. “Who will stand in God's holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart. Those who have not lifted up their souls to falsehood and have not sworn deceitfully. This is the one who will be blessed by the Lord.” (Psalm 24:3-5)

Monday 10 September 2012

The Cathedral

The T-Kids of St Mark’s Pakuranga filled the St Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland with their angelic voices during the mass sponsored by the Auckland Catholic Tertiary Chaplaincy on September 9, 2012. Not only did they receive a warm applause at the end of the final song, “Tell the World”, quite a number of churchgoers came forward to personally congratulate them.

In contrast on February 21, 2012, five members of Pussy Riots, a punk band, without any permission, occupied the soleas of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and performed a punk prayer, “Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!” The group used crude language not just in attacking the Russian leader Vladimir Putin but also the Moscow Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill I. The group members were arrested and charged with hooliganism, and sentenced to two years imprisonment.

International artists such as Madonna and Bjork condemned the “curtailment of freedom of speech”, while the foreign ministries of the United States and of European Union nations showed concern on the “disproportionate” sentence.

Sadly in this age of the internet, the outrageous, the bizarre and the contemptuous become viral (the Pussy Riots’ performance was uploaded in Youtube). People do these to get their “three-minutes” of fame. We must be reminded that doing despicable acts in the temple of God is definitely unacceptable, in the past, in the present and for all eternity.

Jesus showed deep respect for the House of the Lord. As a twelve years old, he stayed in the Temple to do his Father’s business (Luke 2:46-49). He was angered by the merchants who sold their products in the outer court of the house for prayer. (Matthew 21:18) God is present in the church; not just as a matter of symbol, but in the physical and spiritual senses.

While we pray for the imprisoned members of Pussy Riots that they be treated humanely and that they be released sooner than later; let us also tell the world that the Cathedral and all places of worship are sacred, and therefore have no space for hooliganism.

Monday 3 September 2012

Battle to Protect the Word

The New Zealand Parliament passed on August 29, 2012 on first reading (80 in favour, 40 against) the proposed legislation to recognize same-sex marriage. Since 2001, eleven jurisdictions have legalized same-sex marriage, namely Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden.

All six of New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops have taken a strong stance against the bill, and will do so every step of the way. The issue has brought together different denominations other than Catholic, including Anglican, Baptist, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and orthodox Jewish.

Fifty liberal clergy and laity from Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and Quaker denominations, though, criticised the bishops. They said, "To suggest, as you do, that marriage based on biblical precepts is frozen in stone and cannot develop or change is to ignore reality."

It then struck me as I listened to the Gospel about the Pharisees who criticised Jesus’ followers who failed to wash their hands before meal, to which Christ responded: "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." (Mark 7:1-8) God’s commands are cast in stone.

Jesus was clear about marriage: “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mark 10:6-9)

Let me quote the Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand to young New Zealanders: “The reality, as Jesus observed, is that male and female pair with each other. Males and females are different and complementary, each has a significant role to play in the nurturing of children. We come from one family and we set out to make another one. Marriage is not merely a human construction, it is the legal recognition of something natural. Civil law reflects and protects human nature. Society promotes and affirms the married state for the sake of the couple and for the sake of their children. The Church considers marriage to be the first blessing from the Creator and celebrates it as a sacrament. Christians did not invent marriage; it has been part of every human society throughout history. Legislators did not invent marriage; when the laws were written they were taking account of a pre-existing reality. We address this letter to you, rather than only to church members, because of the universality of marriage.”

There comes a time when we are called upon to take a stand for our faith. This is the moment. Pro-gay marriage proponents and supporters will throw anything at us, in this battle to protect the Word on marriage and on family. Let us stand united and be unafraid. God is with us.