Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas - The Wait(ed) Moment

The first time I saw him was when he approached me for a $5 change. I thought he looked mentally unstable with his white hair, cross-eyed & sloppy look. The next time I saw him was when he asked me for the time of the night as he walked towards the bus stop (outside my home) which I have just alighted. Surely, this is a madman, I concluded. The third time I saw him was when he was waiting alone at the same bus stop. I was on my way home, around 8+ after a long day's work.

As I turned my head back, I realized that he was with his wife, walking with her, lovingly holding her handbag. I suddenly pieced everything together & realized that he was all along waiting for his wife to return back from work! The last time he enquired about the time was to estimate the time that his wife was returning. I can't believe that at the age of 50+, this couple could still be so loving. I was somehow touched by what I saw before me. I've heard the story of the prodigal son so many times, but this is the first time I truly FELT what the parable was all about. We have waited many times for people who are late for appointments, and we tend to remember them well (don't we?)! But we forget quite quickly the times when people waited for us. What does it feel like to be waited? Especially one where the person waited for you WITH LOVE and not annoyance? Could you pause & think (+ feel) about that for a moment? Have you ever been waited with such love (be it in a relationship) or have witnessed something like that?

As we celebrate Christmas this year, we often like to think that we (the world) are waiting for the Saviour to come. Or at least, this is what the readings & Advent reminded us. But what if, it was really the other way round? Rather God was The One, who waited for us? Waiting for us to respond to Him - to welcome Him into our ever so-busy world, a world of self-interest, consumerism? A God who waited with love for us. A white-haired God who has waited since the beginning of time for our notice, for us to pause & feel His love. Yes, in so many ways, God is like the man I've encountered. So easily he escaped my notice, gets written off by my quick judgement as a madman. Yet, if only I choose to LOOK BACK & PAUSE (to reflect), I will notice someone more beautiful than I thought - a God MADLY in love with me. Is that what we see at the scene of the Nativity?

"Better than hoping for anything from the Lord, besides His love, let us place all our hope in His love itself. This hope is as sure as God Himself. It can never be confounded. It is more than a promise of its own fulfillment. It is an effect of the very love it hopes for. It seeks charity because it has already found charity. It seeks God knowing that it has already been found by Him. It travels to Heaven realizing obscurely that it has already arrived."

~ Thomas Merton, No Man Is An Island

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas - Our Light of Hope

As I was taking my night flight back from Shanghai, I manage to peer through the window to take one last look at the skyline of the city. It's really beautiful. But it somehow reminded me that all this comes with a price. When I was serving my National Service in Tekong, I recalled how I often admired the numerous stars that I see in the sky. But I could only spot a few of them when I'm in mainland Singapore. Later, someone told me that our tall buildings with their night lights has lit up the sky so brightly that it made it difficult to spot any stars.

About 2000+ yrs ago, 3 wise men followed a star that led them to the child Saviour, tucked away in a manger. If this event is to happen today, will there be any star for them to follow? In a brightly lit world today, we get distracted with so many beautiful & colourful lights. Which is the true light to follow? Today, I see these lights represented as materialism, consumerism and secularism. I too, am guilty of getting distracted with the latest fashion wear, electronic gadget must-have. In this new age, many digital improvements have also demanded my attention. They range from sms, facebook, to msn & emails. All of which has left me with less & less time for myself, yet alone a proper discernment to decipher what's really important in life.

Living in Singapore all my life, I've only encountered a blackout about 2 times. It is during those times, when a simple lit candle could bring much comfort & hope to me. When all the bright lights have failed me, this simple candle light stay true by my side. A comfort to help me find my way in the darkness, a hope that everything will be restored to its original state. Yes, even in the familarity of my own house, I can get lost. Isn't this often the irony in life? We get so used to our daily routine, that we begin to accept the way things are. We stop questioning if there's a more Christian, Loving way to carry out our daily task.

The advent candles are a timely reminder to me for what they stand for. The first candle reminds me of what Christmas promises to bring - Hope, an alternative to what I have to put up with - darkness. The question is whether do I want to step out of this darkness? Just where bad news is the proven headline that brings publicity, can I be the one to herald good news? Can I be the one to make a difference in the lives of those around me?

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
~ John 1 : 4-5

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Involve

"If you are not part of the solution, you're part of the problem"
~ Sydney J. Harris

I think there's so much truth in the above statement. What it essentially teaches us is that when faced with a difficult situation, we got to take a stand. We cannot be bystanders and just "hope for the best". It leaves no room for indifference. I'm sure we are confronted with many of such issues in our daily lives. It may range from unjust treatment of migrant/domestic workers to gossiping of colleagues/friends.

The bible highlights this clearly in Revelation 3:15 - 16, where it speaks of those who sit on the fence. They will be spit out eventually. Too often, the Catholic Church has been branded as a sleeping giant. We adopt the waiting stance. We complain about many things but we wait for someone to act, to solve our problems. But in order for our world/church to evolve to a Christic world, it is not enough merely to revolve it round faith & prayer. We need to start getting involved. We need to get our hands dirty & start getting into action. We are not perfect and we have a long way to go. But getting personally involved is a good place to start.

I used to dream of an active & envangelical Catholic community which is the envy of many non-believers. A closely knit community whereby we all know each other because of everyone's active involvement in church ministry. An evangelical community because we are so filled with the fervour and Spirit, that we no longer remain shy or ignorant of our faith. But when will this take place? My dream seems like a far cary from current reality. Should I give it up or wait for that day to come before I contribute? Am I then part of the problem or solution?

I finally decided that my dream will not happen if I do not take the first step to plant the seed. And there's no better place to begin than to start educating & outreaching to the youths today. Hopefully they will grow up to change the world around them. Only they have the ability to lead & shape the church of tomorrow. It has been a great 10 years in youth ministry. My dream today is still nowhere in sight. I may not live to see it fulfilled. But the thought that I am involved in this plan, sometimes shudders me. On reflection, I could only say that it was divine inspiration that kept me going all these years. And it has been a beautiful journey just to be involved (via my own silly & small ways) in the grand plan of God.

Martin Luther once explained that for the Incarnation to take place, 3 miracles were needed.
1) For God to come and dwell in the human form
2) For the Saviour 's birth to come forth from a virgin
3) For Mary to consent and be part of God's salvific plan
And for him, the greatest miracle was the last one.

The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.
~ John Burroughs