The Barefoot Journey Home

 Ever since the start of the Pandemic, even when we were allowed to resume the celebration of the Liturgy in the parishes, the Liturgy has never been the same. I can't remember the last time we were allowed to sing during the Liturgy, which is rather sad because music plays an important role in drawing us into the Mystery of Christ. The restrictions on having music in the Liturgy is also meant to keep all religious services as short as possible, so as to prevent further risks of cross contamination.  Of course, I'm not complaining about this. As much as here in Singapore, we have been able to bring the pandemic under some form of tentative control, the pandemic is far from over. The last thing we need at this point, especially with the sacred days of the Easter Tridumn around the corner, would be for a cluster to form in one of our parishes, which would lead to further implications for the entire Archdiocese.  However, as much as the safety regulations from the authoritie...

To many of us, if there's one thing that Jesus really showed during his public ministry, it's the fact that God is love. From healing the sick, to casting out demons, to giving his life on the Cross for all of us, Jesus' ministry encapsulates perfectly, the heart of God. Whilst many in the time of Jesus thought of God as an angry and vengeful God, who's wrath needed to be appeased, Jesus shows us that we have a loving and merciful God.  By no doubt, charity is at the heart of Jesus' public ministry, which continues till this day. In fact, Pope Benedict has said more than a few times that Charity is the heart of the Church. The hallmark of a true Christian isn't about how much Scriptural or Theological knowledge he possesses, but in his love for his neighbour.  However, I do wonder sometimes if we are picking and choosing how to love others as Jesus did. I do wonder if we have been picking and choosing on which elements of Jesus we want to be impacted by. Many of...

 In our readings for this weekend, we see a preview of what we are going to be celebrating as Church at the end of our Lenten Journey. We also see what we are called to become during Lent, and at end of our life here on Earth. Last weekend, we saw Jesus in his purest and highest state. The story of the Transfiguration in the Gospel needs no introduction to most, if not all of us. We know how Jesus took his disciples up the mountain, and how he was transfigured. We know how two of the most important figures from the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah, were also there and conversed with Jesus. But did you know why Moses and Elijah were there?  To answer that, we need to go back to the Old Testament, and really look at the purpose of Moses and Elijah’s ministry. For Moses, apart from his mission to rescue the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt, he was the giver of the law. The Jewish Torah, which is where we get the first five books of the Bible from, are in fact attributed to M...

 Let's be honest. All of us seek happiness. The world encourages us to do so. In fact, for many of us, as we get older, we care less about what others think. We buy into the mentality that those who mind don't matter and that those who matter don't mind. I must admit, I personally buy into that mindset.  It's true that self-care is important, and that we should seek to be happy. It's also true that those who are our true friends will support us in every decision that we make, even if it means giving us the space to allow us to live and learn. However, I do wonder if whether or not, in the pursuit of personal happiness, we might be compromising on the message of the gospel.  The problem with many of us is that in our pursuit of happiness, while we are right to say that we should not care too much about what others have to say (as we live in a world where no matter what we do, there'll always be somebody with something to say), but we sometimes can get a little ca...

 "If it's not appropriate at the Foot of the Cross, it doesn't belong at Mass" This is often cited by more than a few Catholics who wish to speak out against liturgical abuse. To many of such people, things such as the guitar, the piano, and even the drums in some parishes have been a cause of liturgical abuse. Many of us feel that there is a need for the restoration of the Pipe Organ and Chant, so as to restore the holiness which should be found in the Liturgy.  It's definitely true that the GIRM calls for an emphasis on Chant, and for the Pipe Organ to be held in high esteem. Quite frankly, I do feel that we should put a bit more of an emphasis on these things during the celebration of the Liturgy, so as to remind our Catholics that what is being celebrated is indeed sacred. However, does this really mean that the guitar, the piano, and the drums do not have a place in the Liturgy? Is the music from the composers really a cause of Liturgical Abuse?  While it...

 Chinese New Year is around the corner. Some of us have been shopping in Chinatown during the last couple of days, in preparation for our Reunion Dinners this weekend. Others have already started cleaning and decorating their homes. Many of us have already put in our orders for YuSheng. And most of us are looking forward to a weekend filled with family gatherings (according to the safety regulations of course), red packets, bakkwa and pineapple tarts. It is a wonderful time for many of us.  Catholics also look forward to Chinese New Year every year, regardless of whether or not they come from Chinese backgrounds. If not for the fact that the world is currently in the midst of a pandemic, many Catholics would make it a point to celebrate the Eucharist in Church on the first day of Chinese New Year. In fact, in a few parishes, those who attend Mass on the first day of the New Year would be treated to a Lion Dance performance outside the Church, when the Mass ends. Some parishes ...

It's no secret that the life of a Catholic Priest is not easy. The role of the clergy is onerous, and we often do not see how hard most of our clergy actually work, to build the kingdom of God. Our priests have generously given of their lives to the service of the people of God. It is a 24/7 role.  I've written recently about how more than a few of us are to blame for the fact that a number of our priests have grown jaded and tired from their ministry. I've also written about how some of us are at fault for the fact that many of our priests are not in the best health, both physically and mentally. However, after two incidents that I've witnessed this week, I felt compelled to remind my readers once again, that we need to be more loving towards our priests. While I am certainly not trying to play the blaming game here, it would be morally repugnant for me to sit back and remain silent on such issues. Our priests are human beings, and we ought to treat them with love and ...