Jul 30 – Memorial for St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop & Doctor
An adult convert, St. Peter (406-450) fought paganism and heresy, enforced reforms, and built several churches and ornate altars in his see. A preacher with outstanding language skills, he was given the name ‘Chrysologus’, referring to his ‘golden word’. 176 of his sermons have survived; it is the strength of these beautiful explanations of the Incarnation, the Creed, the place of Mary and John the Baptist in the great plan of salvation, etc., that led to his being proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1729.
- Patron Saint Index
Jer 14:17-22
Mt 13:36-43
“The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one…”
Singapore is a country where we import almost everything. So, when scripture introduces agricultural terms, I am very sure that most Singaporeans would not have an understanding of what those terms are, or what they refer to. For example, when Jesus refers to having faith as big as a mustard seed, have we ever seen a mustard seed, much less appreciate the size of that mustard seed?
And, in today’s gospel, we are introduced to yet another agricultural term – “darnel”. So, what is ‘darnel’?
According to Wikipedia: “Darnel usually grows in the same production zones as wheat and was a serious weed of cultivation until modern sorting machinery enabled darnel seeds to be separated efficiently from seed wheat. The similarity between these two plants is so great that in some regions, darnel is referred to as “false wheat“. It bears a close resemblance to wheat until the ear appears. Wheat will appear brown when ripe, whereas darnel is black.”
So, this got me thinking… How can we identify the ‘darnel’ in our lives and even more alarming, am I ‘darnel’ in the lives of others?
I guess one way to check these is to do a regular examen. The Daily Examen is a prayerful reflection on our daily happenings in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. It also enables us to spend quiet time with God daily. It is something that I strive to do and invariably fail. Well, the reasons behind it could fill another Oxygen reflection itself. But I digress…
I do try to spend time with the Lord daily, in the morning before my day begins. However, is this time that I set aside, enough to check the darnel in our lives or to see if we are darnel in others’ lives? I guess it’s a start, but it is likely not enough. And so, I also try to do my reflections on my regular runs, which invariably last at for least an hour per session.
During these ‘on the run’ reflections, I sometimes feel that the Lord is accompanying me during these sessions. Especially when the workout is a little more intense. The sense of Jesus and Mary being at my side is sometimes imperceptible, but I know that they are there with me with every step I take. It is also during these times, that I ask the Lord to guide me in a particular issue that I am facing. The answers come, though not always, but invariably, they will guide me to a possible solution.
It is also during these times, that I reflect on whether I am doing God’s work, or being ‘darnel’ in the lives of others. I also use these occasions to “go away to a lonely place” with Him. As you know, running is, more often than not, a solitary activity. It’s just you, the road, the strength in our legs and the air in our lungs. The life-giving air that is a gift from God which powers our every movement.
I thank God for giving me these opportunities to come away with Him and to work on my relationships with Him. I acknowledge that my faith is still lacking in a lot of areas, but I am comforted by the fact that if I want to, God is there to help me grow my faith. My faith is much smaller than the size of a mustard seed, but I know that I can get there, with the prayers of all the saints, our Blessed Lady and with Jesus, our companion in our travels in life.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Calvin Wee)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of faith. We ask that you will always guide us in our faith journey. That we may always turn to you in good times and in bad. You, O Lord, are our salvation and it only through You that we have meaning in our lives. Grant that as we travel with you, we may be life for others on this same faith journey as ours. Amen.
Thanksgiving: Thank you Father, for the gift of life. Thank you for the opportunities and times that You have revealed yourself to us. Grant that we may keep all these things in our hearts and reflect upon them so as to know you more and to love you more. Amen.
OXYGEN 
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