30 January, Thursday — Community not I-Solated

Thursday of Week 3 in Ordinary Time

Heb 10:19-25
Mk 4:21-25

“Take notice of what you are hearing.”

My father always told me to go to Mass every Sunday. So, I did.

32 years ago, when I asked my wife to marry me, she said ‘Yes’ only if I promise to go to Mass with her every Sunday, especially on holidays. So, we did. Later, when I became a father with two daughters, we went as a family every Sunday without fail. Now, my girls are grown up and all of us still go to Mass every Sunday.

In today’s first reading, the writer to the Hebrews states we must stir up one another to love, and good works and should not absent ourselves from the assembly, as some do. We must also encourage one another in our faith. These words are frank and uncompromising. To me, the assembly is the Sunday mass where we can receive the Eucharist in person. We should not miss it!   

Despite my best efforts, I have sadly missed Sunday mass before, but the number is less than 7 times. All of them occurred when I was alone overseas, and getting to a church was inconvenient. On the contrary, in my 31 years of marriage, I have never seen my wife miss Sunday mass at all. She is steadfast because of her deep love for the faith, nurtured by her Opus Dei ladies community. They support their members with weekly doctrine and reflection classes, social get-togethers and outreach programmes. Through the years, I witnessed how this community spirit has even brought secular, lapsed Catholics and Protestant women to the faith. They have also motivated me to become more involved through my choir ministry and Bible Adventure classes.    

Brothers and sisters, we are now into the third week of the liturgical season in ‘Ordinary Times’. For this year, let us live these Ordinary Times in both an ordinary and extraordinary way. The extraordinary means to have a strong commitment to daily prayer, studying the bible and going to Mass. The ordinary means to make this into a routine part of our daily life. Therefore, don’t be alone in the faith, as it will be a difficult journey. Join a church group or community. Together, you can stir each other to keep our faith and mass attendance extraordinary.

My wife has done it — so can we!  

(Today’s OXYGEN by Andrew Sia)

Prayer: I know my faith is young, please make my faith stronger. Help me to turn ‘Me’ and ‘I’ into ‘We’.

Thanksgiving: Thank you Lord, for the gift of a good community to worship you and proclaim your Word.