19 December Jgs 13:2-7,24-25Lk 1:5-25 “How can I be sure of this?” My most recent encounter with today's Gospel passage was during an Advent Recollection titled “Hope”, on 30 November at the Church of St Ignatius in Singapore. As we reflected on the story of Advent, I found myself listening to this Gospel not just... Continue Reading →
18 December, Thursday — Who can we turn to?
18 December Jer 23:5-8Mt 1:18-24 ‘God-is-with-us’ It has been a year since we moved into our current house and as I reflect back on the year gone by, I can see how God has blessed me tremendously with so much more than I could ever have imagined. From being able to sing and glorify Him... Continue Reading →
17 December, Wednesday — Tree of Life
17 December Gen 49:2,8-10Mt 1:1-17 A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” is a phrase often heard in certain genres of movies/shows where a descendant of a good/evil patriarch has somehow gone against type and proven others wrong; yet, at the climax or... Continue Reading →
16 December, Tuesday — The unwilling sons
Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Advent Zep 3:1-2,9-13Mt 21:28-32 "Which of the two did the father’s will?” Sometimes, I wonder which son I resemble in the Gospel passage for today – the one who initially refused his father’s request but then later changed his mind? Or the one who initially agreed, but then did... Continue Reading →
15 December, Monday — Learning to trust with eyes veiled
Monday of the 3rd Week of Advent Num 24: 2-7,15-17Mt 21:23–27 He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened. Although I appreciate the hope-filled nature of the readings during Advent, sometimes I find them slightly abstract and removed from our current conflict-ridden world. So I was intrigued... Continue Reading →
14 December, Sunday — Exist in Joy While Waiting
3rd Sunday of Advent Isa 35:1-6,10Jas 5:7-10Mt 11:2-11 They will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy on their faces. We are now in the mid-point of Advent and steeped fully in the season of waiting. This practice of waiting hardly comes easy to most of us -- certainly not me. As I ponder... Continue Reading →
13 December, Saturday — “Come back to me…”
Dec 13 – Memorial for St. Lucy, virgin, martyr St. Lucy (c. 283) was a rich, young Christian of Greek ancestry. She was raised in a pious family, and vowed her life to Christ. Her Roman father died when she was young. Her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage for her. For three years, she managed... Continue Reading →
12 December, Friday — The Book of Love
Dec 12 – Memorial for Our Lady of Guadalupe Guadalupe is, strictly speaking, the name of a picture, but the name was extended to the church containing the picture and to the town which grew up around the church. It makes the shrine, it occasions the devotion, it illustrates Our Lady. It is taken as... Continue Reading →
9 December, Tuesday — Saved by our God of Love
Dec 9 – Memorial for St. Juan Diego, hermit, layman John (1474-1548) was born an impoverished free man in a strongly class-conscious society. He was a farm worker, a field labourer, and a mat maker. He became a married layman with no children. Even as a pagan, he was a mystical and religious man, and... Continue Reading →
8 December, Monday — All were created for you and me
Dec 8 – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary On this and the following eight days, the Church celebrates, with particular solemnity, the immaculate conception of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary who, from all eternity, was chosen to be the daughter of the heavenly Father, the spouse of the Holy Ghost, the... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 