Holy Saturday -- First Reading Gn 1:1-2:2 Ps 104:1-2,5-6,10,12,13-14,24,35 God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. As part of my daily morning routine, I would marvel at the sight of God’s creation first – the crisp morning air, quirky sounds from Asian Koels and fluffy clouds dotting the skies... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — Learning to Part
Holy Saturday -- Second Reading Gn 22:1-18 Ps 16:5,8,9-10,11 God put Abraham to the test. In my opinion, today’s reading is riddled with question marks and deemed to be controversial for many. There are tons of commentaries expounding on this story in Genesis, trying to explain why a merciful and all-knowing God would go to... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday – Live and Let Live
Holy Saturday -- Third Reading Ex 14:15—15:1 Ex 15:1-2,3-4,5-6,17-18 The cloud was dark, and the night passed without the armies drawing any closer the whole night long. 'Live and let live' was a phrase developed during World War I and popularized during the Christmas Truce of 1914, where troops deliberately abstained from the use of... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — We Are Never Abandoned
Holy Saturday -- Fourth Reading Is 54:5-14Ps 30:2,4,5-6,11-12,13 “I did forsake you for a brief moment, but with great love will I take you back.” It’s easy to think that God has abandoned us when trials come our way, or when our prayers are not answered. I don’t think I’ve ever outrightly blamed God or accused... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — Speak Lord, Your Servant is listening
Holy Saturday -- Fifth Reading Is 55:1-11Is 12:2-3,4,5-6 “listen, and your soul may live.” This line stood out for me. It is as if God is telling us to listen to him so that we may live (a purposeful life). A lot of the time, we probably don’t even know when God is actually trying... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — Learning about the importance of wisdom
Holy Saturday -- Sixth Reading Bar 3:9 – 15,32 – 4:4 Who has found the place of wisdom? As someone who has not attended the Easter Vigil for years (or more accurately, decades), the Oxygen reflections were a good chance for me to find out more about the passages featured in this ‘mother of all... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — Constant conversion through God’s grace
Holy Saturday -- Seventh Reading Eze 36:16-17,18-28 “You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You shall be my people and I will be your God.” When I read this passage from Ezekiel, it struck me as rather stern and remonstrating in tone, rather similar to the reading before it. Ezekiel was... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — Baptism
Holy Saturday -- Epistle Rm 6:3-11 ...we too might live a new life. At the end of February, on a beautiful Sunday morning, I sat in a pew and meandered about my attachments – to things, people and meanings of these ‘things'. I thought about my hurts, betrayals, un-forgiveness, and how I have been judged,... Continue Reading →
3 April, Saturday — Getting out of my tomb
Holy Saturday -- Gospel Mark 16:1-7 He has risen, He is not here. A year ago, I painted a scene from today’s gospel reading. It was week 2 into Singapore’s lock down – the circuit breaker. Looking back, that period was tough; a difficult time in human history. Being stuck at home was like being... Continue Reading →
2 Apr, Friday — Death for Life
Good Friday There is no Mass today. The readings are used in the afternoon celebration of the Lord's Passion. Isa 52:13-53:12Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9Jn 18:1-19:42 See, my servant will prosper, he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights. The fourth song of the servant by the prophet Isaiah opens with such a dazzling and... Continue Reading →
