With Palm Sunday we have entered Holy Week, this most holy of seasons in our liturgical calendar. As I participated in the Passion narrative at mass today, this question to God popped into my head. Why do You love me so much?
This question first pinged my consciousness last Thursday as I reflected in front of the Holy Eucharist during the Penitential Service. I am so imperfect. I fall so easily, Every day I sin. I am so faithless in actions despite my repeated professions of love.
Today Father Joe (so nice to see you Father Joe, it's been a long while - missed your plain talking homilies.) talked about the cast of characters to be found in the Passion narrative and asked us which one do we identify with this Lent. Even if I discover I am Judas, he encouraged not to be afraid to acknowledge the truth for then I can work on doing something positive about it.
Funnily enough who caught my attention today is not one of the main protagonists but the man wearing only a linen cloth and who left the linen cloth in the guards' hands as he ran away naked. That is me, the one who runs away in fear, not caring if I have exposed myself to greater danger by being so vulnerable. On the other hand, being naked means I have nothing more to lose or hide. It's just me that comes before Jesus this week. A sincere gift of self with all my blemishes and rolls of gluttonous, slothful fat.
The whole point of Holy Week is sacrifice; not just the reminder of the Pascal sacrifice, but my final push to make this Lenten season one of personal growth and accomplishment. For all my failures throughout Lent to stay faithful to what I wanted to do, I can make the conscious effort this week to make it happen.
Father Joe pointed out Lee Kuan Yew sacrificed his life to give us a beautiful home in Singapore, we can surely sacrifice a little time and effort to make a difference and give back not just to God, but to the ones around us, using this holiest of weeks to effect the change.
It was a poignant send off for Mr Lee today. Even the skies wept as the cortege moved slowly from Parliament House to the funeral service in the University Cultural Centre. The true testament to our founding father's spirit would be if all Singaporeans decide to move forward boldly and cohesively as "one united people, regardless of race, language or religion".
I can begin by standing up to my own personal challenges and working on them, starting this Holy Week. At least then I can say to Jesus although I do not know why You love me so much, I can justify it by being more like You.
This question first pinged my consciousness last Thursday as I reflected in front of the Holy Eucharist during the Penitential Service. I am so imperfect. I fall so easily, Every day I sin. I am so faithless in actions despite my repeated professions of love.
Today Father Joe (so nice to see you Father Joe, it's been a long while - missed your plain talking homilies.) talked about the cast of characters to be found in the Passion narrative and asked us which one do we identify with this Lent. Even if I discover I am Judas, he encouraged not to be afraid to acknowledge the truth for then I can work on doing something positive about it.
Funnily enough who caught my attention today is not one of the main protagonists but the man wearing only a linen cloth and who left the linen cloth in the guards' hands as he ran away naked. That is me, the one who runs away in fear, not caring if I have exposed myself to greater danger by being so vulnerable. On the other hand, being naked means I have nothing more to lose or hide. It's just me that comes before Jesus this week. A sincere gift of self with all my blemishes and rolls of gluttonous, slothful fat.
The whole point of Holy Week is sacrifice; not just the reminder of the Pascal sacrifice, but my final push to make this Lenten season one of personal growth and accomplishment. For all my failures throughout Lent to stay faithful to what I wanted to do, I can make the conscious effort this week to make it happen.
Father Joe pointed out Lee Kuan Yew sacrificed his life to give us a beautiful home in Singapore, we can surely sacrifice a little time and effort to make a difference and give back not just to God, but to the ones around us, using this holiest of weeks to effect the change.
It was a poignant send off for Mr Lee today. Even the skies wept as the cortege moved slowly from Parliament House to the funeral service in the University Cultural Centre. The true testament to our founding father's spirit would be if all Singaporeans decide to move forward boldly and cohesively as "one united people, regardless of race, language or religion".
I can begin by standing up to my own personal challenges and working on them, starting this Holy Week. At least then I can say to Jesus although I do not know why You love me so much, I can justify it by being more like You.
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