I was on duty on both days. Yesterday sunset mass homily and this morning homily for Baptism of the Lord were by different priests. One priest talked about the scripture and he told us the historical facts. The other priest talked about his visit to the Holy Land and the unimpressive, dirty, dusty river Jordan where Jesus was baptised. (thank God I do not have to sit through the same homily from the same priest)
Both priests have very interesting things to share with the congregation and both reminded us that baptism is merely the beginning of our journey as a Christian. Both reminded us what we have to do after being ‘endorsed’ by God as His beloved one.
And I was terribly pleased with my own reflections I wrote two days ago. Yay, that’s exactly my sentiments! But of course, it is just my inner thoughts. However, something Father Fab said makes me inspired to go back to work tomorrow. I have gone on leave for one week and have not been visiting the patients at the cancer hospital. This morning, I was so reluctant to wake up because I know the whole of next week, I will have to wake up early to send my kid to kindie and then, to my voluntary work, rush home and prepare their meals, serving hot meals to different children because they come home at different hours. Then, it is to do my online work until late a night……
So, after 10 days of holidays, I do wonder if I still want to continue. There is really no obligation on my part or the hospital for me to continue or just drop out. You know…..one can get lazy and be too comfortable with having a leisurely morning after the little boy has gone to kindie.
What Father Fab said was, we Christians are already God’s beloved children. We do not need to strive to do good to be loved by God. We only do good because we love doing it for God. That sort of gives me the comfort that I will do it because I feel the awesome blessings of God upon my family. I want to give back. I love doing the sombre job of pastoral care, giving comfort to dying patients, being there just because I can and I am able to. It is like how Father Fab described. When Jesus was submerged into the waters of Jordan, He was greeted by the awesome presence of God’s booming voice saying :
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
And since I have been baptized with both holy water and the Holy Spirit, I too feel the same awesome presence of God and the acceptance of Jesus, my Lord. And if someone give us such strong endorsement, it is only natural we want to pay back with what we can. In this case, it is not just anyone but God Himself. So, what can we give to God that
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Its good that you know that Allah is the only God.
Al-Ikhlass
[1]
Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): “(Tuhanku) ialah Allah Yang Maha Esa;
[2]
“Allah Yang menjadi tumpuan sekalian makhluk untuk memohon sebarang hajat;
[3]
“Ia tiada beranak, dan Ia pula tidak diperanakkan;
[4]
“Dan tidak ada sesiapapun yang serupa denganNya”.
February 3rd, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Yesaya 9:6 Sebab seorang anak telah lahir untuk kita, seorang putera telah diberikan untuk kita; lambang pemerintahan ada di atas bahunya, dan namanya disebutkan orang: Penasihat Ajaib, Allah yang Perkasa, Bapa yang Kekal, Raja Damai.
For more explaination:
John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
…..
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Yohanes 1
1:1 Pada mulanya adalah Firman; Firman itu bersama-sama dengan Allah dan Firman itu adalah Allah.
1:2 Ia pada mulanya bersama-sama dengan Allah.
1:3 Segala sesuatu dijadikan oleh Dia dan tanpa Dia tidak ada suatupun yang telah jadi dari segala yang telah dijadikan.
1:4 Dalam Dia ada hidup dan hidup itu adalah terang manusia.
1:5 Terang itu bercahaya di dalam kegelapan dan kegelapan itu tidak menguasainya.
….
1:14 Firman itu telah menjadi manusia, dan diam di antara kita, dan kita telah melihat kemuliaan-Nya, yaitu kemuliaan yang diberikan kepada-Nya sebagai Anak Tunggal Bapa, penuh kasih karunia dan kebenaran.
The reason why Jesus had to be born in this world although He is the Word with/was/in the God (in John 1) is that a sacrifice is needed to reconcile humans with God after the Original Sin of Adam & Eve. That’s also why the crucifixion is the “crux of the Christian faith” as a friend put it.