Palm Sunday Reflection
For me, the most striking aspect of Palm Sunday was how the adoring crowds enthusiastically welcomed Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. So much love, enthusiasm, and adulation heaped on the teacher and miracle worker, who protected the marginalised – widows, lepers, blind, lame, and tax collectors. Amid their cheers brewed the uneasiness of the Pharisees and scribes – traditional upholders of the Jewish faith. One would think that they would be his most fervent supporters. Yet, in four short days, the crowd’s cries had taken a dramatic turn from ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord’, to “Crucify him! Crucify Him!”
Here we see the utter fickleness of humankind, myself included.
I am led to ask myself, am I resolute in living out my faith through good times and difficult times? Do I always give priority to living a Christian life? Can I forgive people who’ve let me down, those who’ve offended me and harmed me?
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I am challenged to ask myself – Am I willing to do what I can for the underprivileged, the disabled, the mentally disadvantaged, the auntie who sells tissues, the cleaner who washes the toilet, or the uncle who collects cardboard boxes for a living? Am I willing to lift a finger to help them, or do I take the easy way out and walk away from them like the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan?
In the Gospel account of the Passion, one particular verse stood out to me. After rebuking the disciples for arguing about who among them was the greatest, Jesus says to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).
Again, I ask myself: Am I growing in my faith day by day, week by week? Do I recognize God’s presence in my life? Am I allowing God to strengthen me through my daily struggles, or am I relying solely on my own efforts? Do I understand the struggles and concerns of those around me, and have I made myself available to them when they need someone to talk to?
The prophet Isaiah said, “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.”
I wonder –Am I willing to entrust everything in my life to God, or do I want to maintain control of my life? Do I trust that the Lord will protect me and give me strength and fortitude as he leads me through the valleys to the mountain top? Am I prepared to give up what’s dearest to me for the love of my Saviour, who left his throne in heaven to become man and suffer humiliation and death to pay the price of my sins?
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?” (Mk 8:36) reminds me that I must set my priorities right. As an LGBTQ person who’s a practising Catholic, I need to remember that my relationship with the Lord is of utmost importance, and everything else is secondary. My personal Saviour, Jesus, who came to earth to bear my sins, provides me the strength and courage to bear the crosses in my life. He calls me to commit and entrust my whole life to Him.
Can I do this? Lord, I really want to, please give me the strength I need. Jesus, I trust in You.
5th Sunday of Lent
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Isaiah 43:16-21 has been a beacon of hope in my journey through suffering and recovery. During my battle with cancer, I felt like I was drowning in despair, unsure if I could keep going. But reading about how God made a way through the sea (Isaiah 43:16-17) reminded me that even in my darkest moments, He was with me, carving out paths where there seemed to be none.
When the disease threatened to steal my strength, God’s promise of doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19) became my lifeline. The thought of rivers in a desert spoke to my soul, reminding me that even in my suffering, He could bring forth new life. It wasn’t easy, and many times, I felt hopeless, but each small step toward recovery felt like a piece of that renewal.
As I slowly regained faith and strength physically and spiritually, I realized that God was indeed making a way in the wilderness of my illness. I could feel His presence in the quiet moments of prayer, the love from friends and family, and the stillness of hope that began to grow within me. Isaiah 43:20-21 reminded me that I am here to praise Him, not for the pain, but for His faithfulness in bringing me through. Now, as I heal, I find myself walking in the hope that He will always make a way—even when I can’t see it.
4th Sunday of Lent
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In envying other guys for their popularity, looks and physique, the fear of not being liked or loved by someone constantly drove me to seek affirmation in others I meet, everytime in the satisfying of physical needs.
This marked my life of debauchery, where I felt it was all right to have physical intimacy with friends, where exploring sexual compatibility was part of getting to know someone. For many years, I wandered from one relationship to the next, without taking time or making an effort to consider if what I was doing was wrong. I blamed others when the relationship didn’t work out.
After my recent break up of a five year relationship, I heard you, Lord, saying I need to stop hurting others with my infidelity, and start learning what it means to hold on to love – Your way of loving.
During this Lent, I am reminded of the sacrifice You made for me when the priest says “Do this in memory of me”. Not just the act of You being crucified, but the reason – who am I to You, that made You want to give up Your life for me?
You are the Father who is always waiting in the distance, always welcoming me, Your prodigal son back. You reassuringly place Your ever outstretched hands on my shoulders. I am Your beloved son who is now returning home with all my heart, without the fear of feeling less valuable nor less loved by others.
I am now making a choice constantly – to stop comparing myself with other people and learning to admire the gifts You have given me; to discover their purpose, and hoping to become like You, the Father, in loving others faithfully.
3rd Sunday of Lent
2nd Sunday of Lent
Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, and Coldplay were among the international celebrities who visited Singapore last year, and dazzled many with their rousing performances.
For us Catholics, the highlight of our year was the visit of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, to our tiny island. With him, he brought along the message of Christ’s mercy and love to many of us, especially those at the margins of society and the church. We witnessed his humility and simplicity as he embraced the sick and the elderly, engaging with people of different races and religions. This echoes the message of this Sunday’s Gospel, that beckons us to focus not on the earthly things that dazzle, but to “listen to Him” and remain faithful to God’s love.
Even as the world around us today is more tumultuous because of the ambitions of man, we can become disillusioned and confused, wondering if God is present in all the messiness in our lives today. As we ponder on the message of the Transfiguration this weekend, may we not be blinded by the earthly things that dazzle (and perhaps confuse), but to hold on tight to the rudder of our ship, that is Christ himself. As pilgrims on this journey of hope, may we also echo the message of our belovedness as God’s children, where through our lives as an example, we lead others to Him.
1st Sunday of Lent
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Dear Self,
Are you happy?
You have a stable job. You eat at least three times a day. You have friends who support you, a family who loves you and a partner who adores you. You even have a community that prays with you, and for you. Despite the many problems and challenges that life brings, it’s been a comfortable life.
And so, are you happy?
It seems like you’re not. You sense that something is missing. Or you are just looking for something more. Despite the many blessings surrounding you, there is always that temptation to feel unfulfilled, to be lacking, and to think you are unloved. The temptation to get a better job that pays more. The temptation to eat at popular restaurants. The temptation to be liked by everyone and to please everyone.
You don’t have to be driven out to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The devil can tempt you wherever you are – not only when you are alone and desperate, but also even when you are happy and comfortable.
Since Lent is a time of self-reflection and self-denial, use this season to reflect on the temptations of wanting more in your life and to rely on God to resist these temptations. Look forward to emerging from your desert renewed, transformed, grown in your faith and happy.
Love,
Me
Ash Wednesday
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Dear friend,
Here we are at Ash Wednesday Mass. We will hear the same readings, even more, hear the same call to repent, fast and give alms. I know you want to do these and more. I want too. Together, let’s make this Lent count, not waste its grace for conversion.
You asked, “How can I get nearer to God this Lent?” By coming to God as we are and hearing Him tell us our true identity.
Recently two good friends and I conversed about the hard times of pains and losses we’ve had these past months. We witnessed vulnerably to each other’s wounds and wonders. We held one another in that honest, palpable love and care friends share.
Isn’t this how we’re to relate to God in Lent? To honestly acknowledge our mortality, our frailty, failure, and limitation. To let Him meet us as we are and change our lives for better.
We can because God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy. This is why He will listen with tender compassion to us who are in the ashes of sin. Then, He will speak that raw, unvarnished truth of who we really are to Him – His beloved.
St Mark tells us Jesus went into the wilderness after God said: “You are my beloved with whom I am well pleased.” We too are God’s beloved. Let’s not just settle into Lent with this same truth; let’s let it draw us to our conversion in God.