Reflections on Last Sun (3 Feb 08) sermon & today's Gosple (5 Feb 08)

Dear All

With regards to Albert's blog today (see below), I remembered Fr Joseph's sermon on the Beautitudes on 3 Feb 08. He said that for human sufferings like death or natural disaster that are out of our control, we just have to accept them. For other sufferings like Albert just shared, these are actually man-made. Whatever sufferings we have, we should try to relate them to the kingdom of God like in the beautitudes. See how we can glorify them and offer them to the Lord. An eg Father gave was, if a man divorces his wife and the wife remains faithful by not marrying another even though her husband has married another. This woman is acting out her faith by being truthful to the teachings of the church. Her suffering will be glorified by God. That is living out the beautitude.

Today's reading on Mark 5:21-43 has touched me. There were 2 stories in there about our faith & trust in the Lord. Indeed, it seems all the readings of yesterday & today is about our human sufferings whether from natural causes (like death & illness) or man-made (like jealousy & hatred) and our turning to God for help in our afflictions. It is interesting that prior to the news that the Jewish officer's daughter is dead, a woman was healed by just touching the cloak of Jesus and Jesus said to her that it was actually her FATIH that healed her. I believe this incident of the healing of the woman was addressed specifically to the Jewish officer to have faith in Jesus although his daughter has already died. Jesus next says to the Jewish officer in Mk 6:36 "Fear is useless. What is needed is TRUST". Then Jesus went to visit the little girl and told her to get up, and she woke up.

Time & time again, I realise that God is speaking to me to have faith in Him. As I had shared with you earlier, my faith in God is shaky especially when it comes to my death. I'm afraid there is no heaven. Will I go to heaven if there is one? Who will meet me when I die? These are questions I have. As Albert said, whether I believe or not, it doesn't change the fact that we all will die one day. He says to see creations beauty surrounding us. There must be a creator for them. I asked him what about the big bang theory & that scientists found that everything is made of carbon & molecules. And the question I always had since I was a little girl was, if God made everything, then who made God? Answer was always given that God made Himself. So my next question was, then why can't the universe just made itself and everything else unfolds through evolution? I never had any satisfactory answers to the mysteries of life. Yet I strive to continue with creating an intimate communication with Jesus. When I see my mum-in-law lifeless body, I was stunned when Albert said that what we see is only her shell.

As I reflect on Albert's words & today's gospel, I realise that it's true that everything is made from carbon. But what breathes life in this "shell" we carry around must be from someone higher - God. Jesus tells me to have FATIH and to TRUST in Him as I continue in my intimate communication with Him. Just like what I told Albert last night. Whenever he comes back late from work, I get a little worried that he may be seeing another woman outside. I told him I am worried if he is late & the reason for my fear. In married life, we have to TRUST in our spouse and have FAITH in them that they are living out our marriage covenant to be faithful to each other. Just like God's covenant to us. It's all based on Faith & Trust in each other and continued intimate communication with each other. Our relationship with our spouse is very much like how we should maintain an intimate communication with God.

Sorry for the long-winded sharing.

Love Theresa