Theme : KNOW

Parable of the ten Bridesmaids
Matthew 25:1-13

In Tonight Gospel, Jesus reminds us all, the believers, the bridesmaids who are waiting for the Groom,

(1) To be sensible & wise. To be ready. To be alert and vigilant. To prepare ourselves well. To take our lamps as well as the oil. To stay awake.

(2) Do not be foolish. Do not delay. Do not be lukewarm. Do not grow drowsy. Do not fall asleep. Do not be careless.

(3) When Jesus spoke about the lamps as well as the oil, it is the same as to remind us that our words (lamps) must go hand in hand with our good deeds (oil). We should put our words into good deeds. The foolish ones lack good deeds in their lives. We should not just speak about his covenants but we should obey them.

(4) Jesus also reminds us that our good deeds are not transferable like the oil has to be acquired by ourselves. Others can help, but ultimately, readiness to accept salvation is at the end a matter of personal responsibility.

(5) Jesus also reminds us of the shut door which means that admission to the Kingdom of God is not automatic.

We should work on it every day of our lives. We should know his words and live it. We should know him, love him and serve him.

Praise the Lord!

The Vine & the Branches

Gospel John 15: 9-17

Tonight’s Gospel is a continuation of last week Gospel. Tonight Gospel was also repeated at least two times during the week both on Thursday & Friday. The message is an important one.

Last week Jesus told us that “He is the vine, God is the vinedresser, we are the branches”. If we break away from the vine, we wither and die, God cuts away , collect & thrown into the fire. If we remain in Him, we live & produce fruits and we will have life to the fullness.

How do we know that we are evidently remaining or in union in HIM and in His Love? When we keep His commandments. “Love God and one another”.

When we are in union with him i.e. like a branch remaining in the vine, we receive from Jesus the effect of the union.

Tonight, Jesus tells all of us, who He calls HIS friends, the effect of the communion with HIM. My friend, if you remain in me & my love, keeps my commandments, you will have my JOY, a JOY that is complete. Jesus talked of JOY, the JOY of making an absolute & complete submission in love to our Father God for the sake of mankind. Just as there is a kind of joy in giving a gift to a friend, so there is a joy in giving one life’s for humanity.

In addition of Joy, a second effect of union with him would be Love.

Love is the normal relation of branches to one another, because all are rooted in the vine. There are no limits to His Love. Not 7 times but 77 times that we should forgive, meaning no limit. Though Jesus called those for whom He died “friends,” the friendship was all on His side and not on ours, for as sinners we were enemies. “He died for us while we were still sinners.” We cannot claim any merits. No merits can justify our salvation. It is God’s Love for us that justify our redemption. He loves us. He chose us first. So tonight, he commissioned us to go forth and bear fruits, fruits that will last.

Theme Grace 30 April 2009

Theme: GRACE

Matthew 26:27-28

A covenant or testament is an agreement, and in scripture it is between God and man. Tonight in the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus speaks to us about his Covenant with us, which is best understood through the old testament.


The Covenant that God made with Israel as a nation was done through Moses as the Mediator. It was sealed with blood, because blood was considered as a sign of life; those who mixed their blood or plunged their hands into the same blood were thought to have a common spirit.

In delivering the Israelites from the bondage to Egypt, The Israelites were to save themselves by offering a lamb, then dipping some hyssop in the blood, and marking their doorways with blood. The Angel of God seeing the blood would pass by. The Lamb was therefore the Passover of the destroying angel, that is, a pass which secured safety.

In the implementation of the covenant with Moses in which God made Israel a nation; it was the birth of the Israelites as the chosen people of God. The covenant was concluded by various sacrifices. Moses erected an altar with twelve pillars. Taking the blood of the sacrifice, he poured one half of it on the altar, and the other half on the twelve tribes and the people with the words: (Sacramental union)

“This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you.” Exodus 24:8

The institution of the Last supper and the Crucifixion took place during the Passover, when the Eternal Son of the Father mediated a New Testament or Covenant, as the Old Testament was mediated through Moses. As Moses ratified the Old Testament with the blood of animals, so Christ now ratified the New testament with His own Blood, He Who is the true Paschal Lamb.

Tonight, He declared that he was marking the beginning of the New Testament or Covenant ratified by His sacrificial death.

On the cross, he would die by the separation of His blood from His Body. Hence He did not consecrate the bread and wine together, but separately, to show forth the manner of His death by separation of Body and Blood. In this act, Our Lord was what He would be on the cross the next day: both Priest and Victim. In the old Testament and among pagans, the victim, such as goat or a sheep, was apart from the priest who offered it. In this Eucharistic action and on the cross, He, the priest, offered Himself; therefore He was also victim.

Let us all stand to receive this abundant Grace as we listen to the proclamation of this institution of the sacrifice offered for the sins of the world !

Cenacle of Prayer with the Immaculate Heart of Mary - Friday, 3 April 2009

Cenacle of Prayer with the Immaculate Heart of Mary - Friday, 3 April 2009

Today, the Neo Catechumenate Community in sibu, Sarawak will pray & fast for the following intentions:

1) We now dedicate the first decade for True Conversion of Neo Catechumenate community in Sibu, Sarawak, in accordance with the Plan of God. Let us pray for all of us in the community that we may learn to turn all the circumstances and events of our life into occasions of loving God and serving the church, the pope and all souls with joy and simplicity, lighting up the pathways of this earth with faith and love.

2) We now dedicate the second decade for the Return and Reconciliation of all the members of Neo Catechumenate community in sibu, Sarawak, in accordance with God’s plan. Let us focus especially on the lapsed members who have become lukewarm and let the Light of God shine upon them.

3) We now dedicate the third decade for the Evangelisation works of Neo Catechumenate community in Sibu, Sarawak. Let us pray for all of us in the community that we may not lose interest, direction and quiet time with the Lord, but rather be fully committed to the purpose of the Lord in our everyday life & proclamation of the Good News.

4) We now dedicate the fourth decade for a Priest to guide the spiritual growth of the Neo Catechumenate community in sibu, Sarawak. Let the light of God be with this priest and the people who are instrumental in bringing this priest here to our community.

5) We now dedicate the fifth decade for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

We also include our own Personal Intentions.

Theme: Pharisee - Romans 2:17-24 Thursday 2 April 2009

Theme: Pharisee - Introduction to the Reading : Romans 2:17-24

Thursday 2 April 2009

Tonight, the second reading is address to remind us what we should not do

Do not be like the ‘Jews’ & Israelites - headstrong, obstinate, disobedient, rebellious, proud, wicked.....

Do not be like the Pharisees - say & believe in one thing but do another thing, hide behind the law, boast about the Law and disobey it...

Do not be a Hypocrite.....if you do, you bring God into contempt.

Let us listen to the reading.

Gospel Introduction John 12:20-33 28 March 2009

Gospel Introduction John 12:20-33 28 March 2009

In tonight Gospel reading, our Lord revealed to the Gentiles the purpose of his coming, to lay down His life for His sheep.

The time was less than a week before Crucifixion. He had already shown himself as the Resurrection by raising Lazarus from the Dead; He had fulfilled for His own people an ancient prophecy concerning His humble but triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Now it was time for the Gentiles to be given a lesson concerning the reason for his coming. The Gentiles were here reprensented by the Greeks.

The enemies were plotting to kill Him, the Greeks wished to see Him....

The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified....

He reminded us the importance to die to ourselves.... not to clinch to the things of this world... He reminded all of us that resurrection requires death.

“It is good that Lazarus died. For then, he will rise again.”...

What shall I say: Father, save me from this hour? This is a crucial observation that speaks deeply about our love for this world. We are often not ready or prepared to die. We secretly hope for resurrection but we do not want to die..... So we hang on to our lives.... We hung on to our trophies, our dreams, our dark areas, our worldly desires, our material kingdom here on earth..... We want to preserve them, or we are simply afraid to let them die..... It is such a paradox.... without letting them die, how can there be resurrection?

As we approach the final week of the Lenten season, let us practice resurrection, let us practice dying.... dying well....

“It is good that Lazarus died. For then, he will rise again.”

Tonight, Jesus uses the wheat grain as an analogy for us,.... if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. If you clinch on to your life you will lose it, if you hates this world, you will have eternal life....

Let us all rise and receive the Good news.

ARM & HAND 26 Mar 2009

Theme: Arm & Hand 26 March 2009

Gospel Introduction: John 10:22-30

When our Lord declared Himself to be the son of God and One with His Heavenly Father, His enemies made attempts on His Life. Several attempts were made on His life; most of them during one of the great feasts but always after He had proclaimed His Divinity.

The first attempt was in Nazareth, his own country....where he proclaimed “The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me....... This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.”..... The respond from his own countryman was “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”

Another assault on his life came after the curing of the disabled man at Bethsaida on the Sabbath day where he spoke of God as his own father, and so made himself God’s equal. “My father goes on working, and so do I”

Another attempt was on the Feast of the tabernacles where he said ”My teaching is not from myself; it comes from the one who sent me” He was claiming to be God in the form of man.

In tonight Gospel, He visited the last remnant of the old temple, which was known as Solomon’s porch during the Feast of Dedication(8 days), the last great feast before to the Passover, in Jerusalem. His enemies, the Jews gathered round him and asked him “ If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”..... Noticed the line of questioning is very similar to the Temptation in the wilderness “ If you are the son of God......”

Jesus responded “I have told you, but you do not believe.” “The Father and I are one.” ..... so, there go another stoning again....

Why the Jews... have eyes but yet cannot see?

1) Their ideas of a Messiah did not correspond with God’s idea of a Messiah.They could not conceive of the humiliation of God in the form of man. Could God go so low?

2) “You are only a man and you claim to be god.” His answer was that though a mere man could not be God, God could become man, while still remaining God.

May I suggest that this is the biggest “stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles?” The “intelligent” being cannot accept such proposition – This in fact is the stumbling block for the Synagogue and Islam. Neither can accept a God who is so human. He must remain Almighty... Majesty...... but not to the point of paying for the faults of His own creatures, for their sins.”........

We must all remove this obstacles & stumbling blocks before we can be healed & delivered..... The whole world need healing & deliverance.

God Loves Us 21 March 2009

GOD LOVES US John 3:14-21 21 March 2009


Our Almighty God, Our father in Heaven loves us, His creation. He has plans for us all. We just have to “depend on him”... His plans are good for us. We just need to put our complete trust in him.


But throughout history, human has time & time again refused His plans, we did not put our complete trust in him. We want our own plan, we want to depend on ourselves, we want to be in total control.... self sufficient so to speak.... as a result of this lack of trust, we sin........
God, nevertheless.... never give out on us.... each time God extended the scope of His covenant with us.


Starting from Eve & Adam, our fore parent broke the covenant with God.... God continued to extend his covenant, first a household covenant with Noah, then a tribal covenant with Abraham, then a covenant with Moses for the 12 tribes of Israel, then a national kingdom covenant with David and finally through his own beloved son, Jesus Christ, a new Covenant ... a worldwide covenant, a universal covenant, a Catholic Covenant. God loves us. It is demonstrated in all of the above salvation history for human..... God loves us, his creation so much that, he finally gave his only son to us... not to condemn us, but to redeem us. “We are God’s work of art, created in Chirst Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.” He wants to call us back into His plan. He wants to restore us into his plan.


Through Jesus, the objective redemption was completed. He had already done all that was needed to redeem our sin. He died for us on the cross. We just need to believe and say “Yes” to him. Then we complete the subjective redemption on our part through his grace.


Let us pour ourselves to Jesus. Let us put our complete trust in Jesus. Let us lives by the truth, Let us comes out into the light, Let us walk the path of Christ Jesus. Let us all stand & listen to the Gospel.

Transfiguration 25/09/08

GOSPEL introduction – John 1-14

Tonight, in the Gospel, we celebrate the Glory of GOD.

The Word was made flesh.... God, Divinity, Heaven... Pure & Holy entered into the world....
HE became man, so that through HIM, our linkage to HEAVEN is re-established.
His Mission was the CROSS.... to save Adam’s race.... corrupted by SIN.

Like James, John & Peter, we too, do not understand HIS MISSION,
“Why the CROSS?.... Why the suffering, pain, trial & tribulation... Why?”
Peter protested against the CROSS, James & John the throne seekers also did not understand ..... so Jesus brought these three apostles to the mountaintop to show the Glory that lay beyond the CROSS.... a glimpse of the Glory of God through “Transfiguration”... beyond the CROSS.

So, do we understand the CROSS? Do we understand our Mission here on earth? Jesus too invites all of us to the mountaintop to show us “a glimpse of what is beyond the cross” ....his “Transfiguration” – the GLORY of GOD.

Everyday of our life, we can meet Jesus in the mountaintop...we can climb up to his tabernacle, in his Church. We can call upon His name, Jesus Jesus Jesus.....

He lives among us....as we share ....God’s Words, as we received him in the Holy Communion, as we offered up our prayers in this Community. We too can see his GLORY!

What is beyond the CROSS?..... It is the joy of the radiance, the resurrected life, the eternal life in Heaven, the GLORY of GOD .... full of Grace & Truth.

Let us all stand and open our hearts to receive Jesus.

Gospel - 2 Oct 2008

Tonight Gospel taken from Mat 11:2-6 occurred during a time when there were growing opposition to Jesus.

In PRISON, John the Baptist, heard the work of the Messiah & sent his disciples to ask Jesus “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”.... This line of questioning expressed the doubt of John. “He heard of the work of the Messiah... he questioned”. John the Baptist had a different expectation. John’s expectation from Jesus mission was one of fiery judgement.

Contrary to John’s expectation, Jesus did not come to judge.... but Jesus mission was the cross. The Messiah will die on the cross to bring salvation to all mankind....

What about us? What is your expectation from the GOSPEL?

Does the GOSPEL promise easy success? a comfortable life? lots of blessing?

The Gospel makes demands and, at the same time, it is a great promise – the promise of eternal life in Heaven.... the promise of victory through faith for man, who is subject to many trials & setbacks.

The Gospel contains a fundamental paradox; to find life, one must lose it; to be born, one must die; to save oneself, one must take out the cross. This is the essential truth of the Gospel.

But, in our PRISONs, in our moment of weaknesses & our human knowledge & understanding,
we too protest, question & doubt ... like Peter, John & James.... But... Jesus does not ask for our knowledge & understanding... He demands for our FAITH.

Let us all stand and open our hearts to receive the GOSPEL.

Forgiveness 12/09/2008

Tonight, we hear from the Gospel: the servant begging: “Give me time”.... “I will pay the whole sum”

“And the servant’s Master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.

But this wicked servant shows no mercy to his debtor but put his debtor in prison.

The Servant’s Master asked “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me”
“Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?”

So, are we too as wicked as this servant? Have we shown mercy to our debtors? Or have we put our debtors in prisons too?

Tonight, in the Gospel, Jesus forewarns us that “Our heavenly Father will deal with us unless we forgive our debtors from our heart.”

I do not tell you to forgive seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Why? ...... For each time you forgive, you grow in holiness... you grow closer to our forgiving Lord.

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” This clear instruction from our Lord Jesus is a daily path to Holiness.

Tonight, on this cross, Jesus is uttering & pleading for us once again:”Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”

The first Christian Martyr St Stephen, uttered this last word “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”. And St Paul was there... This last word of St Stephen must have a deep impression on Saul’s conversion ! We too like St Stephen, can be an instrument to help in someone’s conversion through our act of forgiveness.

Brothers & sisters in Christ, each time we forgive from our heart, we store within our spiritual beings an abundant wealth & blessings from our almighty God. This is a gift from God.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast 11/10/2008

Tonight, the Gospel is taken from Matthew 22: 1-14

Tonight, we rejoice in the celebration of Our Lord’s Wedding Feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.

1. Who were invited to this wedding feast?
At first, it was only meant for the privileged few...the Israelites.... But they were not interested, more than that, they maltreated & even killed the servants who were sent by our Heavenly Father to invite them to the Wedding Feast. The privileged proved themselves unworthy!

2. Then, the Wedding Feast was opened to all, bad & good alike.
For this Grace & blessings, we were all invited...
We are all reminded that, as servants of God, we too, have the duty to go out and invite , everyone we can find to the wedding, bad & good alike......

3. We are also reminded tonight that we must put on our wedding garments to the banquet. All are welcomed, bad & good alike. The condition for entrance into the Wedding Feast is wearing of the wedding garment. The Wedding Garment is the call for our faith & conversion of our heart & mind..... the call for our believe & repentence.... “Believe & Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand”.

4. Brothers & Sisters, we are also reminded tonight that we need to prepare the best wedding garment... we need to keep it pure, white, clean and remember to iron it. We need to persevere, for we are warned that “many are called, but few are chosen.”

5. Are our Wedding Garments ready?
Let us all stand and face the Gospel.... and ask our Almighty Tailor to help us made the Weddings Garments that are pleasing to Our Heavenly Father.

Baptism of the LORD - Mark 1:7-11 10/01/2009

Baptism of the LORD - Mark 1:7-11 10 Jan 2009

Tonight, we recalled Mark’s account of Jesus Baptism at the Jordan River. We revisit a personal account of Jesus being anointed by His Heavenly Father.

No sooner had Jesus come up out of the water, Jesus saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. It was a private affair, only Jesus saw it. It was a private revelation for Jesus. Only Jesus heard this voice;

OUR Heavenly Father spoke to him personally, “YOU ARE MY SON, THE BELOVED; MY FAVOUR RESTS ON YOU.”

In our own baptism, do we have this personal encounter with our Heavenly Father?
Where we can see “Heavens torn apart, Spirit descending on us. Encountering our Heavenly Father speaking to us directly”

“My beloved son & daughter, Go and Proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven”

Let us all stand & listen to Mark’s account of the Baptism of the LORD.

AUTHORITY - Mk1:21-28 31/01/2009

Tonight, in the Gospel according to Mark, we are told that

JESUS taught them with AUTHORITY.

Many times, in the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus often exhorts those with whom he comes into contact not to tell others about him. It gives a very deep impression that he wants to stay low profile, to keep that “Messianic secret”.

Ironically, the messianic secret seems to be known by everyone in the Gospel who should not know it, whereas those who should know who the Messiah is do not ever seem to recognise him.
In the Gospel tonight, unclean spirit shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? ...... I know who you are: the Holy One of God”.....

The holy one of God.... a title which was used only in the first verse of the Gospel and by the voice from the heavens in a private moment following Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration.

This pattern will continue to be seen throughout the rest of the Gospel. The unclean spirits, the outcasts, those who should not know who Jesus is will constantly be proclaiming the truth while those who should be able to identify him, the disciples, never seem to get it.

Who is JESUS?.... This is the Question that Mark is challenging us to question ourselves.............. Do we truely know who Jesus is ?

RIGHT HAND - Act 2:32-36 12/03/2009

The event took place on the day of Pentecost. You can imagine, it must have been a very exciting day, for it was the day of the birth of our church, all were at the assembly.... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.... they were speaking foreign languages ... as the Holy Spirit gave them the gift of speech. Are these people drunk?

Now, it must also have been a very exciting day for our first Pope, Simon Peter who took the stage & addressed the Men of Judaea in Jerusalem.... “These men are not drunk, as you imagine; why, it is only the third hour of the day (9 o’clock in the morning)... Our first Pope reminded the crowd of what Prophet Joel spoke of “In the days to come – it is the Lord who speaks- I will pour out my spirit on all mankind.....All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved”

Then our first Pope, Simon Peter, the rock.... proclaimed to the Israelites, that Jesus of Nazareth, the one that you delivered to the sinners to be crucified and killed, was indeed the LORD that David spoke about. God raised Jesus to life and released him from the pain of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in the power of death. David foresaw that one of his descendants will succeed him on the throne. He saw of the resurrection of the Messiah. “He would not be left in the region of the dead, nor would his body experience corruption.” He would be raised to the heights by God’s right hand.

In our own time, we also need to renew our excitement of the time when our first Pope took the stage to Proclaim these words. “Jesus of Nazareth, the one that you delivered to the sinners to be crucified and killed....... was indeed the LORD.... The Lord was raised to the heights by God’s right hand.”

He was, is and will always be the resurrected victorious Messiah... seated at God’s right hand.

David himself said this “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for you.”