The Cold or the Comfort?

Humans are creatures of comfort. We tend to get attracted to things that will entertain or bring some form of pleasure in our lives. Given a choice, many of us would rather sit around and laze away if the alternative is to face the workload in front of us (say, studying for example).

Such situations I encounter a lot in the Christian community, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. We want the benefits, but not the struggle that must come with it. This is the reason why I believe the majority of Christians are only so in their identification certificate. Even those who profess themselves a devoted/practicing “Christian” (myself included) oft times shirk away from our Great Commission which Christ Himself commanded us.

Yet this should not be so, especially concerning our Faith. Those who aspire to great heights will only reach it if they are willing to leave their comfort zone. Most of us will be able to relate to the scenario: putting our blood, sweat and tears in an activity. The frustrations and hardships endured; all of it became worthwhile the moment we accomplished our goal. Be it winning a competition, acquiring that item we so longed for, getting a promotion, acing our exams, or even finishing a game in hard mode without cheats – we recall fondly the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when passing those obstacles.

The same goes for the path of being a true practicing Christian. After all, nobody gets inspired by dispassionate people who shut themselves in the room all day long. Those who display high personal principles may be respected, but rarely move others to action. Only individuals who reach out to others are capable to effectively motivate those around them.

Take the book of Revelations. It is a book that has been widely highlighted for its prophetic events on the end of times. Yet it also speaks a message that is much closer to home – a message which, coincidentally, can be applied to the Church today.

In Revelations 10:8-11:

Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the scroll; and he said to me, “Take it and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” And I took the scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about the many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

This was the message John received in his dream; yet the command of the message is meant for all, as we are all called to be messengers for God. Will we withhold the Word because it turns our stomach to preach it? We know that the Gospel we have received brings joy, eternal life and glory; we also know that its compensation is suffering, persecution and perhaps even death. We love the sweet taste of redemption, and recognise the Word we speak carries the sweetness of the Promise; but we despise the bitterness of the message, and fear the bitterness the world feeds back to its herald.

We are afraid, but we often overlook that the receiving party may just as well be as afraid as us. We often equate “the world” with sin, yet all of us are given the breath of life by God (Genesis 2:7), and that “all thing were made through Him” (John 1:3). Everyone and everything possess a part of God in them. People may support masturbation, but how many would actually fiddle their privates in public the moment they spot a guy/girl that turns them on? Deep down most of us I believe are aware of our sin, thus we try to hide the act and bury our conscience.

Yet, as the late archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote in his book ‘Life of Christ’: sin has to be confronted before salvation can be obtained. If one refuses to face his/her fears, how can he/she expect to reach the summit? Life is not a game which can be hacked, especially concerning the road of redemption. One has to pierce through the many layers of transgression before the waters of grace are free to flow.

Sometimes the call of faith may not be delivered as a soft and gentle breeze, as in the case of our Lord’s tactful discourse with the Samaritan woman in John 4:5-42. Under certain situations we may be forced to adopt a more direct and aggressive stance – a bitter medicine for the recipient indeed. Christ was no exception: for instance when He drove the traders from the Temple. As a result, the authorities “sought to destroy Him” (Luke 20:47). His is the life of hostility from the world, from His birth even until this day. And if they persecute our Lord, be sure that we who live in Him will be persecuted as well (John 15:20).

“How sweet are Thy Words to my taste!” (Psalm 119:103) But will we bury the message beneath our fears of the world, or will we rise up and share the life-giving words with others? Will we be able to stand firm in our faith no matter the occasion? Should the time of trials reach our doorstep, may we remember and hold on to these words of our Lord:

“Blessed are you when men…persecute you…on my account…for your reward is great in Heaven.”

(Matthew 5:11-12)

RFG always.

PS: I will like to take this sentence and wish whoever is reading this a very blessed Christmas season in the Lord. May He find us worthy to dwell under the roof of His stable.

Incredible Incredulity (Anime Allegory 2)

Sometimes I wonder whether there are people who give up searching for God, simply because they tried and failed to visualise and comprehend the vastness of His glory. It is not easier to give up rather than chasing something you realise you can comprehend less than a tiny drop in the sea?

How can we fathom the greatness of God? Throughout history painters and theologians have repeatedly tried to capture the image of God, yet all their works fall short in adequately portraying His glory.

When the Lord commanded Saint Faustina Kowalska to paint an image of the Divine Mercy, the woman herself was so disappointed with the artist’s piece she cried, “Who will paint You as beautiful as You are?” (Faustina, 2003). Even Saint Thomas Aquinas, perhaps the most famous theologian of his time, was quoted saying, “All that I have written seems like straw to me” (Davies, 1993), and ceased writing his Summa.

Imagine being under the dome of a palace, which is dwarfed by the mountain, which is dwarfed by the sea, which is dwarfed by the sky, which is dwarfed by space. And in the end trying to fathom what is greater than space, 1 Kings 19:12-13 comes in. I once tried to fathom the splendour of God with the sound of thunder, drumroll and cymbals; what I received from heaven’s choir was singing voices which blew past all forms of music. When I tried to imagine the glory beyond the stars and galaxies, the image of a sepia-like oil painting like those you find adorning walls come to mind: very akin to the picture of the upper room of the last supper.

Source: http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/097/1/6/the_upper_room_by_radojavor-d4vcn8p.jpg. Note this is not the exact image visualised.

Many people, when they find that their work outshone by others, simply choose to give up and adopt the “shoganai” (it cannot be helped) attitude, abandoning their pursuit for the top. If they act as such amongst their peers, what more about the infinite divine? If we are discouraged in chasing after what is humanly possible, what then of the calling to exceed that which is humanly possible?

I have been following the Japanese anime and light novel Log Horizon recently. A bit on the series: the story takes place whereby ordinary human players are trapped in a world similar to the online game (MMORPG), Elder Tales they were playing.

In that world, humanity (as they see it) is divided into 2 main groups: Adventurers (human players stuck in the MMORPG along with their Avatars and in-game skills); and the People of the Land, who are the native inhabitants of the world, previously termed as non-player characters (NPCs). As the story progresses, it was revealed that the People of the Land were more than just pre-programmed NPCs they were when Elder Tales was still game – they were just as human as the Adventurers are. Likewise, the People of the Land viewed the Adventurers as a powerful (and also potentially threatening) group with military and technological might leagues surpassing them (as an example: the knights of the People of the Land average around level 30, while half of the Adventurers were at level 90).

Over the course of the series, Lenessia, a princess of the People of the Land, began to discover that, not only their battle and technological prowess, the Adventurers’ behaviour and intelligence far exceeded what she imagined. For instance, she was amazed that every Adventurer understood battle tactics, and do not have a caste system like her people. Part of the series deals with her lamentation of not being able to comprehend the strength and customs of the Adventurers.

Lenessia musing over the Adventurers’ potential (source: Log Horizon, episode 18).

In a sense, I feel that I can somewhat relate to this story. Just as the People of the Land represent the original inhabitants of the world and the Adventurers gamers-cum-heroes that came down from the sky, we are the people living on Earth while the God and His heavenly host reign above in Heaven. How can we hope to fully comprehend Him whose strength and intelligence infinitely exceeds us? When we cannot even grasp the things of this world, how can we hope to grasp the things in Heaven and the One who created them all?

In response to this, we can either choose to let it all go, leaving behind all the responsibilities that come with it; or, like Lenessia and Rundelhaus (another character in Log Horizon) we can continually pursue that which is beyond our grasp, leaving our comfort zone in order to understand, imitate our lives as closely as possible, and hopefully one day come to be united in Heaven with God along with our brothers and sisters – as Rundelhaus, a People of the Land came to be an Adventurer by striving follow the path of an Adventurer.

The Glory of the Lord exceeds the highest Heavens (Psalms 113:4). Yet even we, a mere shadow of His image may have a share in that glory, if we ceaselessly continue to pursue Him. Through this, even if we may not comprehend it, we will one day come to discover and appreciate the fullness contained in that “drop” of water in the vast sea. And, just as a drop of water mingled becomes a part of the whole sea, so to our pursuits in Him contain the fullness of God’s glory: 

 “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake in the one bread.”

(1 Corinthians 10:17)

RFG always.

REFERENCES:

Davies, B. (1993). The Thought of Thomas Aquinas. New York: Clarendon Paperbacks.

Faustina, M.K. (2005). Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Stockbridge: Marian Press.

Why do I Believe What I Believe?

Looking back (in life and in post), I never really gave much thought in addressing what I feel are basic questions all Christians should be able to answer. To be honest, this area is something I am quite lacking in. If someone were to abruptly ask about my faith, I would probably not be able to provide a satisfactory answer immediately. Thus I would like to address one basic question that all Christians should be ready to answer: “why do you believe what you believe”. This question I will address as a believer in God, as a Christian, and as a Catholic. And, keeping in mind it is a basic question, I will try to phrase it as simple as possible in my personal experience.

First, I believe because of faith. When I began to take my religion more seriously back during my last two years in secondary school, I started to spend quite some time on the Bible. Particularly in concerning the New Testament books Luke and Acts, I was able to memorise the passages (those two were to appear in my final exams/competitions). Before long I became known as the “Bible genius” among my school’s Christian society.

One day, a classmate posed to me a question, “If there is a God, why does He allow so many innocent people to suffer?” To which I responded, “How should I know?” This brief exchange left quite a mark on me even now; not because of the question but the way I answered. I realised then that I was not ready to give an appropriate defence for my belief.

Since that event I began to seek answers to questions about Catholicism. What are proofs of God’s existence? Why do we have a Pope? Why do we pray to Mary? Why is contraception banned? And of course, the question which I was asked by my classmate then (there are many others, but I think I will end the list here).

As I continued to examine deeper into my religion, I began to discover more of its teachings as well as the meaning behind them, and became convinced through what I learned. History, science, philosophy and whatnot – these studies pointed me to the truth and marvels of God and His works.

As well as the knowledge I gained through study, there were also my personal experiences: revelations and miracles to which He in His grace blessed me to witness. The gift of tongues. The choir of angels. Dreams that foreshadowed the future. Visions collectively shared by the community. Undertakings with all the necessary arrangements pre-prepared. Etcetera etcetera. Since they may sound remarkably contrary to common logic, I do not expect the majority of people to believe what I say; nevertheless, those events surely strengthened my conviction Catholicism.

For me, faith is the belief in the things that is true, even if there is no solid proof. The belief that it will (definitely) happen even if it has yet to take place. The factual and personal experiences led me to why I believe what I believe: that is, faith.

Second, I believe because of hope. Less definite than faith perhaps, but no less important. To me, hope is the belief that it will happen, even if I do not know it will turn out that way. While it is not certain, I look forward to a favourable outcome.

Putting it in crude analogy, faith is like tossing a coin, knowing the coin will always be heads, even when there seem to be an element of uncertainty in the toss. It could be that both sides of the coin show heads. It could be the person who tosses is a professional who always tosses at the right amount of force in an environment. We do not know. All we know is that it will be a head, even if it seem like it will/may not be so.  Hope, on the other hand, is tossing a coin, not knowing whether it will be heads or tails, but looking forward to it being heads. The result can be a head, but it can also be a tail.

Like faith, hope is something intangible and cannot be seen physically. To some, the word may even sound foolish. Why should we believe in something we ourselves are not sure of? Yet when people hear of oppression, violence, disasters and such like, they become discouraged, de-sensitised. For people who live in such environment, it is even worse. Even for those whose condition is not as extreme, failing in studies, breaking of friendship and bullying can drag us down and make it feel like the end of the world.

God never said that life will be a breeze the moment we believe in Him. What He promise however, is that He will always be with us and will ever forsake us. His being there with me is what keeps me going. And by moving forward I may be able to influence and change the environment I am in.

Hope is the belief in a better future. I cling onto the hope there will be a better tomorrow, that God will provide a better tomorrow.

The final point to my belief is love. This one word is abstract, and holds multiple meanings. It could mean affection for one another, romantic/sexual feelings, attachment, benevolence and so on. They are not wrong; all of them are subsets of love. Caring and placing one’s well being above own can also be used to describe love – this is the definition I will use to expound on.

All human beings yearn to feel appreciated and cared, and to know that they are so physically, mentally and spiritually. No one in this world can truly say he lived a fulfilled life if he /she has not experience this. It is human nature; in fact everything that exists must interact with one another in some way. As they say, “no man is an island.”

Throughout the years, God has shown me He cares. Not only through the Cross and major one-off scenarios but also through my everyday life: the little blessings that fall like drizzle from the sky; not really memorable but impactful nonetheless. My laptop for work and entertainment. Good cheap food in the area. The ability to wake up and make it in time before class starts. Considerate and compatible people I somehow seem to always meet. Family still alive and well. Ordinary as they seem, when I sit back and reflect upon it, they are truly events which shaped my life to what it is today.

There are also times when things do not initially turn out the way I wanted, I cursed, sulked and raged like a spoilt child; and in the end God made it turn out the way I wanted. Many a time, they were as trivial as losing in a game, slower-than-usual internet connection, or setbacks in assignments. It is times like this when I think back, I realise how much God cares about every aspect in my life – spiritually, emotionally and physically. Through this, I know He loves me in a very real way.

When the three elements of faith, hope and love come together, it provides me a sense of inner peace. This peace is not something the world can give. It is not a peace that can only be obtained if there is no corruption, hostility, violence, or wars. It is not a peace that can be achieved through wealth, power or human relationships. Rather, it is a peace that, even should any or all those factors be missing, there is still – and always will be, something in life worth living/dying for. Whatever the situation may be, with the three elements in harmony I will always have the calmness and confidence to go through life.

So there it is: the reason why I believe what I believe. Because it showed, and continues to show me faith (I believe in what is true), hope (I believe in a better future) and love (I was cared for spiritually, emotionally and physically).With these three elements thus result in inner peace which the world cannot give.

RFG always.

PS: initially I wanted this to be something short and simple; turned out to be another one of my lengthy post again ><.

Blessed Birthday

I am truly blessed: on my birthday I had the day with classes, received first a low test result, two quizzes and then a test. No, I am not implying sarcasm, contrary to how it sounds. Allow me to recount the day in the following paragraphs.

On my birthday I woke up at the 0618 hour, as I usually do during days when I have lessons at 0800. I had more or less forgotten about my birthday, having a test and a quiz to worry about in the afternoon. The week was the assignment and test week, and had me up from early morning until past midnight for the past few days. It was not until my dad and a friend messaged me that I recalled it was my special day.

I was the first to arrive to Construction Project Management (CPM) class in the morning, before ten minutes before 0800. There, my first blessing awaited me: my former Head of Department and lecturer commended for my punctuality and hinted about bonus marks for those who are make it on time. Throughout the period, only half the students attended that subject.

After the lecturer left came the second blessing: a surprise quiz conducted by his general assistant (GA). Those who were not present obviously missed out the credits from it, yet none of us really studied or went through our notes for CPM, seeing it was our test and assignment week after all. Then, voila, the GA literally revealed the answers for each of the questions in the quiz. Not very ethical perhaps, but anyway. Thus, free marks secured.

The third blessing was that I managed to acquire a group member in order to carry my CPM project. The same goes for my Ocean and Coastal Engineering (OCE) project – making that my fourth blessing, which came during OCE period, right after CPM. Both the group members are different, yet they are course mates who I can get comfortably along with.

After the morning lessons were over, I headed back for quick lunch before studying for my quiz and test. At 1500 hour, I head to class to take the quiz in OCE. Before the quiz started, I received back my OCE assignment and test results. I did satisfactorily for my assignment, but my test marks were horrible. After some checking, I found some sections were not marked correctly or overlooked. I conveyed this to the OCE GA, and my marks went from 30/40 to 37/40. Thus, that became my fifth blessing.

My sixth blessing: I could do the quiz. Even with last minute studying (since the coming test was given higher priority), the questions were manageable. And, as with the first quiz, the GA provided us some guidance (though not as blatantly) throughout the quiz.

After the quiz, I left for another building to sit for my Offshore Structures test. I had one hour to revise before the test began, so I managed to revise and discussed some of the issues and problems with my course mates. Then came my test, and the seventh and final blessing which I will mention here: I could do my test. I managed to complete it 20 minutes or so before the given time. This allowed me to check and correct a minor error I found in my calculation. Thus, I am quite satisfied when I handed in my paper.

I truly am thankful that all those events took place on my birthday. The Lord had prepared it so that, as my present, He would take those events and turn it to my credit. Even if I were given the opportunity, I will not have any of the events that had taken place to be changed. Those activities were truly blessings in and of itself.

RFG always.

To be the Beacons

My reflection of today’s daily reading, the 6^th week of Easter, Wednesday before Ascension Thursday 2014, of Acts 17:15, 22-18:1; Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14; and John 16:12-15.

Everyone in this world I believe has a spiritual and religious side of them. They may or may not be conscious of it, and they may or may not acknowledge it, but deep down it is always present in a person. Even the most hardcore atheist is searching for a greater purpose in his/her life, though he/she may deny it. After all, God made mankind in His image and likeness, and imbued in them a longing for fullness to which only He can fulfil.

As Christians privileged into this fullness, it is our duty to help others discover and share in this grace we received. It can be a most difficult task to do, yet if we sit back and reflect a moment, we may realise that anything and everything can be used to point towards God. Quoting the responsorial Psalm, “Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory”. If so – and it IS so – then everything down to the last particle can be taken to reflect the Glory of God.

Still, there is no denying that many of us find testifying our faith a real challenge. In order to prepare ourselves for this responsibility, we need to arm ourselves with two indispensable and inseparable items: the Church and the Holy Spirit.

Before the Bible came into existence, the Church had already begun her ministry in the world. It was the Church, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that compiled the Bible as we know today. While it is true that Scripture is essential, equally important is the correct understanding of the passages. Jesus taught His disciples; who later passed the teachings down to the believers; and this continued until today. Should the Spirit alone be enough, God would not have come down in person and spent years living with and teaching His Apostles, and they in turn to the believers (see Acts 18:11, 24-28 as an example).

The role of the Holy Spirit must also not be downplayed. For it is through the Spirit that we are guided to all truth (John 16:13), and it is through the Spirit we will glorify the Lord (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit will take what is from Christ and declare it to us (John 16:14). This can only happen when we make an effort to build our relationship with Him (eg: through Scriptures), guided by His family, the Church (Luke 10:16). Only when we are grounded in the Church and Spirit can we effectively sow the message as God would have it.

In summary, everyone has a spiritual side. As Christians, it is our duty to help them discover it in full in the person of Jesus. Anything and everything can be used to point people towards God. However, we need to be grounded in the Church and the Holy Spirit. Only then can the Gospel be effectively delivered in the world.

RFG always.

Incorporating Internship Quality Aspects into Spirituality

For the past 7 or so months I had been undergoing my internship, starting late September until late April. It is a mandatory requirement of my university to be attached to a company that their students will gain actual working experience in the industry.  Since my internship is in the Quality Management Department, I thought I would share my experiences there in relation to my faith. As they say, we should all live our faith in our respective vocation in this world.

Being in a Quality Management Department has taught me several important elements in this field. First of course is Quality, which is the degree in which the product/activity fulfils its requirements/purposes. A product is of quality when it performs as it is intended for. An example for Quality consideration of a product is a car. We measure it by its effectiveness in getting us from one place to another, by considering several aspects such as its power, safety, efficiency, comfort and durability. If the manufacturer can achieve all of its set standards for all these aspects, then the product is of quality.

More suitable for this post is to consider Quality in relation to an activity. For instance, when I study a particular theory, I set my goal to finish reading, memorising, understanding and applying that theory in various situations. If I can accomplish all these, the time spent is of high Quality.

When I perform an activity, I should not look at the amount of time spent on the task more so than the amount of time I concentrate on the task. Much can be accomplished in shorter period if done properly; much can be covered even if I overshoot my time.

This exposition I find similarly linked with my prayer and devotion time. It is not so much the time spent in front of the Bible or the words uttered idly with fingers folded, than the time spent in being with God through the Bible and earnestly communicating with Him. I may have mentioned this before: the time allotted is to help me build that discipline and concentration to set aside a portion of my (hectic) day exclusively for spiritual growth, but it is not an end to itself. Instead the true yardstick should be His message He has for me. Thus when I commit to spend quality time with and for God, it should be based on whether I grasp the message He intends for me to receive, however much time I set aside.

In order to achieve the Quality benchmark set, Quality Assurance (QA) is an essential factor for consideration. QA is a set of activities carried out in order to demonstrate the product/activity meets its intended Quality requirements. From this definition, one may deduce that QA is carried out throughout the entire line of the process.

During my spiritual exercises, there are several factors which I should bear in mind. These include the factors influencing my concentration (eg: did I stay up late last night?), activity(s) planned for the session (eg: full-prayer, Theology/Philosophy, readings contemplation from the Bible), guidance available (eg: related books/references, internet connection), gathering my thoughts and prayer before starting an activity; even my present lifestyle affects my prayer/devotion (eg: had I been so caught up in gaming that I cannot think of anything else for the past few weeks?). These are some of the aspects that influence how receptive I am to God’s message.

Even with all the appropriate QA in place, I still need a way to measure what I am doing. That is where Quality Control (QC) comes in. QC is the techniques used to ensure all Quality requirements specified are met. QC is mainly concentrated at the end of the process, line or activity.

In manufacturing and construction, QC comprises of all the tests and inspections carried out to ensure the product meets the requirements. Similarly during my prayer/devotion, there are certain practices I should have in place in order to evaluate the session and where was I lacking. In this context, I could reflect on the day’s activity(s), my objectives during that session and what God in His grace revealed to me through the Holy Spirit.

Here can be a tricky part though. Sometimes we may not meet all our objectives; heck we may not even meet a single objective we initially established. Sometimes God may reveal something entirely different, but no less important and fruitful in our lives. Although the steps mentioned are somewhat a guide for myself, faith building is a very dynamic process, and at times God takes me from the path of my design and points to another road through the forest. As it was with this one time when I decided to forego the Bible study and replace the session with the Rosary; I believe it was something the Lord called me to during that particular period. This goes back to the third point I mentioned in the paragraph just before: what God in His grace revealed to me through the Holy Spirit. To echo what Christ said, “not my will but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The trick is to have a relatively defined target, while at the same time not allow myself to be rigidly limited to what I set, to allow God to lead me where He wills.

Finally, to ensure the product/activity is of Quality, with the establishment of effective QA QC, is implemented through Quality Management. During my training in the department, the main priority is to follow the requirements, written and documented as stated in the contract. Quality Management also has an added benefit of reducing process downtime as well as overall costs.

When God established His Church, He gave the Apostles authority to lay its foundation, with Christ as its cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). Scriptures, Gospels (passed down through oral tradition and later recorded) and apostolic letters were written and later compiled into a single book. It is in this book, the Bible, that the relationship of God and man are contained, as well as His Laws and Commandments. This is similar to professionals congregating together and developing the ISO standard for organisations to follow. And just like any standard, the majority of lay people will not understand nor have the time to study thoroughly into every single topic and subject. Thus we rely on teachers who, inspired by the Spirit help us unravel the mysteries of the Bible. This should not be undertaken alone, as stated in 2 Peter 1:20, lest we stray from the Church’s, and ultimately, God’s teaching. Such will only result in us distancing ourselves from Him. Just as if we misinterpret a standard and put into motion the activity that was misinterpreted, we will not be following the standard; consequently whatever activity/product under the said standard will be rejected. The benefits, similar to Quality Management, result in reduced the time spent searching the answers in my life, as God has provided a family and a solid foundation to support me in life’s journey. Thus it can be said then, that the entire purpose of God for mankind is revealed through the Spirit and the Church, which functions as God’s governing body on Earth.

During my Quality internship experience, much work followed the standards/guides that were already established. Even, so, not all cases were objective and can be solved by the book. For instance, different audits were planned and customised by the auditor(s) to cater to the intended environment and organisation. Questions/checklists were prepared, yet all the while tying back to the relevant criteria/standards.

Similarly in our spiritual life, the Bible itself as a whole cannot be interpreted literally, nor does it contain direct answers to all our questions. Jesus Himself spoke in parables when speaking to the crowds. Even after the Church laid the foundations, interpretations and teachings, many aspects in life are still subject to one’s discretion. However, our actions should be guided and grounded in the Church and her values. In times where we hit a dead end or grey area, it is always prudent to fall back to our Church and her teachers for guidance.

There were many opportunities and challenges to live and uphold my faith during this period of industrial training. Even as I gained much exposure in the field of Quality, Construction and Civil works, it was also a time where my faith was tested, be it through unexpected, yet fruitful discussions (see post dated 26 January 2014); or making the sign of the Cross during lunch amongst my colleagues and people from external parties. But most importantly, I believe, is to give it my all in performing my tasks and responsibilities with integrity, and to lift them all up as a prayer, holding fast to the values taught by God through the Church.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

(Colossians 3:17)

RFG always.

PS: I feel the style of my posts is somewhat changing compared to my early writings. Don’t know if it’s a good thing, bad thing or nothing. XP

Seeing Stones and Gems as Jewels

Inspired by James 2:1-9. One day while reading this passage, a thought occurred to me and I decided to ponder the reasons on why should we be impartial, other than because the Bible explicitly says so. This teaching after all is not only found in Christianity, but a virtue lauded throughout the world. I believe that, while it is good to explore in-depth the cultures and actions that time, Scripture must be relevant in today’s society to reach out to its people.

I will start off with the first point: the poor are more receptive towards God. This may sound very “spiritualy” but it also contains a rational dimension to it. Back when my family was of the low income class (not that we are well-to-do now mind; but at least better off than those days), life was simpler then. The most important were the basic necessities: food for the day, a roof over our heads, and basic education. Those days, luxury was crossing over the bridge near our flat to eat packet nasi lemak beside a monsoon drain. Image, peer politics, the race to keep up with the latest developments…all of them took the back seat in the face of daily needs. On several occasions my mum told me at times she wondered how she would be able to secure the next meal on the table; during those moments she sought God, who had one way or another provided for us.

From my childhood experience, there was little stopping us from trusting our lives in God’s hands. Life was tougher, but there were no distractions to complicate the path. When we are poor, it does not cost us to believe in Him who will provide a better tomorrow. To sum it up, the poor have nothing; so nothing stops them from coming to God.

The rich are burdened however by the cares of the world. Often they worry about maintaining their wealth and image. They are as seeds that grow amongst the thorns (Luke 8:7). To be honest, I cannot wholly fault them: they live their lives in close scrutiny by the people. The world would hardly remember (or even care) if some street person commits robbery in a secluded village, but one comment from a reputed person may make it to the next morning’s headlines. Once a person has something they value, it is most difficult for them to part with it, especially considering the amount of time they invested: laying the foundation one block at a time; and that wall can easily be broken into pieces in a single blow. Thus the rich are often caught up by their worldly affairs.

Many of us I garner (at least in where I live), do not enjoy politics, least of all when we are affected but not affecting it. Yet that is exactly what we will be practicing in Church should we become partial. We make the Church vulnerable to worldly and human influences. The prominent can thus bend the will of the Church, as those in power are wont to do, perhaps even overriding what is good. A whisper in the “right” ear and they will be able to receive favour for their own gain. Justice will thus be overwritten, as the perpetrator pulls the strings behind the curtains of the Church.

In this world we live in, the majority of its inhabitants belong in the poor category, while only a handful of people sit at the top. There are more people starving on the streets than there are those living in luxurious mansions. By attending only the rich, we are neglecting the needs and salvation of the masses for the sake of the few, so to speak.

By applying bias scales between the rich and poor, we are also indirectly sending out a message to the others, that it is permissible to do so. Not only do we compromise our integrity, but we will also mislead others to do the same. ‘It takes only one rotten apple to spoil the entire basket’. And, as Jesus said of those found guilty, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea” (Luke 17:2).

One major virtue of the Church is its poverty. We recognise and acknowledge our greatest worldly treasures are no more than dust in the presence of the King. What we gathered in life, we will not be able to carry it forth into the afterlife. As such, we are all called to live a life of moderation and sharing, as the Church first did in Acts 2:44-45. By displaying this characteristic, we set an example for the well-to-do, a reminder that all their blessings come from God; and as one family in God, are called not only to share with each other their worldly blessings but their lives as well. The call to poverty is, after all, one of the main attractions of the Church, contradictory as it sounds.

Even as I list all this reasons – and there are still many others to be found in the sea –all will hold no meaning if it does not come into practice. And let’s face it: being impartial is not something we can immediately become in a day. It is human nature to look with different eyes the wealthy man dressed in a suit and the dirty naked beggar on the streets, just as choosing between freshly baked buns or stale bread. This Lenten season – a time of fasting, prayer and almsgiving – is an appropriate time to build up our character, and to see everyone as how our Lord sees them: as a precious child of the Father.

RFG always.

Religion Discussion

And yeah, so I wrote that I got to update soon, but one thing and another cropped up (cough – laziness – cough) and so this was only just posted today. Anyway, to the topic: I thought to relay what I had experienced on Tuesday 17 December 2013, as well as my take on it after some contemplation.

That afternoon coming back from a site audit, my supervisor and I had an interesting talk about religion. It was quite a coincidence: a casual question on my interest, and it turned out that he was into the subject of religion as well.

One of the first points he brought up was the struggle of Christians and Muslims in expanding their influence through conversion, something not commonly found in other faiths (mainly Buddhism and Hinduism). This, he said, often led to numerous disputes and violence among the two, while the rest “sit together with each other and live peacefully.”

While I am no expert on other religions, the little I know about Buddhism and Hinduism (as well as Taoism and Shintoism) are that they generally focus more on self-enlightenment, and/or are passed down in the family or geographically. Emphasis on evangelisation however is not placed – their practice, for want of a better word, tend to be exclusive to their particular region and do not (at least directly) spell out doom for non-believers. This is different in the world’s two current largest faiths: conversion is imperative to obtain salvation.

Back to the discussion, I try to keep open and learn about the various religions while maintaining a firm foundation on my faith. I believe that all religions contain glimpses of Truth (Acts 17:26-28; CCC 843) and, like St Thomas Aquinas, one need not fear truth, even if they come from beyond the boundaries of our faith. This came as somewhat a surprise for my supervisor, since he mentioned that he found it rare for this mindset among Christians and Muslims. That for me is not a good sign: there is much we could gain if we do not shut out other people’s views.

The next point brought up was that religion is not only about fact, but of faith. Believing with your heart is essential factor in worship. This statement may seem obvious, yet it is something many people (like me) lack in practice. Although all religion teaches their followers the believe in a Higher Power, when it comes down to it most of us will either consciously or subconsciously shun this knowledge for a more rational line. And when we justify our actions without considering and complementing the faith aspect in them, we impede not only our spiritual but also our personal growth as well, closing ourselves to the various marvels in our daily lives.

Our talk then moved on to the late Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. This was related to the first point of our discussion, as my supervisor noted that the people – regardless of race or religion – called her ‘mother’ because of her works of charity. Mother Teresa once said that that every human is a child of God – from the abandoned children on the streets to the parents who abandoned them on the streets. Ultimately, each and every one of them will be answerable on Judgement Day.

We also touched on the split of the Church, mainly the Roman Catholic and Protestants. How, for instance, the Anglicans came about due to disagreements of marriage, with Henry establishing his own institution as a result. And even within the Protestant denominations more splinters were formed as one pastor’s views conflict with the other. But what really stood out for me was what my supervisor said about the Cross. Often you can find one with the figure of Christ hanging upon it in a Catholic home or even on the person himself/herself. Protestants usually have their crosses plain without the Man Himself, accusing Catholics of “keeping Christ on the cross”. Yet the period when Christ hung upon that wooden structure marked a main event and symbol in Christianity. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ who gave up His life for us on the Cross. A Cross without Christ, rather than having no meaning, can mean anything. My supervisor pointed out that in ancient times, the cross was infamously recognised as an instrument of ultimate punishment for criminals. Linking them together, a cross without Christ could mean those people are worshipping Roman crucifixion. All these words coming from a non-Christian – makes me ashamed I cannot display like knowledge in other religions T_T.

Following from there, he brought up the topic of Leonardo Da Vinci and his painting of Christ. During his time, all those who had seen Jesus physically walk the earth had long since passed away. The earliest Gospel had not been written down until around a hundred years later. Until then, they were preached literally through word of mouth. Without a first-hand witness, Leonardo executed his work by carefully researching the descriptions and information that were passed down throughout the ages.

At some point, my supervisor and I had a slight discourse on the sacrament of Baptism. The reason: he believed it is not right for people to baptise others. His argument was that Christ never baptised; thus how can we be baptising? At that time, I defended against his reasoning by referring to the works of John the Baptist, who came to make straight the path and prepare the way for the Lord through this very act. My supervisor was not convinced, seeming to doubt the reliability of the account of John the Baptist. He then referred me to the documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls and a book called ‘Jerusalem’ for my own research. Should have pointed out other stronger evidences which supported Baptism: Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38 and 1 Peter 3:21 for instance. Oh well, should take it as a signal for my own faith building.

All in all I found that time to be an insightful experience. If only others were just as open to such discussions to learn from one another, we would be able to prevent numerous misunderstandings and violence, and foster greater peace and harmony among God’s creation throughout the world.

RFG always.