Second Station: Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested

As he was yet speaking, behold a multitude; and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus, for to kiss him. And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?And they that were about him, seeing what would follow, said to him: Lord, shall we strike with the sword? And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when he had touched his ear, he healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients, that were come unto him: Are ye come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs? When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
(Lk 22:47-53, Douay-Rheims Version)

I have asked myself why Judas would betray Jesus who loved him. Was Judas so corrupted that he could only repay evil for good? Why would Jesus, who seemed to know many things, choose someone who would betray him? In response to the first question, I realise that I am like Judas in many ways. I know God’s love because I have experienced His love. I have believed in the Son of God who died for me because God loved me. Yet, I would betray God time and time again in my sins. Why do I repay evil for good? Am I as corrupted as Judas?

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. A sign of friendship becomes the sign of betrayal. Years ago, I came across a meditative song entitled Why? Michael Card, whom I believe wrote the music and lyrics, made this observation:

Only a friend can betray a friend, a stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain

Jesus chose Judas as a disciple and allowed him into His life, His thoughts and His affections. Jesus considered Judas a friend and allowed him (Judas) to be close to Him. He must have been devastated to experience betrayal through the gesture used by friends: a kiss. Judas would be accused of bringing harm to Jesus if he (Judas) was merely a stranger. It is precisely because Judas was part of the closest circle of Jesus’ friends that his actions was seen as a betrayal.

Perhaps Judas was not able to accept the entire message of Jesus. Perhaps that was why he gave up on Jesus and focussed on his own wants. Perhaps he joined Jesus because he accepted the part of the message of Jesus that appealed to him but got disillusioned when the message did not satisfy what he expected of Jesus. Perhaps that is what caused Judas to betray his friend and master, Jesus.

When I consider my betrayals of Jesus, I also see those times when I did not accept the entire message of Jesus. I was not able to trust that Jesus entirely. I used to hear the phrase, “You cannot have your cake and eat it …” When I betray Jesus in my sins, I am saying, “I want my cake and eat it.”

Jesus called St. Peter to be the visible head of the Church. He was told, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18-19, Revised Standard Version) Jesus gave St. Peter the assurance that any decision that he makes as the visible head of the Church is endorsed by heaven. When the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, as visible head of the Church, declared that there should be no public celebrations of the Easter Triduum in those countries affected by the pandemic during this time, it was very hard to understand. Could the Pope have made a serious error in giving this instruction? Does he not have any faith that God will protect his people? In my meditation of this station, I could not avoid asking if I had, like Judas, accepted only what I liked or preferred.

When I do not accept the entire message of Jesus, I am also not able to accept the person of Jesus. Could I actually say I have faith in Jesus and yet not be trusting enough to accept everything that Jesus says? One probable source of my betrayal of Jesus is my inability to accept the entire message of Jesus. Can I not ask for a greater faith and trust in Jesus? The question from Job comes to mind here: If we take happiness from God’s hand, must we not take sorrow too? (Job 2:10, Jerusalem Bible)

First Station: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani; and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
(Mt 26:36-39, Douay-Rheims Version)

I have often meditated on what was in the mind of Jesus when he was in the Garden of Gethesmane. After all, it is the First Sorrowful Mystery in the rosary prayer. Although it is in my mind when during the rosary prayer, I must confess that I rarely go beyond the time needed to recite the 10 Hail Marys for the decade. I had a good opportunity to go beyond that time when I sat down the other day to think about what to write to formulate the content for this First Scriptural Station of the Cross.
Foremost in our minds these days are the difficulty we have in understanding the decision made by the Church authorities for not having public masses. I have heard all the arguments on both sides and I also understand the frustrations felt by both sides because of the decision that was made. Please do not think that the Pope and bishops made this decision frivolously. I am sure they prayed over and over on what had to be done.

When I place myself in the shoes of Jesus that night in the Garden, I also sense frustration. It was a frustration that emerged for the necessity for Jesus to allow himself to be handed over to the Jewish authorities. The four gospels reveal to us the fact that Jesus was aware that His teaching was causing the Jewish authorities to reject him. We can see that in the predictions He made regarding His passion and death. Yet, can we not see how human it is to consider alternatives and other possibilities when confronted with a possibility that would cause great hurt and harm? What went through Jesus’ mind as he prayed in the garden? The Synoptic Gospels relate how Jesus struggled in his prayer (see Mt 26:39,42; Mk 14:36; Lk 22:42). He wanted to do His Father’s will although He did not like what was going to happen to Him. Like us, he was probably thinking whether there was an alternative way: Was there another way to fulfil the Father’s will? Surely the Father did not want His Son to suffer, did He? I think it would be too simplistic to say that God wanted His Son to be tortured and crucified. God loves His Son. He definitely would not want evil for His Son. God’s will was that Jesus stick to the mission. Jesus was sent to bring the Good News that God was Father. To run away from the cross would invalidate that message. Jesus endured His Passion to tell us that this Good News is worth losing His life for. To show that He had the power of God by breaking free miraculously would also be unhelpful. God loves us and would like us to freely respond in love. To be awed by spectacle, might and power, would not have helped the recipients of His message to respond in freedom. Rather, it would have caused fear; the kind of fear that deprives people of freedom.

I have heard how some have responded to the cessation of public Masses. How could God who gave us the Eucharist agree to deny us the Eucharist? Are we not thinking like Jesus in the garden? Are we not thinking of alternatives? Unlike Jesus, we get worked up and upset. Perhaps, what gets us upset is that we realise that the decision made was made maliciously. We struggle to understand how the decision could be a right one. There are some of us would go so far as to say that the ecclesiastical authorities had given in to something diabolical.

Meditating during this station, I started thinking about Jesus own response to the frustration he felt as he prayed. He did not give in to His human frustration. Instead he took solace in His Father. He decided to trust the Father. Things did not make sense but He decided to do what the Father willed. His love for His Father led him to obey His Father.

The Eucharist is the Blessed Sacrament. We Catholics believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. We want our sustenance. We want our Lord. We want to go to Mass to receive the greatest gift God has given us: His Son in the Blessed Eucharist. Yet, have we asked if that was what God wants at this moment in time? Perhaps the ecclesiastical authorities are as wrong as the Jewish authorities were. Yet, it was to obey His Father’s will that Jesus kept silent as He was led to His death. It was to obey His Father’s will that Jesus allowed himself to suffer the torments that we would come to call His Passion.

Being deprived of the Eucharist is not a good thing. Neither is being deprived of life. If Jesus could trust in the Father and allow His Father to lead him towards that which was not a good thing, could we not also allow the Father to lead us in the midst of this difficult situation? Could we not make the words of Jesus ours as well? My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Mt 26:39 Revised Standard Version)

An Introduction to the Meditations on the Scriptural Stations of the Cross (for 2020)

Many, including myself, are feeling that we have been abandoned during this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, I am sure that many of my parishioners feel abandoned by me as well as I have not done anything visibly significant during this time when public masses have been suspended. I knew of the Scriptural Stations of the Cross that were celebrated by Pope St. John Paul II. I had not ventured to meditate on them being content with the traditional stations. Just the other day, as I was thinking of how to do more for my parish in terms of prayer and sacrifice during this Lent, the Scriptural Stations came to mind. I have prayed them and would like to share my meditations with those who would not mind the reflections of a limited and sinful man trying to be a good pastor.

Starting tomorrow, I will post the meditations of two stations each day. On Good Friday, the meditations of the last two stations would be posted. Hopefully, it would give those who decide to read them something to reflect and meditate on.

God Keep us and Bless us during this difficult time.

Lent 2017

As many people would already know, I will be transferring to a new parish after Easter.  Many congratulate me but I am not sure what to make of it. I do not see being made a parish priest a promotion. I enjoy being a pastor but there are other responsibilities when being a parish priest in Singapore. I do prefer to be without those administrative responsibilities and concentrate on what I was called to do: to be a pastor after the heart of Jesus Christ. Yet before assuming office, I am already greatly stressed. I pray that the Lord would be able to continue helping me cope with the extra stresses.

As to this blog, I was working towards spending time communicating my thoughts and reflections but I cannot promise anything yet.  I have to get into the new parish and then reorientate everything I am used to now to see if I could contribute in the future.

God Bless!

Welcome 2017

I know it is a little late to welcome the year since it is already the second day of 2017 😊.  I still would like to welcome the new year.  Yesterday, being a Sunday, I was wishing everyone a “Happy New Year” but it did not feel like something new.  Happy, yes.  New?  Well ...

At this morning’s Mass, I was just concelebrating but the preacher said something that provoked me to thinking some more after the celebration.  He said that we needed faith to understand what God has in mind in allowing things to happen around us.

The newspapers these last few days were about hope.  2017 seemed bleak but if we girded ourselves up, we would be able to make it through; even with small bells and whistles!   The secular world brings hope to us, telling us that we just need to have faith in ourselves a little more.  We have to put in some effort to get things going.

As those who had been graced with the gift of faith, we need to put God into the equation. We know that God is the source of all good.  Hope is not simply a desire or yearning for the future to be well and good.  Hope is virtue that helps us to be confident in the promise of God.  As long as we cling to God, eternal life, i.e. living in the divine life of God, will occur.  The Christians in the first centuries were persecuted for their faith.  They were confident that no matter what happened to them, so long as they clung on the the Lord, the promise of God would be fulfilled: eternal life with Him.

I was reflecting over what my hope was.  Parishioners knew that I would be leaving them in some months and they wished me well.  Whilst excited over the new ministry, there is still some resistance in me.  Given a choice, I would be happy to remain where I am.  I could do without the extra responsibilities that came with the new ministry.  So, I chided myself.  Where was my hope?  God is calling me.  Why am I not hopeful?  Do I not have the confidence that God will see me through?  Then I felt ashamed.  I have not practised what I preached.  Buck up, I told myself.  God is always there.

A Hiatus

It is coming to July and the long awaited annual priests’ retreat will be conducted.  I have not posted anything of late because I have not been able to make good enough reflections on the Sunday readings.  I must admit and confess that I have been affected very much by many of the things in the the last few weeks.  Both overseas and locally, there have been several incidents that affected me.  As a catholic priest, I have subscribed to the principle of judging the act and not the person.  As I was preparing the scripts for my blog posts, I discovered that there were points I had written that was contrary to the principle above.  I realised that I had to take a little break to settle what was in me before posting.  Thus, I am taking a hiatus, at least until after the priests’ annual retreat.

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time: What makes a prophet?

Hans von Aachen [Public domain], Raising of the son of the widow of Nain, via Wikimedia Commons

When Jesus brought the widow’s son back to life, I am sure that the people were reminded of Elijah pleading for another widow’s son and how the Lord saved him from death’s door.  It is thus not surprising that the people considered Jesus a prophet. This distinction is important because of what a prophet is.  In the first reading, from the First Book of Kings, we hear the widow saying that she finally considered Elijah a man of God and “the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth itself.” (1 Kgs 17:24, Jerusalem Bible) 

We are often pressured by worldly standards of beauty and perfection, and other worldly values.  In this pressure, we often end up wearing masks, pretending to be perfect when we know we are not.  We fail to see the real beauty that God sees in us and pursue an external beauty that has no value in the eyes of God. We fear to let people see who we are for fear of not being accepted. Then we live lives where God’s truth is not valued.  Our use of words, our actions and our attitudes start to align themselves with what is worldly, straying away from the Lord. Our lives become burdened and shackled.  That is why Jesus would teach, “and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

When I consider that at my baptism, I was made priest, prophet and king, participating in the priestly, prophetic and kingly offices of Jesus: Son of God and Son of Man. I am baptised to utter the word of the Lord as a Christian.  This word has to be truth itself. In my sinfulness I have not been exemplary in being a prophet. The questions I must keep asking myself is: Is the word of the Lord an intrinsic part of my life? Is truth a part of my life as well? Do I utter the word of the Lord? Am I living in the truth because I am a prophet? Am I truly a prophet of the Lord?