Perfect Number Seven

Having to prepare a session which includes the Seven Deadly Sins has been quite a good reflection exercise for me this Lent. Going deeper into the meanings of Pride, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, Envy and Anger has given me much fruit for thought with regard to my own relationship with God and with others.

I won't share my own discoveries and reflections here as that is not the intention of this post, but to encourage others to go and research on these Seven Deadly sins and reflect on them in your lives. Together with the corresponding Seven Virtues of Humility, Charity, Temperance, Chastity, Diligence, Kindness and Patience, it makes for a good spiritual exercise to go through this Lent. Maybe you can take one Sin & Virtue to reflect on each day of a week. Just Google "Seven Deadly Sins", and you will find a lot of information.

To add on to that spiritual exercise, there are Seven Penitential Psalms you might want to pray, one for each day. Although they are not directly related to any particular Deadly Sin, still they are good scriptural readings to reflect on our sinfulness and need for God. The Psalms are 6, 31(32), 37(38), 50(51), 101(102), 129(130) and 142(143) [Numbers in brackets depending on your bible]

Have a good week of reflection, not just on the Sins, but also on the Virtues, and pray for the grace to break out of the Sin and to cultivate the Virtues in your life. God Bless!



- posted on behalf of Br Terence Kesavan

On Loving

I usually read the day's Gospel before I go to sleep and reflect on the things that God has to say for that day. Monday's Gospel reading from Luke 6:36-38 was short and simple and yet very straightforward. There is a link on the USCCB website on daily video reflections where a priest gives a sort of short homily. What he said struck me because he said that Jesus summed up what it means to be Christian in that very short passage. There were 5 ways that are simple to know yet difficult to achieve.

1. To be merciful
2. To not judge
3. To not condemn
4. To forgive
5. To love and give with all our hearts

I have a blog where I write about issues regarding my health and other things that happen in my life. This passage struck me particularly because just a few days ago, I wrote about an encounter I had with 2 ladies who were trying to promote some protein shake that was supposed to be able to help you lose weight.

I totally slammed them on my blog after the incident because they clearly had no idea what they were talking about. I wasn't the most merciful with my words and was extremely judgmental about their attitude and desperation to push their product. To some extent, you could say that I condemned them for being ignorant and arrogant.

The fact of the matter is that nobody would blame me for the things that I said about them. But this passage was a reminder for me to not seek the approval of others, but pursue the things that pleases God. I do still feel bitter about what happened, but it makes it a little easier to remember that God loves these 2 ladies just as much as He loves me.



- posted on behalf of Rachel Er

What is in your desert?

Certain crises can be anticipated and contingency plans can be made for them. But in reality, the real crises are the ones that take us by surprise; those that are well disguised and packaged to look more like coincidences than dire situations.

Today, I had an encounter which left me very flustered and annoyed. At that very moment, all I wanted to do was fight back. I felt indignant and made a fool of. And just as I was on my way to the confrontation, I garnered all the inner strength I had and somehow decided to hold back on lashing out those negativities. For the time being at least.

Later in the day, as I pondered more deeply on this, I began to see myself in that desert where Jesus had been tempted. And there, I saw how this situation was like a carrot tangled by the devil, just waiting for me to bite. And that made me realise how difficult it is to spot these tangling baits and overcome them.

It has been particularly difficult for me today because despite knowing this fact, I still felt the need to retaliate and speak up. But all I could do was bite my lips and learn to love. As of now, I still feel flustered, annoyed, indignant, foolish, and suppressed (perhaps constipated would be a better word). But I guess I need to constantly remember to be more like Jesus - refraining from the need to justify myself and prove a point.

Based on Matthew 4:1-11



- posted on behalf of Joann Chia

Prayer Intentions (9-15 Mar)

Here's are the intentions for the week 9-15 March.

Please print a copy of this, and remember to mention these people by name (you may simply read off the list if you wish) when you do your Lenten prayer each day this coming week.

1. For a successful operation and well-being of Chan Yan Toh, who might be suffering from colon cancer;
2. For all married couples, that each will continue to do their best to be better spouses and honour their commitment;
3. For all non-active and fallen away Catholics, that they may hear God’s silent whisper in their hearts and return to His Church in spite of its many shortcomings;
4. For all who are jobless – may the Lord bless them with a job that can help sustain their lives and their families;
5. For Alvin Choo, that he will discover God and walk with the Lord on a lifelong journey;
6. For Dorothy Tan, that she will be a source of inspiration through her quiet dedication and humble leadership;
7. For Fabian Teo, that the Lord may guide him in finding a direction in life;
8. For guidance in the conversion journey of Sebastian into Catholic Faith;
9. For Maranatha Prayer Ministry, that the community may grow in love for God and for each other;
10. For Noa Evan Wong, that he grows up to be a servant of God, who finds true happiness in God and in service to His people;
11. For Patricia Ling, who's going through treatment for cancer;
12. For Susan Loh, that she may have a safe journey and that her meetings at the Catholic Nurses World Congress in the US will be fruitful;
13. For the classes of Grace Chen, that God will touch them;
14. For the conversion of Matthew Seet, that he may be reconciled with God;
15. For the family of Shaun, Tiffany and Ayden Soong – that the Lord will continually show them His boundless love;
16. For the good health and happiness of Sharon Low; also for Sharon to be given a place in university;
17. For the health and speedy recovery from sickness of Theresa Yoong;
18. For the health and well-being of James Hoe;
19. For the safety and well-being of Henrietta Yii, who lives on her own in Malaysia;
20. For the soul of David Widjaja;
21. For the soul of Fr James Muhren, a Mill Hill Missionary, who passed away on 1 Mar 09;
22. For the soul of Peter Heng;
23. For the soul of Peter Ling;
24. For the speedy recovery of Colette Wong;
25. For the speedy recovery of Raphael and family, who are suffering from sicknesses;
26. For the speedy recovery of Valentina Soliano, who is suffering from fever;
27. For the well being of the family and friends of Grace Chen; also that the Lord may guide her in finding a direction in life;
28. For the well-being of Agnes Lim;
29. For the well-being of Margaret Ling;
30. For the well-being of Sharon and family;
31. For those who have lost money in shares and investments, that they place their hope in God and trust Him;
32. For unborn children, that they receive blessings and protection from God, and guidance as they enter the world;
33. For women who are considering abortion, that the Lord will guide them into the spirit of selflessness and cooperate with His plans.

Lord, I come to You in prayer, knowing that I am nothing, but You are everything. I lift up all the names I’ve read, and entrust them totally in Your hands. Through each situation, remind me ever so much that I do not know every one of these brothers and sisters, but You know them better than anyone else, and You care for them more than they can ever love themselves. I place my trust in You. Your will be done. Amen.

Print a copy of the intentions for the week.

If you're not on the journey yet, please join us.

Reflection on Psalm 42

"Like the dear that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; when can I enter and see the face of God?

My tears have become my bread, by night, by day, as I hear it said all the day long: 'Where is your God?'

These things will I remember as I pour out my soul; how I would lead the rejoicing crowd into the house of God, amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving, the throng wild with joy.

Why are you cast down my soul, why groan within me? Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.

My soul is cast down within me as I think of you, from the country of Jordan and Mount Hermon, from the Hill of Mizar.

Deep is calling on deep, in the roar of waters: your torrents and all your waves swept over me.

By day the Lord will send his loving kindness; by night I will sing to him, praise the God of my life.

I will say to God, my rock: 'Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning oppressed by the foe?'

With cries that pierce me to the heart, my enemies revile me, saying to me all the day long: 'Where is your God?'

Why are you cast down my soul, why groan within me? Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God."

Memories have two purposes. It either reminds us of the good times that had since past and thus reinvigorating us in the present, or it reminds us from repeating past mistakes and thus preventing a perpetuating of errors. Both ways, memory is good and it is a gift from God.

In Psalm 42, the Levite (who is in exile in Babylon) recalls the wonders that God had done despite him being in a state of desolateness, and how in that recalling of past memories, it made him cry out in hope despite the hopelessness that was presented before him. It must have taken tremendous amount of faith for the Levite to cry out in such situation, and most of us would greet his hope with wonder and amazement!

Are we able to recall the wonders that God had done and are still doing in our lives? God has gifted us with memory and it is indeed a powerful tool that He had placed within us, and let us recall as the Levite did, especially during the times when the goings get rough and tough, be it in our lives, relationships, studies, work and decision makings.

Lent is an excellent time for us to rediscover God in our lives, and in this spring time, let us place God at the centre of our lives, and in doing so; we will discover the wonders He does and are still doing in our live! For indeed "Why are you cast down my soul, why groan within me? Hope in God: I will praise him still, my saviour and my God!"



- posted on behalf of Br Jovita Cyprian Ho

Being original

Today, conformity is taboo. Nobody likes being called a poser or a copycat. Everyone says that we should strive to be creative, have a mind of our own, be original, and be an individual. By being entrepreneurial and innovative, we can therefore catapult ourselves into a different league from the so-called commoners.

Well, the thing is that God too, endorses non-conformity as a way of life. He tells us to take the narrow path, carry our crosses, and follow Him. In other words saying that we should not conform to what the world expects of us but rather, to stay true to our purpose in life; a purpose fashioned by our Creator and not by false gods.

And therein lies the irony of us human beings: that while conformity is passe, and we ought to be 'original' (which, in the simplest sense of the word, suggests that we should be in the state of our origin = God-made), in certain circumstances, we then choose to conform to the world's standards; to be carbon copies of secularism and worldly habits.

This Lent, Jesus is calling you and me into the desert with Him, inviting us to leave our hypocrisies, our masks, our conformities behind. He wants us to be tempted in the desert, just like He was, by temporal pleasures. And yes, we will certainly falter and suffer under the unforgiving terrains, but with continued prayer and persistance, picking ourselves up each time we fail, the 40 days will become an opportunity for us to emerge as stronger Christians; people who understand the ture meaning of conformity and stick to our gut (God), no matter what.



- posted on behalf of Joann Chia