Reflection from Friar Nicholas

  TUESDAY, EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME   Num 12:1-13; Ps 51:3-7,12-13; Mt 14:22-36 The Steward and the Son The readings today lead us to consider Moses, a faithful steward in the house of God, and the Son of Man, who is the Son of God made man for our salvation. The consideration would lead us to a better understanding of the sacramental nature of creatures obeying the word of God. We noted yesterday that everything has a sacramental aspect in its existence and operation, which points a man of faith towards God. The function is richer in any man who listens and obeys the word of God. The important role played by Moses in the life of the Israelites is based on this sacramental understanding. By listening and obeying the word of God, Moses became the mouthpiece of God before his people. He became a Sacrament of God’s presence with his people, for he conformed his life to the word God communicated to him. His communion with God produced a visible radiance of the g...

SAINT JOHN MARY VIANNEY, PRIEST   Num 11:4-15; Ps 81:12-17; Mt 14:13-21 The Food and the Sacrament There is a sacramental aspect to things of nature, by which they represent an aspect of God above their respective natures. These different aspects of a thing of nature come from the fact that God made them by His creative word. Hence, the sacramental nature of created things is their ability to point us in the direction of God, beyond themselves as concrete realities. The ability of natural things to act as sacraments of God relies on faith to be effective. Without faith, we would not be able to see and follow the sacramental of the created things to God, who is their creator. Our faith in God as the creator disposes us to see and understand the sacramental nature of things we see and use daily. One without faith in God cannot see him in nature. He is called a fool in the scriptures, for the fool says in his heart, there is no God. He is a fool because he does not see the prese...

SUNDAY, EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Eccl 1:2,2:21-23; Ps 95:1-2,6-9; Col 3:1-5,9-11; Lk 12:13-21 Paying Attention to Spiritual Goods The readings for this Sunday call us to a sober reflection on life and our purported achievements. What exactly is the value of our accomplishments in life? How do we understand the values of things, to know what to place our interest and energy in? These are some of the questions we must consider, given our readings. The word of God is our light, guiding us through life, that we may not walk in darkness. Hence, if the word informs us that God created us for himself, that we may share his life in communion, then we must live in such a way as to achieve the goal or purpose of our creation. The scripture says God created man in his image and likeness. That God wants us to be like him implies that we are supposed to live by divine values and the spiritual goods that God stands for. There is a hierarchy of goods and values in the created universe. ...

SATURDAY, SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME  Levi 25:1,8-17; Ps 67:2-3,5,7-8; Mt 14:1-12 The Jubilee of Love and Mercy The law on the celebration of the Jubilee year is another means that God intended to make the lives of the people reflect their relationship with Yahweh.  The Jubilee celebration is to encourage the people to participate in the act of liberation of those in any form of bondage. It would also be a year of abundance of grace. Celebrating the Jubilee makes the people realise that they are also major participants in the liberation of souls from various bondages. God is the source of all liberations, but for the liberation he gives to reach everyone, we all must participate by setting those we are holding in bondage free. The physical shackles were emphasized then, but our Lord has brought the spiritual shackles of sin to the fore, as the source of all other shackles or bondages. The Jubilee year is, therefore, a year to celebrate the people's common humanity...