God In Whom We Trust
We must not be afraid to give, for Christ gave himself completely and will reward with salvation all those who are waiting for him.

- The Sunday Missal
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1 Kings 17:10-16

Elijah the Prophet went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks; addressing her he said, ‘Please bring a little water in a vessel for me to drink.’ She was setting off to bring it when he called after her. ‘Please’ he said ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’ ‘As the Lord your God lives,’ she replied ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’ But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son. For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel:

“Jar of meal shall not be spent,
jug of oil shall not be emptied,
before the day when the Lord sends
rain on the face of the earth.”‘

The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son. The jar of meal was not spent nor the jar of oil emptied, just as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.
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Hebrews 9:24-28

It is not as through Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was only modelled on the real one; but it was heaven itself, so that he could appear in the actual presence of God on our behalf. And he does not have to offer himself again and again, like the high priest going into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own, or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. INstead of that, he has made his appearance once and for all, now at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself. Since men only die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, too, offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself, and when he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin but to reward with salvation those who are waiting for him.
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Mark 12:38-44

In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greet obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’

He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in that all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’
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…[T]his poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury

The first commandment states – You shall love the Lord with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength. I suppose I never quite grasped the idea of this until I attended a bible study course recently. The speaker reiterated that God wants us to love Him completely, and to give one hundred percent of ourselves to Him, not ninety or eighty percent. Even if someone has been doing good and wonderful things for God and for others all along, it does not make a complete relationship with God if he makes choices that lead him into sin.

I found it rather troubling to hear this, as it seems that all the time, I am in this state of having a partial relationship with God, unable to fully free myself from my insecurities and worries. The situation can feel rather desperate, and I have had to keep reminding myself that I cannot do this on my own. The strength to overcome this can only come from God – “…may He give you the power through His Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts”. (Ephesians 3:16-17)

Even at the risk of peril to themselves, the two women from today’s readings gave all they could to others. A good example of completely giving oneself to another would be the love between a mother for her child. Instinctively, a mother would be ready at any moment to sacrifice her life for her child. Such is the extent of her love. Do we possess this kind of love for God? In the words of St. Therese, who wrote about her relationship with Jesus – “I love him more than myself”. There is nothing more important than abandoning ourselves to Jesus.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Edith Koh)
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Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for the courage to boldly step forth in faith and trust of our love for You.

Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for being ever so thoughtful towards our every need. Thank You for giving us the strength to move on whenever we falter in life.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 09 Nov - Ezekiel 47:1-2.8-9.12; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11.16-17; John 2:13-22; Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Tue, 10 Nov - Wisdom 2:23-3:9; Luke 17:7-10; Memorial for St. Leo the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church
Wed, 11 Nov - Wisdom 6:1-11; Luke 17:11-19; Memorial for St. Martin of Tours, Bishop
Thu, 12 Nov - Wisdom 7:22-8:1; Luke 17:20-25; Memorial for St. Josaphat, Bishop, Religious, Martyr
Fri, 13 Nov - Wisdom 13:1-9; Luke 17:26-37
Sat, 14 Nov - Wisdom 18:14-19;19:6-9; Luke 18:1-8
Sun, 15 Nov - Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-14.18; Mark 13:24-32; Thirty-Third Sunday Of Ordinary Time; Mission Sunday

Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27

My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked death to save my life: I am not the only one to owe them a debt of gratitude, all the churches among the pagans do as well. My greetings also to the church that meets at their house.

Greetings to my friend Epaenetus, the first of Asia’s gifts to Christ; greetings to Mary who worked so hard for you; to those outstanding apostles Andronicus and Junias, my compatriots and fellow prisoners who become Christians before me; to Ampliatus, my friend i the Lord; to Urban, my fellow worker in Christ; to my friend Stachys. Greet each other with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Greetings from Gaius, who is entertaining me and from the whole church that meets in his house. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends his greetings; so does our brother Quartus.

Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.
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Luke 16:9-15

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it falls you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted things, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and laughed at him. He said to them, ‘You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.’
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You cannot be the slave both of God and of money

Have you ever observed that those with lots of money often yearn for more? They invest heavily in the stock market, dabble in options trading, gamble, and play the lottery, all in a bid to have more money. They spend that money on houses, cars, electronic goods, and holidays. They grow extremely attached to their money and hardly have time for God.

Conversely, those who put God as their first priority never have to worry about money. They lead contented and peaceful lives serving God in their own capacity. The second group of people are usually happy and healthy, compared to the first group. They are always on the move, spreading the gospel and giving testimonies about how the Lord has made an impact on their lives.

In today’s Gospel reading, we find that those who are trustworthy in little things are trustworthy in great things. Those who are dishonest in little things will find it difficult to get anyone to trust them with genuine riches. The Lord told the Pharisees who loved money that though they pass themselves off as upright in the eyes of the public, God knows what is inside their hearts. For when they are so attached to money, they have no time and desire to be with God.

How can we focus on God and not on money? Try donating to the poor. When we show care and concern for others, we become less self-centered. We turn to God more and become more at peace with ourselves. Gradually material things become less important. Pray and be in God’s presence. Nothing pleases God more than His children being trustworthy people who make Him the centre of their lives, following Him in this journey.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Patricia Ang)
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Prayer: Lord, teach us to be trustworthy, by our actions and our deeds. Show us how to be detached from money and to spend more time with You.

Thanksgiving: Lord, we give thanks for Your presence, for instilling in us the state of peace and contentment just being with You.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Romans 15:14-21

My brothers, I am quite certain that you are full of good intentions, perfectly well instructed and able to advise each other. The reason why I have written to you, and put some things rather strongly, is to refresh your memories, since God has given me this special position. He has appointed me as a priest of Jesus Christ, and I am to carry out my priestly duty by bringing the Good news from God to the pagans, and so make them acceptable as an offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit.

I think I have some reason to be proud of what I, in union with Christ Jesus, have been able to do for God. What I am presuming to speak, of course, is only what Christ himself has done to win the allegiance of the pagans, using what I have said and done by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, all the way along, from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have preached Christ’s Good news to the utmost of my capacity. I have always, however, made it an unbroken rule never to preach where Christ’s name has already been heard. The reason for that was that I had no wish to build on other men’s foundations; on the contrary, my chief concern has been to fulfil the text: Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand.
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Luke 16:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘There was a rich man and he had a steward who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “what is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go beggin? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”

‘Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you pwe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”

‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’
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Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand

Until now, I had never realised how much I love writing. I just completed helping out in a major parish event and I feel rather worn out from the numerous meetings to attend and emails to read. I also had to juggle work and family commitments. However, it is when I write for OXYGEN or give testimonies of how the Lord has worked in my life that I am truly at peace.

I recall that last year, there was an email asking for volunteers to come forth to contribute to the writing of OXYGEN. Without hesitation, I volunteered. I initially thought it would be challenging for someone who has never done reflections before. Yet, the moment I started to write, I became amazed at what was written, and I thank the Lord for His presence and guidance.

In today’s first reading, we are reminded of the grace that God gives us, to be a minister of Christ Jesus. It is only through sharing the things which Christ has done for us and through us that we are able to reach out to others. As a writer, I try to include experiences of God in my life that readers can relate to. Nothing is comparable to a testimony shared from the heart. Yet at times, it is difficult to write as some aspects can be very personal.

So how does one go about giving a testimony? Start by recalling and reflecting on an incident where you had a good time – with family, friends, work, church, studies, etc. It could also be something that you wanted to happen but did not take place, and you later realise that it was for your own good that you were disappointed.

As we reflect on these events in our lives, find something in it for which you can give praise to God. Share that with others around you. It is through our actions and testimonies that others who have not been told about Him will see Him, and those who have never heard about Him will understand.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Patricia Ang)
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Prayer: Dear God, allow us to use the experiences in our lives to share with the people around us. May there be more testimonials for Your glory.

Thanksgiving: We thank You, Lord, for giving us the joy and courage to testify for Your glory.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 07 Nov - Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27; Luke 16:9-15
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Romans 14:7-12

The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive of dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. This is also why you should never pass judgement on a brother or treat him with contempt, as some of you have done. We shall all have to stand before the judgement seat of God; as scripture says: By my life - it is the Lord who speaks - every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall praise God. It is to God, therefore, that each of us must give an account of himself.
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Luke 15:1-10

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisess and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety=nine in the wildeerness and go after the missing on till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours. “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is more rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’
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…each of us must give an account of himself.

When the Lord appears to us at the end of our life, will we able to give an account of what we have done of this earth? Would we be boasting about the amount of wealth that we have accumulated over the years? Then He would ask how much we have donated to help the poor and needy. Would we be telling Him about our trailblazing achievements in our lives? Then He would ask how we have made a difference in the lives of the people that we meet. Would we be telling Him that we go to Mass daily, but our heart is on material things? Then He would ask how much time we have spent reading the Bible and spending quality time with Him?

Over the years, I have grown from someone who did not speak of her religion to one who now proudly says I am a Catholic. I talk about the Lord to people that I meet at work, during travel, and even at seminars. I used to do things on my own effort, but now I surrender to God and let him take over the situation. Reading the Bible is like reading a love letter. It is a time that I put aside to spend with the Lord. Writing for the Lord gives me great joy, and I hope to share my faith with you through these reflections and by the way I lead my life.

In today’s first reading, we see that every knee shall bow before God and every tongue shall praise God. Indeed Christ died so that our sins will be forgiven. Those who have strayed in life and have come back to God, have learned to cherish and trust in Him. We kneel to pray and thank Him for He knows us best. Who are we to judge others then when we ourselves have sinned? We can only forgive one another. In the gospel reading, we find that there is more rejoicing over one sinner who repents and comes back to God, than over 99 upright people who have no need of repentance.

Therefore, seek the Lord’s forgiveness and invite Him into your life. Dwell in His presence by reading the Bible, listening to Christian songs, and share your faith with other people. Place God first, in the centre of your life, and all else will follow.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Patricia Ang)
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Prayer: Dear Lord, may we cherish and trust You. Forgive us for our sins and allow us to repent.

Thanksgiving: Lord, thank You for showing us back to the right path when we stray. Allow us to dwell in You and to discern Your plan.

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 06 Nov - Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8
Sat, 07 Nov - Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27; Luke 16:9-15
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Charles (1538-1584) was born to a wealthy, noble family, the third of six children, and the son of Count Giberto II Borromeo and Marghertita de’ Medici. He was the nephew of Pope Pius IV. He suffered from a speech impediment, but studied in Milan, and at the University of Pavia, at one point studying under the future Pope Gregory XIII.

He became a civil and canon lawyer at the age of 21, and a cleric at Milan, taking the habit on Oct 13, 1547. He became Abbot of three different abbeys until Jan 13, 1560. He was protonotary apostolic participantium and referendary of the papal court to Pope Pius IV. He was also a member of the counsulta for the administration of the Papal States on Jan 20, 1560. He was appointed abbot commendatario for an abbey in Portugal, and an abbey in Flanders on Jan 27, 1560.

On Jan 31, 1560, he was apostolic administrator of Milan, Italy, on Feb 8, 1560, then a papal legate to Bologna and Romandiola for two years beginning on Apr 26, 1560. He was made a deacon on Dec 21, 1560, and appointed Vatican Secretary of State. He was made an honorary citizen of Rome on Jul 1, 1561, and founded the “Accademia Vaticana” in 1562.

He was finally ordained on Sep 4, 1563, and helped reopne the Council of Trent, and participated in its sessions during 1562 and 1563. He was ordained Bishop of Milan on Dec 7, 1563 and was President of the commission of theologians charged by the pope to elaborate the Catechismus Romanus. He also worked on the revision of the Missal and Breviary, and was a member of a commission to reform church music.

He participated in the conclave of cardinals in 1565-66 that chose Pope Pius V, and he asked the new pope to take the name. Due to his enforcement of strict ecclesiastical discipline, some disgruntled monks in the order of the Humiliati hired a lay brother to murder him on the evening of Oct 26, 1569. He was shot at, but not hit.

He also participated in the conclave in 1572 that chose Pope Gregory XIII. He worked with the sick, and helped bury the dead during the plague outbreak in Milan in 1576. He established the Oblates of St. Ambrose on Apr 26, 1578, and was a teacher, confessor, and parish priest to St. Aloysius Gonzaga, giving him his first communion on Jul 22, 1580.

Charles spent his life and fortune in the service of the people of his diocese. He directed and fervently enforced the decrees of the Council of Trent, fought tirelessly for peace in the wake of the storm caused by Martin Luther, founded schools for the poor, seminaries for clerics, hospitals for the sick, conducted synods, instituted children’s Sunday school, did great public and private penance, and worked among the sick and dying, leading his people by example.

He is patron saint for bishops; catechists; catechumens; seminarians; spiritual directors; and spiritual leaders.

Prayer to St. Charles Borromeo
O Saintly reformer, animator of spiritual renewal of priests and religious, you organized true seminaries and wrote a standard catechism. Inspire all religious teachers and authors of catechetical books. Move them to love and transmit only that which can form true followers of the Teacher who was divine. Amen.

- Patron Saint Index
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Romans 13:8-10

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covert, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour, that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.
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Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookeers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless he gives up all his possessions.’
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Be my disciple

Cradle Catholics do not have a choice in our religion. We are baptised as infants and some of us hardly understand our Catholic faith. At one stage in life, I grew up questioning this lack of a choice. I even stopped going to church at times. Yet, the Lord has been patient with me. Alpha was the turning point in my life. Through the fellowship and sharings, my faith was renewed. Eventually, I accepted Christ and am now proud to say I am a Catholic.

The journey to follow Christ is never easy. The cross can be, at times, really heavy to carry. There are times when we are doubtful and drained, but we pray to discern God’s will. That Jesus died on the cross to redeem us shows us how much He loves us.

In the Gospel reading for today, the Lord reminds us to follow Him, but not before surrendering all that we own. We have to put aside selfish motives, egos, and learn to serve with humility and love. We need to carry our cross to be His disciple. We need to accept others’ differences and work together to build the Kingdom of God.

We face with many distractions and temptations on a daily basis. To follow Jesus, one needs to spend time in His presence. We usually seek God only when we are in trouble, and in good times, take Him for granted. There is always the distraction of the internet, television, work, and relationships that take up most of our time. The remaining time that we leave for the Lord is usually a time of exhaustion.

Let us pray and seek to put the Lord at the centre of our lives. Give God the first part of every day, the first consideration in every decision, and the first place in your heart. Pray for one another, read the Bible, dwell in His presence. Seek Him daily and He will sustain you with His grace and love.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Patricia Ang)
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Prayer: Dear God, though there are times we are faced with distractions and temptations, we continue to pray and dwell in Your presence. Sustain us with Your peace and love

Thanksgiving: We thank You, Lord, making us Your children and for building the foundation in our journey with You.

Upcoming Readings:
Thu, 05 Nov - Romans 14:7-12; Luke 15:1-10
Fri, 06 Nov - Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8
Sat, 07 Nov - Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27; Luke 16:9-15
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Martin (1579-1639) was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman, Juan, and a young freed black slave, Anna Velasquez. He grew up in poverty and spent part of his youth with a surgeon-barber from whom he learned some medicine and care of the sick.

At the age of 11, he became a servant in the Holy Rosary Dominican priory in Lima, Peru. He was promoted to almoner and begged more than $2,000 a week from the rich to support the poor and sick in Lima. He was placed in charge of the Dominican’s infirmary, and was known for his tender care of the sick and for his spectacular cures. His superiors dropped the stipulation that “no black person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our order” and Martin took vows as a Dominican brother in 1603.

He established an orphanage and children’s hospital for the poor children of the slums. He set up a shelter for the stray cats and dogs and nursed them back to health. He lived in self-imposed austerity, never eating meat, fasting continuously, and spent much time in prayer and meditation with a great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. He was a friend of St. John de Massias.

He was venerated from the day of his death. May miraculous cures, including raising the dead, have been attributed to Brother Martin, the first black saint from the Americas.

-    Patron Saint Index
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Romans 12:5-16

All of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.

Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.

Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor.
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Luke 14:15-24

One of those gathered round the table said to Jesus, “Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come along: everything is ready now.’ But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.’ Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.’ Yet another said, ‘I have just got married and so am unable to come.’

“The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ‘Sir,’ said the servant, ‘your orders have been carried out and there is still room.’ Then the master said to his servant, ‘Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.’”
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Do not let your love be a pretence

Many are called but very few take up the offer to serve the Lord in the various ministries. At a recent church event, I was called to help out in the publicity aspect. I had a wonderful team. For the commemorative book we were working on, I had a good writer and designer for the book. For the various banners, posters and advertisements, I had a good graphic designer. I was the coordinator for the articles to be submitted to Catholic News (the archdiocesan newspaper), Spotlight (the parish newsletter), and the parish website. Despite the additional amount of work, it was truly fulfilling to see all of us coming together to serve the Lord.

In the first reading, we are called to use the different gifts that we have for God’s glory. Not to work halfheartedly but with conscientiousness and an eager spirit. At times we tend to be selective of what sort of work we do for the Lord. We only want to do the jobs that are high profile, where what we do can be acknowledged publicly. What about those jobs that are worked behind the scenes, like cleaning the church, cooking for church events, and so on? There are also others who are in so many ministries that at the end of the day they are drained and they do the work half heartedly. The Lord wants to see us coming to together as one and the work that we take up, we do our best and with a humble heart.

In today’s gospel reading, the man invited many to the banquet, however those invited made excuses not to attend. Instead the man extended the invitation to the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. In our daily lives, the Lord calls us to surrender our situations to Him. But sometimes it is the non-Christians who trust God more than we do. They are the ones who sometimes get invited to His house rather than the rest of us. Why is that so? We may tend to be complacent in our daily walk with Him. Sometimes it is our ego that makes us so full of ourselves that we push the Lord out of our lives.

Are we able to serve the Lord with that sincerity and commitment? Are we able to do His work using the gifts and passion that He has given us? Are we responding to His invitation to the banquet that He is hosting?

(Today’s OXYGEN by Patricia Ang)
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Prayer: Lord, give us the discipline to read Your word daily, and to come to prayer and dwell in Your presence.

Thanksgiving: Lord, we thank You for using us an instrument to reach out to the people that we meet, to love without any pretence.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 04 Nov - Romans 13:8-10; Luke 14:25-33; Memorial for St Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Thu, 05 Nov - Romans 14:7-12; Luke 15:1-10
Fri, 06 Nov - Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8
Sat, 07 Nov - Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27; Luke 16:9-15
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Today we celebrate a feast in commemoration of the faithful departed in purgatory, that is, the faithful departed who have not yet been purified and reached Heaven. After Abbot Odilo of Cluny instituted it in the monasteries of his congregation in 998, other religious orders took up the observance, and it was adopted by various dioceses and gradually by the whole Church. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy on this day and Pope Benedict XV granted to all priests the privilege of saying three Masses of requiem: one for the souls in purgatory, one for the intention of the Holy Father, one for the priest’s.

- Patron Saint Index
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Isaiah 25:6-9

On this mountain,
the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples
a banquet of rich food.
On this mountain he will remove
the mourning veil covering all peoples,
and the shroud enwrapping all nations,
he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord will wipe away
the tears from every cheek;
he will take away his people’s shame
everywhere on earth,
for the Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said: See, this is our God
in whom we hoped for salvation;
the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.
We exult and we rejoice
that he has saved us.
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Romans 5:5-11

Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man - though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die - but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.
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Matthew 15:33-39;16:1-6

When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah’. Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and putting it on a reed, gave it him to drink saying, ‘Wait and see if Elijah will come and take him down’. But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, ‘In truth, this man was a son of God.’

When the sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices with which to go and anoint him. And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, just as the sun was rising.

They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ But when they looked they could see that the stone - which was very big - had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them, ‘There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him.’
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If in union with Christ we have imitated his death, we shall also imitate him in his resurrection.

Someone asked me this question: If death came into the world through Original Sin, would Adam and Eve – and consequently the rest of us – have died if they (and we) did not sin? It’s a question worth thinking about.

I answered that, “Yes, Adam and Eve – and consequently the rest of us – would still have died.” The death that is being spoken of here, and in today’s second reading, is not bodily death, that is, the end of our life on earth. Rather, it is a spiritual death that is being discussed, that is, spiritual separation from God.

When we reflect on our lives, I think all of us would say that we are not like the saints that we remember from yesterday’s reflections. We are not in total union with God. But I think none of us would want to be spiritually separated from God either, that is, spiritually dead, though some of us could be. Most of us would say we fall in between these two extremes. What happens to us when we die in this spiritual state?

Does it mean that we are stuck in limbo, forever caught between Heaven and Hell? No. At the end, there is only Heaven and Hell, with nothing in between. But if only a sinless person can be in Heaven, and only a person completely separated from God and spiritually dead can be in Hell, then what happens to those of us who are neither here nor there?

Today’s gospel reading tells us that it is the Father’s will that none of those that have been given to Jesus be lost. This means that Jesus desires for those of us who are baptised to join Him in eternal life. Hence, there must exist a state in which impure human souls are being prepared for Heaven. What exactly takes place during this period we do not know, but Catholic teaching has revealed to us that this purification process is like metal being purified by fire. It can be a painful process, much like growing up, but it is needed to purify us and make us ready for Heaven.

I personally believe that much of the pain during this purification stage is the pain of letting go – of our pride, of our anger, of our unforgiveness, of our earthly and material desires, and such. Letting go is never easy, but we do need to do a lot of letting go in order to receive what God has prepared for us in Heaven. And very often, even in life, we can’t do the letting go on our own; we need God, and we need the prayers of other people.

Today is All Souls Day. It is the day that we pray for the souls of persons who have died before us and are in this stage of purification. We remember especially the souls of those who have no one to pray for them, and we know that when they enter into Heaven, when all is revealed, they will also be praying for us when we enter into this purification stage.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Daniel Tay)
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Prayer: We pray for all the souls of the faithful departed, that God may grant them the grace to let go of all that is earthly that they are holding on to, so that they may enter into eternal life with God.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for those who pray daily for the souls who have no one to pray for them.

Upcoming Readings:
Tue, 03 Nov - Romans 12:5-16; Luke 14:15-24; Memorial for St Martin de Porres, Religious
Wed, 04 Nov - Romans 13:8-10; Luke 14:25-33; Memorial for St Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Thu, 05 Nov - Romans 14:7-12; Luke 15:1-10
Fri, 06 Nov - Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8
Sat, 07 Nov - Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27; Luke 16:9-15
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Today we offer the Lamb and celebrate the victory of our God in the company of all the redeemed in the heavenly kingdom.

- The Weekday Missal
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All Saints’ Day is celebrated in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In terms of Roman Catholic theology, the feast commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven. The beatific vision is the eternal and direct perception of God enjoyed by those who are in Heaven, imparting supreme happiness and blessedness. St. Thomas Aquinas defined the beatific vision as the ultimate end of human existence after physical death.

The origin of this feast as celebrated in the West dates to 13 May 609 or 610, when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs; the feast of the dedication Sanctae mariae ad Martyres has been celebrated at Rome ever since. The chosen day, May 13, was a pagan observation of great antiquity, the culmination of three days of the Feast of the Lemures, in which the malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were propitiated.

The feast of All Saints, on its current date, is traced to the foundation by Pope Gregory III (731-741) of an oratory in St. Peter’s for the relics “of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world”, with the day moved to Nov 1.

- Wikipedia
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Apocalypse 7:2-4.9-14

I, John, saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea, ‘Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.’ Then I heard how many were sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel.

After that I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. They shouted aloud, ‘Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne, surrounding the elders and the four animals, prostrated themselves before the throne, and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God with these words, ‘Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.’

One of the elders then spoke, and asked me, ‘Do you know who these people are, dressed in white robes, and where they have come from?’ I answered him, ‘You can tell me, my lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.’
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1 John 3:1-3

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.
Surely everyone who entertains this hope
must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.
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Matthew 5:1-12

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. this is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth of their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’
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Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

When my grandfather was on his death bed, I started to think about my own death too. Not in a morbid way, but to imagine what it would be like to be on my own death bed. I would look back at my life and reflect about how I have lived my life. Would it matter, on my death bed, what jobs I have had? Would how much I have earned be on my mind? What would be the point of all that after death?

But then I started to think: Is there anything that I have in life be relevant and important to me after I die? If I, as a Christian, believe in the afterlife, then there are certainly some things that continue to exist and be relevant to me after I die. For one, there would be relationships that I have had with people in my lifetime. These do not end just because I am no longer alive. Relationships continue after death. For example, I am still my grandfather’s grandchild. As a Christian, I believe that everyone has an afterlife, and I will see them again in future, and we will still have the same relationships (some will be better than before) we had while alive.

Then I started to think about my relationship with God, and I came to realize that this is the most important relationship of all. How healthy this relationship that I have with God affects how I view death, and in turn affects how I view life. If I have a healthy relationship with God, I will be looking forward to meeting God after I die, and in life, I will do all I can to ensure that I do indeed get to spend eternal life with God. That would be my dream come true, or perhaps in more Christian terms – that would be the fulfilment of my faith and hope in God.

If, however, I have an unhealthy relationship with God, perhaps a distant one, I would not be looking forward to spending eternal life with God at all. I would probably hate it (imagine getting married to someone you don’t like, what more spend eternal life with this person!). I would therefore spend my entire life avoiding the notion of death at all costs, and this might be expressed in desires to keep looking young and running away from the inescapable fact of ageing.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. We remember all the saints that have died and are already with God, especially those that are not formally canonised by the Church. We remember them because they represent our future or, St. John writes in the second reading: What we are to be in the future. Remembering these saints and that where they are today is a result of the holy lives they have lived on earth is a renewal of our faith in God and the eternal life that we all, as Christians, hope to one day have.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Daniel Tay)
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Prayer: We pray for all Christians, including ourselves, who are struggling to live holy lives. May we always remember that there are others who have walked this path before us and have been rewarded greatly in heaven, and that we may be inspired to never give up hope. Amen.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the many saints who have travelled this path before us, so that we may follow their footprints.

Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 02 Nov - Deuteronomy 12:1-3; Romans 6:3-9; John 6:37-40; Commemoration Of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day)
Tue, 03 Nov - Romans 12:5-16; Luke 14:15-24; Memorial for St Martin de Porres, Religious
Wed, 04 Nov - Romans 13:8-10; Luke 14:25-33; Memorial for St Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Thu, 05 Nov - Romans 14:7-12; Luke 15:1-10
Fri, 06 Nov - Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8
Sat, 07 Nov - Romans 16:3-9.16.22-27; Luke 16:9-15
Sun, 08 Nov - 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44; Thirty-Second Sunday Of Ordinary Time

Romans 11:1-2.11-12.25-29

Let me put a question: is it possible that God has rejected his people? Of course not. I, an Israelite, descended from Abraham through the tribe of Benjamin, could never agree that God had rejected his people, the people he chose specially long ago.

Let me put another question then: have the Jews fallen for ever, or have they just stumbled? Obviously they have not fallen for ever: their fall, though, has saved the pagans in a way the Jews may now well eumlate. Think of the extent to which the world, the pagan world, has benefited from their fall and defection - then think how much more it will benefit from the conversion of them all.

There is a hidden reason for all this, brothers, of which I do not want you to be ignorant, in case you think you know more than you do. one section of Israel has become blind, but this will last only until the whole pagan world has entered, and then after this the rest of Israel will be saved as well. As scripture says: The liberator will come from Zion, he will banish godlessness from Jacob. And this is the covenant I will make with them when I take their sins away.

The Jews are enemies of God only with regards to the Good News, and enemies only for your sake; but as the chosen people, they are still loved by God, loved for the sake of their ancestors. God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.
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Luke 14:1.7-11

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely.

He then told the guest a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguised person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
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For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.

Somebody once remarked to me that we can never eliminate distinctions of class from our society. These distinctions have also over time has crept into our church unconsciously and we are not even aware of it. Jesus reminds us that such an approach cannot be advocated in the Church as we read in today’s Gospel.

There are often times where we think we are the most important person in our workplace or school and that nobody can replace us. It is always humbling and instructive whenever we realise that this is not the case and that there are always people out there whom are better than us in the area of our specialty.

As Christians we think we have both the passport to get to heaven by virtue of our Baptism. Lest we delude ourselves into thinking so, the first reading reminds us of the Jews who refused to accept the faith. Their refusal to believe in the faith does not mean that they are condemned. They were, after all, the chosen people of God and hence were always accorded a special place.

The rapid pace and genuine piousness demonstrated by Gentiles converting to Christianity during St. Paul’s time is seen in our present day through the enthusiasm shown by the converts to the Catholic faith. They are going all out to learn more about the faith that they have just discovered and sometimes serve as a stark reminder on how lukewarm we have become in our faith.

Let us not take our faith for granted but consider how we can earn the ‘visa’ of good works that is required to accompany the ‘passport’ of faith given to us on our Baptism day.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
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Prayer: Lord, we pray that we keep a lively faith and not lose the fire of love.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the large number of inquirers who want to learn our faith.

Upcoming Readings:
Sun, 01 Nov - Revelations 7:2-4.9-14; 1 John 3;1-3; Matthew 5:1-12; Solemnity of All Saints

Romans 9:1-5

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ - it is the truth - my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. they were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the convenants; the law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.
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Luke 14:1-6

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. There in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees. ‘Is it against the law’ he asked ‘to cure a man on the sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a sabbath day without hesitation?’ And to this they could find no answer.
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I will willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel

The sacrifices that parents make for their children are often not known by the latter. It is only at a far later stage in life that the children realize the number of missed opportunities that the parents had to undertake in order for them to have a better shot at life. St. Paul demonstrates to us that he would have liked to do the same if it could give him a chance to save his brethren who were stuck in the old way of the Jewish Law.

It is almost as if it pained him to see his companions demonstrating obstinacy in their way of life and refusing to change despite the prospect of eternal life being placed before them. This pain is especially great when you consider that the Jews were the chosen people and yet they refused to believe in Jesus when He was performing all the miracles before them.

They have reached such a stage of obstinacy that they rather choose to abide dogmatically to their rules than to save a member of their community. Jesus highlighted the flaw in their rules by asking them whether they would do the same if the person in question was their family member.

All of us are guilty of this at one point or another. We enact rules and impose on others standards that we ourselves are unable to meet. The gift of intellect that God has given us is misused by us as we seek to provide flimsy excuses for our transgressions. It is only when we are the receiving end of such rules that we belatedly discover our own flaws.

Let us humble ourselves and ask God to illuminate within us the warmth of Christian love to overcome our own shortcomings.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
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Prayer: Lord, we pray that we remain humble in serving You.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for those who have finally forgiven a person whom they have harboured a grudge for years.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 31 Oct - Romans 11:1-2.11-12.25-29; Luke 14:1.7-11
Sun, 01 Nov - Revelations 7:2-4.9-14; 1 John 3;1-3; Matthew 5:1-12; Solemnity of All Saints