tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post3961566837695862595..comments2024-03-17T22:48:00.427+08:00Comments on Reflections and Ruminations: Charity and the love of God and neighbour.Fr Luke Fonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03079016104331055895noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-56907313592420118282012-05-30T16:51:34.750+08:002012-05-30T16:51:34.750+08:00‘’But I have also realized that my being as close ...‘’But I have also realized that my being as close to a state of grace does play a great part in whether or not I let Charity operate through me. It is only when I am aware of this that my priesthood becomes an instrument of holiness for others, ......’’ - this is a beautiful insight and I am touched by its humility, thank you.<br /><br /> I only fully appreciate this today when I heard the first reading at mass - ( 1Peter 1:18-25) especially......’’let your love for each other be real and from the heart ......All flesh is grass and its glory like the wild flower’s. The grass withers, the flower falls.....’’ It would seem that if one had true charity, one knows in our deepest being that all earthly things are vain........for no matter how small a deed, if it is done with charity/love it would be most significant in God’s eyes! Real charity then is not self- seeking but does all for the honour, the love or glory of God, and God alone. <br /><br />Often, what appears to be charity is really done for other motives – like self-love, some personal benefit or the hope of a reward. This is not trying to be-little our charitable actions, but sometimes we ‘do a lot’ of good things that uses the mind but does not engage the heart. So in the Christian sense, charity is a special grace that flows through ‘human conduits’ - using them as instruments of dispensing God’s mercy and love to those in need. And that is why your statement that- ‘’my being as close to a state of grace does play a great part in whether or not I let Charity operate through me.’’- makes me feel that charity when allowed to ‘flow’ in this manner – blesses both, the one who gives and the one who receives as well.<br />God bless you, Fr<br />tessaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-12862369912072045712012-05-30T08:31:14.641+08:002012-05-30T08:31:14.641+08:00Yes, Nicole; as parents it is our most sacred duty...Yes, Nicole; as parents it is our most sacred duty to lead our children to Christ. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, I have not always been up to the task. The transmission of the faith to the next generation is of supreme importance and thus we have to take our marriage vows seriously and never waver. But God is with us and He constantly blesses those who follow Him faithfully.Robbie Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-50219355671176194502012-05-28T23:58:51.542+08:002012-05-28T23:58:51.542+08:00Dear Fr Luke..
Its a little ironic that people w...Dear Fr Luke.. <br /><br />Its a little ironic that people would wanting to call themselves catholics or christians.. but love to do anything that is not christian in nature. eg not praying or praying little .. etc.. I suppose they are CIMO or christians or catholics in name only..I dun know what casuse this i.e CINO but maybe its a higher social status.. "oh which church u attend ah??"" I attend so and so church lah" " oh i see.. then u know this or that guy....?? <br /><br />I suppose the lack of being to be a faithful catholic stem from fact the maybe the surrounding home environment or the kind of pple u mix with. If yr family mostly consist of "nominal catholics" then you are likely to be one too!.. If your family esp parents are devout catholics trying their best to live to live their faith eg praying daily, read the scriptures, put on best their christian behavior, then likewise the kids will do that too.. as you can read in the lives of the many of the saints.. Cathechists can only teach that much faith but bear in mind that the home is the domestic church as the late John paul II has said. <br /><br />The faith that parents impart will eventually go a long way for their salvation.. nominal or could be not bothered will bear little fruits or no fruits at all.. faithfulness to the Lord will eventually bear muich fruits and for generations to come.. <br /><br />cheers<br /><br />GAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-83286320477946120252012-05-28T14:40:19.640+08:002012-05-28T14:40:19.640+08:00Hi Father Luke
Yesterday we were at the Saccre ra...Hi Father Luke<br /><br />Yesterday we were at the Saccre rally for Pentecost Sunday at CTK. Father William Goh and later reiterated by our Archbishop Nicholas Chia, on the New Evangelization, he did said that what our children lack is a personal relationship with God. I asked my 10 year old daughter if she has a good relationship with God. She went errrrr..... That's a tough question to answer! I asked her to reflect upon it. So I agree with Robbie that children need to know and grow in Faith through a heroic figure, namely, the parents. However, sometimes, we as parents, fail. Thus, as part of reforming for the New Evangelization of the church, how catechism classes are taught must be changed too. Under SD Fr Erbin, at the Archdiocese level, catechism sessions are now meant to help our children to encounter God and to guide them to build a relationship with God through Jesus and I do feel encouraged by what our priests are doing in Singapore. The way we live our Faith must change. Under this Renewal, we pray fervently for the revitalization of Faith of our children.<br /><br />Thank you Fr Luke. <br /><br />Nicole<br />CTKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-56788747568245779162012-05-28T11:41:25.442+08:002012-05-28T11:41:25.442+08:00Hi Fr Luke,
Thank you Fr.for this post,there is ho...Hi Fr Luke,<br />Thank you Fr.for this post,there is hope.God has Blessed you to bring His Word to the Ends of the World.<br />God Bless.sicilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14823152002857436991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-64016386522665015552012-05-28T11:02:14.645+08:002012-05-28T11:02:14.645+08:00dear fr Luke
I once contacted a priest to bless a...dear fr Luke<br /><br />I once contacted a priest to bless a migrant house.. This priest awas not from his country. And surprisingly after abt 2 wks later when i met this migrant again.. he told me he wanted a priest from his hometown to bless the house again.. <br /><br />I told him once blessing is enough and not to have supertitious mentality to having a 2nd blessing. I told him, while we are invoking God's grace and blessing upon the house, we too must live a life that is mirrored in the image of Christ.. as close as possible. <br /><br />And surprisingly he agreed with me.. <br /><br />Cheers<br />GAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-20316219736203100972012-05-28T10:09:53.542+08:002012-05-28T10:09:53.542+08:00Dear Fr. Luke,
Speaking of catechesis, or lack the...Dear Fr. Luke,<br />Speaking of catechesis, or lack thereof, (sorry, I know this is a little off-topic), I was born and raised Catholic, and yet my faith formation was limited to "folowing what mum and dad did" and of course, catechism class on Sunday after church. I suppose if we don't go beyond this then our faith will only be superficial at best - limited to a set of religious practices and rituals. <br /><br />Now, many years later I've come to the conclusion that what a child really needs to grow in his or her faith is a hero. Someone who would inspire them to love God above all others. And this has to be the parent(s) of that child. Genuine faith has to be lived at a heroic level, and the children have to see this first hand. That is why divorce is so ruinous to the spiritual as well as emotional well-being of a person. The two go hand-in-hand.<br /><br />I've made so many mistakes as a parent and I'm trying my best now to rectify the situation (with God's help, of course). Holland, along with so many other countries can now be classifed as "post-Christian" simply because the faith has not been handed down to the next generation. One thing I always pray for is the return of lapsed Catholics.<br /><br />God Bless,Robbie Jnoreply@blogger.com