The Red Flower of Hope

I wrote this in 2009. Can't remember what the occasion was... but somehow it seems to be a helpful reminder of circumstances I sometimes forget......

The red flower of hope (27/11/09-2.01am)

Clouds of distress serenade me,

as I try to surrender to the rhythm of sweet slumber.

Uncertainty keeps watch over me,

as the future seems so blur.

If only I had a strong grasp of tomorrow,

today would be all but that red flower.

Visions of what could be comes crashing over me,

as I watch my city of dreams crumble.

What I was certain is right for me,

now seems like a big mistake.

All that I have built with such earnest hopes,

now seems like empty fascinations.

And the only light at the end of this tunnel,

is none other than that red flower.

If all was within my grasp,

nothing would be out of reach.

If all that man can be is within his own palm,

uncertainty would seem a myth.

But so would be that red flower,

only heard and spoken of but never seen.

And trust in God would be but a shadow,

a poor reflection of the Truth that He Is.

And so this red flower is all that is necessary,

and nothing else could bring more hope.

For Your Love alone is enough for me Lord,

protect me from the foe.

A Month for Mary??

The month of May has long been noted by the faithful to be a month dedicated to Mary. The tradition of honoring Mary on this month dates back to the 13th century. It was used by the Church as an opportunity to Christianize the secular feasts that were to take place at that time of the year. By the 16th century, this devotion begun to appear in Christian literature, fostering and strengthening its influence among Christians. During the 1700s, the Jesuits begun to develop a particular love for this practice. Starting from the Gesu Church, the practice soon spread to the rest of Rome and the entire Church.

Since the dawn of the Protestant Reformation, the role afforded to Mary in the broader Christian world seemed to have slowly degraded. From Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church, Mary was reduced to a mere character in the Bible. However, the role of Mary remains affirmed in the Catholic Church, with tremendous support by the Popes. This great support is clearly seen in many church documents. A noteworthy piece to mention would be the great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy, Mediator Dei, by Pius XII. Here, the practice of honouring Mary in May is remarked as among"other exercises of piety" that is of "special import and dignity" (Mediator Dei, 182). In His encyclical letter, Mense Maio, Pope Paul VI makes mention of our act of turning to Mary, as an act of seeking the "Christ in her arms" (Mense Maio, 2). As such, devotions to Mary especially during May remains as a tradition that is cherished and affirmed among the Popes.

When we acknowledge the rather controversial status of Marian devotions in the broader Christian world, we may begin to question the continual existence of the Month of Mary. In fact, we may even question the need behind any devotion to Mary, seeing it as a border of separation between ourselves and our Protestant Christian brethren. Such questions call for critical answers. To begin with, one must first look at Christianity with "original" eyes. Most of our current, non-Catholic view of Christianity comes from a post-Reformation outlook, that involves a "singular" vision of our relationship with God. We see ourselves and God as being in a strictly one-to-one relationship that is not very much affected by the community. The philosophy of this outlook can be traced back to the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone , sola fide. Within a constraint such as sola fide, there is no need for intercessions as no man can act as mediator between us and Christ. According to this doctrine, we are saved by our faith alone. As such, the degradation of belief in the Communion of Saints and its unity with the Pilgrim Church resulted in a shift from a "communitarian" faith to a "one-to-one" faith, involving only the individual and God. When seen in this light, the role of Mary as intercessor, or even as Mother of the Church seem rather unacceptable. However, it must be deeply stressed that it was not so in the beginning.

Even at the earliest beginnings of the Church, we see an important emphasis on community (Acts 2:43). This communitarian nature of the Church is expressed in a unity of prayer and sharing ( Acts 4:23-35). As such, the Communion of Saints would be an absolutely valid assertion under this original context. Mary too, was always honored by the Church, with her being seen as the "New Eve" by the early Church Fathers (cf. Dialogue with Trypho, St.Justin Martyr). As such, within the original contexts of Christianity, the assertion of a month for Mary, or any other forms of Marian devotion does not serve as obstructions to faith. On the contrary, it enhances faith in God and deepens our understanding of the very nature of our relationship with God. It is only when we identify our relationship with God as strictly one-to-one and not involving community, would we find these devotions to be standing in the way. A strictly one-to-one relationship, one that involves only God and the individual, would not be able to justify seeing Christ in others ( Mt 25:35-40 ). It is only when we appreciate the communitarian nature of our faith would we truly be able to live it out in authentic charity.

As such, the Month of Mary stands not only as a great devotion to our beloved Mother. It is also an implicit statement by the Church, of the nature of authentic Christian faith and relationship with God. In truth, "For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except...to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? " (Mense Maio, 2). Indeed, through our devotion to Mary, we are led closer to Christ.

Liberation and its Christian reality

Suffering is an evident reality in society. Poverty, war and oppression appear as real as ever to our eyes, allowing us empathize with those involved.

The pain is even more real when we find ourselves to be directly experiencing these sufferings.

This immense realization of pain has lead us to demand for change. We have begun to actively partake as voices against injustice, to stand up and say "we've had enough!" This realization of the smearing of human dignity indeed calls for affirmation. We have begun to see and recognize in ourselves (as well as others who suffer) our true value- that we are indeed "sons of God"- and as such, aspire to demand that this value be respected and honored with every effort possible.

Social justice becomes a mission of humanity in general, and Christianity in particular. In such honorable efforts, it is quite impossible to see flaws of any kind. It seems absolutely perfect. One may even begin to think that this (activism towards social justice) is indeed the sphere within which Christianity, or any other religion for that matter, should operate. After all, religion is supposed to teach us to do good, and it seems that social liberation is the only clear form of good that is truly necessary and realistically possible in an oppressed world such as ours. Thus, it seems rather valid to assert social liberation within the context of theology, making every effort of active faith to be aimed at social freedom, as if social injustice is the only evil from which all men must be freed.

At first glance, we may wonder...what is really the problem with this?? Is there anything wrong in this?

Perhaps it will be good to begin with a picture in our minds. Imagine yourself trying to put out the "unquenchable" fires of hell...with nothing more than a single pail of water. Is there any chance of being successful? The obvious answer is "no".

To take another analogy, imagine trying to put out a forest fire, or perhaps the fires of a huge, burning skyscraper. Before deciding to take any action, at least two important details are to be considered.

Firstly, we may want to consider the root or cause of the fire. Secondly, we may also want to consider the capacity with which we can perform our action, ie. the number of fire hydrants in the location, alternative water sources etc. It is only after considering such details can we effectively put out a fire.

Applying the analogy to the context of action against social evils, two similar considerations must be underlined before any form of action is taken or even considered. Firstly, we must recognize the true source or root of the evil. Secondly, we must consider the possible capacity or ability upon which our actions can take effect.

To speak of the matter in a Christian context, the understanding of evil must be clear before any form of "Christian activism" takes place. If it isn't so, that which was presumed good and desirable, would quickly turn into a mere ideology, one that does not take root in the everlasting. When the focus of freedom shifts from the eternal to the finite and temporary, the entire Christian vision is lost. Salvation becomes a matter of instant gratification and justice becomes nothing more than an activity. Thus, all theological reflections of social liberation must take into consideration the essence of Christianity, which is undoubtedly its focus on everlasting life.

This does not mean that a Christian should not acknowledge social ills. Nor does it mean that a Christian should not participate in the fight for social justice. In fact, a call to live Christian lives is indeed a call to live justly. However, the source from which all good flow should be clearly acknowledged before one embarks on any form of activism.

Liberation from injustice requires to be understood from its source. All forms of evil (including and especially social evil) are directly associated to its primary form-sin. Sin is the greatest evil, and as such, should be the primary focus of any theology that stresses liberation. By stressing primarily on other forms of liberation prior to the personal liberation from sin, the cause of evil becomes invisible to the eye. As such, all actions become merely aimed at ending temporal suffering. It is only at the point of despair from such activism, that the words of Christ take on prophetic tone. Indeed, "the poor you will always have with you" but failure to hold on to Christ results in a total loss of hope- a hope that can only be found when eternity is our ultimate aim.

We should also understand our limitedness as mankind. The true Liberator is always Christ, who begun his work of liberation by setting us free from bondage to sin (the greatest evil). As such, all form of social liberation should center on the Liberator. True freedom can only be attained when man comes to know the One who sets him free. Christian social justice should not be merely based on ideologies that seem to promise total liberation. In other words, it is about what Christ can do for us, rather than what we can do for ourselves. We draw our capacity for justice, freedom and love from the God who created us. When we fail to acknowledge this Source of goodness, we are bound to be disheartened. Some, as a result of this, would choose to borrow concepts that are directly contrary to Christianity in order to attain to their goals. This would ultimately lead to a spiral towards the very slavery from which we desire to be redeemed.

As such, the only correct way in which any form of justice is to prevail, is from a full understanding of the nature of our actions. All Christian acts of charity must flow from the love of God, which should be the ultimate aim of our faith. We should demand to see Christ in those who are suffering, as opposed to seeing the quickest possible solution to end their sufferings. Above all , Christian charity must flow from a heart that is intimately connected to the Sacred Heart of our Saviour. We must recognize that we are not the saviours of the world. We are but instruments that bring the love of Christ to others. Our task is to help others recognize the Saviour, and not become saviours ourselves. To do this, we ourselves must be rooted in the faith.

-Jesus answered them " Amen, amen I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free" (Jn 8:34-36)-

I feel...

Almost always, our feelings affect what we do. It could even be said (for some) that we are what we feel ( perhaps a spin off from "cogito ergo sum"- I think, therefore I am ). Nevertheless, the essence always remains as 'primary' even when we don't realize it. In other words, what we "think" (or feel ) is not what makes the world spin. The way we perceive something can never replace what it actually is. Our thoughts merely help us visualize our surroundings. As a result of this 'visual' stimuli, we may in turn, try to modify what we see that it may live up to what we expect. This allows us to experience the notion that that the esse (to be) is subordinate to the cogito (to think).

In reality however, this only gives us a temporary sense of security. It allows us to believe that it is all in the way we think. We feel more in control of the circumstances, though in reality, we can control almost nothing. This feeling that we experience seems nothing more than a mere illusion. As such, the decisions we make should necessarily reflect more than what we feel, because what we feel is never as certain as what truly is.

Perhaps the Cross of Christ could be a perfect point to begin reflecting. When we examine the Passion and Death of our Lord, we can see a clear distinction between "feelings" and true love. I dare say at this point that Christ didn't "feel" lovey- dovey throughout the entire process. From his agony in the garden to his death on the cross, the only feelings described by the passion narratives were anguish and pain. Yet, it would be completely insane for a Christian to remember these events and not relate it with Christ's deep love for humanity. Hanging on a cross was certainly no honeymoon, and yet St. Augustine describes the cross as a "marriage bed" (On the Good of Marriage- St. Augustine). If the Cross is to bear any connections at all to love, then love has clearly got to be more than what we feel. Our feelings can be as inconsistent as the weather. At times, we may feel this deep sense of affection toward God and neighbor. We may feel " spiritually active", wanting to serve God and neighbor with all we can offer. As certain as there are times like these, we also know there are times when we feel otherwise. We feel spiritually down. In fact, there are even times when we don't feel God's love. At times as such, our souls cry out to the Lord, asking Him "why" has He "forsaken me ?" (cf Mt 27:46) . If everything entirely depended on the way we felt rather than the reality of what truly is, the Church cannot proclaim with confidence that it is the God of Love that sustains humanity (ccc 301), because we cannot "feel" this love all the time. In fact, if love is merely about the way we feel, then love becomes far less than what it is, nothing close to eternal and everlasting.

There will always be a longing in our hearts, a void left empty. We may very well identify God's Presence with the times when we least feel this void ( Like when we are happy and cheerful, or when we are spiritually "high", feeling extra close to God). But it also extremely important to remind ourselves that God continues to be present even when this void of sheer emptiness is all that fills us. Such times of spiritual dryness is merely a call to cling on to the naked faith that leads us to salvation. As we celebrate Easter, perhaps it is time to remind ourselves ( as Fr Simon Yong remarks in his sermon) that all we have before us is an empty tomb, not an Easter egg filled with chocolates. The emptiness that is characteristic of Easter, reminds us of our own emptiness. As long as we live on earth, we will always experience a sense of longing, a longing that can only be filled by the Risen Lord. At times when we feel the emptiness most, we should not expect to be comforted by happy feelings. Instead, our confidence should come from the mere certainty that faith offers us. A certainty of what is yet unseen, or rather yet unfelt. We don't need to always feel that God loves us. What we truly need is faith in His undying Love. We need to know that God truly loves us, even if we don't feel it. This knowledge, based on the faith that we receive through God's grace, is all that we need to experience true metanoia (repentance). If we were to depend on how we feel in order to repent and turn to God, repentance itself will be "hormonal" in nature, and salvation will be a result of mood swings.

The decision to Love God, should result from the objective knowledge and faithful acceptance of the fact that God loves us....Like really loves us... even when we are emotionally down, hurt or distressed. Don't wait for fun and excitement to lead you close to Him. After all, it is a cross that we are called to carry.

Necessity for truth in Christianity

Recently, I watched a movie that seemed to have one of the best trailers ever. One look at the trailer and you would certainly mark your calendar to watch its premiere. When I watched it however, I was disappointed. It wasn't what it seemed to be. I'm sure many of you who are reading this would be able to relate to such an event. It is indeed interesting though, to note how enthusiasm and excitement, brought about by charismatic sounds and effects could mask reality to fool one's eyes from seeing what really is. This somewhat harmless smart publicity, is seemingly a vague expression of how we view truth. The fact that we settle for what looks good at first glance is, sadly, an account of the deteriorating desire for substance in our quest for the truth. Like any movie goer, we would certainly expect to watch something fun, entertaining and up to standards. Yet, we would let ourselves be fooled to believe an exciting trailer when making our choice. Of course this doesn't really matter in the context of a movie. The horror of the ordeal comes when this attitude is applied to almost all aspects of our lives, including our relationship with God, family and friends. We would simply settle for what sounds good, feels good and seems good at first glance. Objective facts seem to be the last thing on our minds, even when we are aware of the importance of a particular subject.

A particular observation that drives me to make concrete my abstract thoughts in this page, is the terrifying sight of misleading philosophies in the modern Christian sphere, that seems to inject ignorance into the heart of the truth that gives life. I will not mention any particular forms of teachings or doctrinal remarks here. Rather, my desire is simply to appeal to all Christian brethren to look towards the nature of what we refer to as universal truth.

The truth is universal in nature. It does not depend on the morals and virtues of the messenger. Even if the devil himself were to speak the truth (though I'm not saying that he would), the truth would still remain true. It does not depend on the enthusiasm of the speaker. Nor will it depend on the music, sound effects, and background 'drama' that accompany it. The truth is powerful,objective and independent. It does not change over time. And it is definitely not about opinion (so it isn't about what you and I "think"). The truth may not even be democratic, for it does not need to respect the thoughts of the majority ( though I am a big fan of democracy, this cannot be denied). The truth is not popular opinion. No man can create truth, and none can destroy it. It exists and will always exist. If this isn't hitting the right tones, perhaps this will... truth is an attribute of God... just as God is Love, so too is he 'truth' (cf. Deu 32:4, Jn 14:6, Jn 1:14, Jn 14, Jn 16) .

The deception that we behold in this present day is the insensible notion that we can simply "follow our hearts" and this would lead us to the truth. This leads us to a cycle of relative 'truths', which are nothing more than confusion, a set of opinions built upon a foundation of mere feelings. In reality, truth is not, and can never be relative. The satirical poem by Steve Turner, entitled " The Creed" somewhat sums up the state of the modern, deceived, human mind. Here is an excerpt from it :

"We believe that each man must find the truth that

is right for him.

Reality will adapt accordingly.

The universe will readjust.

History will alter.

We believe that there is no absolute truth

excepting the truth

that there is no absolute truth"

As Christians, our call to stand as beacons that bear the light of truth would become meaningless, if the the very idea of an absolute truth is nothing but a weak conjecture. In fact, if absolute truth is absent, the very core of human morality becomes destroyed, resulting in an 'animalistic' reduction of the human race. We would become slaves to our misuse of freedom, defining our own morals and values, according to what suits the situation at hand.

If any part of true Christianity calls for the acceptance of an "Incarnated God", it must also call for the acceptance of an absolute truth. The Incarnation, in which God becomes Man, would become meaningless if truth was merely relative. If truth is subject to alteration, there will be no need for an affirmation of humanity (which is exactly what the Word made Flesh entitles us to), simply because affirmation would have been nothing but a state of mind. God could have spared himself the trouble of embracing human life, suffering and death, and instead simply pass down a philosophy of being saved, so that we may believe and have life ( after all, truth is simply what we feel like believing!!). If truth was relative, the resurrection could have simply been a lie, that would seem fitting into a theological reality. As such, Christ didn't really have to rise again. We just had to believe he did, because that's theologically convenient!! If truth was not absolute, salvation becomes nothing but an opinion, and life ends with the death of flesh.

As such, we should indeed guard ourselves against subjectivism. The truth of the Gospel is always objective. It does not contradict itself or with factual reality. To grasp truth, our search must be earnest and objective, free from the influences of emotions and opinions. Truth does not need to be defended by popular opinion. Instead, it stands strong by itself, defended only by its very own logical objectivity. The philosophy of truth is always upheld by logic (as long as logic itself remains free from the influence of opinion and false indoctrination). Truth is indeed absolute, universal and powerful. It may not be completely known to us in this life. Nevertheless, we are obliged to seek it. It alone lights the path to our ultimate destiny, union with God.