THE SCOOP SHOP: Lent 5

FLAVOUR OF THE DAY

The Way God Calls Us
I would like to share some elements from Fr Thomas Green SJ’s book ‘Prayer and Common Sense’ in the chapter called “Theology of Vocation” namely:
God always makes the first move, either directly or through another human being;
God takes each of us precisely where we are, in our uniqueness;
God’s call is never compelling. God respects freedom – inviting us and awaiting our response.

God always makes the first move…
We see this clearly in John’s account of the call of the first disciples. There are five: Andrew and John himself, then Peter, Philip, and finally Nathanael. In each case it is Jesus who makes the first move. He calls Philip directly, but usually he works through a human instrument. John the Baptist points out the Lamb of God to Andrew and John. Andrew, in turn, calls his brother Peter. And Philip calls Nathanael. In our lives, too, God normally works through instrumentality – the preaching or good example – of another human being.

God takes each of us where we are…
In John’s account God approaches each of us where we are, in a highly personal way. John and Andrew could be described as sensitive souls. Their encounter with the Lord has a mysterious, almost mystical quality about it. “What do you want?” “Rabbi, where do you live?” Come and see.” They did go, they saw and they stayed with him.

Peter’s initial encounter with the Lord is quite different, because Peter is a very different person – dramatic and impulsive. The very first thing Jesus does is to change his name: “You are Simon, son of John; you are to be called Cephas (Peter), meaning ‘Rock.’”

Philip is the simple, unimaginative one. In John 1:43 Jesus simply calls him: no mystical depths, and no dramatic change of name – which Peter loved, but Philip would have found totally confusing. After all, he had been called Philip from the day he was born. And all his family called him Philip. How could Jesus change his name now? So Jesus takes Philip where he is and says, very simply: “Follow me.”

Finally Nathanael is the good Pharisee, the man of the law. Jesus also meets him where he is, discussing with him how any good can come from Nazareth. He explains the messianic hopes of the Law and the Prophets to Nathanael, the lover of the Law.

God respects our freedom…
Not only does Jesus meet each of us where we are in our uniqueness, but he also respects our freedom totally. John and Andrew had to decide to “come and see.” So did Peter, Philip and Nathanael. The decision to do so was not as immediate and wholehearted as John’s account might lead us to think. One of the central themes of Mark’s gospel is the first disciples’ slowness to comprehend and their hesitancy to respond totally. Jesus was infinitely patient with them, sometimes to the point of exasperation (Mk 7:18; 8:17, 33; 9:18-19). He respected their freedom and unfreedom. He danced to their music, while teaching them to dance to his.

Let’s remember when Jesus said: “You did not choose me, no I chose you, and commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16)

- Contributed by Nicholas Tan, 27 March 2007

TOPPINGS

New Life
As one journey ends, another begins; when a door closes, somewhere else a windows opens… many different expressions but essentially, the same message. What is this message?

As we draw close to the end of our Lenten journey, can we reflect and ask ourselves: Are we ready for Easter, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus?

I am reminded of something a tour guide said as he took us past a forest of Mountain Ash not far from Melbourne, Australia. It was the first time I had seen such trees: so tall and straight, with smooth looking bark that was ash gray – almost white (not a familiar sight in tropical Singapore). Yet some had been scorched, blackened by bush fire. What the guide told us surprised me: The extreme heat of a bush fire allows the tree to release its seeds – thousands and thousands of them. Even though the tree may die, its seeds are spread far and wide in the forest. I could not imagine how this could make sense until recently, when I finally saw a picture of these seeds. They were tiny, as tiny as the ants that harvest them on the forest floor. The seeds that are not harvested by ants will germinate and grow into new trees.

The Australian Mountain Ash Eucalyptus regnans is the world's
tallest hardwood tree and the world's tallest flowering plant.

Only in destruction of the tree can it bring new life and life in abundance.

Call it a cycle, a circle of life, whatever you wish. It is a call to be recreated. Are we ready to step forward towards this call to change, not because we are forced to, but because we choose it?
It may not be a baptism of fire (although for some, it may be); it may just be letting go of the baggage that weigh us down, the ghosts of our past. It may simply be taking a deep breath and walking with our heads held high, towards whatever the future may hold.

So let us leave behind the things that impede our journey: the guilt, the anger and irksome self-doubts. Let us welcome and celebrate our New Life!

- Contributed by Liesl Massang, 27 March 2007

EXTRA GOODIES

Easter is right around the corner leading us into the ordinary sundays. A fairly popular parable will be the Good Samaritan. Do check out Who Is My Neighbour (VCD) produced by the Daughters of St Paul. This piece is great because it tells the story from the Singaporean point of view and this product is 100% made in (uniquely) Singapore! ;O)

Great for our little brothers and sisters from L3 to C2. It is available for loan at the cat office library. Don't all go looking for it at the same time because there is only one copy at the moment. In case many of you are planning to use this on the same week, there is another video, The Miracle Maker, on DVD for loan too. Although this is just a few minutes of the parable, the animation involved is fantastic! Enjoy!!

TAKE AWAY
Halfway on the other side of the globe, in a little town called South Pasadena, in Los Angeles, Holy Family Church (So. Pas.) prepares their parishioners for Holy Week.

On Friday (30 Mar) at 2pm in the afternoon, the eighth graders (14 year olds) put up a 'live' Station of the Cross in church. The play happens every Friday during the season of Lent.

Jesus meets his mother.

Jesus dies.

Women and children weeping.

Women and children watching.

At 6pm, soup is served at the St Joseph's Centre followed by a movie screening and a reflection by Fr Tony. This week's movie, Miracle of Marcelino, is heart-warming tale set in Spain about a little orphan who finds solace in the crucifix of Christ.