|
kids + moms + dads + parents + travel + food Huang of a Kind (Sermons to help us through our daily lives)Every Sunday, at 6PM, at Christ the King Church in Greenmeadows, Fr. Danny Huang, SJ, says mass. I look forward particularly to his sermons as they strike me as well thought of, interesting, and practical. Main points or teachings are emphasized by enumeration and repetition. What makes his sermons interesting? First of all, they are not just a mere retelling of what has already been stated in the readings or Gospel. They are not ramblings which just go on and on with no clear direction. There are insights from Fr. Huang's readings and yes, even from movies like "Meet Joe Black" and the teachings can be applied to real life. Generally, the sermons help you leave the Church feeling better and thinking about how you can improve your relationship with God, family, and the rest of the people you deal with.I don't have copies of his full sermon but through short summaries which I hope to write quite regularly, I wish to share the main points that I picked up. The readings and Gospel last February 28, 1999 were on the Transfiguration and Abraham. On the Transfiguration and Jesus' Miracles: Jesus' miracles have always filled a need. They usually were done to heal, to feed. The transfiguration is one such miracle where the need to be fulfilled was not very clear. Was this just a chance for Jesus to show off? The disciples who were with Jesus at that time were John, Peter, and James. These were the very same disciples who would later see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane where they will see not a powerful and glorious God but a suffering One. The transfiguration can thus be seen as a manifestation of mercy on the part of Jesus. Through it, He is able to tell his disciples: "Rise, and do not be afraid." Thus, whatever darkness or suffering the disciples were to encounter after, (or even us, in our daily lives), they know and we know that there is hope and that we are never alone. Abraham, for example, just followed the Lord, not knowing where he was going. This is quite similar to our lives where we don't really know what's going to happen and all we need to do is trust in God. "Life is like a journey without maps. Whatever happens in your life, there will be meaning." There is a distinction between "real" religion and "false" religion. False religion states that if you believe, only good things will happen to you. This is an illusion. Real religion, on the other hand, teaches that if you believe, good things will happen to you. Bad things may also happen to you but you are never alone. On the Symbolism of the Body: When we answer "Amen" when the priest says: "Body of Christ when we receive Communion, we are in effect, saying two things. First, that we believe that what we are receiving is the Body of Christ and second, that we believe that we are part of the Body of Christ which is the Church. Thus, it is up to each and every individual to do his/her part in "transfiguring" that Body by living as the Lord teaches us. "Listen to Him": Lent has always been associated with giving things up, not eating meat, sacrificing. One thing that we can do this Lenten season, however, is to listen. When we say listen, we don't just refer to "listening to the words" but "listening to the person." What does this mean? When your kid tells you: "Can you play with me?" He is in effect asking you: "Do you love me?" When your householdhelp asks for permission to go on her day-off, she is in effect stating: " I am a person. I also get tired and need rest." When an employee asks for a salary advance, he is in effect saying: " I am a father. I need to feed my children and send them to school." By sharing the above points, we hope more people can benefit from Fr. Huang's sermons and teachings. May they help us through difficult and even through pleasant days, as we all strive to be more pleasing to the God who has given us more good and love than we could ever hope for. So, this Lent and always, do not be afraid. You are not alone. "Whatever happens in your life, there will be meaning." Believe. Listen.
|
|
