This is from Sunday

Sunday 10th August, 2009

I have lector’s duty at 10 am mass. Usually, I don’t like this mass because there are too many people I know whom usually added more pressures to me. I schedule myself at 7am but exchanged the slot because someone’s else wanted to. I am quite the ‘yes man’ in church so whoever, whenever, however they want to exchange duty, I usually say ‘yes’.

The reading is quite easy with no funny pronunciations or weird Old Testament names. I was quite cool over it and I hardly ever get panic-ky before going up to read. Normally, the nervousness creeps in only after I am at the ambo (like rostrum lah) for a while.

Before duty, I sat there at the back of the church to prepare mentally and prayerfully. The cantor practised the song, ‘Yes, I thank you, Lord’. It is one of the earliest Christian hymn that touched me to the very core of my heart.

Each time I hear it, I would cry. Those early years when I first turned to Christianity were years when I was moved by grief. I sat there and try to recall how I was eight years ago. When I first got to know Christianity and compare with what I am today.

And I can only thank God, over and over again.

Yes, I thank you, Lord, for the trials that come my way;
In that way I can grow each day, as I let You lead.
And I thank You, Lord,
For the patience these trials bring,
In the process of growing, I can learn to care.

So, I sang along while getting ready to start the mass.  When I am on duty, it means I have to carry the Bible (or Gospel) and we have to walk to the altar.  Father Fab was behind me and we had a few minutes to chat.  He talked about Kampung Buah Pala.  I had earlier mailed him about some disillusions issue I was facing.   It was more of an unloading and I am so thankful for a priest who can withstand and understand where I am coming from, without preaching to me.

I believe somehow, his homily was more or less based on what I felt about certain things.  He put things so succintly that I wanted to stand up and tell him, “Yeah, Father, you rocks!”  But of course, we are Catholics and we only sit and look at the priest without expression.  That’s why he joked, “You have my permission to smile at each other, you know?” before he starts to celebrate mass.

But it goes against the way
I am to put my human nature down.
And let the Spirit take control of all I do.
Cause when those trials come,
My human nature shows the things I do,
And God’s soft prompting can be easily ignored.

Anyway, I felt so much better after hearing about the things he said and making references to the readings on the 19th Sunday of the year.

Then, I turned around and noticed Doc C was in church too.  Just yesterday, i.e. Saturday during catechism class, I was sharing with the Form One students about prophets.  I asked them what kind of images they get when we mention prophets.  They told me all sort of things like tok janggut, tongkat, jubah and etc.  I explained to them that prophets could also be those kind people whom we met along the way.  I told them who was the person who showed me what being Christian is and how I see him as my saviour or they can say, prophet. I asked them to write down a list of people whom they consider good leaders and I am so proud of them. They put their own names down but include sports personalities and Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, Anwar Ibrahim and also several people who made a difference in their lives.

Doc C’s daughter was in the same class but she didn’t attend class that day. So, I told them that one of their classmate’s father had helped me deal with the sickness of my fourth son, who is David (who is my #3 son and also in their class) younger brother who died.  Doc C once told me he had faith in me, long before I know what faith is. And I think it is very important for us to have faith in others as well.

And incidentally, after mass, Doc C waited for me because I had told him I wanted him to tell me about A(H1N1) and what parents need to know.  He also told me he has put my name down for a forum.  Like wow…he once got me to talk in a doctor’s conference.  Now, he thinks I can talk in a parent’s forum.

Yes, I thank You, Lord, for the victory those trials bring,

In surrender of everything, life is so worth while.

And I thank You, Lord, when everything is put in place,
And in front I can see Your face, and it’s there You belong.

That’s the thing about being Christian. God will put all the nice people in our paths and make us instruments of His peace. Just have faith that we are here for a purpose, serving people because God knows we can. The rest just come naturally.

I was so moved by the song, I knew I had to video them. So, after Holy Communion, the cantors, under Andre Ong sang the thanksgiving hymn. The violinist is Andrew Filmer and David Chan along with the rest are cantors.

If you are into inspirational stuffs, read my old post from Nov 2008. I am amazed I could write such inspirational things.