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A candle for mom this Trinity Sunday

2010/05/30




Today is the Catholic feast of Trinity Sunday, which celebrates the oneness of the Trinitarian God. We believe that there are three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - who are equal in glory, equal in splendour, and in essence, the three of them are one God.


And because we're all His creation, then we are all one in Him, and no one should be treated unfairly, and everyone should be regarded as an equal, not as a slave or an underling.


I wanted to light a candle for mom, at a friend's request, since today is her birthday, but I'm scared of handling fire... so this will be my candle for her. A virtual one, but still, I know that it's something worth sharing with the people around me. Because I know for certain that she's in the safe hands of God.


May this post bring light to all who read it.


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I want to share what I heard in today's homily with you, the reader.


In neglecting the oneness of us in the Lord, people over generations have had slaves, have treated people as second-class citizens... there has been oppression in all forms, even subtle forms. This has happened historically, in the advent of civilisation. This has happened in the colonial era. This has led to war. And we even see this today. People fail to abide by the principle of loving their neighbour, and this gives way to hatred.


Hatred, as we know it, gives way to more hatred. Look at the activism today. Look at the pressure groups of today. Women's rights, for example. Yes, their cause is good, but it doesn't run from the fact that it is more often hate-fuelled. The stance is, more often than not, something along the lines of "Look, it is my right, so I'll assert it until I get there !"


Given the vocal stance we Catholics have towards everything around us, you'd think we'd hate people who go against our train of thought.


Well, some do. But I don't.


You'd wonder how it is that I manage to love the people around me, even if they're different.
I love each and every one of them, not because of who they are or because of what they've done, but rather, because of what the Lord has done, and because of who He is. There's no point saying "I still love you" because it shows your love is half-hearted. I'd rather say "I love you" and take that person in my arms, regardless of who he is.


I want all activism coming from my part, and the people who work with me, to be fuelled by love. Activism should come from the heart, not because we're jealous or resentful of the person whose rights are respected, but rather, because we need to create awareness that we are all equals in the eyes of the Lord, just as the three Persons of the Holy Trinity are equals, and that we are given different duties in life. It ultimately doesn't matter who we are, as long as I'm able to treat my neighbour with love and respect, rather than mere tolerance, I know that I've gone one step closer to doing what the Lord calls me to do. More so, I pray for the grace to forgive from my heart the people who have not respected me as an individual, as a human being.


Rights cannot be asserted. Rather, they can only exist if your interests and mine are equally respected. Most of all, the right to life should prevail over EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING.


Mom died on the 27th of August 2008 and there, the right to life was not at all respected. Today would've been her 49th birthday. (Mylène Farmer and Enya fans, take note : she would've been the same age as Farmer and Enya themselves.) I'm sure she'd want me to live the path that I have chosen - and I have chosen life. Difficult as it is, because the world promotes cultural breakdown (which sometimes does entertain us, but otherwise it's mere crap), I hope to speak of life and love, even through the subtlest of messages, and I hope this post is a refreshing read to you.

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