Bishop Stephen Lee has exhorted the faithful to pray for the shepherds and for more vocations, especially for the Catholic Diocese of Macau.

Bishop Stephen Lee has exhorted the faithful to pray for the shepherds and for more vocations, especially for the Catholic Diocese of Macau.
We have no idea how our small efforts, which we might think are irrelevant and unnoticed, if sustained by God’s grace, can give comfort, direction and hope to our fellow brothers and sisters who, like me, are often lost and weary.
The Christian is salt of the earth: with her/his presence, s/he is called upon to prevent corruption, not to allow society guided by wicked principles to rot and go into decay.
Catholic teaching states that human life must be respected because it is sacred. It is not lawful for anyone to destroy an innocent human being. However, there are times when our duty is to defend life, especially our own. We can legitimately defend ourselves while choosing not to kill.
Hurt? Betrayed? Resentful? ‘Forgiveness is the best medicine’ is an age-old adage and nothing is as effective as forgiveness for healing deep wounds. To forgive and be forgiven makes every day a new day.
This beatitude is not a message of resignation but of hope: no one will be in need when all become “poor in spirit,” when they put the gifts they have received from God in the service of others, as does God, “the Holy One” who, while possessing everything, is infinitely poor: he holds nothing back, gives everything, even his Son.
The inaugural edition of the Admirabile Signum Nativity Scene Contest, organized in December by the Macau Catholic Culture Association, was contested by 16 Catholic schools. Magdalene of Canossa School was awarded the jury’s prize and was crowned champion overall, while the Salesian Institute’s manger won the ‘Internet Popularity Award’ polling one third of the votes.
The disciple of Christ does not fear the waves and courageously faces them, even when they are raging. He does not give up hope to save a sister or a brother, even when s/he is in a humanly desperate situation: a slave of drugs and alcohol, unbridled passion, irascible, aggressive and intractable character. In whatever situation he is, he will be saved by the disciple of Christ.
We begin the New Year of the Rabbit hoping in an open post-Covid world. Jesus accompanies us by teaching and proclaiming the Good News of God’s love and its healing power for us, so that in this new year we might make healthier choices for us, our families and the society at large.
It is worth remembering that the fourth commandment is not the first of the commandments. “Family ties are important but not absolute, because the first vocation of a Christian is to follow Jesus and love him…” (CCCC 462).