By Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ
Reconciliation
Do not put the Lord your God to the test [Luke: 4-12]
What are your recent activities? For me, I have spent a lot of time tidying up my belongings. I made good use of my spare time to tidy up my bedroom and offices, first because I moved into new spaces, and second because most activities were cancelled due to the new wave of the pandemic.
What about you? How is life without nights out, over-time work and socializing events? Everyone can indeed stay at home, hide out in their own corner, and spend time on the phone all day. Well, what about spending some time cooking together instead? Such as whipping up some comfort food from our childhood memories?
Talking and sharing with our family has become challenging in recent years for various reasons. However, communication is crucial in every human relationship, whether for friends or family.
But where do we begin? A photo album is an idea. We could discuss together, “Who looks like Grandpa? Or Grandma?” And then you may realize that life was not a bed of roses for them too. They may have experienced water rationing, power outages, bombs on the street, or even curfews! Moreover, emptying supermarkets’ shelves too? Well, that was rather impossible! At that time, people would not have extra money to stock up on groceries. The salary back then would be just enough to make ends meet.
Memories permit us to trace on our own path. Life is a circle, where events may be different, but nature resembles. The differences lie in our contemplation and recollection of the experience.
Our passion and everyday experiences shaped our generation and lifted yours. Hereupon, you must possess your own experience to reflect profoundly and grow from it. This would engender the next generation and the generations to come.
This Sunday’s gospel tells us, “Unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.”
If we do not seize the chance to reconcile with friends and family, especially the reconciliation between the younger and older generations, we would eventually lose them! Life is unpredictable.
Do not let pride hinder you. It is a blessing from God that we can give! Remember how satisfied we were when we offered our seats to those in need on the bus? Your joy will be multiplied if you plant seeds of reconciliation!
