The sermon turned out better that I expected it to.  At least that is what people I spoke to would have me believe.  (However, Jed, who never falls asleep in church, fell asleep during the sermon, which I suppose says a lot about how interesting it was.)

Well, thank God who gives grace to make up for our deficiencies.  I had much less time to plan for the sermon this time, because of increased busy-ness at work and home (ie. Jed).

And for an understanding wife, who put up with my ignoring her for several nights.

And for the good Jedi Master for, to paraphrase John 13 : 16 in Star Wars-speak, no padawan can be greater than his master.

Synopsis :

Communism, the Concorde aircraft, floppy discs and pagers have one thing in common - they have been overtaken or replaced by newer or more advanced ideas or technologies.

Given that the Christian faith is now about 2,000 years old, or about 4,000 if you count from the time that God revealed Himself to Abraham, is Christianity also headed the way of irrelevance ?  Are Christians in danger of becoming extinct ?  How do we build a church that matters to our modern world ?

The "church" during Jesus’ time also struggled with this question of relevance.  The Jews were losing interest in their faith.  Those who were not Jews were not interested in Jehovah God.  What was the church doing wrong ?  And what did Jesus do right ?  Today we are going to look at the gospel of Matthew to discover three timeless truths - applicable for all time whether in the 1st, 10th, 21st or 30th century - regarding what the church needs to do to remain relevant, and faithful to the purpose that God had called it to.

Read the full text of the sermon here.

This weekend was like
a dream
The triumphs a figment of
my imagination
Now I’m slowly awakening to
the reality

The father still
is dying
The shepherd’s staff
is broken
The once bright future
is obscure

The world’s still not right.

In the footsteps of my father …

… I’m eating ice cream ! Shirt sponsored by Uncle Stephen & Aunty Choye Wah.

Found the time during lunch yesterday to meet up with a friend and go down to SKS bookshop.  As usual, I could not resist picking up a few books that I probably will only read only in a year’s time, if not later.

Also got Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen, which I’ve started reading (and which I’ll hopefully finish, soon).

Although I’ve only read one book by Nouwen so far (Turned My Mourning to Dancing), I identify with what he says.  Probably because he’s as depressed a soul as I am.

The joys of being created a melancholy.

The first paragraph of the book reads :

What does it mean to be a minister in our contemporary society ?  This question has been raised during the last few years by many men and women who want to be of service, but who find the familiar ways crumbling and themselves stripped of their traditional protections.  The following chapters are an attempt to respond to that question …

Interestingly, my friend and I were discussing what we were passionate about as Christians, and I told him that one of my passions is trying to understand how our faith can be relevant to contemporary society (which I’m just reminded, on typing this, happens to be the title / theme of this blog).  And so I can only conclude that Nouwen’s book has landed in my hands by divine arrangement.

Nouwen also happens to be a Catholic.  Probably one of the few whom I don’t disagree with.

Nearly fell off the chair after reading this series of e-mails.  It portends that my job will one day be outsourced to evil wikipedia, I tell you !  (Note also how the silly affection for acronyms pervades this entire section of the workforce).

Query from A : "In preparation for a discussion … can I check with you in Singapore context, the burden of proof … for negligence would be (1) BOP (for civil) (2) BARD (criminal case) ?  Is that right, or do we have another level - clear and convincing evidence ?"

Reply : "Yes, burden of proof for plaintiff for civil suit is ‘balance of probabilities’ and on prosecution in criminal case, ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.  Where did you come across ‘clear and convincing evidence’ ?"

Reply from A : "Thanks very much for your confirmation … my source of information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/burden_of_proof"

In the light of PM Lee’s National Day Rally exhortation about the need for Singaporeans to go forth and multiply, here are two baby-related anecdotes for your reading pleasure.

At about 1345 hours, this SMS from the beloved :

"XXX’s wife is pregnant !"

My reply :

"So ?  U want to compete is it ?"

At about 1600 hours, this e-mail from an acquaintance that I had not heard from for a long time :

"You’re right about the full time mothering bit.  That is a job with no annual leave entitlement and its 24/7.  Congratulations to you too and welcome to the parents’ club (membership is getting more and more exclusive with the decline in birth rate)".

So uncannily similar, the events.  The difference being that the Brutus of the play was truly, as I understand, an honourable man.

Brutus -

Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me
for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge.
If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar’s, to him I say, that Brutus’ love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:
- Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and
die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live
all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If
any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so
vile that will not love his country? If any, speak;
for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

- Julius Caesar (Act 3, Scene 2) by William Shakespeare

Should I then play the part of devious Mark Anthony, and stoke the misgivings of the plebians ?

Literature is so much fun !  I miss literature.

We thank God for the times when things go well.

Reluctantly, we also thank God for the times when we are broken.

Because while painful, such experiences are the clearest reminders of how Jesus Himself had walked in this way before us, breaking and offering his body as an atonement for our lives on the mountain of Golgotha.

The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in rememberance of Me".

1 Corinthians 11 : 23 - 24

Because while painful, it is such experiences that show us how to effectively identify with and minister to those who are also broken in life.  And it is such sacrifices, offered out of our brokeness, that God will never reject.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit,
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

Psalms 51 : 17

My wife is quite a fearsome Cockroach Slayer (incidentally that is one of the reasons why we got attached - in our first year at university she helped kill a cockroach in my hostel room), but a hunter she is not.

This evening, another cockroach had somehow made its way into our attic.  Bad idea.

The two of us moved in to exterminate the pest.  Joyce the Cockroach Slayer armed with a roll of newspaper, and me the Spotter armed with a can of insecticide to smoke the cockroach out from under whichever furniture it was hiding.

We finally cornered the cockroach.

"Smack it !"

"Where did the cockroach run to ?  That’s not the cockroach, can’t you see this one is dead ?"

"I saw the cockroach run to where it is now.  I’m sure this is the cockroach.  How do you know it’s dead anyway ?  It just looks dead.  Smack it !"

(Reluctantly smacks cockroach, which promptly gets up and starts running again before the Cockroach Slayer pulverises it a mighty smack of her roll of newspaper.)

"Waaah, the cockroach is quite smart.  Know how to play dead !"

And so, if TV shows about female vampire slayers (in particular, the one that goes by the name of Buffy) have misled you into thinking that women are also good at hunting, this incident is evidence that men are created to be better hunters, and why men should be left to do the hunting.