NBVM Novena Day 3: Migrants

Today’s mass was presided by Father Ryan with the theme of migrants. Fr mentioned that in the Old Testament, the Israelites were migrants in Egypt who then became slaves. In the New Testament, Jesus when he was a baby, Mary and Joseph went to Egypt as migrants and returned to Nazereth. Jesus in his teachings said love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus and his followers were also migrants who went to different places to preach the good news. We are reminded that migrants are not lower or different from others as Jesus was also a migrant. Migrants and all Christians are inclusive in God’s kingdom because His kingdom consists of people with different races and languages but with one thing in common which is FAITH.

We are all migrants because we have to go to different places to spread the good news. Migrants or citizens of this country are all inclusive and all gathered in one faith. To enter the kingdom of God, regardless anyone, there is a cost into discipleship which is to renounce earthly possessions, possessions of the heart or desire. Only then will we be able to enter the kingdom of God. Fr said that we must be ready to carry the cross and follow Jesus. The cross here means pain, suffering and challenges and it is not to be confused that carrying the cross is carrying our sins. The consequences of our sin is pain which we have to carry. The big challenge is the cross for the sake of the Gospel, for the sake of the church and teaching of Christ and the church. We need to carry our own cross and not the cross Jesus carried.

We are reminded to accept the cross that God is going to give us just as Paul went from one place to another as a migrant to bring the Gospel of the Lord to the gentiles, to be the herald. Lastly, Fr emphasized that the journey of discipleship is not easy as it takes a lot of sacrifice and it is ultimately not “I-centered” but “Christ-centered”.

Apart from today’s homily on migrants, a total number of 19 people were installed as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion today. Communion Ministers took the oath after the homily. They were advised to be examples of Christian living in faith and conduct and must strive to grow in holiness through this sacrament of unity and love. They were also reminded that though many, we are one body because we share the one bread and one cup.