"I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, wife, brothers, parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not be given repayment many times over in this present time, in the world to come, Eternal Life." - Luke 18:28-30 -
'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'
"Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He is like a man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built.
But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 -
THEOLOGY? ISN'T THAT THE STUDY OF RELIGION? SO, WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ME? ISN'T IT CONCERN PRIESTS, THEOLOGIANS AND THE VATICAN?
THEOLOGY HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH ME, HASN'T IT?
Most of us think that theology is the concern of specialists, an academic subject that has little to do with lay person. Yet, the Christian theology that we accept today has its roots in the faith experiences of the Hebrews' search for God, their reflection on those experiences and their response to Him.
As Rev. Fr. Michael Amaladoss SJ, the Assistant to Father General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ, responsible for Dialogue and Ecumenism (May 1992-...) puts it, "Faith looks, not only backward to God's saving and powerful presence in history, but also to the future that God invites us to create in the power of the Word and of the Spirit. Theology is therefore not an abstract philosophical elaboration of eternal verities reserved to a few expert professionals. It is a discerning search for God in the here and now of history that is the concern of everyone".
In this sense, theology must be the concern of every Christian and more so of every Christian in Malaysia.
It is the recognition of the Malaysian situation, specifically that of Saint Francis Xavier's Church (Petaling Jaya, Selangor.), that has prompted the central argument in Theology of Shoes-off, an initial effort on the part of Rev. Fr. Joseph (Jojo) Fung SJ to identify the elements that could form our very own Malaysian Theology.
Rev. Fr. Amaladoss SJ has this to say about Theology of Shoes-off. The flowering of local theology is a sign of the rootedness and maturity of a particular Church. So I am glad to welcome and introduce this pioneering effort by Rev. Fr. Joseph (Jojo) Fung SJ to develop a Malaysian theology of "Shoes-off".
BY REV. FR. JOSEPH MATTHEW FUNG JEE VUI ( JOJO ) SJ, was the Parish Priest of SFX Church (Petaling Jaya, Selangor.) from 1988 to 1992.
WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE/WORD OF GOD/HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and the fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!
Paul the Roman citizen
So far they had listened to him, but at these words they began to shout, 'Rid the earth of the man! He is not fit to live!' They were yelling, waving their cloaks and throwing dust into the air, and so the tribune had him brought into the fortress and ordered him to be examined under the lash, to find out the reason for the outcry against him. But when they had strapped him down Paul said to the centurion on duty, 'Is it legal for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and has not been brought to trial?'
When he heard this the centurion went and told the tribune; 'Do you realise what you are doing?' he said 'This man is a Roman citizen'. So the tribune came and asked him, 'Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?' 'I am' Paul said. the tribune replied, 'It cost me a large sum to acquire this citizenship'. 'But I was born to it' said Paul. Then those who were about to examine him hurriedly withdrew, and the tribune himself was alarmed when he realised that he had put a Roman citizen in chains. [ Nevertheless, Paul is left in chains, v. 30; 23:18; 24:27; 26:29. Possibly a distinction is to be made between the heavy chains, a torture in themselves (of which Paul may have been relieved) and the lighter chains to prevent the prisoner from escaping.] - Acts 22:22-29 -
His appearance before the Sanhedrin [ As Jesus foretold to his disciples. Matt. 10:17-18; Mk. 13:9-10; Luke 21:12. Paul is to appear before 'councils' Acts 22:30-23:10. 'governors' (Felix, chapter 24), 'kings' (Agrippa, chapter 25-26).]
The next day, since he wanted to know what precise charge the Jews were bringing, he freed Paul and gave orders for a meeting of the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin; then he brought Paul down and stood him in front of them. - Acts 22:30 -
Paul looked steadily at the Sanhedrin and began to speak, 'My brothers, to this day I have conducted myself before God with a perfectly clear conscience'. [ The 'clear conscience' is a feature of Paul's moral teaching: 1 Cor. 4:4; 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. 1:5,19; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; cf. Heb. 13:18.] At this the high priest Ananias [ Ananias son of Nedebaios became high priest in about 47 A.D. He was arrested, sent to Rome and probably deprived of office in 51 and 52, then reinstated; he was assassinated in 66 at the beginning of the Jewish War.] ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth.
Then Paul said to him. 'God will surely strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there to judge me according to the Law, and then break the Law by ordering a man to strike me?' The attendants said, 'It is God's high priest you are insulting!' Paul answered, 'Brothers, I did not realise it was the high priest, for scripture says: You must not curse a ruler of your people'.
Now Paul was well aware that one section was made up of Sadducees and the other of Pharisees, so he called out in the Sanhedrin, 'Brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. It is for our hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trail.' As soon as he said this a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was split between the two parties. For the Sadducees say there is neither resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, [ The resurrection of the body, cf. 2 Mac. 7:9+, and the doctrine of angels, cf. Tobit 5:4+, were not part of Jewish teaching until a comparatively late date. From the text it appears that the Sadducees rejected the latter as well as the former (they certainly denied the doctrine of retribution in the world to come). On both questions Paul and the Pharisees were in agreement, cf. Acts 4:1f+.] while the Pharisees accept all three.
The shouting grew louder, and some of the scribes from the Pharisees' party stood up and protested strongly, 'We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?' [The conjecture is apparently intended to explain the apparition on the Damascus road.] Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered his troops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress.
Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.' - Acts 23:1-11 -
The conspiracy of the Jews against Paul
When it was day, the Jews held a secret meeting at which they made a vow [ By calling down God's vengeance on themselves should they weaken.] not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who took part in this conspiracy, and they went to the chief priests and elders and told them, 'We have made a solemn vow to let nothing pass our lips until we have killed Paul. Now it is up to you and the Sanhedrin together to apply to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you meant to examine his case more closely; we, on our side, are prepared to dispose of him before he reaches you.'
But the son of Paul's sister heard of the ambush they were laying and made his way into the fortress and told Paul, who called one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the tribune; he has something to tell him'. So the man took him to the tribune, and reported, 'The prisoner Paul summoned me and requested me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you'. Then the tribune took him by the hand and drew him aside and asked, 'Why is it you have to tell me?' he replied, 'The Jews have made a plan to ask to take Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they meant to inquire more closely into his case. Do not let them persuade you. There are more than forty of them lying in wait for him, and they have vowed not to eat or drink until they have got rid of him. They are ready now and only waiting for your order to be given.' The tribune let the young man go with this caution. 'Tell no one that you have given me this information'. - Acts 23:12-22 -
Paul transferred to Caesarea
Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, 'Get two hundred soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea by the third hour of the night with seventy cavalry and two hundred auxiliaries; provide horses for Paul, and deliver him unharmed to Felix the governor;. [ Antoninus Felix, a freedman, brother of Pallas, Agrippina's favourite; he was procurator of Judaea from 52 to 59 or 60.] He also wrote a letter in these terms: 'Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man had been seized by the Jews and would have been murdered by them but I came on the scene with my troops and got him away, having discovered that he was a Roman citizen.
Wanting to find out what charge they were making against him, I brought him before the Sanhedrin. I found that the accusation concerned disputed points of their Law, [ 'Western Text...points of the Law of Moses, and a man called Jesus'.] but that there was no charge deserving death or imprisonment. [ Luke emphasises such statements which attest Paul's innocence, cf. v. 9; 25:18,25; 26:31; 28:18, as he did in the case of Jesus, cf. 3:13; 13:28; Luke 23:14-15, 22.] My information is that there is a conspiracy against the man, so I hasten to send him to you, and have notified his accusers that they must state their case against him in your presence.' [ Add. 'Farewell'.]
The soldiers carried out their orders; they took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris. Next day they left the mounted escort to go with him and returned to the fortress. On arriving at Caesarea the escort delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. The governor read the letter and asked what province he came from. Learning that he was from Cilicia he said, 'I will hear your case as soon as your accusers are here too'. Then he ordered him to be held in Herod's praetorium. - Acts 23:23-35 -
The case before Felix
Page 59 The shouting grew louder, and some of the scribes from the Pharisees' party stood up and protested strongly, 'We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?' [The conjecture is apparently intended to explain the apparition on the Damascus road.] Feeling was running high, and the tribune, afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered his troops to go down and haul him out and bring him into the fortress.
Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.' - Acts 23:1-11 -
The conspiracy of the Jews against Paul
When it was day, the Jews held a secret meeting at which they made a vow [ By calling down God's vengeance on themselves should they weaken.] not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who took part in this conspiracy, and they went to the chief priests and elders and told them, 'We have made a solemn vow to let nothing pass our lips until we have killed Paul. Now it is up to you and the Sanhedrin together to apply to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you meant to examine his case more closely; we, on our side, are prepared to dispose of him before he reaches you.'
But the son of Paul's sister heard of the ambush they were laying and made his way into the fortress and told Paul, who called one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the tribune; he has something to tell him'. So the man took him to the tribune, and reported, 'The prisoner Paul summoned me and requested me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you'. Then the tribune took him by the hand and drew him aside and asked, 'Why is it you have to tell me?' he replied, 'The Jews have made a plan to ask to take Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they meant to inquire more closely into his case. Do not let them persuade you. There are more than forty of them lying in wait for him, and they have vowed not to eat or drink until they have got rid of him. They are ready now and only waiting for your order to be given.' The tribune let the young man go with this caution. 'Tell no one that you have given me this information'. - Acts 23:12-22 -
Paul transferred to Caesarea
Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, 'Get two hundred soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea by the third hour of the night with seventy cavalry and two hundred auxiliaries; provide horses for Paul, and deliver him unharmed to Felix the governor;. [ Antoninus Felix, a freedman, brother of Pallas, Agrippina's favourite; he was procurator of Judaea from 52 to 59 or 60.] He also wrote a letter in these terms: 'Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man had been seized by the Jews and would have been murdered by them but I came on the scene with my troops and got him away, having discovered that he was a Roman citizen.
Wanting to find out what charge they were making against him, I brought him before the Sanhedrin. I found that the accusation concerned disputed points of their Law, [ 'Western Text...points of the Law of Moses, and a man called Jesus'.] but that there was no charge deserving death or imprisonment. [ Luke emphasises such statements which attest Paul's innocence, cf. v. 9; 25:18,25; 26:31; 28:18, as he did in the case of Jesus, cf. 3:13; 13:28; Luke 23:14-15, 22.] My information is that there is a conspiracy against the man, so I hasten to send him to you, and have notified his accusers that they must state their case against him in your presence.' [ Add. 'Farewell'.]
The soldiers carried out their orders; they took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris. Next day they left the mounted escort to go with him and returned to the fortress. On arriving at Caesarea the escort delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. The governor read the letter and asked what province he came from. Learning that he was from Cilicia he said, 'I will hear your case as soon as your accusers are here too'. Then he ordered him to be held in Herod's praetorium. - Acts 23:23-35 -
The case before Felix
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless.
By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
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Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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