Peace Be With You

The Unforgiving Servant

2008-08-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

Jesus told this story to explain why we should always forgive other people.

There was once a king who decided it was time for his servants to settle the debts they owed him. While he was checking his accounts, one of his servants was brought to him, who owed the king a huge amount of money. He would have had to be a millionaire to pay him back.

"If you can't pay me in money," the king said,"you had better be sold as a slave, along with your wife and children. That will help to pay off your debt."

But the servant fell on his knees, begging for mercy.

"Just give me time," he pleaded, "and I will pay it all back,"

The king knew that was impossible and he felt sorry for him.

"I'll forgive you your debt, "he said kindly. "you can go free."

With a huge sigh of relief, the servant left the king's presence. Outside the throne room he caught sight of one of the other servants who owed him a very small sum. He grabbed hold of him, insisting that he should pay him back at once.

The second servant pleaded,"Please give me time and I will give you the money,"

"I shall do nothing of the kind!" the first servant shouted angrily. He threw the second servant into prison until he could pay his debt.

The rest of the servants were furious and told the king about it. He sent for the first servant.

"You wicked, worthless servant!" he said. "I forgave you the huge amount you owed me. How could you treat your fellow-servant as you did? You are the one who will be punished in prison!"

Jesus added,"That is how my Father in heaven will treat you, if you don't forgive others from your heart when they hurt or wrong you."

The Real Treasure

2008-08-09T23:36:00.000-07:00

Do not collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust do damage, and where thieves break through and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust do damage, and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body shall be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will stand by one and despise the other. You cannot work for both God and worldly wealth. Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your well-being, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, nor about your body and what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Behold the fowls of the air. They sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one minute to his life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They do not work, nor do they spin. And yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today grows and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry saying, "What shall we eat?" or What shall we drink?" or "With what shall we be clothed?", for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Take therefore no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take care of itself. The troubles of today are enough for today.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For by what judgment you make, you shall be judged, and with what measure you give, so shall you be measured. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother,"Let me pull out the speck from your eye," when, behold there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the log from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast out the speck from your brother's eye.

Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and attack you.

Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened. What man is there among you who, if his son asks bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent?

The Golden Rule
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore, whatever you want that men should do to you, do so to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

Enter in at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in that way. Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to life, and there are few that find it.

By Their Fruits...
Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a bad tree brings forth bad fruit. A good tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits, you shall know them.

Not everyone that says to me, "Lord, Lord" shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he shall that does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name done many wonderful works?" And then I will say to them,"I never knew you. Depart from me, you that practise evil."

Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken to a wise man who built his house upon a rock. The rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them no, shall be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Sermon on the Mount
The Law and The Prophet
The Love of Enemies
The Lord's Prayer

Almsgiving, Prayer And Fasting

2008-08-08T00:47:00.000-07:00

And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you: that is their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is unseen. And your Father who sees that which is in secret shall reward you openly.

And when you pray, do not use idle phrases as the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows everything you need, before you ask him. In this manner, therefore pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom com.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive our debts,
as we forgive our debtors,
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever.
Amen

For if you forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their offences, neither will your Father forgive your offences.

Moreover, when you fast, do not look sad like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to fast. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face, so that you do not appear to fast to them, but to your Father. And your Father who sees that which is in secret shall reward you openly.

Sermon on the Mount
The Law and The Prophet
The Love of Enemies

Love Your Enemies

2008-08-07T00:33:00.000-07:00

Sermon on the Mount -- Jesus telling his disciples and a great mass of people about the new covenant....

You have heard that it has been said,"You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy." But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good alike, and sends his rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you deserve? Do not even tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even tax-collectors do so? Be therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

Take care that you do not do your good deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. When you give charity, do not sound a trumpet before yourself as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, to have the praise of men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in that. But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your charity may be in secret. And your Father who sees what you do in secret shall reward you openly.

Help Our Neighbour
Our Neighbour
The Good Samaritan

The New Covenant

2008-08-06T00:09:00.000-07:00

From The Old To The New Covenant
Do not think that I have come to destroy the old law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one dotting of an "i" nor crossing of a "t" will be removed from the law until all is fulfilled.

Therefore whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men to do so, shall be called the lowest of all in the kingdom of heaven.

For I say to you that unless your goodness excels that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall never enter the kingdom of heaven.

You have heard it said by men in the days of old,"You shall not kill, and whoever kills shall be in danger of punishment." But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause will be in danger of punishment by God. And whoever curses his brother shall be in danger of hell fire.

Therefore, if you bring your offering to the altar, and there remember that your brother has any grievance against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go and be first reconciled to your brother, and then come and make your offering.

Agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way to court with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. Truly I say to you, you shall never come out of there, till you have paid the last penny.

Again, you have heard that it has been said by men of old,"You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform as you swear in your oaths." But I say to you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let what you have to say be simply 'Yes' or 'No', for whatever is more than these comes from evil.

You have heard that it has been said,"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, do not resist an injury. Whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him also the other. If any man wants to sue you for your coat, let him have your cloak as well, and whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him that asks, and if anyone wishes to borrow from you, do not turn away.

Jesus went up into the mountain to preach to the great masses of people

Life-Giving Words

2008-08-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain. And when he had found a suitable place, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and taught them saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you, when men shall revile you,
and persecuted you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely,
for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad,
for great is your reward in heaven,
for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Live For Others
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its flavour, how shall it be salty again? It is then fit for nothing but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Men do not light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, where it gives light to all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Beatitudes
The Beatitudes

Harvest Time

2008-08-04T02:37:00.000-07:00

Picture taken on 3 August 2008: It's harvest time.... For the first time, I had seen this Tembusu tree, Fagraea fragrans blossomed, full-bloomed, and now the first time, its FRUITS, berries, ripened, the whole tree FULL of fruits...

The Story of Unemployed Workers
Jesus often reminded people that God's kingdom is for those humble enough to accept God's kindness and love, even though they don't deserve it. No one can bargain with God or hope to earn a place in his kingdom.

There was once a man who went to the market place early one morning, to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them the regular wage of one silver coin for the day's work.

At nine o'clock, at noon, and at three, he went to the market again and hired more workers.

It was nearly five when he went for the last time. There were still some men standing around.

"Why have you done nothing all day?" he asked.

"Because no one has hired us," they said miserably.

"Then come and work in my vineyard," he told them.

When evening came, the owner instructed his foreman to pay all the workers, beginning with those hired last.

To their delight, the latecomers were given the full day's wage of a silver coin.

The men who had worked all day expected to get more, when their turn came. But every worker received the same.

"That's not fair!" the first workers grumbled. "We ought to get extra. We worked through the heat of the day, not like these lazy latecomers!"

"Listen, friends," the owner told them, "I have not cheated you. I have paid you what we agreed. It is for me to decide how I use my money. Are you jealous because I have been generous to the others?"

"In God's reckoning, the first often end up last and the last first," Jesus said at the end of the story.

These are the fruits of Tembusu Tree

He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Revelation 21:6-8

Abraham's Sacrifice

2008-07-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

When Isaac was still quite young, God put Abraham to the test to see whether he really trusted Him. He called to him one day,"Abraham! Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and set out for the land of Moriah. I will show you a mountain there, and on it I want you to offer your son as a sacrifice to Me."

Now, after a while God wished to test Abraham. "Take your only son Isaac, whom you love," he said, "and offer him as a sacrifice on the mountain that I will show you."

Early the next morning, Abraham saddled his donkey and took with him two servants and his son Isaac. He cut some wood for the sacrifice and set out on the way. On the third day, upon seeing the mountain just ahead, Abraham said to the two servants,"Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go on and pray to God. Then we will return to you."

Abraham took the wood for the sacrifice and gave it to his son Isaac, while he himself carried a torch and a sword. As they went on together, Isaac said to his father, "We have the fire and the wood, but where is the victim for the sacrifice?" Abraham answered,"God himself will provide a victim for the sacrifice, my son." So they continued along.

When they came to the mountain, Abraham built an altar and laid the wood upon it. Then he tied up his son Isaac and laid him upon the pile of wood. Lastly, he took his sword to sacrifice his son. Suddenly, however, an angel called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!"

"Yes, here I am," answered Abraham.

"Do not lay your hand upon the boy, for now I know that you fear God and would have sacrificed your only son to him." What a great relief Abraham felt. He looked round and there he saw a ram with its horns caught in a bush. God had sent it for him to sacrifice. He went over and freed it and offered it as a sacrifice in place of his son.

God was pleased with this great proof of Abraham's love and trust in Him.

Then the angel called to Abraham a second time and said,"God says, because you did this, and did not hold back your son, He will indeed bless you. You will have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand on the seashore, because you have obeyed His voice without question."

Dream of Abraham
Noah and the Ark
Noah and the Great Flood
Noah Ark on Mount Ararat
The Tower of Babel
God's Promise To Abram
Abram And Lot
Abram's Vision
Abraham Is Named
The Three Angels

The Laughter of Sarah

2008-07-21T01:17:00.000-07:00

'May God Laugh' is what the name Isaac means. The child of the promise showed that God mocks all obstacles. He even made life spring from what was dead.

And it came to pass that when Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent in the plains of Mamre, the Lord appeared to him in the form of three angels in the heat of the day. Abraham raised his eyes and saw three men standing before him. He ran to meet them and bowed to the ground saying,"My Lords, if I have now found favour in your sight, do not pass away, I beg you, from your servant. Let a little water be fetched and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. I will bring bread to refresh you. Comfort your hearts, then you may go on your way."

They said to him,"Do as you have said. "

So Abraham hastened into the tent where Sarah his wife was and said,"Quickly, make three measures of fine meal, knead it, and bake cakes upon the hearth."

Then he ran to the herd and fetched a good and tender calf, and gave it to a young man to prepare. Abraham then took butter and milk, and the calf, and set the food before the men. He stood by them under the tree while they ate.

"Where is Sarah, your wife?" they asked him.

"There, in her tent," he said.

And one of the men said,"Sarah your wife shall have a son."

Sarah, standing in the tent doorway behind him, heard this. She and Abraham were old and they were beyond the time for having children. Sarah therefore laughed to herself. Then GOd said to Abraham,"Why did Sarah laugh, saying she is too old to have a child? Is there anything the Lord cannot do? At the appointed time, Sarah shall have a son."

Sarah denied that she had laughed, for she was afraid. But God said,"No, you did laugh."

The Lord did as he had promised, and Sarah bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time chosen by God, and Abraham called the son Isaac, a name which means "He will laugh."

Dream of Abraham
Noah and the Ark
Noah and the Great Flood
Noah Ark on Mount Ararat
The Tower of Babel
God's Promise To Abram
Abram And Lot
Abram's Vision
Abraham Is Named

The Promise of A Son

2008-07-20T00:55:00.000-07:00

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said,"I am the Almighty God. Walk in my ways and be perfect. I will make my covenant with you, and your people shall increase greatly."

Abram knelt down, his face to the ground, and God talked to him, saying,"My covenant I shall keep with you. No longer will you be called Abram; from you shall many be descended. Your name shall be Abraham for I have made you a father of many nations. I will keep my covenant with you and my covenant shall be everlasting with you and your descendants through all generations. Your line shall prosper and from it shall arise nations and kings. To you and to them I will give the land of Canaan, in which you are a stranger, as an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.

As for Sarai, your wife, you shall call her no longer Sarai, but her name be Sarah. I will bless her, and from her you shall have a son. She shall be a mother of nations and of kings."

Abraham bowed down and laughed to himself, saying,"Can a man a hundred years old have a son? And Sarah, a woman of ninety, can she have a child?"

Then God said,"Sarah, your wife, shall bear a son, and you will call him by the name Isaac. With him and with his children after him will I make my everlasting covenant."

From Land To Kingdom : People need a land to live in. God therefore promised a land to the man He said would become a 'great nation'. But a land has to be conquered. The land of Canaan would be conquered only after terrible battles. Christians would later understand that the land promised us by Jesus can be conquered only by battling the violence that is within us. This land is not a territory on earth. It is the Kingdom of God.

Dream of Abraham
Noah and the Ark
Noah and the Great Flood
Noah Ark on Mount Ararat
The Tower of Babel
God's Promise To Abram
Abram And Lot
Abram's Vision

Father of The Faithful

2008-07-19T00:23:00.000-07:00

A Promised Land: The Lord said to Abram, after Lot was parted from him,"From this place where you are take a look to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west. For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your children like the dust of the earth, so that if the dust of the earth may be numbered, then will your children be numbered. Come, go through all the land from one end to the other for I will give it to you." Abram, moving his tent, went to live by the holy tree of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and made an altar there to the Lord.

After these things the word of God came to Abram in a vision, saying,"Fear not, Abram, I am your shield and your great reward."

"Lord God," Abram said,"What will you give me since I am without children and my heir is a servant, Eliezer of Damascus?" Then the word of God came to him, saying,"Not a servant but a child of your own shall be your heir."

He took Abram into the open and said,"Look now towards heaven, and count the stars if you can do so. As numerous as the stars shall your children and your children's children be." And Abram believed in the Lord and the Lord regarded him with favour.

Then God said to him,"I am the Lord that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit."

"Lord God," Abram said,"How shall I know that I shall inherit it?"

"Bring me a heifer three years old," God said to him," a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove and a young pigeon."

Abram gathered all these animals as offerings. He took them to God and divided them into pieces, laying one against another. But the smallest he did not divide. When the birds of prey came down upon the remains of the offerings Abram drove them away.

As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram and a great and fearful darkness fell upon him. Then God said to him,"Know for certain that your children shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs. They shall live in bondage and be oppressed for four hundred years. But the nation that shall oppress them I will judge, and afterwards, they shall emerge with great possessions. You yourself shall go to your fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age. Your children shall return here in the fourth generation."

When the sun was down and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between the pieces of the offering. And on that day God made a covenant with Abram, saying,"To your children and to all your children's children, I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to Great River, the river Euphrates. All the people who dwell within it, I have delivered to you."

Dream of Abraham
Noah and the Ark
Noah and the Great Flood
Noah Ark on Mount Ararat
The Tower of Babel
God's Promise To Abram
Abram And Lot

Separating To Avoid Strife

2008-07-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold, and Lot who travelled with him was also very rich, having flocks and herds and tents. The land was not able to support them all; they could not live together in one place and there was trouble between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. There were Canaanites and Perizzites also living off the land, so Abram said to Lot,"Let there be no trouble between you and me, nor between your men and my men, for we are relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself, I beg you, from me. If you choose the left hand, I will go to the right. Or if you move to the right then I will go to the left."

Lot lifted his eyes and looked out over the whole plain of Jordan, and saw how well the land was watered everywhere. It was like the garden of the Lord and like parts of the land of Egypt. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan. He went towards the east, and they separated one from the other.

Abram lived in the land of Canaan and Lot lived in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. And when Lot had departed, God said to Abram,"Lift up your eyes now, and look northward, southward, eastward and westward. For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anybody could count the dust of the earth, he would also be able to count your descendants.

"Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for to you I will give it all." Then Abram moved his tent and went and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Soon afterward, there was war in the land and Lot and his possessions were captured and taken from Sodom. Abram rescued Lot and his goods and his people, and restored them.

The wealth of Sodom attracted plunderers. Lot was captured by brigands and Abram set out on a mission to rescue him. The riches of Sodom corrupted the hearts of its citizens. They were great sinners. Abram interceded with the Lord to spare Lot from the punishment that would be inflicted on the city.

Dream of Abraham
Noah and the Ark
Noah and the Great Flood
Noah Ark on Mount Ararat
The Tower of Babel
God's Promise To Abram
Abram And Lot

The Promise of A People

2008-07-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Among the tribes of Israel, the story was told of Terah and his sons. Terah, the descendant of Shem (Noah's eldest son), lived in Ur in Chaldea. He had three sons, Abram, Nahor and Haran. Abram married Sarai but they had no children, since Sarai was sterile. Haran also married, and had a son, Lot, but died soon after. Terah left Ur, taking Abram and Sarai and Lot his grandson with him, intending to go to the land of Canaan. Before reaching Canaan, they settled in the city of Haran, where Terah died.

In the land of Haran, there lived a man called Abram. Abram was the son of Terah who was descended from Shem. Terah and his family had returned to Haran after living in Ur, when one day God said to Abram,"Leave your country, and your kinfolk, and your father's house, and go to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and through you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

So Abram heeded what the Lord had said and departed; he was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. With him he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their goods and cattle, and the people they had gathered in Haran. And they went into the land of Canaan.

And they passed through Canaan to Shechem in the plain of Moreh which was occupied then by the Canaanites. At Shechem God appeared to Abram and said,"This land I will give to your people." And Abram built an altar to the Lord at Shechem. Then Abram moved and came to a mountain to the east of Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. Here too he built an altar and called upon the name of the Lord before continuing his journey to the south.

There was famine in the land, so Abram continued to Egypt and lived there until the famine was over. Then he returned to the place between Bethel and Ai where he had built an altar and there he again called on the name of the Lord.

God Is Love

2008-07-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

"You are like salt the world," Jesus told the disciples. They thought hard. Salt kept fish and meat from going bad. Salt made food tasty. They could guess what Jesus wanted them to be like. "Imagine a batch of salt that has lost its saltiness!" Jesus went on. "It's no good to anyone. There's no way of putting the saltiness back into it again. It's only fit to be thrown out. So see that you are salty salt!

"You are light in the world, too," Jesus said. "When you light a lamp, you don't hide it away out of sight. You put it on the lampstand, as high up as you can, so that it provides light for everyone in the house. See that you let your light shine out for others. Let them see your good deeds: then they will give praise to God, your Father."

How To Be Really Happy
"I'll tell you who the truly happy people are," said Jesus. "They are the ones who recognize how poor they are in God's eyes.

Happy people are those who are sorry for their own sins and failures and who share the sadness of all who suffer and mourn.

The happy ones are the humble ones, not too proud to receive what God has to give them.

The happy ones are those who long to do right and follow God's ways.

The happy ones are those who are kind and caring to others.

The happy ones are those whose wholehearted aim is to please and serve God.

The happy ones are those who work to bring about peace in the family and in the world around.

The happy ones are those who are badly treated because they are my followers. Be glad if people hate you and say all kinds of bad things about you because you belong to me. There's a wonderful time coming for you in heaven!"

The disciples were dumbfounded. Everything Jesus said seemed upside down. His way of happiness was just the opposite of what everyone else believed.

Stop Worrying
"When you put God first, you can stop worrying," Jesus told the disciples. "Look at it this way. God is a loving Father: he will see that you have what you need. He feeds the birds -- and they don't even lend a hand by sowing and getting in the harvest."

Jesus stooped and gently touched one of the jewel-bright anemones growing wild at their feet.

"Look at these flowers," he said. "They don't sew or make their own clothes: yet King Solomon, in all his glory, never looked as lovely as they do. God can take care of all your needs.

"Worry never helped anyone live a day longer or grow an inch taller. Just deal with today's problems as they come -- and let tomorrow's problems wait for tomorrow to arrive."

The Parables of The Kingdom -- The Tare

2008-07-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

Another parable Jesus gave to the crowd:

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while he slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. So when the blades sprang up and brought forth fruit, the tares appeared also.

"So the servants of the man came and said to him,"Did you not sow good seed in the field? From where then have come the tares?"

"An enemy has done this," he said to them, and the servants asked,"Do you wish then that we go and gather them up?" But he said,"No, lest while you gather up the tares, you root up the wheat with them also. Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, "Gather together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them. But gather the wheat into my barn..."

The meaning of the Tares
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables. He did not speak to them without a parable, so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying," I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things which have been kept secret since the foundation of the world."

Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into a house, and his disciples came to him, saying,"Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

And when they were alone together, he answered,"He that sows the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom. But the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Therefore, as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of the world.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who do evil, and they shall throw them into a furnace of fire. There shall be a wailing and a gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous shall shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear."

The Parables of The Kingdom -- The Sower

2008-07-14T01:39:00.000-07:00

Painting of The Sower

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and was seated by the lake. A great crowd of people gathered around him, so he got into a boat while the people listened to him on the shore. He taught them many things in parables saying,"A man went out to sow seed in the earth. While he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and ate them for food. Some of the seed fell among the stones, where it had not much soil, and immediately it grew because the earth was not deep. But when the sun was high, it was burned. Since it had no root, it dried up and died. Some seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew, but they had no room to grow. Others, falling on good soil, bore fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty as much. He who has ears, let him hear.....

Listen, then, to the story of the man who sowed the seed in the soil. When the news of the Kingdom is preached to someone, and he does not understand, the Evil One comes to quickly steal that which was put in his heart. He is the seed dropped by the wayside. The seed which fell on the stones is he who hearing the word, immediately receives it with joy. But having no root in himself, he lasts only for a time. When trouble or pain comes because of the word, he quickly becomes full of doubts. That which was dropped among the thorns is he who has the word, but the cares of this life, and the deceits of wealth, stunt the growth of the word and it bears no fruit. The seed which was sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it. He bears fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much."

Kingdom of God
Van Gogh's Paintings

Jesus' Name

2008-07-09T02:36:00.000-07:00

Madonna: Live To Tell -- Messenger of God

Lamb of God
John The Baptist described Jesus as the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world, reminding his disciples of the lambs used as sacrifices and especially of the lamb killed by each family at Passover festival. When God sent Moses to rescue the people of Israel from Egypt, the Egyptians would not let them leave. Finally Moses, under God's direction, brought about nine terrible disasters upon the land and people. The tenth and last disaster that Moses called down upon them was the death of every firstborn animal and son in one night. By God's instruction, the Israelite families each killed a lamb and sprinkled its blood on their doorpost. God protected their homes from the death that came to every Egyptian family.
Messiah
Messiah is the Hebrew for 'anointed one'. The Greek word is 'Christ'. In Israel, kings, prophets and priests were all anointed with oil at a ceremony dedicating them to God. The people of Israel often referred to their King as "God's anointed", but they were looking for the promised Messiah who would one day come to reign. Prophets and psalm writers had described this king and many expected a conqueror who would turn out the Romans and give Israel independence. Others longed for a ruler who would bring justice and fairness to poor as well as rich.

Servant of the Lord
The prophet Isaiah called the nation of Israel the servant of the Lord but he also described an obedient, perfect servant who was going to come one day. He would not be proud or overbearing but gentle and quiet. He would suffer and die for his people's sins. It was this picture of the Servant Messiah that Jesus recognized as God's Plan for his life -- and death.

Son of God
Not everyone expected a Messiah who would be God's Son. Jesus waited for his disciples to discover for themselves that he was more than an ordinary man. Gradually they realized that no mere man could do the things that Jesus did, or make the claims he made.

Son of Man
Jesus called himself 'son of man'. It was a title found in the Book of Daniel to describe someone Daniel saw in a vision, to whom God gave the right to rule over all humankind. Jesus may have used it because it did not give the crowd the impression of a political conqueror.

Son of Man Comes As King

2008-07-08T02:17:00.000-07:00

Madonna: Live To Tell

Jesus often used the title "Son of Man" for himself. The Book of Daniel in the Scriptures described the Son of Man as the one God has chosen to rule and judge all people everywhere. One day Jesus told this story....

When the Son of Man comes as King, with all his angel host, he will separate mankind into two groups, just as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats in his flock. He will say to those on his right,"Come and possess the kingdom made ready for you! God's blessing is on you. When I was hungry you fed me, and when I was thirsty you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you took me into your homes, naked and you gave me clothes; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me."

The righteous people were puzzled. They said,"Lord, we never saw you hungry or thirsty, homeless or ill, or in prison, and took care of you."

"But whenever you did these things for one of the least important of my people, you were doing it for me," the King told them.

Then he turned to those on his left,"Go right away from me," he said sternly; "When I was hungry you did not feed me, and you gave me no water when I was thirsty. When I was a stranger you did not welcome me home. I was naked but you gave me no clothes; I was ill and in prison but you did not look after me."

These people were puzzled too and protested,"We never saw you in need and refused to help you!"

"Whenever you refused to help any of the least important of my people," the King told them,"You were refusing to help me."

Jesus, Resurrection

Jesus ended with these solemn words,"Their future will be eternal punishment but the righteous will enjoy eternal life."

Plot Against Jesus

2008-07-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

Lazarus Is Raised From The Dead

Jesus' Enemies Plot To Kill Him
Everyone was talking about the man who had come back to life. Some felt certain now that Jesus really was sent by God and put full faith in him.

But others hurried off to Jerusalem to pass on the news of Jesus' latest miracle to his enemies.

An urgent meeting of the Council was called and the members discussed with the leading priests and Pharisees what to do about Jesus.

"We must take action quickly," they decided. "The crowds are flocking after him and he'll soon be everyone's hero. That will be a disaster for us all. It could cause trouble with Rome, too."

Caiaphas, the High Priest, interrupted their chatter.

"Don't be a pack of fools!" he said coolly. "Can't you see the obvious solution? Get rid of Jesus! It's far better for one man to die than for all of us to suffer."

He did not realize how true his words were. Jesus was indeed going to suffer and die on behalf of everyone else.

From that day on, the Jewish authorities began to make plans to bring about Jesus' death. When they heard that Bethany was buzzing with crowds of sightseers, all coming to stare at the man who had come back from the dead, they even talked of getting rid of Lazarus too, to destroy the evidence.

Meanwhile Jesus and the disciples left the danger zone. Jesus knew there was still work for him to do before God's appointed time for him to die.

Pharisee
The word "Pharisee" means "separated ones". Pharisees kept themselves apart from ordinary people by their strictness in keeping every tiny law that had been added to God's law given to Moses. These mostly had to do with outward rules about washing hands and pots and pans in a certain way. Pharisees also fasted twice a week.

The New Testament speaks harshly of the Pharisees, except for a few, including Nicodemus and Gamaliel. The Pharisees themselves wrote texts in which they criticized their own faults, particularly their tendency to believe that they were superior to other people.

The gravest problem of the Pharisees was that they knew so much about God that it prevented them from truly knowing Jesus. They were scandalized by his poverty and his freedom. Saul of Tarsus explained the difficulty he had in giving up his Phariseen mentality in order to believe in Jesus.

The Gift of Life

2008-07-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Whenever Jesus went to Jerusalem, he would visit his friends, Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus, who lived in the village of Bethany, close to the city.

One day, Jesus received an urgent message, sent by the two sisters,"Lord, your friend Lazarus is ill."

"This illness won't end in death, but it will bring glory to God" Jesus reassured the disciples.

They were comforted by what he said, but concerned that he would want to go straight to Bethany to heal Lazarus. Last time they had been in Judea, Jesus' life had been threatened. But, to their surprise, two whole days passed before Jesus said,"It's time, now, to go to Judea."

"You know what happened last time we were there," the disciples reminded him. "They wanted to stone you."

"All the same, if the Master has decided to go, we'll go too," Thomas insisted. "We'll die with him, if need be!"

"No one can harm me while I still have work to do for my Father," Jesus assured them. "He has given me a certain time for my work -- that's like the day. Daylight is safe. It's at night that you trip over and hurt yourself. But the night will come," he added.

As they walked the rough road, Jesus told them,"Our friend Lazarus is asleep."

"Then he must be getting better," the disciples said cheerfully.

"I mean that he is sleeping the sleep of death," Jesus explained. "Lazarus is dead."

The disciples fell silent. Once more they were puzzled by their Master.

The Lord of Life
Bad news travels fast. Before Jesus and his friends arrived, someone told them the news,"You're too late! Lazarus has been dead and buried four whole days!"

When they were in sight of the house, they could see little groups of people arriving, to comfort the sisters and sympathize with them in their sadness. When Martha heard that Jesus was on his way, she hurried out of the house to meet him.

"If only you had been here," she burst out, "Lazarus would be alive today!" Then she added, more thoughtfully, "But I know that even now God will hear your prayers."

"Martha, dear," Jesus said confidently,"your brother will rise to life. I am the resurrection and I am life. Everyone who puts faith in me will live forever, even though the body dies. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord!" Martha answered through her tears. "I believe that you are God's Messiah!"

Martha went quickly back home to tell Mary to go to Jesus before he reached the crowded house. But when Mary got up to go, her visitors followed, thinking she was going to Lazarus' grave, to mourn there.

When Jesus saw Mary's tears and the tears of the friends who were with her, he cried too. He felt very sad to see them so unhappy. He was angry, too, as he saw the pain and sorrow death brings, spoiling God's plans for life and family happiness.

"Where is Lazarus buried?" he asked.

"Come and see," they said, leading the way to the rock tomb.

When they arrived, Jesus ordered, "Take away the stone that blocks the entrance."

Everyone was shocked and Martha protested. "We can't do that! He's been dead four days. The body will smell."

"Remember what I told you," Jesus said. "If you trust me, you will see God act in great power."

So, at a nod from the sisters, one or two strong men hauled the heavy rock from the cave mouth. No one else moved in the hot, still air. Jesus looked upwards and said,"Thank you, Father, for listening to me. I know that you always do."

Then, in a loud voice, he gave the command,"Come out, Lazarus!"

Everyone held their breath. Curiosity and fear were on every face. All eyes were fastened on the shadowy, dark interior of the cave. Then, from within, a white, shrouded figure emerged uncertainly into the bright sunlight, body and head bound tightly by the linen bands of the burial shroud.

"Unloose the burial clothes! Set him free!" Jesus said. Loving, flustered hands hastened to unwind the cloths. Lazarus stretched, smiled, then strode out healthy and whole.

Follow Jesus

2008-07-05T01:09:00.000-07:00

I am the little Pig that Follow Behind Jesus

I am an Instrument of God
Jesus Came to my house. I heard him, Clara saw him, our door bell rang, the Sacred Heart moved and the special giant Bryophyllum that grown mysteriously. These are all miracles of the Sacred Heart, Jesus, who wanted me to follow him.

How I follow him? My daily life, he is with me, the dreams I had, the things I hear and see in everyday's life...

When I was young, my sister, friends and cousins always like to play with 'spirit plate' or 'spirit money' -- those kind of game where we placed our middle finger on a plate or coin and chant the spirit to 'come out'. Then we would ask the spirits many questions, and the spirits would use the 'white plate/dish' or coin to move to the words written on the paper.

The spirit game is very scary. One day, a rainy and stormy day, my sister and I was playing the game. It was a large piece of yellow paper with many words written in circular manner. The white dish is the instrument used. We asked many questions but the spirit refused to answer, but keep moving in circle, stopping at his/her own like. It states the chinese words "chop", "kill", "spirit", and so on. We were so scared, and we asked the spirit to go home. But the spirit refused to go home. We tried to push it home, using our force, but it had so much resistance. We just could not push it home. Luckily, just then, something happened at home. It was the cries of Eddy. His cries were so loud that the spirit was scared and it gone home finally. We heaved a sign of relief. That was perhaps the last time we played the game.

This was one out of another dangerous game we had..... there was one more....mention again another time...

Now back to this Leaflet about Sacred Heart, which Jesus had 'turned to':

Mercy of God Devotion

Chaplet of Mercy
(For private recitation of Rosary Beads)

Introduction:
Our Father
Hail Mary
Creed

On the Large Beads:
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your most beloved Son and our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

On the smaller beads:
Through the sorrowful passion of Jesus, show mercy unto us and to all the world. (10 times)

In conclusion:
Holy God, Holy Omnipotent, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)

Salvation For You

2008-06-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Master, Master, I will do what you want me to do.... Jesus is my Master

I don't know where to start, how to start. There are so many things, so many things to be done, and all coming at the same time, always like that.

Today, I was awoken with dreams again. This time, the dream was about shoes and sink again. Dreams is communication with my spiritual world. It is how funny things are in this world. I cannot believe it myself, but it really happened, and don't want to believe also cannot.

The Singapore Song just echoed in my mind: We the citizen of Singapore, Pledge ourselves as ONE UNITED PEOPLE, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.... WE ARE SINGAPORE.... Singapore, My Singapore, My Home.

Founder of Modern Singapore: Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles; The origin of Life, the creator of life and the one who gave us life is God, and his only son, Jesus.

I tell you, this is a very funny story, a story about madness, joy, grieve, sweetness, anger and love, and so on. I had always wanted to join the government service. I wanted to be a nurse, my first choice, but the salary is very low....At that time, paper qualification is so important, now still the same. While waiting for results, I gave tuition, worked temporary jobs as accounting clerk and general clerk, and I also worked as relief teacher. After my graduation from the university, I still gave tuition, but soon I found my full-time permanent job at the hospital, the place where I learned most about people...

9/11 Tribute - "Pass It On"

I experienced the Power of God's Love. I experienced the beauty of God's Love, his creation, his HOLINESS and it was indeed awesome, beyond words can describe. I am no good at words, I am no good at anything, but I was granted the special gift which my Father had given me. I do not know if I will do it well, but I will try my best. What I do affect other people, and what other people do also affect me. It is all a chain reaction, and we just have to be co-operative and do our parts well.

Pass it on Version 2

Alleluia, Alleluia.....This is my destiny, to proclaim the mystery of faith, the preach the Gospel and to protect my country. This is my enlistment, my National Service. I am going to tell you what I know, all that I know about God and Jesus, and my religion, the only truth, the only true religion, the HOLY Catholic Church....

In God We Trust

2008-06-16T06:45:00.000-07:00

My Favourite Roulette Casino Game: The thunder strikes and the house went blackout just as I was about to upload this photograph

I wrote these posts: Wheel of Casino, Pray For Peace, and Master Mind

Eye Witness
I am Yahweh witness. Last night, Channel U was showing a show about the mystery of Noah Ark, and also the cloning of the extinct animal, Tasmania Tiger. As I was watching, I 'recalled' so much 'familiar' and 'similar' images and experiences as what the people (the explorer) had said.

Instrument of God
This morning, I woke up, reading about the life of St Anthony. Only after reading, then I know that Saint Anthony died on 13th Friday 1231. Someone saw him 'carrying baby Jesus' while peeping through his room one evening.... I also dreamed of baby falling and I went to the rescue that night....

Spiritual Paradise
There was a lot of dreams which I had not recorded, and it was 'relevant' to what I see later on in the church....

Buying the ticket at Information counter for the World's Largest Giant Observation Wheel on 12th June 2008: It is this 'mat' that we stood, while purchasing the tickets for Singapore Flyer, taking the Ferris Wheel Ride. This is all not coincidence really, but I am an instrument of God. My heart and his beat as one... On that fateful day, our heart met face to face.... I remembered the moment, rainy day....

Because of this casino game called Roulette, I won US$300 at Las Vegas, and it was this money that God revealed his 'divine revelation' one day on this note that I had won:

Won three pieces of US$100, during the year 2000, if I am not wrong, I exchanged these notes to Singapore dollar. The money changer would not accept this piece of notes because there were ink on it...

This is the back of the US$100 note. I had 'lost' it for some time already, but was 'found' again..... and really so happy

Seen For the First Time on the day I Found this note again: IN GOD WE TRUST

NO COINCIDENCE
St Anthony is a well-known saint called Angel of Peace and famous for lost article (I first know about this through Ricsson), and I experienced it too.... That same night Jesus came to me, the church paper (St Anthony's Voice) dropped on the floor first, followed by my spectacles and Ricsson's Spectacles. This is what I heard, what I see in the morning, while all others were still sleeping...

Be A Catholic

2008-06-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

Just went to St Anthony's Church website to see their photographs again. My computer has lots of problems since Monday. Reformat already and all the photographs I saved previously was gone. So now I had to go back there to save some photographs.

As I was looking through the photographs, I was taken back by this photo. It was what I dreamed of, the colour of the wall exactly the same in my dream -- the day was Wednesday. I was dreaming, and then when I awoke, it was raining so heavily. It was about 6am. Both Richard and I woke up to close the windows. It was a special day because it was Chinese calendar 1st May, the day I asked for a mass for the souls (my mother, my godmother and I contributed the money for this mass). It was the death anniversary, don't know how many years already, for my 4th aunt, maternal aunt, my mother's sister. She died of cancer.

I had forgotten the dream, but it involves walls, and the most striking things I remembered was the colour of the walls and people around. Really no idea what the dream was about now and even on that day when I was awoken by the rain. I can only know it was a coloured wall, 'orangish yellow' wall, and it was this one shown above.

When I was young, sometimes I see certain things, I have the feeling that I had 'seen before'. I can still remember the moment now. It was the sight of a plug and wire, at the position of my old Boon Lay house kitchen which I had the experience like that. That was my first time having this kind of experience.

Dreaming of Confirmation and catechism matters as well. Before all these, I had always had dreams. Now that I think back, it was all real, not 'coincidence'. It was the 'spirit' telling me something.

So I looked at Sacraments, Confirmation and it was written as below (taken from St Anthony website): The roots of confirmation are found in Acts of the Apostles 8:14 - 17, "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit." See also the Gospel of Saint John, chapter 14 where Christ speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.

In the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, Confirmation, known also as Chrismation, is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ for the conferral of sanctifying grace and the strengthening of the union between individual souls and God.

From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

* it roots us more deeply in the divine filiations which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15); This is true, I experienced it, it was touching, real touched.

* it unites us more firmly to Christ; This I also felt. My first time was seeing the cross, with the body of christ on it. That was what I know, and I prayed to Jesus...

* it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;

* it renders our bond with the Church more perfect; Well, learning, and what interest me are the altar boys, the colours of the 'vestments', the 'rituals' and all the signs and symbols, 'interesting', all so 'foreign' to me. I do not want to just 'accept' something without any meaning to it.

* it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word And action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross. Yes, I am proud to be a Roman Catholic, knowing it is the truth and the real powerful God, one real and true God in this world, the creator of this world. It is so pathetic how the truth is twisted and how Catholics all 'cancelled' their names and divert away from Catholicism or even become 'unbelievers', so scary....

And as mentioned, I really, really feel so grateful, so feel honoured to receive and be a witness of Christ, and even to SEE and HEAR it for myself. Indeed it was amazing, unbelievable, ONLY I was 'aware' of it. These are special gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit, the gifts of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.

Sacraments of Initiation
Meaning of Sacraments
The Seven Sacraments
Becoming A Catholic RCIA

Principles of Confucianism

2008-06-03T02:13:00.000-07:00

Confucius' Tomb

Confucius became a city magistrate when he was 50 years old. During his one year in office, the city of Lu prospered. Reforms were introduced and crime was almost eradicated. He regarded the people with virtue and taught them the value of rites. The elderly was respected and the people treated one another with the appropriate proprieties. Officials in the neighbouring cities used his policies as a model for their own systems.

Confucianism contains a set of moral, social, religious and political principles that has asserted a large influence on the history and development of Chinese society and culture. Its teachings talk about the importance of education and the following qualities: li (correct behaviour), ren (benevolence, humanity), yi (honesty), zhi (knowledge, in the sense of moral wisdom) and xin (faithfulness, integrity).

Living with a moral code was imporant as well. A person should cultivate good moral values before he could concern himself with the morals of others. Confucius believed that if everyone did this, society would likewise be moral. Even teh emperor was not exempt from this rule. As long as everyone accepted and acted within their role in society, the society would function well.

Confucian principles and ideals have had a huge influence on life in China for more than 2000 years. They promoted a moral code that included ethics, humanity, order and harmony. A set of good governemtn and favourable interpersonal relationships was needed for society to function well.

The hierarchical nature of relationships was important, and all parties privy to the relationship had to do their part, based on the obligations of their role. There were five relationships available: father-son, husband-wife, older brother-younger brother, friend-friend, and ruler-subject.

Harmony within the family was dependent on all members observing the requirements of their specific roles. Filial peity is very strong in Confucian teaching and is a two-way process. Just as the father takes care of his son, the son likewise, has to worship his father after his death. As long as everyone is mindful of their role and adheres to it, there would be harmony.

Life was not limited to the living. One also had to consider the needs of the deceased and present them with offerings. This responsibility was undertaken by the children of the deceased, in return for the parent's actions in caring for them when they were young.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Confucianism was deliberately suppressed, as it was seen as an obstacle to China's modernisation. It was revived after the Cultural Revolution. Outside China, Confucianism had its most lasting influence in Korea where it was the state ideology for hundreds of years.