11 Jul 2015 Sat
(1) Bible Symposium, the first in Singapore this year, is a critical component of the Bishop's 10 year plan.
(2) Evangelisation presupposes tht we have experienced and encountered the Good News.
The lack of evangelical zeal among catholics is because not many have truly encountered the living God in their lives, and have no "good news" to share.
Until we have discovered/encountered the Good News, we will have nothing to proclaim.
A question the Bishop challenges us to ask ourselves: "are you excited about the Good News?"
(3) The Word of God is more than the Bible.
The Word of God is Jesus Himself, the Word is alive, not dead, not empty.
The purpose of reading the Word of God is not for kowledge, it is about encountering Jesus.
(4) And there can be no encountering if we do not have a proper prayer life, and if we do not have a prayer life, we do not have a personal relationship wtih the Lord.
(5) Prayer presupposes intimacy in the Word of God.
Unless it is in our mind, on our lips and in our hearts, then it becomes our speech, our thoughts, our actions.
(6) Praying Scripture is more important than understanding Scripture.
During ordination of priests, the Bishop, when giving the candidate the Bible instructs him to "Believe what you read".
He emphasizes Believe, not Understand.
"Believe what you learn;
Teach what you believe;
Practice what you teach."
(7) When we proclaim the Word of God, we need conviction, and conviction can only come if we have a relationship, when we have deeply interiorised the Word.
(8) The Bishop shared that he spends at least an hour (or more) in prayer and reflection before he writes out his homilies daily.
"I must be convinced and convicted.
If I have not received and am convicted, how can I share?"
(9) The Bishop expresses his dreams for the Catholic Church: "The day when every Catholic belong to a cell group, groups of 4-6, gathering to pray the Scripture and share the Word once a week for at least half an hour.
The Church would grow leaps and bounds.
(10) He shares too, if he had been married and have kids, he would as daddy, gather his children to have bible sharing sessions with them, so that as family, they could pray together, feel for each other, inspire each other, have compassion for each other.
(11) The Bishop ended by sharing his "secret".
"My secret of remaining firm and zealous in my priesthood is that everyday I spend 2-3 hours meditating on the Word.
That is the most important thing to me, and the most important part of my day - between 4.30am - 7.30am.
I face many challenges and struggles as bishop, but during that morning hours, I am connected to God, I receive motivation and inspiration from Him.
We may say we are too busy to spend time on the Word, but if we think something is important, we will find time for it; and who among you is busier than the Bishop?
This daily morning hours I spend meditating on the Word keeps me focus and strong, keeps me unwaivering as I carry out the ministry the Lord has given me."
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