Friar George Ho OCD, delivering his talk to an audience of close to 90 people
By Catherine Wan
Jul 27, 2023
KOTA KINABALU – In preparation for the celebration of Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt Carmel (OLMC) Jul 16, 2023, the OCDS KK had engaged in a series of spiritual activities of Novena prayer from Jul 7-15 at the Carmel chapel, and Triduum talks from Jul 13-15 at the Sacred Heart Parish Centre.
Friar George Ho OCD, from Seremban OCD Friar community, was the main speaker for the Triduum talks which focused on Our Lady of Mt Carmel as a mother, sister, and a queen. It was also his first pastoral visit here upon his new assignment as the Spiritual Assistant to the OCDS KK community.
Friar George, ordained on 13 Aug 2022, referred to the First Book of Kings (18:42-45) as the biblical text relating to the origin of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The first reading for the Solemnity Mass of OLMC mentioned about the prophet Elijah who interceded for rain for the country that was in drought for years. Friar George said that according to biblical interpretation, the cloud which rose from the sea symbolized the Virgin Mary who arose from the sinful humanity (sea) and gave birth to a Saviour (symbolized by the rain). Based on the vision of St Elijah, Friar George said that the early Latin hermits had dedicated their lives to the Blessed Virgin Mary and called themselves Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Carmelites. Hence, the oratory that they built on Mt Carmel was named after Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
He pointed out the traditional Catholic hymn entitled ‘Mary is our Queen’ mentions Mary as queen, mother, and sister (creature of our race); and the prayer ‘Memorare’ portraits the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a mother who is ready to render help to those who implore her.
As highlighted by the friar, the blessed Virgin Mary became a mother during the incarnation or Annunciation. She is also known as the Mother of the Eucharist as Jesus her Son, took flesh from her during the incarnation.
In pointing out the Blessed Virgin Mary as our sister, the friar said Mary accompanies us in our pilgrimage of faith, and that we should imitate the virtues of Mary in our devotion to her.
In the Holy Writ, concerning the Son whom Mary will conceive, it is read: “He shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end,” and in addition Mary is called the ‘Mother of the Lord; from this it is easily concluded that she is a Queen, since she bore a Son who is a descendant of King David.
The Triduum talks attracted not only the laity from various parishes but also the seminarians, religious and rector Fr Paul who graced it with the opening and the closing prayer.
At the end of the talk, on Saturday, Friar George conducted the Rite of Clothing for five aspirants entering novitiate formation to be members of OCDS, also known as secular Carmelites. See picture below.
Friar George also blessed the scapulars owned of the audience so that they will be reminded to imitate of the virtues of Mother Mary. See picture below.
As the celebration of OLMC fell on Sunday, according to the Carmelite Ordo, the Carmelite Community was granted the permission to celebrate the solemnity of OLMC on Sunday itself. The Mass was presided by Archbishop John Wong, concelebrated by Friar George Ho and Fr Terans Thadeus.
During the homily, Archbishop John Wong posed three questions to the congregation of a hundred people in the Carmel chapel: Why is Mary named after Mt Carmel? Who is Mary as our Mother? What did Mary do as she was entrusted to Jesus’ disciple?
At the intercession of Prophet Elijah, the rain fell in torrents after the country suffered drought for three years. The prelate pointed out that the hermits living in Mt Carmel near the spring of prophet Elijah believed that a virgin will give birth to a Son who will bring salvation to human kind. The analogy stated in the first Book of Kings was used to reflect the birth of a Virgin who will give birth to a Son to redeem the subjects of the Law (Galatians 4:4-7) and the Spirit of the Son has enabled us to call out to the heavenly Father.
The prelate also quoted from the psalmist, ‘Draw us after you, Virgin Mary; we shall follow you in your footsteps.’ She is the perfect disciple of Christ to be emulated by all said the prelate. The words told by Mother Mary to the servants during the wedding in Cana, “Do what He (Jesus) tells you” is echoed to the disciples of Christ including us, he said.
The joy of the celebration tripled as the congregation also celebrated Fr Terans Thadeus‘ first sacerdotal anniversary which fell on the same day and the 25th founding anniversary OCDS KK community; the actual date of was 8 Jul 1998.
The triple celebration continued with breakfast fellowship after the Sunday Mass and a potbless dinner fellowship in the evening, at Nuluhon Villa, residence of the president of OCDS KK, Datin Celestine Jinu Kinajil, for OCDS KK members, their family members and friends including Friar George, Fr Mattheus Luta, the Carmelite chaplain, Fr Paul Lo and religious sisters from FSIC and Daughters of St Paul.
During the dinner fellowship, the Silver Jubilee anniversary cake was jointly cut to mark the 25th Anniversary of founding OCDS KK community. The brief history of the initial journey of the founding was illustrated in a power-point presentation by Matthew Liow, Formation Director of the community.
May Our Lady of Mt Carmel and the Carmelite Saints continue to accompany us in the formation of the OCDS community.
Cake cutting ceremony on 16 July 2023 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Founding Anniversary for OCDS KK community
