14-2-2010, fist day of the lunar New Year.
My lunar new year starts not at 12:01 after midnight but only when I attended the Thanksgiving Mass.
New year is not a new year until I have offered thanks and received blessing from God - the creator of universe, heaven and earth, sun and moon, all creatures and plants – The Father. Thanks giving Mass is the source of all blessings and beginnings.
After many years of attending Chinese New Year Masses in Johor Baru, we decided to attend Mass at our home parish in Kajang this year.
Fr. George Harrison, the Mandarin speaking priest, led the people of God in giving thanks to God the almighty for the past year and pray for continue blessings in the coming new year of Tiger.
After Mass, Fr. George led the people in honoring our ancestor at an altar set up by the side of the main altar. To my own understanding, it was not only my ancestor, not only Chinese ancestor, but also Indian, Jews or Gentiles, OUR common ancestor.
Following Chinese custom, the following were offered:
-- Flowers and wine --> symbolized our love and utmost respect to our ancestor,
-- Candles --> reminding us that our ancestor’s good example, hard work and sacrifices are the light that show us the way for us to follow,
-- Joss sticks (smoke) --> were used to mark our longing to God to hear our prayer. (same meaning of incensing during Mass)
The ceremony contained no element of worship but was an act of utmost respect and honour steeped with Chinese tradition and custom. Pope Pius XXII in 1939 had approved the ancestral veneration during Mass and found Chinese culture of veneration in the church not superstition. (Catholics honour their ancestor in every Mass)
Fr. George later gave out blessed oranges and Ang Pow to the parishioners.
A new year began …..
"Ancestor of all generation & origin"
"列祖列宗“牌位
14-2-2010 农历新年初一。
我的农历新年不是从子夜十二时零一分开始，但却是在参加感恩弥撒过后。
新年不新，直到我对天主献上我的感恩，及领受了他给我的祝福之后，才算是一个新年！因为天主是宇宙万物，穷处大地，太阳月亮，一切受造物及植物的创作者，也我们的父亲- 阿爸。感恩弥撒是一切祝福及开始的出泉源。
好多年在新山参加农历新年弥撒后，我们决定今年留在加影，参加自己堂区的感恩弥撒。
操着流利华语的赫佐治神父带领天主的子民，在弥撒中，向天主过去一年里的照顾，献上感恩，并祈求他在新的一年里，继续的降福及保佑我们。
弥撒后，赫神父在祭台旁设立的列祖列宗牌前，向先人（祖先）致敬及悼念。据我本身的了解，这里所指的祖先，不只是华人或印度人，犹太人或非犹太人，而是也是我们共同的祖先。
遵照我们华人的习俗，采用了鲜花，酒，蜡烛及香芝来向先人致躬及敬礼。
-- 鲜花及酒，代表我们至高的尊敬及怀缅。
-- 蜡烛代表先人所立的榜样，他们的牺牲及刻苦耐劳，是我们引路明灯，我们追随
的光标。
-- 香枝的袅袅馨烟，是我们渴望天主垂听我们的祈祷。（弥撒中的献香意义也是如此）
这仪式绝不含任何朝拜的因素，而纯是致敬及怀缅先人的虔诚敬礼。教宗碧岳十二世在1939年，批准向先人敬礼，而华人的敬礼仪式，毫无迷信成份，获教会批准。(天主教徒在每台弥撒中，都有敬缅祖先）
赫神父过后也分发了祝福过的吉柑和红包给所有的教友信众。
新的一年开始了。。。。
It was a 112-tables grand dinner that saw almost full participation from clan associations, communal organisations and business establishments in Kajang area.
