St Simon Likas celebrates Mass for children and young people

KOTA KINABALU: The St Simon Catholic Church Likas parish celebrated Mass for Children and Young People on World Communications Day as well as Mother’s Day on 8 May 2016.

At the beginning of the Morning Mass, parish rector Fr Cosmas Lee congratulated the children and young people not due to their own merits but because “God loves you.”

Fr Cosmas’ demeanour with the children and youngsters was of good humour and candid – as seen in the way he interacted freely but truthfully with them.

To the question which he asked of the youngsters “Who was the first one in communication with you?” he gave answer. “Your mother,” he said, adding that they should be nice to their mothers. “Because that was the first way that God chose to love you so closely, concretely and personally.”

“That’s communication,” he said, referring to the celebration of World Communications Day.

“How do you know that your family is good?” and “How do you know that your father and mother are good?’” Fr Lee continued to stir the children’s mind and heart.

“If your father and mother are always united not only in happy times but in the most trying times, if they can stick together, that is the proof it is a good family,” explained the pastor.

Continuing to engage the children and young people, he asked “Any other proof that you got a good family?” and offered them “The next proof is: presence. How do you know your father and mother love you? They spend a lot of time together with you.”

Going on to affirm the mothers on Mother’s Day, Fr Lee said “I hope many of you, mothers especially today, that as you sit with your family, you sense not just someone loving you, but you sense ultimately God Himself loving you faithfully, unconditionally and then you will be a very good mother, a very good grandmother. Not just based on your feelings of love, but founded on the unconditional, pure love of God Himself.”

On World Communications Day, the rector said “I think there are very few people as merciful as a mother… if mothers are more merciful, the whole world will become more merciful. And, of course, the greatest of all mothers is Mother Mary, the mother of God.” – SSL SOCCOM