This story is about a 46-year-old single man Joseph who is taking care of his elderly parents. Joseph’s father is on kidney dialysis while his mother is a cancer survivor. Joseph did not have a fixed income and he was struggling with his financial position. There were times Joseph had to borrow money from his friends and relatives for his father’s treatment and other household expenses. By the grace of God, Joseph was granted financial assistance by the centre.
In his difficult moments, Joseph prayed to God for help. Besides that, Joseph also tried to volunteer for charitable works in his parish, so that God can help others through him. He also keeps the dialysis centre and the patients from the centre in his prayers. Before this, Joseph is not a person who attend masses in church, he preferred to be alone.
Everything changed when Joseph was attracted to the Legion of Mary. Legion of Mary totally changed Jospeh by the way his thinks, and his lifestyle and his faith also increased when he started to pray. Joseph also started to visit the poor, sick, those who are suffering, and orphans. He hopes that Caritas can fully fund the expenses of St Anne’s dialysis centre. So that this centre could help more poor kidney patients and they may have hope in life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqicEBI-NmA
Joseph, can you tell introduce yourself and your family to us?
My name is Joseph Kiu Ming Liang. I am 46 years old. I am single and I am staying with my parents.
My father is on kidney dialysis while my mother is on cancer survival, and I have to take care of them on my own.
What are the problems you have faced and how did you solve them?
I did not have a fixed income and I was struggling with my financial position. So I had no choice but to borrow money from my friends and relatives to finance my father’s dialysis treatment and other household expenses. Thank God I received financial assistance from the centre.
What did you contribute to the church?
I volunteer in charitable works in my parish, so that God can help others through me. For example, I pray for this welfare centre and the patients here.
How was your life before and now?
Before this, I did not want to go to church, I prefer to be alone out there. Then, I was attracted to the Legion of Mary. Legion of Mary changed my way of thinking and my life, my faith increases when I pray.
I also started to visit the poor, sick, suffering, and orphans.
What is your message for Caritas supporters?
I hope Caritas can fully fund the expenses of this center because it is huge. So this centre could help more poor kidney patients, so that they may have hope to live on.
Step 2: Judge
Reflection based on Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus replied, ‘Away with you, Satan! For scripture says: The Lord your God is the one to whom you must do homage, him alone you must serve.’ – Matthew 4:10
Today’s Gospel tells us about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and how he uses the words of God from the scriptures as a sword to defeat the devil.
In the video, Joseph tells us he was never interested in coming to the church before encountering Christ. He was enjoying his life in the world and trying to find his own purpose in life, but unfortunately, his father’s illness destroyed his dream. He worked so hard but could not cover the expensive dialysis bill, and he had to borrow from his cousins to pay for the medical bills and family expenses.
According to him, he needs to pay RM300 per treatment, 3 times a week and mustn’t miss the treatment. During the trouble, God saw him and called Joseph back to Him. He heard the call and came back to church; the love of Christ compels him to understand his faith better.
When we pray, God can tell the stones to turn into loaves. – Matthew 4:3
In Joseph’s case, his situation slowly got better after he started to pray. He was helped by the center and granted a cash subsidy for his father’s dialysis treatment from the government. Now he only has to pay RM10 for every treatment.
Later, God also called him to Legion Mary, a ministry where he could enhance his spirituality through prayers and social welfare activities such as visitation to the families and the sick at home and hospital. His life transformed after he gave himself up to serve God.
We can see after Jesus refused Satan, the devil left him, and suddenly angels appeared and looked after him. –Matthew 4:11
As disciples of Christ, we must follow our Lord, take up our cross, refuse every temptation from the devil, and be filled with the Holy Spirit to do the will of our God. Because bread alone can only satisfy hunger, but cannot quench the thirst of our soul. In this story, Joseph found a purpose in his life after he turned back to God.
Joseph was a lost sheep, but now he has been found. What about you? Currently, is my life meaningful? Do I pray to seek God who is the author of life? Do I want to experience the fullness of life in Jesus?
Step 3: Act
How many sick and elderly people are living at home and waiting for a visit! The ministry of consolation is a task for every baptized person, mindful of the word of Jesus: “I was sick and you visited me” (Mt 25:36).
Safeguarding is foundational to all Caritas’ work. This formation will equip you to identify different forms of abuse and exploitation, and teach practical steps to protect the people we serve and prevent them from further harm.
Parishioners across the Diocese of Penang rolled up their sleeves to aid those in need during the season of Lent. We are grateful for their efforts to give others hope through their actions!
Caritas Penang operates under the jurisdiction of The Titular Roman Catholic Bishop of Penang.
