To shine the light

Apr 24, 2014

“I am a Catholic and I will do my best to serve the Will of God. But it was only possible after deep thought. I had explored eastern and western philosophies and religions.

I have also studied and researched Christianity and the Church from its origin, history, teaching and message.

For decades I have believed in God. In His Grace, He has answered my prayers many times.

My late beloved parents and teachers planted the seeds of faith in me from an early age. I remember the joyful Friday services with my beloved classmates in the Wesley Methodist Church beside the Methodist Boys Secondary School in the heart of Kuala Lumpur when I was a teenager.

But I became caught up in the rat race to make a living and build a career and family after I left school with a Higher School Certificate (HSC).

As a newspaperman, I enjoyed the excitement and satisfaction of reading my reports and articles published in the New Straits Times, The Malay Mail and The National Echo (now defunct) and The Straits Times Singapore.

Later, I worked as the Special Personal Assistant to The International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors’ Association (IFAWPCA) Tan Sri (Dr.) Yeoh Tiong Lay.

The MBAM Council led by its President Tan Sri Yeoh then appointed me MBAM’ first executive director of the national trade association representing the construction industry I served as the Consultant Editor advising and helping MBAM leaders and Editorial Committee and Secretariat Staff to upgrade Master Builders, the association’s quarterly, into a respectable voice of the industry.

I also served as the first executive director of the Asean Constructors’ Federation(ACF) when MBAM hosted the First Asean Construction Symposium.

In the eleven years under four MBAM presidents, I drafted many speeches, appeals, press statements and memoranda to the highest authorities including the Prime Minister’s Department, Bank Negara, the Ministries of Finance,Trade and Industry, Works, Human Resources and other relevant bodies to address the issues and solve the problems causing hardship to contractors.

By the Grace of God, I shared the visionary ideas freely for the good of the country and people.

The Holy Spirit moved me to make a vow to help spread the joy of the Gospel to the hill tribes when my wife and I visited a beautiful Catholic Church in the town square of Sapa, a scenic hill resort near the Vietnam-China border a few years’ ago.

To fulfill this vow, I sought an audience with Msgr. James Gnana.

Msgr James immediately allowed me to join the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) after checking with coordinator Richard Chia.

I am most grateful to them both for giving me the opportunity to learn, understand and appreciate The Word of God and the Catholic Faith.

My heartfelt thanks also go to the RCIA team facilitators. They have given The Elect and Confirmation Candidates a strong solid foundation to grow in faith in our journey together.

I record sincere appreciation of their sacrifice, commitment and dedication to share knowledge and experience in well prepared modules almost every week.

So far, the journey has been most rewarding and enlightening for me.

I humbly submit this special song to invoke God to bless all with sacred gifts in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The lyrics were inspired in the early hours before dawn on April 9, 2014 after our most refreshing and memorable weekend retreat in L’ Sanctuary in Alor Gajah near Malacca.

May We Be
May we be
Pure and holy
In words and acts
In praise of the Glory
Of God in the highest
Honour and splendour.

May we be
True, wondrous and righteous
In love and life
In the Grace
Of God, Our Lord, shining brightest
The Light
To the end of the universe.

May we be
Faithful and helpful
In kindness
And tenderness
In the Grandeur
Of the Holy Spirit moving strongest
In Right
To the end of time.

May we be
Humble, simple and reasonable
Where we are
In celebration of the Majesty
Beauty of The Trinity blessing greatest
In Might
Bright in the One in unity
Outpouring Mercy
Humanity Charity
Divinity Nobility
Worthy of adoration.

May we grow
Wise like God
As we are The Elect
Chosen to be
Children of God inspiring all
In awe
Loving, living and giving
Goodness gracious,
Precious and bright.

May we become
The Best
We can be
In Grace, Love and Mercy
Of God
Now and forever.

I ask for the Grace of God to be upon us in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

Please remember John 16:23 -

“Truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name, he will give you.” -- Kong Yee Peng, 61 Years old, St John’s Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur