KOTA KINABALU: The St Simon Catholic Church Likas community, here, ushered in Malaysia Day with a flag-raising ceremony during the morning service on Sept 15.
Both the Sunday morning and evening services were said in the national language, Malay.
Parish rector, Fr Cosmas Lee, who spoke fluently in the national language, said there is a misconception that Malaysia is equivalent to the political parties that represent the different ideologies of the respective blocs.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Matthew 22:21
“Malaysia Day is not about politics only. Love for country is not the same as political ideologies,” Fr Cosmas told the congregation.
“Malaysia Day is a holy day for us… It is God who decided for us to be Malaysians. It is here also that we are called to be His sons and daughters, as followers of Christ — disciples — the Sabah, Malaysia way.”
He went on to say that modern society has a misplaced priority for children, where education is at the forefront of every decision, rather than the education to instil good values to be children of God. “It is our divine call as Sabahans… Malaysians.
“If the principle to become Malaysians is not based on our faith, then we have failed to live out this divine calling,” he said, adding that the first of the five principles in the Rukun Negara is “Kepercayaan Kepada Tuhan (Belief in God)”.
After the morning service, the congregation gathered at the flag poles outside the church to sing the national and State anthems, “NegaraKu” and “Sabah Tanah AirKu”, respectively.
The Boys Brigade led the flag-raising ceremony, under the tutelage of its head, Godfrey Moay.
St Simon Catholic Church Likas 