The Heavenly Dragon Chinese New Year Gathering
On the evening of February 20, 2024, a group of vibrant young adults known as the “SEEKERS” gathered for a joyous Chinese New Year Gathering at the YAST office through the animation of KAYC. Embracing the theme “Heavenly Dragon Evening”, the participants welcomed the call be like “DRAGONS who fly and breathe fire”, meaning, persons who get high in spirituality and share the fire of kindness in charity. This gathering also motivated them to appreciate one’s Chinese culture as good Catholics and bond more with God as well as with one another.
A warm welcome and greetings were extended by our animator, Sing. This was followed by an interactive “get-to-know-you” session. All the young adults, along with friends from the YAST office, participated joyously in this engaging activity. Each person was asked to choose an animal from the 12 zodiacs in the Chinese Lunar calendar that best described their feelings at that moment. After this captivating ice-breaking session, the host for the night, Mdm Esther Law, delivered a heartwarming opening message.
After the lovely opening message by the Host, we continued with an insightful Catholic way of doing Lo Hei Yu Sheng as our prayer of grace before meal. It was the first time we learned the meaning of each ingredient found in “Lao Shang” according to the Catholic Guide. The first ingredient, pepper and cinnamon, reminded us of the frankincense and myrrh that the magi gave to the infant Jesus – emphasizing the importance of giving our best to God, not just what is leftover. Second, the oil represented being baptised and confirmed with the sacred Oil of Chrism. May we carry out our roles as priests, prophets and kings – duties that we share with Christ, the Anointed One. Third, the plum sauce encouraged us to savour the sweetness and goodness of our Lord, as the Psalmist said: “O taste and see, how good the Lord is.” Fourth, the lime sauce reminded us of Christ’s commission to go out and bear much fruit that will last. The fifth ingredient, raw fish, served as a reminder that Christ called all of us, His disciples, to be fishers of men, sharing His Good news with everyone. Lastly, the crackers symbolised our identity as Eucharistic people, resembling Christ, the bread broken for others.
Afterwards, we all gathered at the table for the tossing of “Lao Shang” and continued with a potluck version of dinner. An appetising spread of home-cooked specialties, prepared by everyone who attended the gathering food. As we enjoyed the delicious food, laughter and conversation filled the air, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. It was a joyful gathering, where good food and wonderful company strengthened our bonds and created cherished memories.
An interactive session continued after the dinner, as everyone gathered together to share from the heart responses to questions that were prepared as guides. Each person was invited to share on their memorable Chinese New Year moments, to derive values from their Chinese Zodiac characters that resonated with them, or to express appreciation for a value that may be symbolised by dragons. The sharing session was engaging, informative, inspirational and sprinkled with humour too. Everyone shared their memories, ideas, and knowledge related to dragons and other Chinese zodiac signs and all within the context of our Catholic beliefs and values.
Right before we wrapped up the Chinese New Year Gathering, the host, Mdm Esther Law, generously gave ‘angpao’ to everyone. Father Ramon concluded this gracious gathering with a blessing prayer. The Song “Blessed New Year” by Robin Choo was played as a closing sing-along for the night. May 2024 make us all fly high and breath fire!
Written by Grace.
