I was around the city area of Singapore yesterday afternoon. I decided to attend the celebration of the Mass at the Cathedral at 1.15 pm.

There at the Mass, I noticed a very young man (probably in his early twenties) who was evidently a student from the university across the Cathedral. Carrying a backpack and two books in his hands, formally dressed, he took his seat most reverently at the Cathedral.

At the Holy Communion, he received the body of Christ in his hands with such reverence and caution - hence the deep impression his gesture had left on me.

Coincidentally, I had an appointment to have lunch with a couple of friends at the food court of the university across the road after Mass. And as I entered the food court and was about to take my seat, there was this young man again. He had bought his lunch and was carrying it to his seat.

As my friends went to get lunch for me, I had nothing to do. So I further observed him. He carefully placed his lunch on the table, took his seat, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes and with his head deeply bowed, prayed for two whole minutes. And then he made the sign of the cross, and began to eat. In that noisy food court where countless numbers of other university students were making merry, there was an aura of reverence even in this young man's eating.

So he finished his lunch as mine began. As he walked out of the food court, I was quite tempted to approach him to ask him for his name. After all, we had just partaken from the one body of the Lord just a moment ago.

But I decided that I'd leave it at that, so that the story of this unknown young man could be an anonymous story of inspiration to many other young people like him.

Today, there is hope. For among the countless young who make little out of life, there is at least one young man in the world who seeks God with all his heart despite the disruption of affluence and the temptations of success surrounding him.

The sad thing is, this young man was very likely a misfit among his peers. All other young people in that food court were gathered in intimate clusters; he was the only one sitting alone. He probably did not fit into the way of life prevalent among his peers; because he treasured the holy life.

So there he sat all alone, like a pearl among swines, that would soon be trampled upon. Like the Master whom he serves.