20250616 TALL ORDER
16 June 2025, Monday, 11th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Corinthians 6:1-10 |
How we prove that we are God's servants
As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.
We do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on our function as God’s servants. Instead, we prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering: in times of hardship and distress; when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving. We prove we are God’s servants by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness; by a spirit of holiness, by a love free from affectation; by the word of truth and by the power of God; by being armed with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left, prepared for honour or disgrace, for blame or praise; taken for impostors while we are genuine; obscure yet famous; said to be dying and here are we alive; rumoured to be executed before we are sentenced; thought most miserable and yet we are always rejoicing; taken for paupers though we make others rich, for people having nothing though we have everything.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 97(98):1-4 |
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:23 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
Or: | Ps118:105 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is a lamp for my steps
and a light for my path.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 5:38-42 |
Offer the wicked man no resistance
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.’
TALL ORDER
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 Cor 6:1-10; Ps 98:1-4; Mt 5:38-42]
St Paul, in the first reading, reminds us that we are all God’s fellow workers in His vineyard, regardless of vocation in life. By virtue of our baptism, which is our common vocation and calling, all of us have received the grace of God. Yet, as St Paul urges us, there is a real danger “not to neglect the grace of God that you have received.” Unfortunately, many of us take God’s graces and blessings for granted. We forget that whatever the Lord has blessed us with is meant for the service of His kingdom and His people. Regardless of whether we are teachers, doctors, priests, entrepreneurs, or government servants, we are called to use our talents and resources to build up the people of God.
The reality is that many of us are counter-witnesses to our faith. If many have left the Church or chosen not to join it, it is because we are not only failing to witness to Christ, but worse, we are a scandal to non-believers and fellow Catholics. That is why St Paul reminds us that we should “do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on our function as God’s servants.” Indeed, many Catholics have left the Church because of the scandalous and contradictory lifestyles and unbecoming conduct of priests and religious. Lay leaders, ministry members, and Church members are not exempt. Many are shocked and disgusted by how some active Church members behave towards their fellow Catholics; they are rude, arrogant, insensitive, and always seeking glory and recognition, thinking more about themselves than others.
It is one thing to call ourselves the servants of God, and another thing to be one. Many of us do not reflect the compassionate love and mercy of Christ. Many call their spouse their better half, but these are often empty words; if they truly see them as their better half, they would always defer to their spouse. Likewise, many call themselves parents, but they act more like disciplinarians or financial controllers, totally disconnected from the lives of their children. Some call themselves doctors, yet they do not place the saving of life above all other considerations. Teachers are supposed to teach what is right, true, and good, but they often impart the wrong messages to those under their care.
The scripture readings today outline us the high expectations required of God’s servants. St Paul enumerates many attributes, but I will single out a few for our reflection today.
First, is that we must have a heart of compassion. Jesus taught us, “If anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.” St Paul wrote, “We prove we are God’s servants by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness.” Compassion for our brothers and sisters means identifying with their aspirations, struggles, joys and sorrows. It is from a spirit of compassion that our hearts are opened to others.
Secondly, there must be generosity of heart. This is the basic requirement for anyone who wants to serve God, whether as priests, religious, or in Church ministry, or NGOs helping the poor and marginalized. This generosity to serve, to give, and to help is a prerequisite. If someone is not capable of generosity, he cannot be a servant of God. No matter how talented or passionate he may be, without generosity of heart, he would end up serving himself, not the people.
Thirdly, a servant of God must have a spirit of equanimity and detachment. In other words, he sees everything from the perspective of love. Things and possessions are only means by which we can help others; they are not the ends in themselves. We should not be too attached to what we have. However, this does not mean that we are to be irresponsible with the gifts God has given us. We are merely stewards of God’s grace and blessings. If we can use them for the good and service of others, then we must be ready to part with our resources. This is what St Paul meant when he wrote, “prepared for honour or disgrace, for blame or praise; taken for impostors while we are genuine; obscure yet famous; said to be dying and here are we alive; rumoured to be executed before we are sentenced.” A servant of God is truly free only when he is detached from things, resources, glory, and honour. A person who is free from attachment is always joyful. That is why St Paul could say, “thought most miserable and yet we are always rejoicing; taken for paupers though we make others rich, for people having nothing though we have everything.”
Fourthly, a servant of God must exercise “a love free from affection.” In other words, our love must be unconditional. Romance and love for friends and loved ones, while good, are mutual; we receive as much as we give. This is still a kind of pagan love, as we love those who love us. But as servants of God, we are called to serve all people, regardless of who they are. Like public and government servants, we are called to serve all, regardless of race, language, and religion. To love without affection means to love without attachment or expectation of reward. This is the highest form of love – “agape,” the love of God given to all. How often have we been shown love and received help from strangers whom we would never be able to repay or even thank? Such unconditional love makes the gift even more precious because it was given without any strings attached. It is pure love.
Fifthly, a servant of God must live “by the word of truth and by the power of God; by being armed with the weapons of righteousness.” He must be a person of integrity, live justly, and be fair to all. He stands up for the truth and is unafraid to do what is right, even if it is not popular. A leader who lacks impartiality, honesty, and justice cannot be credible. A true leader embraces all and does not practice favouritism, much less act for personal interests and gain.
To do all these, we need the one virtue above all that will make us outstanding servants of God, namely, fortitude. All the virtues mentioned are important, but often we fail to persevere, especially when we are persecuted, misunderstood, criticized, or falsely accused. We give up serving and doing good simply because some people criticize our work. We listen only to negative voices that dampen our spirit and resolve. St Paul demonstrated his courage when he said, “We prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering: in times of hardship and distress; when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; labouring, sleepless, starving.” Leaders must be willing to suffer for what is right and good, even when grossly misunderstood. If we are clear about our service and free from personal gain, we need not react to negative criticism and slander. Most likely, the opposition arises because what we are doing threatens others’ personal interests. That is why we must always serve with “purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness.” When we have nothing to gain for ourselves, there is nothing to defend. This explains why Jesus taught, “Offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” One who is pure in service does not react to opposition but keeps focused on his mission and vision. He rises above those who oppose him because he has nothing to lose.
Indeed, at the end of the day, as servants of God, we must not think that it is by our power that we live such a life or accomplish what we do. Servants must allow their master to bring about what He commands. It is the power of the Master that makes things happen. We are only His servants and instruments. Like St Paul, we do not rely on ourselves to be worthy servants of God but rely on His grace, which is promised to us. “For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.” Again, St Paul reminds us to live “by the word of truth and by the power of God.” The psalmist declares: “Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” It is the work of God, not the work of man! As St Paul says, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Cor 11:30)
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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