20250903 KEEPING OUR FOCUS
03 September 2025, Wednesday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Colossians 1:1-8 |
The message of the truth has reached you and is spreading all over the world
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy to the saints in Colossae, our faithful brothers in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for you to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you show towards all the saints because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven. It is only recently that you heard of this, when it was announced in the message of the truth. The Good News which has reached you is spreading all over the world and producing the same results as it has among you ever since the day when you heard about God’s grace and understood what this really is. Epaphras, who taught you, is one of our closest fellow workers and a faithful deputy for us as Christ’s servant, and it was he who told us all about your love in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 51(52):10-11 |
I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.
I am like a growing olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God
for ever and ever.
I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.
I will thank you for evermore;
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good,
in the presence of your friends.
I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.
Gospel Acclamation | 1P1:25 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of the Lord remains for ever:
What is this word?
It is the Good News that has been brought to you.
Alleluia!
Or: | Lk4:17 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 4:38-44 |
He would not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Christ
Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.
At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.
When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place. The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’ And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.
KEEPING OUR FOCUS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Col 1:1-8; Ps 52:10-11; Lk 4:38-44]
Most of us live extremely busy lives because we wear so many hats and juggle multiple responsibilities. We have full-time careers that keep us occupied, and at the same time, we must care for our children, elderly parents, in-laws, and siblings. We worry about our children’s studies and education, while also needing to maintain good communication with our spouse–not just about household matters but also on an emotional level. If we have loved ones who are sick, immobile, or suffering from conditions such as dementia or Parkinson’s disease, even more time and attention are required. At the same time, we are called to be responsible to the community, the Church, and society at large. We feel the need to give our time and resources in service. In short, everyone seems to be asking for a part of us.
In the Gospel, we also see the hectic life of Jesus. We read that He preached regularly in the synagogues: “And He continued His preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.” Immediately after a tiring service in the synagogue, He was called to heal Peter’s mother-in-law. Without delay, He went to Simon’s house because the illness was severe. Later that evening, “all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to Him, and laying His hands on each, He cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.'” Such was the life of Jesus. Even after rising early the next morning to pray, the people came looking for Him, giving Him no peace.
Our problem is that we often cannot say “no”. We run around frenzied with activity, and as a result, we burn out. We become edgy, resentful, and short-tempered. In trying to help others, stress causes us to be careless with our words and actions, and we end up hurting people unconsciously or even deliberately. Our spouse may be wounded by our remarks, our children resent us for losing our temper or not spending quality time with them, and even parishioners may feel hurt when priests or religious speak to them harshly.
What is the real problem? We have lost our bearing and focus. We get caught up in responsibilities and forget the hope before us. What should be an act of love becomes a mere duty or chore. We forget our mission and lose the spirit of relationship. Jesus, however, was clear about His mission. When urged to remain in one place, He replied firmly, “I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.” He did not seek comfort, security, or popularity, nor did He try to build His own kingdom.
He came to heal and proclaim the Good News of God’s love and eternal life for all. He resisted the temptation to be made king by the people because He knew the Good News was not for one group, but for everyone.
As for us, we often forget what we are called to do. We forget that our work contributes not just to personal success but to the nation and society. We forget that raising children is not only about ensuring academic success but forming them in love and truth. Too often, we use them as trophies rather than nurturing their whole person. Caring for elderly parents, likewise, is not a burden but a way of growing in love and sharing God’s love with them. Priests, too, can lose sight of their mission, becoming ambitious and seeking approval, recognition, or control, rather than serving God’s people humbly.
At the root of all these is the lack of prayer and quiet time with the Lord. Scripture tells us, “When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place.” Without prayer and discernment, we lose focus. When we are not in touch with ourselves and our motives in what we do, we start to do things more for ourselves – seeking security, comfort, happiness, or glory – than for God or others. Of course, it is so difficult to admit that our motives are not pure. Many of us are too blind to our hidden motives. Jesus was always conscious of this subtle temptation to seek glory and security. Thus He rebuked the devils “and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.” He did not want the people to come to Him for the wrong reasons. He was not trying to build His kingdom but to announce the Good News of His Father’s kingdom of love.
The lives of St. Paul and the early Christians in the first reading remind us of what it means to stay focused. St. Paul praised them, saying: “We heard about your faith in Christ and the love that you show towards all the saints because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven.” They lived with faith, hope, and love. Their faith gave them a certain hope of eternal life, which sustained them even in persecution. Their hope in Christ gave rise to charity, lived not only in belief (orthodoxy) but also in practice (orthopraxis). Their strong faith led them to spread the Good News widely: “The Good News which has reached you is spreading all over the world and producing the same results as it has among you ever since the day you heard about God’s grace and understood what this really is.” They did not keep the Good News for themselves.
Hence, it behoves us to cling to Jesus as the centre of all our activities. Without Him, we become the centre of our own lives, seeking our own security, comfort and glory. The psalmist reminds us: “I am like a growing olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.” We must be rooted in Christ, drawing wisdom and love from Him, if we are to proclaim His goodness and love. If we do not come to Jesus daily, we will lose our focus and direction and we will not find the strength to continue loving and serving selflessly.
There is no excuse for neglecting prayer, no matter how busy we are or what position we hold in life. If Jesus the Son of God saw the need to pray to His Father daily, we who are only sons of men need to pray even more. Jesus drew strength from His Father’s love and He was always in communion with Him. We too must do the same – not merely reciting prayers but being in living relationship with God. If we claim to be too busy to pray, we must remember that Jesus was even busier – yet He made time to pray. It comes down to priorities. If prayer is important, we will make time. If not, we will always find excuses. Like Jesus, we must rise early to pray in silence and peace, finding our own “desert” space so that we can be recharged each morning and find the strength for the rest of the day. It is better to sleep earlier and give up late-night distractions so that we can begin each day in His love and wisdom. Without this grounding, our lives will be disordered, and we will create more problems for ourselves and others.
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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