Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together

Wednesday, 20 November 2024

OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD AND FOR HIS CHURCH

20241121 OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD AND FOR HIS CHURCH

First reading

Zechariah 2:14-17

'I am coming', says the Lord

Sing, rejoice,

daughter of Zion;

for I am coming

to dwell in the middle of you

– it is the Lord who speaks.

Many nations will join the Lord,

on that day;

they will become his people.

But he will remain among you,

and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you.

But the Lord will hold Judah

as his portion in the Holy Land,

and again make Jerusalem his very own.

Let all mankind be silent before the Lord!

For he is awaking and is coming from his holy dwelling.

Responsorial Psalm

Luke 1:46-55

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

My soul glorifies the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

He looks on his servant in her nothingness;

henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.

Holy his name!

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

His mercy is from age to age,

on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength

and scatters the proud-hearted.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

He casts the mighty from their thrones

and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things,

sends the rich away empty.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

He protects Israel, his servant,

remembering his mercy,

the mercy promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his sons for ever.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!

or

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

Gospel Acclamation

Lk11:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy are those

who hear the word of God

and keep it.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 12:46-50

My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven

Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’

21 November 2024, Thursday, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD AND FOR HIS CHURCH

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ZECHARIAH 2:14-17; MT 12:46-50 ]

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Mary’s presentation in the Temple. Although this feast might not have concrete historical grounding, yet there is no reason for the Church to offer this feast for our inspiration. It was believed that St Anne was childless and after the birth of Mary, both Saints Joachim and Anne presented their daughter, Mary, in the Temple as an act of thanksgiving. Like the rest of Israel, Joachim and Anne, as part of the remnant of God’s people, looked forward to the anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. Mary, being a miracle child, gave them hope in God’s power to deliver Israel.

However, unlike other children, when Mary was presented in the Temple, she symbolized that Daughter of Zion where God was coming to live in her. Prophet Zechariah said, “Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion; for I am coming to dwell in the middle of you – it is the Lord who speaks. Many nations will join the Lord, on that day; they will become his people. But he will remain among you, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. But the Lord will hold Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his very own. Let all mankind be silent before the Lord! For he is awakening and is coming from his holy dwelling.” Through Mary, a new humanity would be born. She would be that blessed and chosen daughter who would herself become a temple, a sinless dwelling place for the birth of the Eternal Son of the Father.

Indeed, it would be in the home of Sts Joachim and Anne that Mary would discover her vocation. In that domestic church where faith and love were present, Mary’s unique vocation was nurtured and come to fruition when she said “yes’ to be the mother of the Saviour. We can be certain that Joachim and Anne’s faith would have shaped and influenced the faith of Mary so that she, too, was obedient to the Lord and sought to do His holy will. A home where parents live prayerful lives and promote love, peace, forgiveness, tolerance, understanding and mutual support is important for any child to grow up holistically. In that environment, Mary could hear the Word of God, contemplate on His love and imitate the exemplary life of faith and love of her parents. Of course, she was also given that special grace of being conceived immaculately.

We see the fruits of Mary’s upbringing and the accompanying special grace of the Immaculate Conception in her response to God’s call to be the Mother of the Saviour. In spite of the risks of saying “yes” to the miraculous conception of our Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit, she was willing to face the prospect of being falsely accused of adultery, of being rejected by Joseph, misunderstood by her parents and loved ones and alienated by society. Mary was courageous and trusted that God would show her the way when she had to face the trials ahead of her. For Mary, having been presented to the Lord in the Temple, she knew that her life belonged to God and she would be that handmaid of the Lord, doing His will regardless of the difficulties ahead of her.

However, it would be too narrow to see Mary’s faith only with regard to God. The fruits of her presentation in the Temple is also seen in her devotion to her people, Israel. Although, she was not actively involved in the salvation of humanity, she cooperated with her Son to bring salvation to the world. Her “yes” was not only at the point of the conception of our Lord, but the first “yes” led to all other “yes-es”. Few of us realize that when we say “yes”, it is not just for the moment but for all other decisions connected with that ultimate “yes”. This is particularly true of any vocation, whether marriage, priesthood, religious life, or any commitment that we make. It is easy to say “yes” to a friendship or appointment to an office. But what will prove that the “yes” we make is truly a “yes” is proven by how we live our life and our commitment to our vocation, to our spouse and friend or to the office we hold.

Most of all, we see the flowering of the grace of God in Mary whom the angel addressed as “full of grace” in her life of charity. Her love for the People of Israel is expressed in sharing in their hopes for deliverance as she sang in the Magnificat, “He protects Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy, the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons for ever.” (Lk 1:54f) Her love for the weak and the suffering is seen in her outreach to Elizabeth in her old age when she was pregnant with John the Baptist, her concern for the guests at the Wedding in Cana when there was no more wine. Her forgiveness was seen in how she never uttered a word of anger or revenge against the enemies of her Son. She simply suffered with Jesus on the cross. Truly, as the Magnificat says, “His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear him. He puts forth his arm in strength and scatters the proud-hearted. He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly. He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.” (Lk 1:50-53)

In the light of what we have said, we can then understand why this feast is celebrated – so that we too can learn from Mary’s faith and love for God and His Church. Mary is not just the mother of God but also mother of the Church. She is our model of faith, hope and charity. In her, we learn how to be in union with God and His church. This calls first and foremost for a strengthening of our domestic church, the family. The sad situation in the world today, where there are fewer marriages, fewer children, more divorces and dysfunctional families, and young people confused over their gender, can be attributed to a breakdown of the domestic church, a home where couples and their children can cultivate intimacy, interpersonal relationships and growing in affective maturity and healthy values that are life-giving in accordance with the gospel. What is happening is that because of materialism and individualism, each one is only thinking about fulfilling his selfish interests and not that of others. For this reason, we need to imitate Sts Joachim and Anne, to make our homes where our children can experience the love of God and imbibe in the values of the gospel so that they too can hear the call of God in their own lives.

Secondly, it calls for a special devotion to Mary. We must deepen our prayer life, especially a contemplative prayer life. Mary was always attentive to the Lord in quiet prayer and meditation. We hardly hear Mary speaking in the gospel, but she was always presented as one who was always pondering over the Word of God and over the events that unfolded in her life. She is portrayed as a tranquil woman whose heart is the temple of God’s presence and His word. Mary was praised by the Lord as one who hears the word of God and does it. (cf Lk 8:21) We need to learn how to contemplate like her. This is why today, the Church also honours those religious in contemplative life. What would the Church be without the contemplative tradition that is being kept alive by our contemplative brothers and sisters? We are very grateful to the Carmelite Sisters who have been praying for our Church. They are beacons of hope and faith in God. It is through contemplative prayer that our hearts are transformed, not just our minds. Through them, we become true communities of contemplation and prayer.

Finally, like her, we must seek to live out our promises and our vocation in life. We must contemplate on the Word of God deeply, as she did, so that what we reflect on becomes part of our life and conviction. In the gospel, when a man told Jesus that His mother and brothers were “standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him”, Jesus said, “‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sisters and mother.'” Doing God’s will in our life is what it means to present ourselves to the Lord. This is the real meaning of the presentation of Mary at the Temple. Mary teaches us that we must first allow the Word of God to be born in our hearts before we can bring Jesus to the world. So, with Mary and with her parents, Joachim and Anne, we seek to present ourselves anew to the Lord by consecrating ourselves to God, consecrating our family, our children, and our community. When we give ourselves to the Lord in the Temple, He will make us His temple. We will know that we are His temple when we grow in holiness and when people see Jesus in us.

Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.

LABOURING FOR GOD’S KINGDOM WHILST WAITING FOR ITS FULFILLMENT

20241120 LABOURING FOR GOD’S KINGDOM WHILST WAITING FOR ITS FULFILLMENT

First reading

Apocalypse 4:1-11

He was, he is, and he is to come

In my vision, I, John, saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying, ‘Come up here: I will show you what is to come in the future.’ With that, the Spirit possessed me and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne, and the Person sitting there looked like a diamond and a ruby. There was a rainbow encircling the throne, and this looked like an emerald. Round the throne in a circle were twenty-four thrones, and on them I saw twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white robes with golden crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning were coming from the throne, and the sound of peals of thunder, and in front of the throne there were seven flaming lamps burning, the seven Spirits of God. Between the throne and myself was a sea that seemed to be made of glass, like crystal. In the centre, grouped round the throne itself, were four animals with many eyes, in front and behind. The first animal was like a lion, the second like a bull, the third animal had a human face, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle. Each of the four animals had six wings and had eyes all the way round as well as inside; and day and night they never stopped singing:

‘Holy, Holy, Holy

is the Lord God, the Almighty;

he was, he is and he is to come.’

Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One who lives for ever and ever, and threw down their crowns in front of the throne, saying, ‘You are our Lord and our God, you are worthy of glory and honour and power, because you made all the universe and it was only by your will that everything was made and exists.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 150

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

or

Alleluia!

Praise God in his holy place,

praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his powerful deeds,

praise his surpassing greatness.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

or

Alleluia!

O praise him with sound of trumpet,

praise him with lute and harp.

Praise him with timbrel and dance,

praise him with strings and pipes.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

or

Alleluia!

O praise him with resounding cymbals,

praise him with clashing of cymbals.

Let everything that lives and that breathes

give praise to the Lord.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

1Jn2:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

Alleluia!

Or:

cf.Jn15:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

I chose you from the world

to go out and bear fruit,

fruit that will last,

says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 19:11-28

The parable of the talents

While the people were listening, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they imagined that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there. Accordingly he said, ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and afterwards return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. “Do business with these” he told them “until I get back.” But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, “We do not want this man to be our king.”

‘Now on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in and said, “Sir, your one pound has brought in ten.” “Well done, my good servant!” he replied “Since you have proved yourself faithful in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities.” Then came the second and said, “Sir, your one pound has made five.” To this one also he said, “And you shall be in charge of five cities.” Next came the other and said, “Sir, here is your pound. I put it away safely in a piece of linen because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you pick up what you have not put down and reap what you have not sown.” “You wicked servant!” he said “Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest.” And he said to those standing by, “Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds.” And they said to him, “But, sir, he has ten pounds…”. “I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

‘“But as for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.”’

When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

20 November 2024, Wednesday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

LABOURING FOR GOD’S KINGDOM WHILST WAITING FOR ITS FULFILLMENT

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [REV 4:1-11; LUKE 19:11-28]

The context of today’s gospel is that the people were expecting that “the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there” as Jesus approached Jerusalem. They thought that Jesus was going to bring about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. Of course, there were also other kinds of speculation as to how the Kingdom of God would be established. Rather than speculating on the day of the Lord’s coming, Jesus reminded them that they should instead be focused on preparing themselves for the Day of the Lord by growing the Kingdom of God on earth. As He said in the parable, the time for the return of the King is unknown. Until then, those who truly seek the Kingdom of God must realize that there will be enemies who would be plotting against the King to prevent Him from taking possession of His kingdom.

To appreciate this parable, it would be helpful to know setting of Jesus’ narration of the parable. Firstly, Jesus was drawing from the historical context of His days with respect to the Kingdom of King Herod the Great. Upon his death, his kingdom was divided among his three sons, Herod Antipas, Herod Philip and Herod Archelaus. It was the latter that went to Rome to seek endorsement for his right of inheritance. But his people did not like him and so they sent a group of dissidents to Rome to appeal to the Emperor to deny him of his kingship. “But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.” Eventually, the Emperor recognized his inheritance of that part of the kingdom of King Herod the Great, namely Judea, but refused to accord him the title of King.

But Jesus also used this historical context to allude to His mission, which was to establish the kingdom of God. He likened Himself to the King sent to His people, but was rejected by them, especially the religious leaders. They sought to put Him to death. But after His death, the Father raised Jesus from the dead and He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Until His second coming at the end of time when He will pronounce final judgment on those who rejected Him, the Lord entrusted the building of His kingdom to His servants.

However, as the Lord said, none of us have any clue as to when He would come again. Until then, we are to work hard in making the Kingdom of God grow. The kingdom in some ways has been established by Christ’s death and resurrection. But the fullness will only appear at the end of time. But there will be a definite end to history when the world would be consumed and transfigured. The first reading from the book of Revelation gives us a vision of the future. St John was shown the vision of the majesty of God and His omnipotence. The holiness of the kingdom was represented by the symbol of the glass which looks like crystal creating a distance between God and St John. Most of all, He was worshipped as the Creator God of the Universe. “Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One who lives for ever and ever, and threw down their crowns in front of the throne, saying, ‘You are our Lord and our God, you are worthy of glory and honour and power, because you made all the universe and it was only by your will that everything was made and exists.'”

To establish the Kingdom of God therefore simply means to make Him once again the Lord and God of this universe. It is to give Him His rightful place in the world, His sovereignty over all which the world has supplanted because of greed, pride and self-sufficiency. God is the Lord of all creation and humanity and we are all called to bow down in worship and adoration, crying out, “”Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; he was, he is and he is to come.” With the psalmist, we want to lead the entire humanity to praise and worship Him. “Praise God in his holy place; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his powerful deeds, praise his surpassing greatness. O praise him with resounding cymbals, praise him with clashing of cymbals. Let everything that lives and that breathes give praise to the Lord.”

But this cannot happen unless we as servants of our Lord use all the resources given to us for this purpose of establishing God’s kingdom. The Lord has given us the resources and charisms expressed in the “pound” given to the ten servants. It shows how much God trusts us, and what a privilege it is to be entrusted with the gift of faith to be passed on to others! Of course, there will be opposition and risks in seeking to grow the kingdom of God as there will also be enemies of the kingdom. We must eliminate evil from society, pride, selfishness and ignorance. With untiring zeal, we must be actively involved in the ordinary affairs of the world and transform the world to live under the principles of Christ’s teaching on the Kingdom of God. We must not rest or be irresponsible because we are not just fighting against the untiring zeal of Christ’s enemies but also against “the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12)

Unfortunately, this was what the wicked and lazy servant failed to do. He was given just one pound but instead of taking risks and investing it, he put it away. His excuse was that the master was an exacting man. But the master upon hearing it condemned him. “Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest.” The point is that God has given us resources and talents which we must use creatively for the building of God’s kingdom. The master did not tell his servants how to do it but simply left the pound to them to be used in the way they thought best. God trusts and believes in us to do well. This is why our response calls for faithfulness and accountability as we work towards the fulfilment of the kingdom. It is not enough simply to keep safe what the Lord has given to us but we must multiply what we have been given.

We are called to imitate the servants who took the risk of investing the money and reaped ten and five times more from the capital given to them. Indeed, being witnesses of the kingdom requires us to take courage. Risks are necessary because without taking risks, we cannot make large profits, as the servants did. We must be courageous in bringing the gospel to the world, because there are so many enemies who are opposed to it. Remaining silent and inactive is not the way to safeguard the gospel. Unfortunately, this is what is happening in the world today. Many good Catholics remain silent and quiet when their faith, values and conscience are challenged. By remaining quiet, the silent majority has allowed the vocal minority to speak as if they are the main voice of society.

The Lord’s warning is instructive for us. The master said to those standing by, “‘Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds.’ And they said to him, ‘but, sir, he has ten pounds…’ ‘I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Indeed, those who use their talents creatively for the service of the Kingdom and His people will grow from strength to strength. They will become better and more experienced in sharing the Good News. Those who have received the faith but have not been sharing it with others, will eventually lose that little faith that they have. It is only by sharing and teaching others our faith that we grow in understanding and conviction of the gospel. We grow best by giving ourselves. In this the Lord leads by example. At the end of the discourse, we read, “When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.” Jesus did not delay the coming of God’s kingdom. Instead, He took the risk and went up to Jerusalem to meet His enemies so that the Kingdom of God would be established. Jesus was no coward. He was courageous and focused.

Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.

Sunday, 17 November 2024

PURIFYING OUR MOTIVES IN OUR SERVICE

20241118 PURIFYING OUR MOTIVES IN OUR SERVICE

First reading

Apocalypse 1:1-4,2:1-5

Think what you were before you fell, and repent

This is the revelation given by God to Jesus Christ so that he could tell his servants about the things which are now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John, and John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ. Happy the man who reads this prophecy, and happy those who listen to him, if they treasure all that it says, because the Time is close.

From John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits in his presence before his throne.

I heard the Lord saying to me: ‘Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus and say, “Here is the message of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives surrounded by the seven golden lamp-stands: I know all about you: how hard you work and how much you put up with. I know you cannot stand wicked men, and how you tested the impostors who called themselves apostles and proved they were liars. Know, too, that you have patience, and have suffered for my name without growing tired. Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make; you have less love now than you used to. Think where you were before you fell; repent, and do as you used to at first.”’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 1:1-4,6

Those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

Happy indeed is the man

who follows not the counsel of the wicked;

nor lingers in the way of sinners

nor sits in the company of scorners,

but whose delight is the law of the Lord

and who ponders his law day and night.

Those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

He is like a tree that is planted

beside the flowing waters,

that yields its fruit in due season

and whose leaves shall never fade;

and all that he does shall prosper.

Those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

Not so are the wicked, not so!

For they like winnowed chaff

shall be driven away by the wind:

for the Lord guards the way of the just

but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

Those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 18:35-43

'Son of David, have pity on me'

As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.

18 November 2024, Monday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

PURIFYING OUR MOTIVES IN OUR SERVICE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [REV 1:1-4; 2:1-5; LUKE 18:35-43]

In the gospel, we read how the blind man, Bartimaeus, was healed of his blindness. It must have been an amazing miracle for him. To be blind in those days would have meant that he could not work and make a living. This explains why he was a beggar “sitting at the side of the road begging.” That was all a blind man could do. Each day, he depended on the generosity of people to keep him alive. And so, when he heard that Jesus was passing through, that was his moment of hope. He cried out as loudly and persistently as never before, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”

In spite of the discouragement of the people, he persevered in faith and in hope. “The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me’.” His persevering faith was rewarded by the Lord’s response. “Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned.” That was his conversion experience. He felt the love and mercy of God in and through Jesus. It was as if he was given a new life.

As a consequence, we read “he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.” Anyone who has been loved by God and experienced His mercy in a radical manner would want to give his or her life in service to God. In fact, to give up our lives for the service of God and His Church presupposes that we have encountered His profound love. This is the prerequisite for devotion to the Lord and His people. Otherwise, we think that God is our debtor. Isn’t this the case of many of us who serve in the Church or give to the Church and the poor? Because many of us did not come from a situation of desperation in our lives but grew up with the faith, we often take our faith for granted. We treat our religion as a matter of routine. We are conditioned to serve and help the Church. So we are doing work for the Church, but from the perspective of pride and ambition. We think that we are doing so much for the Church, sacrificing so much of our time and money, and therefore the Church and of course God, should thank us for our generosity.

We think that God is indebted to us for our kindness. With this kind of attitude, we become proud and arrogant. We make demands because we serve from wrong motives. Some serve out of love for God and for the poor, but they see themselves as the source of the blessings for others, not God. They labour under the illusion that what they have come from their hard work and ingenuity. That is why they expect people to be grateful to them. This would not be the case if, like Blind Bartimaeus, they recognized that without God’s graciousness, they would not be able even to live their lives, much less have the capacity to serve others.

This explains why the Lord complained about the Christians in the early Church. He said, “I know all about you: how hard you work and how much you put up with. I know you cannot stand wicked men, and how you tested the impostors who called themselves apostles and proved they were liars. Know, too, that you have patience, and have suffered for my name without growing tired.” Indeed, many of us could fall into the same attitude as well. Many are very hardworking and committed to the Church. They work hard and give themselves fully to the tasks given to them. They sacrifice all their time and even resources to get the work done. Many seek to fight for the truth, for social justice and the faith. Indeed, many have suffered for the sake of the gospel patiently. All these things they do are good in themselves. No one can discount the goodness of their works.

However, the Lord lamented, “Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make; you have less love now than you used to.” The problem with such goodwill people is that they do all these things not out of love for the Lord. If it were not out of pure love for the Lord, then what could be motivating them? There are many reasons why people are involved in Church activities and voluntary work. Some are just bored and want to make themselves useful. Others are looking for self-worth and so by giving themselves in service and especially in leadership positions, they gain self-confidence through recognition from others. This helps to boost their ego and lack of self-esteem. That is why there are some who are very ambitious and would use every available means to ensure success in what they do, even at times breaking all rules of charity. Others are obsessed with ideology and want to prove others wrong. So taken up are they by their passion for some cause, whether it is for the poor or some policies, that they even use violence to get what they want. And if they don’t, they become angry with God, resentful of Him for not helping them win their cause.

This is why the Lord warns us, “Think where you were before you fell; repent, and do as you used to at first, or else, if you will not repent, I shall come to you and take your lamp-stand from its place.” Many goodwill Catholics started well, getting involved in church and social activities. But just work and activities alone cannot sustain them. Unless we are motivated by love of Christ, we can become ambitious and disillusioned when things do not work out our way. From being passionate about the Church, they become bitter and leave the faith completely. They do not realize that the Church is a community of sinners and imperfect people. We are to serve God out of love for His people. Our goal is not to expect appreciation and recognition from them. But whatever we do, we do it because we love the Lord. In the final analysis, God does not judge what we do but why we do what we do; not our achievements but whether we do everything out of love for Him and His people.

Hence we must, in our works of mercy and service, constantly go back to the call when we first encountered His amazing love. If we do not have this experience yet, then we need to contemplate on His love. But in truth, no one can give Himself wholeheartedly unless he or she is overwhelmed by God’s love. Otherwise, we will lack passion in our ministry, and if we appear to be hardworking and passionate, it is more for our self, our glory and our need to be recognized and loved. If we have been given this encounter, then let us relive it again and again so that we will never forget that without Him, we will not be where we are today, and all that we do cannot outdo His generosity and mercy for us.

This was the reason and origin for St Paul’s missionary works. “I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever.” (1 Tim 1:12-17)

Indeed, we must be like the psalmist, striving for victory till the end by staying close to His love and His word. “Happy indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked; nor lingers in the way of sinners nor sits in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper. Not so are the wicked, not so! For they like winnowed chaff shall be driven away by the wind. For the Lord guards the way of the just but the way of the wicked leads to doom.”

Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.

Saturday, 16 November 2024

WHICH SIDE OF THE BATTLE ARE YOU ON?

20241117 WHICH SIDE OF THE BATTLE ARE YOU ON?

First reading

Daniel 12:1-3

Some will wake to everlasting life, some to shame and disgrace

‘At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 15(16):5,8-11

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

it is you yourself who are my prize.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

nor let your beloved know decay.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

Second reading

Hebrews 10:11-14,18

When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin-offerings

All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt24:42 44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk21:36

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake, praying at all times

for the strength to stand with confidence

before the Son of Man.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 13:24-32

The stars will fall from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.

‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’

17 November 2024, Sunday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

WHICH SIDE OF THE BATTLE ARE YOU ON?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Dn 12:1-3; Ps 16:5, 8-11; Heb 10:11-14.18; Mark:24-32]

When we look at the world today, we see lights and shadows. Positively, we see growing globalization taking place as a result of mass communication, technology and migration. The world has become a global village. With technological progress, there seems to be better communication, exchanges and mutual understanding among the peoples of the world and among nations. Life is much more convenient than 50 years ago because of technology. On the whole we enjoy a higher and better standard of living and even extension of our life span.

On the darker side, many battles are being fought in the world today. The obvious battles are the wars that are going on over territorial rights, between races and religions. There are also the wars against social injustices and terrorism, against famine, diseases, epidemics and drugs. Underlying all these is the war of ideology. There is a clash between fundamentalism and relativism. The world is in tension because of the clash of values. On one hand, fundamentalism breeds intolerance, hatred and even violence, as can be seen in the terrorist activities committed all in the name of purity of faith and God. Yet, the deepest root of such fundamentalism is the reaction to social injustices and liberalism. On the other hand, relativism breeds materialism, consumerism and individualism, leading to lawlessness and nihilism.

Indeed, the scripture readings warn of challenging and daunting times ahead for humanity. Daniel prophesied, “There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence.” In a similar vein, Jesus said, “In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” These warnings were not given to frighten us but to prepare us for the eventuality. In this way, we cannot say that we do not know what is awaiting us if we continue to follow the individualistic and selfish ways of the world. The writing is on the wall. We have all the signs that will happen in our future. We have seen the happenings in Europe in the wake of secularism and secularization. What we see in the West – where churches are becoming empty, faith is declining, family is weakened, divorce is rising, young people are becoming violent; and same sex union is endorsed, and Satanism is freely promoted – is a projection of what will happen to us in the East and in developing countries in due course.

In the final analysis, the real battle that is being fought today as in the days of old is the battle between light and darkness, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. All the battles we have just mentioned are reducible to the battle between truth and falsehood, love and selfishness. Indeed, the ultimate war is a spiritual war. Everything is rooted in truth and love. God as absolute truth and love, gives meaning to the world. But unfortunately, man wants to do away with God. Today, secularism and humanism want to supplant the place of God. They would have no master except themselves. By wanting total autonomy from God, man cannot find peace in the world.

Accordingly, the question confronting us today is, which side of the battle are you on? Are you fighting for the Evil One and with him and his angels? Or are you with Christ and His holy angels? Are you in Christ’s army or Satan’s army? If you are with Christ’s army, then what must you do?

Firstly, like Christ, we must put sin to death. In the second reading, we read that “Christ, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place for ever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him.” By His passion, death and resurrection, Jesus has not only conquered the power of sin but the greatest of all enemies, the fear of death. Without death, sin has no more power over us because all sins thrive on the fear of death. All the capital sins have to do with fear of death; be it biological or emotional threat to one’s existence and well-being.

Secondly, we must make sacrifices for the atonement of our sins, like the priests who stood “at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices.” The sacrifice we are called to make is to share in Christ’s “one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying.” That is to say, we are called to share in Christ’s sacrifice by dying to sin and, most of all, to self by giving up our lives for the service of God and others. By loving and dying for others, we share in the sacrifice of Christ.

Thirdly, we must now be prophets of truth and continue the work of the proclamation of the Good News. The greatest enemy of the Church is falsehood because the devil is the Father of lies. In the first reading, we read that “the learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.” It is our duty to enlighten the world in truth through reason and faith. We who have received the gospel of truth from our Lord must seek to be witnesses of His truth and love in the world. We are called to enlighten those in error, ignorance and those who live in darkness. We can engage them personally if we know them. Otherwise, we can engage them through the media, via social and digital media. We must spare no means to enlighten the world and those who are ignorant, using all the means available to us. The proper means is through sincere, fraternal, patient and open dialogue with those whom we disagree with; not through demonstrations, pressure or retaliation, or worse still, through hostile words and actions, or violence.

However, the battle against darkness is to be fought not just through words but it must be through works. We are called not just to proclaim the truth but to live a life of charity and truth. Living a life of holiness is the way to bring light to those in darkness. Nothing can turn the lives of sceptical and wounded people towards Christ unless we demonstrate by a life of compassion and understanding. We must continue to do good, forgive those who have hurt us and overcome evil by doing good.

At times, we feel that we are losing the battle. But we should not be discouraged and tempted to give up. It might seem that the world is winning the battle against life by advocating abortion, euthanasia, or against love by advocating same sex union and free love and lust. But we know that evil has been overcome by Christ in His death and resurrection. The victory has been won. As Jesus assured us, “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.” We are just bringing this victory of Christ into our lives.

So, all the more, we must join Jesus’ army. At confirmation, we have become soldiers in Christ. We are called to join St Michael in being crusaders for Christ. We are called to be Spiritual warriors. So we must continue to be His prayer warriors by interceding for the Church and for His bishops and priests. As prayer warriors, we must also fast and live a life of mortification. We must be prophets of truth and charity. We must be evangelizers. We must be models of faith for others. This is what we are called to do. Only by being witnesses of Christ can we change the world and be the salt and light of this earth.

We can also collaborate with other Christians and faith believers. We are to work with them. As Jesus says, “those not against us are with us.” In these days, we need to be more ecumenical and engage in inter-religious dialogue. We need to respect that religions share in the rays of truth. So whatever is noble, good, true and holy, we must accept and affirm. Together with them, we work for the greater good of humanity. The situation of the world is frightening. As St Michael the Archangel sought to defend the Church, we too must defend the Church, for the future of the world is at stake.

Finally, we must trust in Him. We need to take refuge in Him, like the psalmist. We must conquer sin with Christ and not use our own strength. As the psalmist prays, “Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.” And even when we fail, we can trust in God’s mercy. As the author says, “When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.” On that day, we will then be ready to celebrate the Feast of Christ the King when all His enemies are conquered, especially of sin and death. Then Christ will be the king of all and all will be in His Heavenly Father’s kingdom.

Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.

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