Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together

Friday, 17 April 2026

THE PRE-REQUISITES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER

20260418 THE PRE-REQUISITES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER

18 April 2026, Saturday, 2nd Week of Easter

First reading

Acts 6:1-7

They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit

About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 32(33):1-2,4-5,18-19

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Alleluia!

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;

for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,

with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Alleluia!

For the word of the Lord is faithful

and all his works to be trusted.

The Lord loves justice and right

and fills the earth with his love.

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Alleluia!

The Lord looks on those who revere him,

on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Rm6:9

Alleluia, alleluia!

Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again.

Death has no power over him any more.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Christ has risen, he who created all things,

and has granted his mercy to men.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 6:16-21

They saw Jesus walking on the lake

In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough. They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he said, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ They were for taking him into the boat, but in no time it reached the shore at the place they were making for.

THE PRE-REQUISITES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 6:1-7; JN 6:16-21]

The Church, as in the days of old, is beset with challenges from both within and without. Like the early Church, symbolised by the disciples in the boat, we too are threatened by the storms of life. We read that “it was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough.” In a world of secularism and relativism, compounded by materialism, the Church is in many ways under siege on all sides. Rocked by scandals from within and opposed by those who hate the Church from without, we live in precarious times. Yet, scandals and persecutions are not new to the Church. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read how the primitive Church faced all kinds of persecution as well, especially from political and religious authorities.

But today we are also told that, internally, there was jealousy and anger resulting from discrimination and favouritism practised by Church leaders. The Greek-speaking Christian widows were being neglected by the Church; as a result, there was discontent. This incident shows that the early Church, like our own, was not so perfect and idealistic after all. They, too, had their fair share of human weakness and sinfulness. This was perhaps inevitable; as the Church grew in number and strength, the organism became more complex. Problems that could once be dealt with personally by the leaders could no longer be managed that way. As a consequence, misunderstandings and miscommunication arose.

For this reason, it is vital that the Church appoints the right leaders to look after the flock of God. In the final analysis, identifying and appointing these individuals is of paramount importance. Choosing the wrong leaders is the root cause of many problems in the Church today. To attend to the pastoral, spiritual, doctrinal, and moral needs of our people, we must put in place faith-filled Catholics — clerical, religious, or lay — who are eminently qualified to serve. Without strong leadership, we will not be able to withstand the storms currently buffeting the Church.

But who should we appoint as leaders in the Church? While there is no denying that leaders must possess the qualities expected in the secular world — such as being visionary, creative, knowledgeable, and having fortitude and foresight — these alone are not sufficient to qualify one for Christian leadership. Unfortunately, when many of us look for a leader in the Church, we look for the same traits found in the corporate world: that they are talented, accomplished in their careers, wealthy, powerful, resourceful, intelligent, eloquent, and effective organisers. Yet, these qualities alone do not qualify a person to be a Christian leader.

So, who is qualified to be a Christian leader? Over and above the human endowments required for secular leadership, Christian leaders must be, as the early Church instructs, people of “good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom.” In other words, whoever aspires to be a Christian leader must, above all, be a person of deep faith. Without this foundation, one is not qualified for the role. Otherwise, we might as well simply hire the most intelligent or talented person to be Pope, Bishop, or parish priest to increase the Church’s numbers, power, and influence, much like a CEO in a corporate organisation. In such a scenario, we would have no need for God or His grace, as we would be relying solely on human skill and ingenuity.

Precisely, the Church is not merely human but divine, and her message is not of human origin, but of God. We must not reduce the Church to a mere human institution. While we should use our common sense and intellect to solve problems or meet challenges, we must ultimately rely on the power of God working in and through us. We must never rule out the possibility of miraculous intervention. God can act in the most unexpected situations, as He did for the disciples caught in the storm. They were battling fierce winds and were in danger of drowning; yet, in an instant, after encountering Jesus, they miraculously reached the shore. As Scripture says, “They were for taking him into the boat, but in no time it reached the shore at the place they were making for.”

Consequently, we must ask: do our Christian leaders truly believe in the power of grace that comes from Christ alone? At times, it seems many rely more on their own ingenuity, planning, and strategising than on the power of God. How many of us in leadership actually pray over our projects, practising proper discernment before the Lord and interceding for the success of our endeavours? We plan extensively and work tirelessly, yet we hardly pray; not only do we neglect to pray for our projects, but we often fail to pray at all.

And yet, we dare to assume leadership in our Church organisations! How could someone who is “pagan at heart”– even if a Christian in name — consider themselves qualified to be a Christian leader? We are not looking for CEOs, but for shepherds after the heart and mind of Christ — leaders with compassionate and humble hearts. We do not need those who are merely efficient and smart, yet egoistic, insensitive, and arrogant–perfectionists who cannot tolerate the weaknesses of their brothers and sisters.

Indeed, we must ensure that those we select as leaders in our Church organisations are Catholics truly imbued with the spirit of the Gospel. They must be believers who possess a deep faith in the Risen Lord and are committed to the Gospel purely for the apostolic motive of spreading the Good News of Jesus — whom they have encountered as the love and mercy of God — rather than for ambitious or egoistic reasons. This explains why the Apostles, in addressing the teething problems of the growing community, moved quickly to rectify the situation by having the community elect leaders known for their piety and prudence. Most importantly, this was all done in the context of prayer: “They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.”

If we were to surmise the necessary qualities of a Christian leader from today’s Scripture readings, we can list them accordingly. First, he must be a man of prayer. A Christian leader who does not pray cannot feel with God nor discern His will; he is a dangerous man who may lead his flock in the ways of the world. A leader must first listen to the Lord before he can lead others. Secondly, he must be devoted to the Word of God. Without a deep love for the Word, how can a leader share in the mind and heart of Jesus, the Good Shepherd? By what criteria will he make decisions or guide his people unless those guidelines are rooted in Scripture? This is why the Apostles sought to “continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.”

Thirdly, by extension, he must have a deep love for the Word of God made flesh in the Eucharist. The Bread of Life — both the Word of God and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist — must be deeply appreciated, adored, and contemplated. Without a special devotion to the Eucharist, a leader cannot maintain intimacy with the Lord and the Church, the Body of Christ. Fourthly, he must be filled with the wisdom that comes from docility to the Holy Spirit. Wisdom must complement knowledge; otherwise, we make decisions based on immediate gains rather than eternal values. Finally, he must have a good reputation. That is to say, he must live a godly, exemplary life in both conduct and worship. A Christian leader should earn the respect of his community and colleagues through his virtues. If he is feared rather than revered, he becomes a dictator, not a shepherd.

Truly, only when we make time for daily prayer, pray with the Scriptures, and participate in the Eucharist can we consider ourselves ready for Christian leadership. If a leader is spiritually blind, he will only lead his people into the pit. For this reason, those who hold positions in the Church — whether as priests, full-time workers, or volunteers — bear a serious responsibility to maintain their spiritual lives and remain well-informed in their faith, both in doctrine and morals. How tragic it is to destroy the lives of those under our charge, or to mislead them, simply because we have been irresponsible or negligent in our spiritual formation.

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.

Thursday, 16 April 2026

THE UNASSAILABLE POWER OF GOD

20260417 THE UNASSAILABLE POWER OF GOD

17 April 2026, Friday, 2nd Week of Easter

First reading

Acts 5:34-42

They were glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name

One member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a doctor of the Law and respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the apostles taken outside for a time. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, ‘Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these people. There was Theudas who became notorious not so long ago. He claimed to be someone important, and he even collected about four hundred followers; but when he was killed, all his followers scattered and that was the end of them. And then there was Judas the Galilean, at the time of the census, who attracted crowds of supporters; but he got killed too, and all his followers dispersed. What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.’

His advice was accepted; and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.

They preached every day both in the Temple and in private houses, and their proclamation of the Good News of Christ Jesus was never interrupted.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia!

The Lord is my light and my help;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink?

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia!

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

all the days of my life,

to savour the sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia!

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord!

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, to live in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

We know that Christ is truly risen from the dead:

have mercy on us, triumphant King.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 6:1-15

The feeding of the five thousand

Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.

Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.

THE UNASSAILABLE POWER OF GOD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 5:34-42; PS 27:1,4,13-14; JN 6:1-15 ]

It is human nature to defend ourselves against perceived enemies who threaten our lives or the status quo. This was the case with the Jewish leaders who tried to deal with the newfound Jesus movement among the early Christians. They were motivated partly by jealousy, as the new movement was gaining popularity and attracting new members. But they were also driven by fear of Roman intervention, since the preaching of the apostles could cause social disorder, religious division, and even pose political challenges to Roman authority. Thus, institutions often resort to punishment, threats, and imprisonment to silence those who are different or who could disrupt existing social, religious, and political structures.

Thanks to St. Paul’s teacher, Gamaliel, the Sanhedrin were steered in the right direction by his wisdom and astuteness. Instead of reacting impulsively to the new movement founded by Christ’s disciples, he urged that the situation be monitored. He provided a vital guiding principle for the work of discernment: “What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God.” Indeed, those who walk by the light and in truth will be victorious in the end. Those who act merely out of human initiative will not last. Worse still are those who walk in darkness and falsehood; they will eventually destroy themselves.

After this ruling, the persecution from the Jewish authorities was notably restrained. Although the authorities flogged the apostles and warned them not to proclaim His name, they continued to do so regardless after their release. “And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name. They preached every day both in the Temple and in private houses, and their proclamation of the Good News of Christ Jesus was never interrupted.” The apostles could rejoice even in their suffering and humiliation, simply because they knew the relentless spread of the Gospel was not due to their own strength or ingenuity, but purely because of the power of the Risen Lord at work in their lives.

Truly, in the history of Christianity, Gamaliel’s principle has been proven right. In later Church history, when the Romans persecuted the early Church during the first three centuries, it became evident that the use of power, force, and threats could not stop the Church from growing. On the contrary, even though the Christian faith was outlawed and many Christians were tortured and martyred, the number of believers grew even more. As the saying goes, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” This is why when we try to fight against the power of God, we will lose the battle; for in the Old Testament, God is known as the Lord of Hosts — the commander of the army of Israel.

This same predicament, though in a less threatening manner, also occurred during the ministry of Jesus. He was faced with the dilemma of feeding a crowd of five thousand. He asked Philip, “Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?” Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.” Andrew revealed his own desperation when he told the Lord, “There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that among so many?” Again, from a human perspective, there was no solution. It would have been difficult to send the crowd away to find food; on the other hand, there was no earthly way for Jesus to buy enough food or satisfy the crowd with only five loaves and two fish.

Like Gamaliel and the apostles, they surrendered themselves to the power of God’s grace. We read that Jesus “took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; He then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as they wanted.” In giving thanks, Jesus demonstrated His total trust and gratitude for whatever His Father provided. To give thanks is to trust in the power of God. Those who cannot give thanks are often looking at the wrong side of the problem; instead of focusing on the cup being half full, they focus on it being half empty. Instead of focusing on their blessings, they focus on their woes. When we dwell too much on the negative aspects of life, we become discouraged and lose faith in God and in ourselves, eventually wallowing in self-pity. Rather, we are called to thank God for what we have, even if it is only five barley loaves and two fish. When we thank God, we begin to count our blessings. By being grateful for what we have, we become more receptive to His grace for the future and more appreciative of others.

Perhaps this is how the bread multiplied. Some scholars suggest that Jesus might not have literally multiplied the bread, noting that, unlike his other miracles, there was no explicit expression of amazement from the crowd at the end. Perhaps when the people — many of whom had brought their own food — saw Jesus give thanks for the little He had, they came to appreciate their own abundance. Realising they were more blessed than Jesus in that moment, they were moved to share what they had brought in their baskets. This would explain the twelve baskets of leftovers, signifying that there was more than enough for everyone. When we share what we have, poverty could be eradicated, and no one would go hungry or suffer. The reality is that a few are hoarding the majority of the world’s resources, leaving the rest with nothing. But if we count our blessings and remain grateful to God, we will naturally begin to share what we have.

However, we must not dismiss the possibility that a literal miracle occurred and the bread was multiplied by the Lord. If we accept this position, it is easily accommodated because we are speaking of the power of God’s intervention. While we may not know historically exactly what transpired — given that the account of this miracle was shaped by the early liturgy of the Church in the celebration of the Eucharist — the central point remains: with God, nothing is impossible.

This miracle recounted by John is intended to prepare us for the discourse on the Eucharist as the Bread of Life. This explains why John prefaced the miracle by mentioning that Jesus crossed to “the other side of the Sea of Galilee” and that it was “shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.” These two details remind the reader of the great miracle God performed when He set the Israelites free from Egyptian slavery and led them across the Red Sea. Furthermore, we are reminded of how the Passover lamb saved the lives of the Israelites’ firstborn. These details are meant to help us situate the Eucharistic discourse: Jesus is revealed as the New Moses, the teacher of the New Israel, and the one who provides the true manna from heaven. Hence, like Moses, “Jesus climbed the hillside and sat down there with his disciples” to teach them with authority.

The most vital principle for faith in the Eucharist is that God possesses ultimate power over nature; therefore, He has the same power to transform bread and wine into His Body and Blood. Humanly speaking, this is impossible — but with God, nothing is impossible. Our response to Him is not governed by logic and reasoning, but by faith in His divine power. Like Jesus, we are called to surrender all we have to the Lord, even if it is only “five loaves and two fish.” If we surrender ourselves to the Lord, He will work miracles in our lives. We must learn to trust in Him and His divine providence. God will work wonders in our lives if, like Jesus, we continue to give Him thanks at all times for things both great and small. By trusting in the power of God rather than the power of man, we will see His miracles at work within us.

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.