20150430 THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD’S FIDELITY TO US IN JESUS

20150430 THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD’S FIDELITY TO US IN JESUS

Readings at Mass

First reading

Acts 13:13-25 ©

Paul and his friends went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: ‘Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so.’ Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:

  ‘Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out, and for about forty years took care of them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of their land for about four hundred and fifty years. After this he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years, he deposed him and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”’

Psalm

Psalm 88:2-3,21,22,25,27 ©

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;

  through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,

  that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

I have found David my servant

  and with my holy oil anointed him.

My hand shall always be with him

  and my arm shall make him strong.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

My truth and my love shall be with him;

  by my name his might shall be exalted.

He will say to me: ‘You are my father,

  my God, the rock who saves me.’

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Rv1:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

You, O Christ, are the faithful witness,

the First-born from the dead,

you have loved us and have washed away our sins with your blood.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 13:16-20 ©

After he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

no servant is greater than his master,

no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.

‘Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. I am not speaking about all of you: I know the ones I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: Someone who shares my table rebels against me.

‘I tell you this now, before it happens,

so that when it does happen

you may believe that I am He.

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me,

and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’

THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD’S FIDELITY TO US IN JESUS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 13:13-25;. JN 13:16-20

The theme of proclamation and evangelization dominates the scripture readings during this week of Easter. Like the early disciples, we are called to proclaim the Good News. But what is this good news that we are called to proclaim?  Simply this: the fidelity of the Father to us.  Yes, today’s scripture readings affirm the fidelity of God to us.  In the first reading, St Paul recounted the history of salvation which began with the election of Israel and culminating in Jesus as the promised saviour of God.  In spite of man’s infidelity and lack of openness to God, God has never withdrawn His love from us.  He continues to love us even to the extent of giving up His life for us in Jesus. In the gospel, we have Jesus who showed His fidelity to the Father in spite of the fact that He had to suffer.  For this reason, we are called to proclaim Christ to others because He is the Good News of God’s unconditional love and fidelity to us.  Consequently, it is important for us to ask how we can experience the Good News today so that we can proclaim it as such.  The answer is clear: the only way to experience the Good News as good news is that we become faithful ourselves.  But what does fidelity entail?

Firstly, fidelity means that we are conscious of the fact that we are sent by Jesus just as Jesus is sent by the Father.  Fidelity in this case is to know our role in this mission, which is to proclaim Jesus as the promised messiah.  This mission is given by the Father through Jesus.  We are not the originator of the mission.  Thus, if we want to be true apostles of Jesus, we must take heed of His words seriously about our position and function with regard to the mission.  We must be humble like John the Baptist who recognized that he was simply preparing the way for the messiah.  So clear was he of his role that John the Baptist declared, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”  Hence, apostles of the Good News must be careful that we do not project ourselves and allow people to worship us instead of leading people to Christ.  The great temptation for religious leaders, whether clerical or lay is that more often than not, under the guise of religion, we can make use of our privileged position for our own interests, to secure power and popularity rather than to make Jesus known and loved.

For this reason, Jesus told His disciples, “No servant is greater than his master; no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.”  And he added, “Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly.” The implication of this subordinate role of the messenger means that fidelity requires us to be dependent on Jesus for our mission.  We cannot be true messengers of Jesus if we do not realize our own inadequacy.  Without Jesus, we can do nothing.  The true messenger of Jesus therefore would be first and foremost a student of Jesus.

Unless, we sit at the feet of Jesus, we cannot proclaim Jesus to others.  We must spend time listening and learning from Jesus about life, truth and love.  Without realizing our need for Jesus, we can get swell-headed and listen to ourselves instead of listening to the wisdom of God.

Thirdly, fidelity to our mission simply means being what Jesus is.  Fidelity requires us to be so identified with Jesus just as Jesus identified Himself with the Father.  Only on this basis could Jesus say “whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”  Of course, such identification with Jesus will naturally flow when we have spent time with Jesus in deep intimacy.  As we grow in love for Jesus and in understanding of Jesus, we will necessarily acquire His mind and heart, His vision and His love.

In this way, the promise of Jesus is fulfilled, by behaving accordingly, we will find happiness in life.  This is because in clinging to Jesus, learning from Him and imitating Him, we become one with Him and find life for ourselves; and thereby acquiring the authority to proclaim what Jesus has done for us to others.  Let us pray that we will never fall into the temptation of Judas in today’s gospel.  Instead of listening to Jesus and working for his cause, Judas turned against Him and betrayed Jesus.  May our fidelity to Jesus and the Good News bring us and our hearers the true happiness that we are all seeking for in life.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved

20150429 THE URGENCY TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS

20150429 THE URGENCY TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS

Readings at Mass

First reading

Acts 12:24-13:5 ©

The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them.

  In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

  So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.

Psalm

Psalm 66:2-3,5-6,8 ©

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

O God, be gracious and bless us

  and let your face shed its light upon us.

So will your ways be known upon earth

  and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Let the nations be glad and exult

  for you rule the world with justice.

With fairness you rule the peoples,

  you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

  let all the peoples praise you.

May God still give us his blessing

  till the ends of the earth revere him.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Jn20:29

Alleluia, alleluia!

‘You believe, Thomas, because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.

Alleluia!

Or

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

John 12:44-50 ©

Jesus declared publicly:

‘Whoever believes in me

believes not in me

but in the one who sent me,

and whoever sees me,

sees the one who sent me.

I, the light, have come into the world,

so that whoever believes in me

need not stay in the dark any more.

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully,

it is not I who shall condemn him,

since I have come not to condemn the world,

but to save the world.

He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already:

the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.

For what I have spoken does not come from myself;

no, what I was to say,

what I had to speak,

was commanded by the Father who sent me,

and I know that his commands mean eternal life.

And therefore what the Father has told me

is what I speak.’

THE URGENCY TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 12:24-13:5; JN 12:44-50

In the gospel, Jesus calls Himself the light so that He can lead all to the fullness of truth and life: “I, the light, have come into the world, so that whoever believes in me need not stay in the dark anymore.”  If Jesus is the Light of the world, rejecting that light will bring about our own downfall.  Not that God who is always loving and forgiving us, will condemn us if we reject the Light; rather we will condemn ourselves because we will live to regret now and in the next life for failing to walk in the light.  Hence, Jesus warns us, “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully, it is not I who shall condemn him, since I have come not to condemn the world, but to save the world: he who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already: the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.”  This invitation to believe in Jesus and walk in the light is urgent.

Today, He continues to issue this call to everyone through us, His witnesses.  In the first reading, we read how the apostles were set part by the Holy Spirit for the mission.  We have just celebrated Vocation Sunday last week when we were reminded to pray for an increase in priestly and religious vocations.   Of course, not only should we pray for priestly vocations, we need to pray for all vocations in general, since all vocations serve the proclamation of the gospel.  Each one of us has also been set apart to do the work of God according to the charisms He has given to us.  Regardless of our vocation, we are called to witness to Christ wherever we are, not only when we are in Church or doing strictly “Church work.”  In every situation, we are called to reveal the face of the Father, His mercy and love, just as Jesus did with His entire life, preaching and performing miracles and works of compassion. 

So why is there a shortage of vocation to the priestly and religious life?  Most of all, why is the Church so lacking in members that are truly zealous in sharing the Good News to all of humanity?  It is very difficult for us to believe that our Church’s faith is alive, regardless of the high attendance at our Church services, or even Church involvement when many are diffident of sharing the Good News about Jesus Christ with their colleagues and friends, as if bringing them to Jesus is such a wrong thing to do.  So what could be the inertia among us?

The truth is that we do not really believe in the depth of our hearts that Jesus is truly THE light of humanity and that He speaks the Word of the Father.  We tend to reduce Jesus to one light among many.  It is good to have Jesus, but He is not THE one and only true light for us.  If we truly believe that He is the Light of humanity, then we would always take our direction from Him in whatever we do, think, say or write.  Instead, we tend to rely on the world for guidance when it comes to personal values such as the importance of status, popularity, influence, power, money and recognition.  Those values that are advocated by Jesus in the gospel, such as fidelity, integrity, honesty, humility, self-effacement, non-retaliation and forgiveness, are considered disadvantages and detrimental to our well being.   As a consequence, we continue to live in darkness.

Nevertheless, the Lord’s work will not be overcome by evil in the world.   The grace of God is more powerful than the work of Satan who tries to discourage us from living the gospel life.  In the early Church, the Lord continued to call His people into the work of evangelization through the circumstances in their lives. Last week we read how the Christians when persecuted in Jerusalem, fled to Samaria, Judea and beyond, bringing with them the gospel as well.  Most of all, through the martyrdom of St Stephen, many were converted, especially Saul who was then a persecutor of the Church.  Indeed, quite often it is through suffering, persecution and trials that we learn to trust in the Lord and witness His power at work in our helpless situation.  So we can be certain the Lord is always calling us to do His work according to His divine plan.  Perhaps, we are not discerning enough and so have shut off the Lord’s voice.

The scripture readings remind us that the most important way for the Lord to call us is through prayer.   Vocation and evangelization, in the final analysis, must spring from prayer and intimacy with the Lord.  This accounts for the reason why Jesus commands us not so much to promote vocations but to pray for vocations.  Prayer is the basis for all vocations.  Only a praying person and a praying community are in sync with the Lord in heart and mind.  Without prayer and intimacy with the Lord, we will not have the sentiments to share the enthusiasm and concerns of Jesus for the people of God.

Truly, just as the disciples were commissioned to spread the Good News beyond their frontiers because of their intimacy with the Lord, Jesus was commissioned to reveal the Father because of His intimacy with Him. Jesus tells us in the gospel that He is with the Father in every way, identified with Him in love and sharing in His wisdom and power.  Indeed, Jesus tells us that He does nothing on His own.  “For what I have spoken does not come from myself; no, what I was to say, what I had to speak, was commanded by the Father who sent me, and I know that his commands mean eternal life. And therefore what the Father has told me is what I speak.” Jesus’ entire being, which is one with the Father, speaks of His total receptivity and docility to His Father’s will.  Hence, He is the Revealer, the Revealed and the Revelation of the Father in person.

However, our mission would not be effective without fasting.  Not only prayer, but fasting!  Indeed, mission springs from prayer and fasting and begins with prayer and fasting. We read that the community gathered in prayer and worship whilst fasting from food and drink.

Why is fasting important when we are doing God’s work?  Precisely, the work we do is God’s work and not ours.  We cannot rely on our own strength but His alone.  Fasting keeps us hungry for His presence and His strength.   Most of all, it helps us to connect with those who are suffering and hungering for God.  Only when we can identify and empathize with those whom we are reaching out, can we give ourselves completely to be at their service.  Without identifying ourselves with the Lord in prayer and in suffering, we can never be truly His missionaries.  When prayer is accompanied by fasting, it enables us to be docile to the Holy Spirit for guidance and inspiration.  Of course, fasting need not be reduced to mere abstinence from food but also from unnecessary talking, television, internet and the things of the world that distract us from preserving the silence of our heart.  Without silence within and without, we cannot hear the Spirit of God speaking to us.

So let us renew our faith in Jesus as the Light of Humanity through an intense and fervent prayer life and fasting as individuals and worshipping as a community, spending time listening to the Lord, inviting us to go where He wants of us, not what we want for ourselves.  We must seek to do only what the Lord wants of us, otherwise we will be doing our own will.  The early disciples were successful in their mission only because they listened to the Lord and obeyed Him instead of fulfilling their own plans.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved

20150428 PROTECTIONISM VS INCLUSIVITY

20150428 PROTECTIONISM VS INCLUSIVITY

Readings at Mass

First reading

Acts 11:19-26 ©

Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.

  The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.

  Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’

Psalm

Psalm 86:1-7 ©

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

On the holy mountain is his city

  cherished by the Lord.

The Lord prefers the gates of Zion

  to all Jacob’s dwellings.

Of you are told glorious things,

  O city of God!

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

‘Babylon and Egypt I will count

  among those who know me;

Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,

  these will be her children

and Zion shall be called “Mother”

  for all shall be her children.’

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

It is he, the Lord Most High,

  who gives each his place.

In his register of peoples he writes:

  ‘These are her children,’

and while they dance they will sing:

  ‘In you all find their home.’

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 10:22-30 ©

It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied:

‘I have told you, but you do not believe.

The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;

but you do not believe,

because you are no sheep of mine.

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;

I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life;

they will never be lost

and no one will ever steal them from me.

The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,

and no one can steal from the Father.

The Father and I are one.’

PROTECTIONISM VS INCLUSIVITY

SCRIPTURE READINGS:  ACTS 11:19-26; JN 10:22-30

In the world, economy and trade are divided by two apparently irreconcilable world views.  On one hand there are those who advocate free trade and on the other hand, for nationalistic reason, there is a need to protect the local industries that are unable to compete with competitors in the free international market.   In other words, the latter is dominated by fear and the latter focuses on challenges, free and fair competition and reciprocal exchange.

Such exclusivist or inclusivist attitudes are also present in the area of faith and evangelization.  The traditionalist does not want change but simply to maintain the status quo. The progressive demands change and accommodation to the developments in society and in the world.  Indeed, we see two groups of believers present in today’s scripture readings with regard to the proclamation of the gospel as a consequence of the persecution they faced.

On the one hand, we have the conservative Jewish Christian converts.  They tend to be more nationalistic in their understanding of faith, for in Judaism, race and religion are almost identified.  So when they were persecuted, they were scattered, but most of them only tried to spread their faith to fellow Jews as they did not want to be contaminated by mixing with the Gentiles.  As St Luke noted, “those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews.”

However, Acts also recorded that “Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.”  This group belonged to the Greek-speaking Jews, the diaspora Jews who have adopted the Greek culture and language.  It is notable that they were more aggressive and courageous for they preached the gospel not only to their fellow Jews but even the non-Jews.

It is not surprising therefore that we see in the gospel, the great resistance of the Jews with regard to the claims of Jesus.  They demanded proof from Jesus as to whether He was the Christ.  They said to Him, “How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  Why would they not believe?  The truth is that they did not want to change.  They were not willing to change or come out of their status quo and comfort zone.

Today, the Church is experiencing the same challenge when it comes to make making changes in the life of the Church or in the work of evangelization.  More often than not, we tend to be inward looking and parochial minded.  We fear to take risks and are afraid of change.  This is true in many of our Church organizations where we are happy to continue as we have always done in the past.  We stifle new ideas from those who wish to see the Church grow in strength and in depth.  We are contented with a maintenance mode of operation. As a result we have lost many young people and professionals who want to help in the Church but do not find receptivity to their talents.  The Holy Father, recognizing the new wave of renewal brought about by the Holy Spirit, especially in the mushrooming of the new ecclesial movements, often lament that such movements are not welcome by the people of God.  Instead, they see them as competitors or a threat to their existing status quo.

Of course, openness does not require us to throw prudence to the wind.  That was why when “the church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.”  It was necessary for the Church to verify whether such developments were truly the work of the Holy Spirit.  At the same time, it was important that the new converts and new communities be connected with the Church in Jerusalem, lest they allowed their enthusiasm to mislead them in their faith about Jesus.  When we speak of progress, it must not be seen in terms of total discontinuity with the past.  True progress is a development of what is already present.  There is a real continuity with the faith.  Today, as Catholics, we must learn from the early Christians, their creative and evangelical spirit in bringing Christ to peoples in new lands who did not know Him.  We must be like them, taking new initiatives to make Christ known and loved.  We cannot remain complacent and stagnant in our faith and in our Church or else we will be marginalized and become redundant to the world.

More so when we are facing so many challenges and attempts to discredit the integrity of the Church.  Like the early Christians we must use the current attempts to persecute the Holy Father and discredit the Church by detractors as means for us to extend the Good News.  As we are being purified of our sins and weaknesses and mistakes, we will become stronger to face the world.  We must be thankful indeed that the world is exposing all our sins and negligence, otherwise because of our lack of courage and ignorance, we sin even without fully being aware of the gravity of what we are doing.  Thus, instead of simply trying to defend ourselves against the onslaught of the world, we must leverage on all their accusations and unhappiness so that by allowing them to purify us, we will become truly a force in the world, since the Church could then say that not only do we teach the truth but we live always in the truth.  We should not be afraid of the truth for only the truth can set us free.  Thanks to their “persecutions” they are helping the Church to truly grow in holiness, especially among her leaders.

Hence, we are called to imitate the courage and openness of early primitive Church leaders, especially in the person of Barnabas.  He was truly a man who was open to the work of the Holy Spirit.  We read that when he reached Antioch, “there he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him.”  Instead of feeling threatened by the success of the evangelical work of the persecuted Christians, “he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion.”  Barnabas truly lived up to his name, since the etymology of his name means, the man of encouragement.  He did not stop them from converting non-Jews.  He did not reserve the Christian faith only to Jewish people.  Instead he encouraged them to persevere and continue the good work they were doing.

Barnabas was not a man who wanted to seek glory for himself or for self-interests. His openness, courage and generosity is further manifested when he “then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians’.”  Barnabas welcomed Paul to the ministry when others were suspicious or apprehensive of him, because of his previous background.  Even though he knew Paul was talented, he was not afraid to bring Paul in to work with him.  Barnabas knew his charism as one who gives encouragement and he allowed Paul to take the limelight in the ministry.

What, then, is the secret of Barnabas in his courageous decision to invite Paul and always adopting a positive attitude towards those who are successful?  It was his love for the Lord and his docility.  Acts tells us that “he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith.”  It was the faith of Barnabas that empowered him to empower others, like John the Baptist, decreasing as others increase.

Yes, today, the gospel invites us to listen to the voice of Jesus our Good Shepherd.  St John indicated that it was during the Feast of Dedication when the Jews came to ask Him, “How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  This feast celebrates the festival of light.  So Jesus comes as the Light of the World to enlighten us in darkness.  But we can receive this light only when we are willing to listen and hear His voice.

Listening requires faith and humility.  This is what Jesus said to those who could not accept Him, “I have told you, but you do not believe.  The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness; but you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine. The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”  Are you identified with Jesus just as Jesus could say, “The Father and I are one”?  Unless we hear His voice, we cannot follow Him to the pasture of eternal life.  Indeed, it is notable that in the first reading we read that “it was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians’.”  To be a Christian is to be identified with Jesus the Good Shepherd, which presupposes that we are very much in personal relationship with Jesus; otherwise, it would not be possible to hear His voice.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved