20150530 BASIS OF FAITH RESTS ON THE AUTHORITY OF GOD WHO REVEALS

20150530 BASIS OF FAITH RESTS ON THE AUTHORITY OF GOD WHO REVEALS

Readings at Mass

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 51:17-27 ©

I will thank you and praise you,

  and bless the name of the Lord.

When I was still a youth, before I went travelling,

  in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom.

Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her,

  and to the last I will continue to seek her.

From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape

  my heart has taken its delight in her.

My foot has pursued a straight path,

  I have been following her steps ever since my youth.

By bowing my ear a little I have received her,

  and have found much instruction.

Thanks to her I have advanced;

  the glory be to him who has given me wisdom!

For I am determined to put her into practice,

  I have earnestly pursued what is good, I will not be put to shame.

My soul has fought to possess her,

  I have been scrupulous in keeping the Law;

I have stretched out my hands to heaven

  and bewailed my ignorance of her;

I have directed my soul towards her,

  and in purity have found her.

Psalm

Psalm 18:8-11 ©

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

  it revives the soul.

The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,

  it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

  they gladden the heart.

The command of the Lord is clear,

  it gives light to the eyes.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The fear of the Lord is holy,

  abiding for ever.

The decrees of the Lord are truth

  and all of them just.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

They are more to be desired than gold,

  than the purest of gold

and sweeter are they than honey,

  than honey from the comb.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

Gospel Acclamation

1P1:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of the Lord remains for ever:

What is this word?

It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

Alleluia!

Or	cf.Col3:16a,17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,

find a home with you;

through him give thanks to God the Father.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 11:27-33 ©

Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.’ And they argued it out this way among themselves: ‘If we say from heaven, he will say, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?” But dare we say from man?’ – they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet. So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’

BASIS OF FAITH RESTS ON THE AUTHORITY OF GOD WHO REVEALS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: SIRACH 51:17 – 27; MARK 11:27 – 33

What is the basis of our Christian belief in Christ?  Why do we believe in Christ and His Church?  Our faith surely cannot be irrational.  But if it is based on reason, then this is no longer faith but a proven conclusion.  The truth is that faith is not based on mere reason alone, for faith in God transcends natural reason, even if it is not against reason.

So what is the basis of faith?  It is founded on the authority of God who reveals.  That is to say, we believe simply because God is the one who revealed it.  But is such a faith justifiable? Certainly! Faith founded on the authority of someone is applicable to some extent even in daily living and in the world of science.  The fact remains that not everything can be proven to our satisfaction.  For example, most of us do not doubt the facts presented by experts in their field of study.  If we rely on their research and findings, it is because we believe on the basis of their authority, even when these experts often cannot agree among themselves, sometimes even reversing or contradicting their earlier theories.  Hence, although we think their judgments are reliable, we cannot be absolutely certain and therefore cannot give them absolute faith.

Our faith in the authority of someone is not simply without justification. Very often we can verify for ourselves through experiencing what we believe.  In such a situation, the credibility of our belief is the consequence of our experience itself.

What about faith in God or in the Church?  For matters of faith in God, because God Himself is the One who reveals, we do not doubt His integrity and His truths. If we can trust in the authority of men, how much more can we trust in the authority of God!  Our faith therefore principally rests on the authority of God who has spoken through His prophets and His Son Jesus, and now through His apostles and His successors.

But why should we believe in them?  In asking this question, we are asking what reasons or motives do we have in order to believe in them without appearing to be naïve or credulous.   Hence, we need the preambles or motives for credibility.  We need signs to justify our assent in faith to their words.  Indeed, this was certainly the case of John the Baptist.  The people recognized him as being sent by God.   John the Baptist himself authenticated his mission by his lifestyle and his proclamation of truth.  Truly, if the Jewish leaders were afraid of the people, it was because they knew that the people instinctively believed in John the Baptist and his words because of the signs he gave.  Similarly too, in John’s gospel, the Book of Signs speaks of Jesus manifesting the seven signs which are invitations to faith in Him as the One sent by the Father. The ultimate sign of course, was the Book of Glory, that is, His passion, death and resurrection.

Hence, if we can make an act of faith in Jesus through acceptance of the apostolic faith transmitted to us in the Church today, it is simply because they have been sent by God!  In the history of salvation, God first sent His prophets, culminating in the sending of His only Son, the Word made flesh. The apostles continued to testify to this truth, and in turn their appointed successors.  If we have confidence in them, it is because of the signs they manifested in their own lives, the truth of their teaching, the miracles, the force of conviction in their message, and most of all, their transformed lives, ever ready to die for what they believed.  As for our faith in the Church, it is the unity, the permanence and holiness of the Church over time that gives us the confidence that this is the Church established by Christ and safeguarded by Him for the purpose of leading men to salvation.

As a consequence, our faith is certain as well, because this certainty rests on God’s authority. Such faith is not blind but reasonable, since it rests on external motives for belief.  We know we are not deceived because God cannot deceive us.  This certitude is more than just belief in the truths revealed, but rooted in the experience of God Himself.

So what prevented the Jewish authorities from believing and accepting Jesus or John the Baptist?  The fact remains that faith, although reasonable, cannot be reasoned.  The motives for the credibility of faith can only give us firm persuasion through the impulse of grace moving the will in asking the intellect to assent to the good which is perceived as truth.  In the final analysis, one must make the act of faith freely without coercion.  Hence, faith, although certain, is reasonable and yet free, since it is not based on proof.

Consequently, grace is needed to move from credibility to credentity.  That is to say, from the signs alone, we need the grace of God to give us that inner word to understand the external signs and the outward proclamation of the truth.  Without grace, the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the proclaimed words remain external to us in an intellectual way, without moving the will to respond.  So the Holy Spirit as the grace of God is necessary for us to make the link between the exterior word and the inner word.  The inward light of grace enables us to see the signs as a call to faith.  When that happens, then faith is effected.  As such, because faith is dependent on grace, it is also a gift from the Lord.

Thus, we are exhorted to take heed of the advice of the author of Ecclesiasticus to pray for the gift of wisdom at every stage in our lives, whether we are young or old.  We must continue to seek the wisdom of God which is given to us through the Holy Spirit.   Indeed, faith requires the wisdom that comes from God.  The truth of God is grasped by faith, aided by reason.

Finally, since faith is free, it requires our cooperation with the grace of God. Just as a man can lose his faith by neglecting it, so too, a man can develop and perfect his faith by persevering in the graces he has received.  We who have received the gift of faith must therefore be responsible in developing this faith, by continuing to hear the external word and growing in personal relationship and love for the Lord.

What do all these mean for us?  It means that because the foundation of faith lies in trust in the authority of God, in our formation, we must never put the content of faith as primary.  Rather, what is primary in faith is that we believe in God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.  Then secondarily, it is important to grow in the content of faith in order that we can give an account for what we believe, especially to non-believers. However the priority lies in the act of faith in God. Finally because personal faith in God is a grace, this personal relationship can only be cultivated through prayer.  Faith is ultimately dependent on the depth and quality of our prayer.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved

20150529 BEARING FRUITS IN OUR MINISTRY AND APOSTOLATE

20150529 BEARING FRUITS IN OUR MINISTRY AND APOSTOLATE

Readings at Mass

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 44:1,9-13 ©

Let us praise illustrious men,

  our ancestors in their successive generations.

Some have left no memory,

  and disappeared as though they had not existed,

they are now as though they had never been,

  and so too, their children after them.

But here is a list of generous men

  whose good works have not been forgotten.

In their descendants there remains

  a rich inheritance born of them.

Their descendants stand by the covenants

  and, thanks to them, so do their children’s children.

Their offspring will last for ever,

  their glory will not fade.

Psalm

Psalm 149:1-6,9 ©

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord,

  his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in its Maker,

  let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let them praise his name with dancing

  and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.

  He crowns the poor with salvation.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

  shout for joy and take their rest.

Let the praise of God be on their lips:

  this honour is for all his faithful.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Ps118:36,29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Bend my heart to your will, O Lord,

and teach me your law.

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

Mark 11:11-26 ©

After he had been acclaimed by the crowds, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked all round him, but as it was now late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

  Next day as they were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf some distance away, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it, but when he came up to it he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. And he addressed the fig tree. ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again’ he said. And his disciples heard him say this.

  So they reached Jerusalem and he went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling and buying there; he upset the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling pigeons. Nor would he allow anyone to carry anything through the Temple. And he taught them and said, ‘Does not scripture say: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples? But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’ This came to the ears of the chief priests and the scribes, and they tried to find some way of doing away with him; they were afraid of him because the people were carried away by his teaching. And when evening came he went out of the city.

  Next morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered to the roots. Peter remembered. ‘Look, Rabbi,’ he said to Jesus, ‘the fig tree you cursed has withered away.’ Jesus answered, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, “Get up and throw yourself into the sea,” with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours. And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too.’ But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your failings either.’

BEARING FRUITS IN OUR MINISTRY AND APOSTOLATE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: SIRACH 44:1.9-13; MK 11:11-26

Often, we wonder why our ministries do not seem to bear fruit, notwithstanding the hard work we put into it.  And even if we have attained some measure of success, we are not able to sustain the momentum.  What could be the cause of barrenness in our ministry and apostolate? The truth is “in vain does the man labour if the Lord does not build!” (Ps 127:1) In a nutshell, it has to with our spiritual house.  What is the state of our spiritual house?

It is within this context that we can better appreciate the incident of the cursing of the fig tree. This is perhaps one of the most intriguing and apparently incoherent actions of Jesus, as what He did seems to be totally unreasonable.  The evangelist narrated how Jesus cursed the fig tree when He found no fruits on it except leaves, even though “it was not the season for figs.”  Why would Jesus do such a thing when the fig tree was not to be blamed?  This incident should be seen in the context of a prophecy in action, that is, a prophetic word dramatized in such a way that the listeners are awakened to the lesson that it wanted to teach.

In this case, the barren fig tree represents the scribes and the Pharisees, and by extension, the people of Israel. We see them performing all the rituals, observing all the commandments meticulously, especially the Sabbath Law, and engaging in the study of the Torah.  Yet for all their so-called spiritual activities, they were actually spiritual hypocrites, as all these observances did not make them more compassionate, caring and respectful of their fellowmen.  Most of all, they became proud and self-righteous before God and man.  So they were just like the fig tree, full of leaves but no fruit; nice in appearance, but barren within.

What is true of them is also reflective of our lives as well, whether as individuals, or as a community of believers.  Many of us apparently observe the commandments of the Church, yet are lacking in charity, compassion and integrity in the way we conduct ourselves at home, and especially at work.   As Church, we can be involved in many activities, and yet our spiritual life, in terms of relationship with the Lord and living a gospel life, is not growing. There is always a danger that we can hide the reality of the situation by hiding behind activism, but inside us, we lack depth and integration. There are some of us who, although actively involved in Church, are living a double life.  We can have many activities, yet our lives remain sterile.

In cleansing the Temple, Jesus was also giving a prophetic act as the One who has come to restore the Temple to its original intention.  In one way, it was an attack on the institution of the priesthood, which had been so institutionalized in such a way that the worship at the Temple was no longer reconciling the people with God or uniting them with each other.  It became a means to hold on to power and to segregate the people.  It even became a means to make money out of the people through exorbitant taxes on the Temple currency and the sale of animals in the Temple grounds for worship.  When worship and sacrifices become  money-making instruments to enrich the priests of the Temple and strengthen their power over the people, such worship cannot transform lives; not that of the priests, nor those of the worshippers.

We, too, need to seriously ask ourselves whether our Church is truly a house of worship.  Have you ever wondered how it is that our Catholic Churches are packed to the brim every Sunday, even with so many services, and yet its followers are lacking in evangelical zeal and passion for the Lord and His Church?  Practically all Catholics receive Holy Communion, and yet there is so little change in the way we live our lives.  Many are living in serious sin and yet have no qualms about receiving the Lord in Holy Communion without first going for the sacrament of reconciliation.  Like the Jews too, there seems to be a dichotomy between life and faith.  Receiving the Lord in the Eucharist has not brought about any change in our lives, because we do not share in the sacrifice of Christ personally!

Hence, if we find that our spiritual life or our ministry is not bearing fruit, we must invite Jesus to purify the temple in us as individuals and as Church.  As individuals, if we are not intent in wanting to live an upright life according to the teachings of the gospel and the Church, we cannot expect the grace of God to work effectively in us.  Our sins will block the channels of God’s grace to reach out to us.  When we are not connected with Jesus the Vine, we cannot expect to bear much fruit.  So the first step to take in making ourselves available to the Lord’s grace is to go for the sacrament of reconciliation.  We must make peace with God and our fellowmen if we are to remove all the obstacles that prevent us from experiencing His healing love and the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us.

Secondly, we need to let go of unforgiveness in our hearts.  Jesus made it clear when He said, “And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too.  But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your failings either.”  If we hold so much bitterness and anger in our hearts, we cannot expect to exude a heart of compassion and understanding.  Those who are wounded in ministry or in their lives tend to transfer their wounds to those whom they minister.  When a person suffers from low self-esteem, he might be inclined to choose a profession that gives him a sense of being wanted and loved.  Another person who has been hurt in a relationship might become coloured in the way he looks at future relationships.  So a wounded heart cannot really be effective in ministering to others until it is healed.  This explains why Jesus says that effective prayer demands that we forgive, for only then can we receive the full installment of God’s healing love, which in turn will extend to our enemies and all those who hurt us. Indeed, in the first reading we read that the good works of illustrious men will be passed on to their children’s children.

Finally, our personal life and ministry must be accomplished through prayer if we are to be fruitful.  No amount of hard work and technique can change the hearts of men or bring people to Christ.  We are called to pray with faith, especially for our conversion and the conversion of others.  Jesus exhorts us, “have faith in God.  I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Get up and throw yourself into the sea,’ with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.  I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours.”   Prayer ultimately is THE key to all our problems in life.  Prayer connects us with God and with the sufferings of our fellowmen.  Prayer, most of all, helps us to get in touch with ourselves.  Only through the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts, with His love poured into us, will we find the strength to accomplish His mission entrusted to us.  But it is not enough to pray, we must pray with faith and in faith.

What is the basis of this faith in God’s power to change lives?  The responsorial psalm tells us that God delights in us.  “Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. For the Lord loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory.”  We can be certain that He loves us because we are the New Temple of the Lord where His Holy Spirit lives in us.  For this reason, the psalmist invites us to sing for joy and exult in glory.  “Let the high praises of God be in their throats. This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.”  When we live a life of praise in word and deed, we become a people of praise, truly the Temple of the Lord.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved

20150528 RECOVERING OUR DIRECTION IN LIFE

20150528 RECOVERING OUR DIRECTION IN LIFE

Readings at Mass

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 42:15-26 ©

I will remind you of the works of the Lord,

  and tell of what I have seen.

By the words of the Lord his works come into being

  and all creation obeys his will.

As the sun in shining looks on all things,

  so the work of the Lord is full of his glory.

The Lord has not granted to the holy ones

  to tell of all his marvels

which the Almighty Lord has solidly constructed

  for the universe to stand firm in his glory.

He has fathomed the deep and the heart,

  and seen into their devious ways;

for the Most High knows all the knowledge there is,

  and has observed the signs of the times.

He declares what is past and what will be,

  and uncovers the traces of hidden things.

Not a thought escapes him,

  not a single word is hidden from him.

He has imposed an order on the magnificent works of his wisdom,

  he is from everlasting to everlasting,

nothing can be added to him, nothing taken away,

  he needs no one’s advice.

How desirable are all his works,

  how dazzling to the eye!

They all live and last for ever,

  whatever the circumstances all obey him.

All things go in pairs, by opposites,

  and he has made nothing defective;

the one consolidates the excellence of the other,

  who could ever be sated with gazing at his glory?

Psalm

Psalm 32:2-9 ©

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,

  with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.

O sing him a song that is new,

  play loudly, with all your skill.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

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.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

By his word the heavens were made,

  by the breath of his mouth all the stars.

He collects the waves of the ocean;

  he stores up the depths of the sea.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

Let all the earth fear the Lord

  all who live in the world revere him.

He spoke; and it came to be.

  He commanded; it sprang into being.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

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

Mark 10:46-52 ©

As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

RECOVERING OUR DIRECTION IN LIFE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Sir 42:15-25; MK 10:46-52

There is nothing more destructive of one’s happiness, fulfillment and meaning in life than living an aimless life.  Without direction, there is no motivation to live, to carry on in life.  Of course, we also need proper directions, since choosing the wrong road will also lead us to destruction even though we may have goals in life.  Nevertheless, those who seek life by choosing the wrong paths will one day also be lost.  Hence, whether we have no direction or are misdirected in life, we are just like the Blind Beggar, Bartimaeus, sitting at the side of the road waiting in hope that we will be able to see the road which we should take again. But how can we ever recover our direction in life if we have lost it or are now without it?  Do we simply drift on and wait passively, hoping that things would change?  This is certainly not the way of faith but of despair.  Indeed, if we truly want God to enlighten us, then we must co-operate in this journey of faith.  How?

Firstly, we are told that while waiting, Bartimaeus kept his ears open.  Now, it is certainly true that even when we are lost, God never fully abandons us.  We know that even if we have lost our physical eyesight, nature will compensate our blindness by strengthening the other faculties that are still working.  In the same way too, if we have lost our direction in life and we cannot see where we are going, then we need to listen to the prompting of the Spirit who speaks to us.  Like Bartimaeus, when we have lost our own vision, then we must be ready to listen to the guidance of others and see whether they can help us to find our vision.  And the guidance can come from all directions.  Indeed, this was what Blind Bartimaeus did.  Instead of simply sitting down, he must have been extremely attentive to who were passing by.  He must have heard countless numbers of people sharing their visions.  But when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, the one that people had talked about, he called out to Him.

Secondly, after listening and discerning, we must be like blind Bartimaeus to call out for help.  We must be humble enough to seek for assistance.  The problem with many of us is that even if we have listened and the Holy Spirit has enlightened us to a certain extent regarding our predicament, yet many of us are too proud to seek for help.  We prefer to resolve the problem by ourselves.  We are not willing to be led, counseled and inspired by others.  Humility therefore is the necessary element of recovering our direction in life.  Without humility, we cannot expect to learn or be enlightened in the truth.  Truly, if Blind Bartimaeus had simply sat quietly by the roadside, nobody would have noticed that he was there.  Isn’t it true for many of us?  We complain that God does not care and our friends do not care, when it is because no one knows we are in trouble or need assistance, since we are too proud to cry out for help.

Thirdly, we must reckon that this humility which we speak about is a humility that will be tested by the obstacles we face in the process of responding.  For Blind Bartimaeus, when he tried to seek for help, he was humiliated by the crowd.  They scolded him and told him to keep quiet.  They must have given Bartimaeus the feeling that he was a nobody, a goner.  Jesus certainly would not have time for him.  He was not important to society.  They had given up hope on him.  But we are told that in spite of such negative support and discouragement, Blind Bartimaeus shouted all the louder.  Yes, the humility of Bartimaeus and his sincerity in seeking the true meaning in life gave him the courage and perseverance to use every means to seek for true liberation.

We, too, like Blind Bartimaeus, must not allow wet blankets to kill our enthusiasm and efforts in trying to find our direction and meaning in life.  Once we have heard and discerned what we want to do, we must pluck up our courage and fight on the battle.  Once we are clear of our goals and what we want in life, the obstacles, be they personal or from external forces, should not overwhelm us and kill our vision of life.  Indeed, Jesus took notice.   Just as Jesus called Bartimaeus to Him because of his perseverance, determination and humility, He will also call us to Him if we remain firm in our beliefs and convictions.  Then again if we open our ears wide enough, then we will know that God has sent people into our lives to encourage us.  Indeed, there were some who said to Bartimaeus, “Courage, get up, he is calling you.”   He too is saying these words to us through our friends, or when we read the Word of God, “Courage.”

Fourthly, in our journey of growth, if we take courage, then we must get up as the gospel tells us and throw off our cloak just as Blind Bartimaeus did.  The evangelist told us that he threw off his cloak, “jumped up and went to Jesus.”   Yes, Blind Bartimaeus let go of the very thing that he had hung on to.  It was an act of faith, a leap of faith indeed.  It was this cloak that had burdened him.  It was this cloak that he could not give up, that cloak which seemed to have offered him protection but actually had blinded him.  We too must ask ourselves what is this cloak that we need to get rid of?  Is it the cloak of sin, the cloak of fear, the cloak of pride, the cloak of insecurity, the cloak of narrow-mindedness, the cloak of attachment?  Whatever it is, if we search deep enough into ourselves, we know that it is because we are hanging to our cloaks that we are not liberated.  We do not have the courage to let go for fear that we might be worse off.

But faith requires us to let go.  Jesus requires us to get rid of the cloak that hinders us from seeing life rightly.  But the moment we take the leap of faith and trust in Jesus and take the challenge, then everything comes to perspective and clarity.  This was what happened to Blind Bartimaeus.  He was able to see again.  But we must note what Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has saved you.”  And the evangelist wrote, “And immediately his sight returned.”  Yes, it is the courage to let go of our past and sin; and the faith to trust in Jesus that allows us to see life clearly again.  Without faith in Jesus and the promises He holds for us, we cannot see like the Blind Man. It is only a man of faith that can see the glory of God in creation, as Sirach in the first reading so beautifully illustrated. Only faith can help us to see God’s design in our lives.

Finally, with sight comes direction and life.  Yes, we are told that Blind Bartimaeus did not simply regain his sight, but he followed Jesus along the road.  Once he knew Jesus, he too understood his direction in life.  That is why we know that Blind Bartimaeus was truly healed.  He became a true disciple of Jesus.  Hence, true healing is not physical healing.  That is why some people who have been healed physically again and again are not happy because their healing is superficial, skin deep only.  It only brings temporal relief but no real lasting life and happiness.  But with faith, we will regain our true sight of life, which is manifested by our commitment to Jesus and our personal transformation as happened in the case of Blind Bartimaeus.  If a man claims to be healed of his sight, be it physical or spiritual, and yet does not manifest any transformation, then it is quite certain that no real enlightenment has taken place because the act of faith has not yet been made.  Once the act of faith is made, then we can see ourselves entering into a new world, the world of God, the world of wisdom, the world of marvels, as the author tells us in the first reading.

But in the final analysis, all these opportunities that knock at the door of our hearts would be of no avail if we do not take the courage to get up to open our closed doors and with faith take up the challenge of looking at life from the perspective of the gospel.  Because if we do, we can be certain that we will walk a new path and our lives will be rich and meaningful and full of gratitude and wonder, since in Christ we find the way, the truth and the life.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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