WHAT ARE YOUR MOTIVATIONS FOR MINISTRY?

20150918 WHAT ARE YOUR MOTIVATIONS FOR MINISTRY?

Readings at Mass

First reading

1 Timothy 6:2-12 ©

This is what you are to teach the brothers to believe and persuade them to do. Anyone who teaches anything different, and does not keep to the sound teaching which is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the doctrine which is in accordance with true religion, is simply ignorant and must be full of self-conceit – with a craze for questioning everything and arguing about words. All that can come of this is jealousy, contention, abuse and wicked mistrust of one another; and unending disputes by people who are neither rational nor informed and imagine that religion is a way of making a profit. Religion, of course, does bring large profits, but only to those who are content with what they have. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it; but as long as we have food and clothing, let us be content with that. People who long to be rich are a prey to temptation; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge them into ruin and destruction. ‘The love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds.

  But, as a man dedicated to God, you must avoid all that. You must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses.

Psalm

Psalm 48:6-10,17-20 ©

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Why should I fear in evil days

  the malice of the foes who surround me,

men who trust in their wealth,

  and boast of the vastness of their riches?

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

For no man can buy his own ransom,

  or pay a price to God for his life.

The ransom of his soul is beyond him.

  He cannot buy life without end,

  nor avoid coming to the grave.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Then do not fear when a man grows rich,

  when the glory of his house increases.

He takes nothing with him when he dies,

  his glory does not follow him below.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Though he flattered himself while he lived:

  ‘Men will praise me for all my success,’

yet he will go to join his fathers,

  who will never see the light any more.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Gospel Acclamation

Ps94:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Harden not your hearts today,

but listen to the voice of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Or

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 8:1-3 ©

Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOTIVATIONS FOR MINISTRY?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 TIM 6:2-12; LK 8:1-3

St Paul, the great missionary of Christ, today advised Timothy, a pastor of his flock on what it entails to be a good minister.  He squarely pointed out the abuses of religious ministry.  Indeed, as he highlighted, there is great profit in religion.  This is something very real even for us today.

How often have religious leaders and those of us serving in Church ministries exploited religion for our own personal and material advancement?  This is particularly tempting for those who have charismatic gifts, like preaching and healing, where they can attract big crowds.  The danger is that adulation and popularity can give one tremendous power and influence over the audience. They can make people do things not so much for the kingdom of God or the spread of the gospel but for their own material benefit or ego.  Indeed, even if we do not seek material gain, quite often we unconsciously seek power, control and recognition.  Some even manipulate, take advantage and abuse those under their charge sexually. We want people to worship us and be led to us rather than be led to God.

Some religious leaders are known to even hypnotize their followers into parting with all their money for their causes, or even to enrich their personal coffers by promising them healing. Often we hear preaching that promises that those who give (supposedly to Jesus) will receive back from the Lord, a hundred fold.  Religion thus becomes a kind of investment!  The motives of the members in such cases are not spiritual either:  it is not peace, unity, love and joy they seek, but success in their business, work and investments.  By indulging ourselves in this way, not only do we cheat the people but we also bring about our own ruin and destruction.  We have short-changed them.  Money is not everything.  St Paul exhorts Timothy and all involved in Church ministry: “People who long to be rich are a prey to temptation; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge them into ruin and destruction.  ‘The love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds.”  Health and self-sufficiency are also not everything.  A good life is more than just material and physical blessings on earth but rather the blessings that come from the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22f)

The psalmist reminds us of the stark truth of the gospel message.  The response is a quotation from the first of the eight beatitudes preached by Jesus when He said, “Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!”  The psalmist cautions us against trusting ourselves and this world: “Why should I fear in evil days when my wicked ensnarers ring me round? They trust in their wealth; the abundance of their riches is their boast. Yet in no way can a man redeem himself, or pay his own ransom to God; Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough to remain alive always and not see destruction.”  Again the psalmist says, “ Fear not when a man grows rich, when the wealth of his house becomes great,  For when he dies, he shall take none of it; his wealth shall not follow him down. Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed, “They will praise you for doing well for yourself,” He shall join the circle of his forebears who shall never more see light.”  So let us not deceive ourselves or allow those teachers who preach the prosperity gospel to mislead us into focusing on the selfish, individualist and worldly needs rather than the values Jesus taught us in the Beatitudes, which are the values of the Kingdom.  These are totally at variant with the promise of worldly gains. (Cf Mt 5:3-11)

Truly, the ministry is full of temptations and if we are not careful, what we begin with good intentions may end up with self-gratification.  What then must we do to ensure that our ministry is a true continuation of the ministry of Jesus? The key to overcome temptations of every sort is contentment.  Unless we are contented with ourselves and with our lives, we will always be seeking for more and more.  This is very true on the most mundane level of life, namely, our material needs.  When we feel that we do not have enough money or material things, then we begin to hanker after them.   When we do, then we begin to discriminate people.  We serve them with ulterior motives.  We do not serve them with unconditional and genuine love.  But we love and serve them only because we can get things or favours from them.

What Paul says about material things applies to other areas as well. Thus, if a Church leader has low self-esteem, he becomes very insecure in his relationship with others; he begins to seek affirmation and popularity.  If a leader lacks authentic self-love, then he makes use of others, his fellow ministry members, counselees, parishioners and others whom he serves, to fill the lack in his life.  If he is not careful, he will fall into activism.  But activism is not ministry because the former springs from emptiness whereas the latter springs from an overflowing love.

For this reason, what is most essential before ministry can take place is contentment. The classical axiom: we cannot give what we have not got remains very true.  To be contented means that we are full – full in love, full in joy and in meaning.  In other words, as Paul says, we are sufficient.  And we must really believe not just in our heads but deep in our hearts, that we have more than we need to be happy in life.  St Paul says, that “if we have food and clothing, we have all that we need.”  This is very true.  Perhaps, we can add one more, shelter as well.  But beyond food, clothing and shelter, there is nothing that we really must have to be happy.  Everything else is a bonus and a luxury.  Now, a person who is contented need not therefore not look to others and to things to be happy and fulfilled in his life.  Consequently, he will never be tempted by them and will not make use of people to achieve his desires.

Jesus is our model.  Consider the way He carried out His ministry in the gospel.  The evangelist remarked, “Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God.“  He was certainly not hoarding money or seeking to build a kingdom for Himself and His disciples, or accumulating anything for Himself.  They were living a simple life in faith and in trust.  And God sent people like the women, some who were rich and influential to help them.  But Jesus certainly did not promise us riches and freedom from suffering on earth.  The women must have been so inspired by the detachment of Jesus that they too gave up their luxurious lifestyle and accompanied Jesus in His journey, serving Him quietly, generously out of their own resources.

So, if today we want to find contentment and live a life of detachment from the world, we must strengthen our relationship with Jesus, just as the women did. It is important to take note that the women who attended to Jesus and assisted Him out of their own resources were people who had been touched by the Lord in a very personal way.  They had experienced His liberating love and some have been cured of evil spirits and maladies.  We too, as disciples of Jesus, must cultivate a personal relationship with Him.  Unless we experience His liberating love and are cured of the evil spirits of lust, attachment, greed and jealousy in our lives, we will not be able to be contented in life.  But when we experience His love, then we know that our sufficiency is in Jesus.  In Christ, we are not lacking in anything. Only when we come to this level of experience, will we be able to carry out our ministerial responsibilities with unconditional love.

Yes, let us heed the advice of Paul.  We must flee from this lack of sufficiency in our lives.  Instead, we must seek integrity, piety, faith and love.  As St Paul urges all religious leaders, “You must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle.  Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses.”  This is possible for all those who love Jesus and allow themselves to be loved by Him.  In the final analysis, therefore, ministers who are not intimate with Jesus will fill up their emptiness with the things of the world; they will bring harm to themselves and those people they serve.  But ministers who are filled with the love of Jesus have more than sufficient and therefore have abundance of love to share with others.  Such ministers of God will do themselves and others good.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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