WHICH SIDE OF THE BATTLE ARE YOU ON?

20151115 WHICH SIDE OF THE BATTLE ARE YOU ON?

Readings at Mass

First reading

Daniel 12:1-3 ©

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

Psalm

Psalm 15:5,8-11 ©

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

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

  it is you yourself who are my prize.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

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

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

  even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

  nor let your beloved know decay.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

You will show me the path of life,

  the fullness of joy in your presence,

  at your right hand happiness for ever.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

Second reading

Hebrews 10:11-14,18 ©

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

Gospel Acclamation

Mt24:42 44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

Or

Lk21:36

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake, praying at all times

for the strength to stand with confidence

before the Son of Man.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 13:24-32 ©

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

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

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

WHICH SIDE OF THE BATTLE ARE YOU ON?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: DN 12:1-3; PS 15:5, 8-11; HEB 10:11-14.18; MK: 24-32

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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