Sunday 31 January 2016

THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-RETALIATION

20160201 THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-RETALIATION

Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
2 Samuel 15:13-14,30,16:5-13 ©
A messenger came to tell David, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are now with Absalom.’ So David said to all his officers who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘Let us be off, let us fly, or we shall never escape from Absalom. Leave as quickly as you can in case he mounts a surprise attack and worsts us and puts the city to the sword.’
  David then made his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, his head covered and his feet bare. And all the people with him had their heads covered and made their way up, weeping as they went.
  As David was reaching Bahurim, out came a man of the same clan as Saul’s family. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he came he uttered curse after curse and threw stones at David and at all King David’s officers, though the whole army and all the champions flanked the king right and left. The words of his curse were these, ‘Be off, be off, man of blood, scoundrel! the Lord has brought on you all the blood of the House of Saul whose sovereignty you have usurped; and the Lord has transferred that same sovereignty to Absalom your son. Now your doom has overtaken you, man of blood that you are.’ Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Is this dead dog to curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut his head off.’ But the king replied, ‘What business is it of mine and yours, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse. If the Lord said to him, “Curse David,” what right has anyone to say, “Why have you done this?”’ David said to Abishai and all his officers, ‘Why, my own son, sprung from my body, is now seeking my life; so now how much the more this Benjaminite? Let him curse on if the Lord has told him to. Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and repay me with good for his curse today.’ So David and his men went on their way.

Psalm
Psalm 3:2-8 ©
Arise, Lord; save me, my God.
How many are my foes, O Lord!
  How many are rising up against me!
How many are saying about me:
  ‘There is no help for him in God.’
Arise, Lord; save me, my God.
But you, Lord, are a shield about me,
  my glory, who lift up my head.
I cry aloud to the Lord.
  He answers from his holy mountain.
Arise, Lord; save me, my God.
I lie down to rest and I sleep.
  I wake, for the Lord upholds me.
I will not fear even thousands of people
  who are ranged on every side against me.
Arise, Lord; save me, my God.
Arise, Lord; save me, my God.

Gospel Acclamation
Jn17:17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.
Alleluia!
Or
Lk7:16
Alleluia, alleluia!
A great prophet has appeared among us;
God has visited his people.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Mark 5:1-20 ©
Jesus and his disciples reached the country of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake, and no sooner had Jesus left the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs towards him. The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain; because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by God you will not torture me!’ – For Jesus had been saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit.’ ‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked. ‘My name is legion,’ he answered ‘for there are many of us.’ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.
  Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding, and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned. The swineherds ran off and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people came to see what had really happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses – the very man who had had the legion in him before – and they were afraid. And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs. Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him. Jesus would not let him but said to him, ‘Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’ So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.


THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-RETALIATION


SCRIPTURE READINGS: 2Sm 15:13-14. 30; 16:5-13; Ps 3:2-8; Mk 5:1-20
We all face opposition in life, especially when we are in leadership.  As leaders, we have just as many supporters as we have detractors who will slander us, criticize us destructively, and go against us in whatever we do in order to bring us down.  Quite often, these critics and detractors come from our own rank and file.  They cause division, make us lose focus and discourage us in what we set out to do.  Indeed, such politicking and attempts to pull each other down cannot be avoided, whether we are in politics, in corporate life and sadly too, even in the religious world.
In the first reading, we have King David who was facing a rebellion.  What was even more tragic was that his own son whom he loved so much was gathering forces to fight against him for the crown.  Already, he had gone to Hebron to crown himself king. When David realized how critical the situation was, and that the rebellion was out of control, instead of staying back in Jerusalem to fight the forces of Absalom, he retreated instead.
He did not allow his ego and pride to dictate that he should stay back and fight till the end.  Knowing Absalom’s intent was to take the crown by force, David chose not to stay back in Jerusalem because he knew that that could mean that he and his men would die, but more than that, the innocent inhabitants would be killed in the process and the city of Jerusalem would be in ruins.  For the greater good of the city and the innocent inhabitants, he retreated instead to the forest by crossing the Jordan.  Even in the face of the pain of his son’s betrayal, King David put the interests of the people and the city before his own pride and dignity. Such an act calls for humility and, most of all, selflessness in doing what is good, not for himself but for the people under his charge.  He bore the shame instead of causing pain.  “David then made his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, his head covered and his feet bare.  And all the people with him had their heads covered and made their way up, weeping as they went.”
David was a truly good king who did not allow his personal enemy to cause others to suffer.  He did not allow personal grievances to involve those who were innocent.  As leaders we must remember that when we have disagreements with those under our charge or within our ranks, we must contain that conflict or quarrel within and among ourselves.  We should never take personal disagreements and differences into the public arena.  It is not right to wash dirty linen in public and cause others to suffer because of our personal problems.  We should not cause others to suffer on our account, especially when they have nothing to do with our woes.  Maturity in leadership is when we know whether a matter is of public interest to be settled openly or a micro matter which should be settled among those involved.  Indeed, we should in charity always settle our scores with our opponents and enemies without scandalizing and hurting innocent people.
David showed true statesmanship when slandered and insulted and cursed even by an ordinary citizen, a man belonging to the clan of Saul’s family.   Yet, when asked by his officers whether they should retaliate and kill him, David’s answer showed his magnanimity and great humility.  Instead of reacting to such unreasonable curses and false accusations, he took everything in silence and without revenge.
Surely David must have felt hurt at such remarks and unjust accusations.  In truth, he was always protecting and shielding King Saul.   He was faithful to Saul right to the end.   But instead of responding to him by cursing him back or even killing him, David said to all his officers, “Why, my own son, sprung from my body, is now seeking my life; so now how much the more this Benjaminite?  Let him curse on if the Lord has told him to.  Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and repay me with good for his curse today.”   David could even put himself in the shoes of his enemies, feeling their pain whilst forgetting his own pain and suffering from the betrayal of his son.  Most of all, he blessed those who cursed him; and even saw their curses as means to grow in humility and an occasion to ask for the grace of God and His mercy.
His attitude and actions remind us of Jesus on the cross when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34) To the women of Jerusalem, He said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Lk 23:28)  St Peter wrote, “For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”  (1 Pt 3:17f)  St Paul in the same vein expressed this sentiment when he wrote, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Rom 12:14)  “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.” (Rom 12:17)   “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Rom 12:19)
Indeed, in today’s gospel, we see Jesus acting in a most compassionate manner even with His enemies, the Unclean Spirit.  When begged to be sent into the pigs, instead of destroying them Jesus granted them their wish.  By so doing, Jesus demonstrated not only His power over the Unclean Spirit but He also sought to cause the least harm in helping the possessed man.  His task was to make sure that the man remained unharmed and no others would get hurt again.  So the least harmful place would be the pigs.   Of course, that decision of His did not please the Gentile villagers whose livelihood depended on the pigs, unlike the Jews who saw pigs as unclean animals.   Ironically, instead of asking Jesus to remain behind after witnessing His power over the evil spirit, out of fear for their source of income and livelihood they chose to drive out Jesus rather than the unclean spirit! “They saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses – the very man who had had the legion in him before – and they were afraid.  Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood.”  But Jesus, without any anger or displeasure, left the territory quietly.  He did not react with disappointment at their lack of gratitude and sobriety in judgment.  He chose the way of non-violence, of non-retaliation, both towards the Evil Spirit and the people.
Yet, it is precisely in non-retaliation that God works His ways for our good.  We read that Jesus would not allow the man who was freed from the unclean spirit to follow Him.  Instead, He told the man, “Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’  So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him.  And everyone was amazed.” Jesus did not have to insist that He remained behind to proclaim the Gospel but He left it to the man who perhaps did a better job than if Jesus were to do it Himself.  This man was known to everyone that he was possessed and dumb.  That he could now speak and was restored was perhaps the best testimony to the power of God at work in Jesus, more than any words that Jesus could have said.  And if the testimony was from one of their villagers, they would surely believe his words more so than if they had heard from Jesus Himself.  This principle of non-retaliation works effectively because it shows that success and conversion is the power of God; not of man.  Love overcomes all evil at the end of the day.  As St Paul says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:21)  What we humanly think is a failure, cowardice, a loss of face or foolishness, for God, it is His wisdom and power.
Hence, in our struggles against our enemies, like David, we are called to put our faith in God alone, not in man, not in our strength or in our revengeful ways.  With the psalmist, let us leave judgement to Him alone.  We pray, “Arise, Lord; save me, my God. How many are my foes, O Lord!   How many are rising up against me! How many are saying about me:  ‘There is no help for him in God.’ But you, Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, who lift up my head.  I cry aloud to the Lord.  He answers from his holy mountain. I lie down to rest and I sleep.  I wake, for the Lord upholds me. I will not fear even thousands of people who are ranged on every side against me.”

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rig

THE VOCATION OF A PROPHET IS ROOTED IN LOVE

20160131 THE VOCATION OF A PROPHET IS ROOTED IN LOVE


Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19 ©
In the days of Josiah, the word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying:
‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
before you came to birth I consecrated you;
I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.
‘So now brace yourself for action.
Stand up and tell them
all I command you.
Do not be dismayed at their presence,
or in their presence I will make you dismayed.
‘I, for my part, today will make you
into a fortified city,
a pillar of iron,
and a wall of bronze
to confront all this land:
the kings of Judah, its princes,
its priests and the country people.
They will fight against you
but shall not overcome you,
for I am with you to deliver you –
it is the Lord who speaks.’

Psalm
Psalm 70:1-6,15,17 ©
My lips will tell of your help.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
  let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me:
  pay heed to me and save me.
My lips will tell of your help.
Be a rock where I can take refuge,
  a mighty stronghold to save me;
  for you are my rock, my stronghold.
Free me from the hand of the wicked.
My lips will tell of your help.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
  my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth,
  from my mother’s womb you have been my help.
My lips will tell of your help.
My lips will tell of your justice
  and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
  and I proclaim your wonders still.
My lips will tell of your help.

Second reading
1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 ©
The supremacy of charity
Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them.
  If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all. If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.
  Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.
  Love does not come to an end. But if there are gifts of prophecy, the time will come when they must fail; or the gift of languages, it will not continue for ever; and knowledge – for this, too, the time will come when it must fail. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect; but once perfection comes, all imperfect things will disappear. When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and think like a child, and argue like a child, but now I am a man, all childish ways are put behind me. Now we are seeing a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known.
  In short, there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:6
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Luke 4:21-30 ©
Jesus began to speak in the synagogue: ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips They said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely?’
  But he replied, ‘No doubt you will quote me the saying, “Physician, heal yourself” and tell me, “We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in your own countryside.”’ And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.
  ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’
  When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

THE VOCATION OF A PROPHET IS ROOTED IN LOVE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: Jer 1:4-5.17-19; 1Cor 12:31-13:13; Lk 4:21-30
In the second reading today, St Paul speaks of our Christian vocation.  What is this vocation?  It is the vocation of love.  The highest of all vocations perhaps, is the vocation of a prophet.  We are called to be prophets in the world, in our society and even within our own homes and community.  Amongst all vocations, this is one vocation that few people are keen to undertake. This is a vocation that does not earn us appreciation but only enemies. This is particularly difficult in a relativistic world when it is hard to tell whether something is right or wrong.   People in the world today are disagreeable about values.  So when we champion the right values, we are often seen as conservative or backward.  In an individualistic world, no one wants to be told that he or she is wrong.   Everyone believes he is right and that he has the best ideas.
As a consequence, like Jeremiah, we can get discouraged.  The truth is that we all want to be loved by everyone.  We want to be popular.   We want to be liked and appreciated.  So in order not to offend anyone, we refrain from saying things that people do not like to hear, or we use politically correct language so that our disagreement is couched in ambiguity.  This is true with respect to religious, political and moral matters such as same-sex union, abortion and euthanasia.
So what do we do?  If we speak, we offend people.  If we do not speak, others will get hurt.  This is what the Lord told the prophet Jeremiah.  “Do not be dismayed at their presence, or in their presence I will make you dismayed.”  Whilst it is true that when we speak, we risk being rejected and at times even hated, yet by not speaking the truth, we betray justice, and those who suffer on account of such people.  If our loved ones are the ones guilty of such immoral, evil and dishonest things, we feel sad to see them take the slippery road to perdition and destruction.  By not warning them, we know that we have failed in our responsibility, especially when we are their elders or their leaders.  To keep silent in the face of wrongs is as good as to condone evil and be accomplices of evil.  Of course, no one likes us when we threaten their status quo and reveal their true motives and objectives in what they do.  Then again, at times, it could be really a matter of perspectives and values.  Regardless, a true prophet cannot remain silent, because it would be irresponsible and certainly a failure in love.
How, then, can we carry this task of being a prophet?  To be fair, not all prophets are rejected by the community.   Before we think that we belong to the category of Jeremiah, John the Baptist and Jesus, we must also ask ourselves whether we are prophets of love.   In other words, whilst the truth must be spoken, the fundamental criterion of a true prophet is that he is motivated only by one reason, love.   This is what St Paul wrote, “If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all. If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.”  So before we undertake the office of prophet, we must be conscious that this office is assumed because of love.
What is this love that will qualify one to be a prophet?  It is not just the love for those being unjustly treated, but a true prophet must also be equally concerned for the oppressors and perpetuators of injustices.  So from beginning to end, every word and action of the prophet must be motivated by a sincere love for his friends and loved ones who suffer; and also a sincere love for his enemies and opponents.  He does not only stand up for the sake of those oppressed but he speaks and acts also for the greater good of his enemies in the sincere hope that they would see the light and repent for their own good and salvation.  Otherwise, in championing the underdogs and the victims, these prophets of justice very often become oppressive themselves and even violent in dealing with their opponents.  When challenged or opposed, many of them become angry, vindictive and revengeful.  So what may have started as an act of love ironically becomes vengeance!
Prophets of love therefore will act in charity.  Indeed, St Paul says, “Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.”   If we correct others, it must be done purely for their sake and not for ours. We speak only because we sincerely care for their interests and do not want them to be led astray.
Prophets of love must also speak the truth in charity. St Paul exhorts us, “Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful.”  It is not enough to say the right thing but to say the right thing rightly and at the opportune time.  Otherwise, we might cause a backlash, even a riot, a religious or civil war.   For this reason, we need to tread carefully and with great sensitivity and not make baseless or inaccurate statements. Consequently, before judgement is made, we need to verify the facts, dialogue with respect, seek the truth with those concerned and try to understand where the other person is coming from.  Even when what we say is the truth, it must be done with great tact and gentleness.
How must we behave as prophets of love?  Firstly, we do not take upon ourselves to be prophets.  It is a calling.  The Lord told Jeremiah who was an unwilling prophet.  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I have appointed you as prophet to the nations. So now brace yourself for action. Stand up and tell them all I command you.”  So there must be an inner conviction and a compulsion to speak even though one does not speak.  We know that we are called to act as a prophet when there is a deep stirring in our hearts, not simply in a moment of anger, retaliation or self-righteousness.  The more we do not wish to be a prophet, the more likely we are called to be a prophet.
Secondly, a true prophet does not speak on his own authority or out of revenge; he speaks because God asks him to speak.  This presumes that the prophet is a man of deep prayer and contemplation.   He speaks the truth on the authority of God in love and without anger or reprisal.  He does not act because his interest is at stake, but rather the interests of others, including the wrongdoers, are compromised.  For that reason, a prophet would spend time in prayer, searching his motives, listening to what the Lord wants him to say or do. He is ever ready to listen to those who are supposedly doing the wrong things.  He is never presumptuous, judgmental or harsh towards them. It is the approach of gentleness, respect and a genuine desire to help.
Indeed, as a prophet myself because of my office as bishop, prayer is the most important aspect in my ministry.
Prayers strengthen my faith in God, that He would lead me and give me the strength to accomplish His mission just as He assured Jeremiah, “I, for my part, today will make you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, and a wall of bronze to confront all this land: the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the country people. They will fight against you but shall not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you – it is the Lord who speaks.”
Prayers give me hope even in apparent hopeless situations and incorrigible offenders and stubborn people.   Prayer helps me to purify my motives, remove self-centeredness and keep me objective in dealing with issues and persons.  In prayer, the Holy Spirit helps me discern what is the best thing and best approach in dealing with situations and people.
Finally, prayers fill me with the love of God and empower me to love always and at all costs, even when love causes suffering and pain.  Indeed, St Paul said, “Love does not come to an end. But if there are gifts of prophecy, the time will come when they must fail; or the gift of languages, it will not continue forever; and knowledge – for this, too, the time will come when it must fail.”  St Paul concludes, “In short, there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.”

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved