20160312 STANDING UP FOR JESUS AND THE TRUTH
Readings at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: Violet.
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First reading
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Jeremiah
11:18-20 ©
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The Lord revealed it
to me; I was warned. O Lord, that was when you opened my eyes to their
scheming. I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the
slaughter-house, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us
destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the
living, so that his name may be quickly forgotten!’
But you, the Lord of
Hosts, who pronounce a just sentence,
who probe the loins
and heart,
let me see the
vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed
my cause to you.
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Responsorial
Psalm
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Psalm 7:2-3,9-12
©
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Lord God, I take
refuge in you.
Lord God, I take
refuge in you.
From my
pursuer save me and rescue me,
lest he tear me to
pieces like a lion
and drag
me off with no one to rescue me.
Lord God, I take
refuge in you.
Give judgement for
me, Lord; I am just
and
innocent of heart.
Put an end to the
evil of the wicked!
Make the just stand
firm,
you who
test mind and heart,
O just
God!
Lord God, I take
refuge in you.
God is the shield
that protects me,
who saves
the upright of heart.
God is a just judge
slow to
anger;
but he
threatens the wicked every day.
Lord God, I take
refuge in you.
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Gospel
Acclamation
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Ezk33:11
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Praise and honour to
you, Lord Jesus!
I take pleasure, not
in the death of a wicked man
– it is the Lord who
speaks –
but in the turning
back of a wicked man
who changes his ways
to win life.
Praise and honour to
you, Lord Jesus!
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Or
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cf.Lk8:15
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Praise and honour to
you, Lord Jesus!
Blessed are those
who,
with a noble and
generous heart,
take the word of God
to themselves
and yield a harvest
through their perseverance.
Praise and honour to
you, Lord Jesus!
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Gospel
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John 7:40-52 ©
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Several people who
had been listening to Jesus said, ‘Surely he must be the prophet’, and some
said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ be from Galilee?
Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come
from the town of Bethlehem?’ So the people could not agree about him. Some
would have liked to arrest him, but no one actually laid hands on him.
The
police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why
haven’t you brought him?’ The police replied, ‘There has never been anybody who
has spoken like him.’ ‘So’ the Pharisees answered ‘you have been led astray as
well? Have any of the authorities believed in him? Any of the Pharisees? This
rabble knows nothing about the Law – they are damned.’ One of them,
Nicodemus – the same man who had come to Jesus earlier – said to
them, ‘But surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without
giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’ To this they answered,
‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do
not come out of Galilee.’
STANDING
UP FOR JESUS AND THE TRUTH
SCRIPTURE
READINGS: Jer 11:18-20;
Jn 7:40-52
Two
of the most critical issues confronting humanity are the twin questions of God
and absolutes.
Today, the world is confused about the existence of God and what is truth,
because of secularism, materialism and relativism. Can truth simply be
based on the subjective likes and dislikes of each individual? Or is
there a way by which we can arrive at the absolute truth? But if our
assumption that the absolute truth is that everything is relative, then no
truth can be really objective. This leads to a pragmatic lifestyle not
based on right or wrong but what is expedient and can help to satisfy the
individual’s needs, material or otherwise. Is life a question of epicureanism,
that is, simply enjoyment and pleasure? Is the purpose of life simply a
pursuit of wealth and power?
Indeed,
in the face of so many choices and opinions, we are paralyzed in adopting
any position and hence unable to make any honest decisions. Too many
choices and too many voices are confusing us. It is like those who go for
cheap sales and are crippled because there are too many things to buy and
choose from. In such a dilemma, we can identify with the people during
the time of Jesus and the prophet Jeremiah. The kings and the priests were
misled by the false prophets who told them the things they wanted to
hear. Instead of speaking the hard facts, they tried to suck up to their
leaders. In the gospel, the people too were confused with regard to the
identity and credibility of Jesus. They said, “’Surely he must be the
prophet’, and some said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ
be from Galilee? Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from
David and come from the town of Bethlehem?’ So the people could not agree about
him.” Indeed, the people were divided in their opinions. In part,
it was the religious leaders who caused them to doubt the teachings of Jesus
because they feared that Jesus might upstage them and cause them to lose their
authority and status quo.
As we
approach nearer the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, His passion, death and
resurrection, the Liturgy calls us to reflect on whether we are ready to
take the road to Jerusalem with Jesus to share His passion and glory. What
would this entail?
Primarily,
we are called to proclaim Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the Good News in
person. Proclamation is more than mere words and doctrines but it is the
way we live this truth in our own lives. Living out the teachings of
Christ is the most difficult aspect of Christian life. But speaking the
truth is equally difficult because we will invite opposition, hatred and anger
from those who disagree with us. Those who wanted to kill Jeremiah and
Jesus were incensed by them as they were not ready to accept the spoken
truth. We too as Catholics find ourselves marginalized and put
ourselves at risk when we speak the truth for the good of society and
humanity. Moral issues like same-sex union, abortion, destruction of
embryos, casino and gambling will cause those who champion such practices to
oppose us. Often it is the silent majority that keeps quiet and the vocal
minority that speaks so loudly that it becomes the voice of the
community. Because of fear of suffering, we prefer to keep quiet.
The
scriptures present to us those who are ready to share in Christ’s passion and
resurrection.
The prophet Jeremiah, although afraid of the suffering he had to endure, did
not flinch from watering the Word of God. He was ready to die for the
Lord. In the gospel, it is significant that the Temple police were ready
to defend Jesus after listening to Him speaking without fear. They did
this at the risk of losing their jobs and positions. “The police went
back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you
brought him?’ The Police replied, ‘There has never been anybody who has spoken
like him.’ ‘So’ the Pharisees answered ‘you have been led astray as
well?’” Then we have a rabbi by the name of Nicodemus who too sided with
Jesus for the sake of the truth. He tried to seek for objectivity in
spite of being ridiculed and put down by his fellow religious leaders. He
opined, “But surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man
without giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’ To this they
answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself:
prophets do not come out of Galilee.’”
Indeed,
how many of us are willing to sacrifice our position and convenience to speak
for the truth, especially when our superiors are doing wrong? We dare not offend those
who are powerful for fear of being discriminated and sacrificed as scapegoats
to deter others from voicing the truth. We seek facile peace, not real
peace. Yet, we know that our conscience will condemn us in our quiet moments
because we did not come out to defend our brother or sister who has been
wronged by those in power.
How
can we find the courage and tenacity to hold on to our beliefs and be like Jeremiah and Jesus in
standing up for the truth before earthly powers and even our loved ones? How
can we stand up for Jesus like the temple police and Nicodemus? To stand
up for Jesus, a few prerequisites are necessary.
Firstly,
we must know about Jesus and know Him personally. The problem is that there is a
lot of distorted information and half-truths about Jesus, as was the case even
in Jesus’ time. Many did not really understand Him. That is why
theological and bible study is important if we were to arrive at the truth of
what Jesus wants to teach us. There is no excuse for Catholics today to
be ignorant of their faith or the teaching of the Church when information on
the internet is readily available at a touch of a button or a click of the
mouse. The truth contained in the Word of God presumes that we are in touch
with the scriptures. Beyond the scriptures, Catholics must familiarize
themselves with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and also try to appreciate
the theological reasons on certain aspects of moral teachings, especially those
that involve the protection of life, the institution of marriage, justice for
the poor and freedom for humanity. The temple police were impressed by
Jesus and were converted, so too we need to show the basis and reasonableness
of our faith and moral values.
But
besides study, we need to pray fervently and with faith. Jeremiah
prayed and asked for the strength that only God could give. His courage
and perseverance stemmed from his utter conviction that God was his
refuge. He said, “From my pursuer save me and rescue me, lest he tear me
to pieces like a lion and drag me off with no one to rescue me. God is
the shield that protects me, who saves the upright of heart. God is a just
judge slow to anger; but he threatens the wicked every day.” Let us too
accompany our witness to the truth through prayer and intimacy with the
Lord. Only His love and His presence can sustain us in our trials,
desolation and most of all, when we are rejected by our friends and loved ones.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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