THINKING OUT OF THE BOX IS TO PUT INTO THE DEEP

20160901 THINKING OUT OF THE BOX IS TO PUT INTO THE DEEP

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

1 Corinthians 3:18-23 ©

Make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As scripture says: The Lord knows wise men’s thoughts: he knows how useless they are; or again: God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise. So there is nothing to boast about in anything human: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life and death, the present and the future, are all your servants; but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23:1-6 ©

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

  the world and all its peoples.

It is he who set it on the seas;

  on the waters he made it firm.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?

  Who shall stand in his holy place?

The man with clean hands and pure heart,

  who desires not worthless things.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord

  and reward from the God who saves him.

Such are the men who seek him,

  seek the face of the God of Jacob.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.2Thess2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Through the Good News God called us

to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Alleluia!

Or

Mt4:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

Follow me, says the Lord,

and I will make you into fishers of men.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 5:1-11 ©

Now Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

  When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.

  When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.

THINKING OUT OF THE BOX IS TO PUT INTO THE DEEP

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [  1 COR 3:18-23; LK 5:1-11 ]

We are constantly challenged to think out of the box; to dare to do things differently.  It is not good enough to maintain the status quo, even if we are doing well. This is true for evangelization and our pastoral ministry as well. But doing things differently involves taking risks, which many of us are averse to, because we lack creativity, or courage, or worse still, because of complacency or inertia. So we maintain the same old routine, the same old approaches, flogging the same old team, and playing by the same old rules. And of course we get disheartened, because we seem to be working a lot harder, day and night, and yet we seem to be getting nowhere. As if this is not bad enough, we pour cold water on the initiatives of those who try to do things differently, or introduce new programmes in an effort to revitalize our parishes or those groups under our charge. This explains why we are not growing, if not lagging behind.

The gospel tells us that we must, like St Peter, be willing to put out into the deep.  This is the advice of Jesus.  We are to take risks.  St Peter was invited to do just that.  He was asked to go beyond discipleship, to be an apostle.  It is within this context that today’s gospel speaks of Peter’s call to be Christ’s apostle in the proclamation of the kingdom.

What is it that truly prevents us from taking risks?  The primary obstacle is pride.  St Peter thought he knew all there was to know about fishing. And he thought that he had tried everything already, and there was no fish, so how could he accept that Jesus knew any more than he did.  Indeed, oftentimes we refuse to open our minds to learning from others, because we think we know best.  Pride makes us self-sufficient and leads us to think highly of ourselves. Without humility, we cannot learn from others.  But as St Paul says, “Make no mistake about it: if any one of you who thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise.  Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.  As scripture says: “The Lord knows wise men’s thoughts: he knows how useless they are: or again: God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise.”

This was the same problem facing the Christians in Corinth.  They were clinging to Paul, Apollos and some leaders. As a result, the community became sectarian, each group seeing the others as competitors rather than collaborators.  Yet, Paul made it clear that they were not to be idolized because all that they had came from God.  They were mere servants and instruments for the Lord. There is nothing to boast about except the grace of God.  St Paul says, “So there is nothing to boast about in anything human: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life and death, the present and the future, are all your servants; but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.”

However, pride can also be manifested in the fear of failure.  We do not want to make mistakes.  We like to play safe and not get into trouble, especially with our superiors.  Too much is at stake.  Superiors are also partly to be blamed when subordinates do not take initiatives.  Our subordinates might perceive that we do not wish to rock the boat or change the status quo.  We are not open to new ways of doing things.  For this reason, we produce mediocre leaders and subservient subordinates, without any creativity or zeal.

However, it was faith that saved Peter.  He put out into the deep and the miracle of the fish happened.  It was so overwhelming an experience.  We are told that “… he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners.”  We too are called to trust in the Lord and take the risk. We are called to surrender our lives to Him so that He can work miracles in our lives. Faith is to believe in the impossible.  Faith is to trust in the inspiration of God.  Only when we surrender, can God work miracles in us.

How can this faith be nurtured?  Let us take a look at Peter. We are told that he was exposed to the ministry and person of Jesus.  He had witnessed how Jesus healed his mother-in-law and many who were sick.  But observation is not sufficient.  He was not yet ready to be more than a disciple of Jesus.  He saw the miracles, but was not converted from within, because it was not his personal conversion.

However in today’s incident, although Peter seemed to be disinterested when Jesus was preaching to the crowd, in truth, he was not simply hearing the teaching of Jesus.  He was contemplating all that Jesus said and did.  Whilst listening to Jesus’ preaching, he must have been recollecting all the things that Jesus had said and how He acted in His relationship with sinners, the poor and how He healed the sick.  He must have been contemplating deeply the message of Jesus for him as well. He was no traditionalist.  He was breaking the rules and the customs. He was not a slave to convention, but would reinterpret the practices and teachings more radically.  We too are called to contemplate how Jesus was always acting and thinking out of the box.  We must understand how Jesus was able to challenge the norms of His time.  He must have drawn courage from His faith in His Father.

This reflection prepared Peter for the miraculous catch.  By listening to the teaching of Jesus, Peter gradually gained faith in Jesus.  Indeed, the miracle happened because of Peter’s act of faith.  Through faith, Peter came to a profound experience of God and subsequently discovered himself, his pride and sinfulness.  Before Jesus, he recognized the divinity of Christ in Jesus.  Thus, “when Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me Lord; I am a sinful man.’“  In that personal experience, which came from contemplation and wonder, he found and experienced the presence of God.  It was beyond his imagination that God would take him personally and speak to him in such a personal way.

With that conversion, he was called to proclaim Jesus to the world.  He was ready to take risks in being His apostle, knowing that it would not be his strength but the power of God.  From that experience, he knew the Lord would work through him.  He knew nothing is impossible for God to work.  From that moment, “Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’  Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.”

We too, if we are to be true apostles of Christ and ready to take the risk of proclaiming the gospel in and out of season, without fear and with boldness, then we must encounter Jesus in a personal manner. We need to pray for a conversion experience, which entails a rediscovery of the mercy and love of God in Jesus for us, bringing about our personal transformation in the way we look at life.  It is this surprising advent of God’s grace into our lives that empowers us to proclaim the gospel as such – Good News – in a new, creative and dynamic manner.

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

PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF A CULT PERSONALITY

20160831 PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF A CULT PERSONALITY

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

1 Corinthians 3:1-9 ©

Brothers, I myself was unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and indeed, you are still not ready for it since you are still unspiritual. Isn’t that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people? What could be more unspiritual than your slogans, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’?

  After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow. It is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will duly be paid according to his share in the work. We are fellow workers with God; you are God’s farm, God’s building.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 32:12-15,20-21 ©

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

  the people he has chosen as his own.

From the heavens the Lord looks forth,

  he sees all the children of men.

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

From the place where he dwells he gazes

  on all the dwellers on the earth;

he who shapes the hearts of them all;

  and considers all their deeds.

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

  The Lord is our help and our shield.

In him do our hearts find joy.

  We trust in his holy name.

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

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

Lk4:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 4:38-44 ©

Leaving the synagogue Jesus went to Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.

  At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

  When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place. The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’ And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.

PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF A CULT PERSONALITY

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [  1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-9; PS 32:12-15, 20-21; LUKE 4:38-44]

Everywhere there are some charismatic leaders that will shine out from among the rest.  They attract followers because of their eloquence, passion, dynamism, preaching and other charisms, such as healing and humour.  Most organizations are dependent on leaders who are charismatic for their growth.  Without such leaders, it would be difficult to attract members and attention.

But there is a danger that such charismatic leaders can create a kind of cult personality.  In some religions, leaders have been known to form cults where members give absolute obedience and even surrender their lives, wealth and even wives to them!  When that happens, members no longer act rationally because they are mesmerized by their leaders and their rhetoric.

In the early Church, charismatic leaders also existed in the Church of Corinth.  There was factionalism.  Some were for Paul and others for Apollos.  The people were taking sides and championing their favourite leader.  As a result, the community was divided.  This is happening in our parishes as well.  There are cliques and supporters of one priest over another; one leader over another.   This is made worse when both leaders are competitors or are not able to get along.  Not only are people divided, but the leaders are also divided when they support such factionalism. This can cause great scandal and embarrassment to the Church.  At the end of the day, the whole Church is wounded and the name of the Church is discredited since all of us belong to the one Body of Christ.

St Paul says this is due to the lack of spirituality and immaturity in our spiritual life.  “Brothers, I myself was unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and indeed, you are still not ready for it since you are still un-spiritual. Isn’t that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people? What could be more unspiritual than your slogans, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’?”   Indeed, when those who call themselves Christians engage in such politicking, quarrelling and publicly displaying their unhappiness with their leaders, instigating others to stand up for him or for her, slandering or competing with each other and putting each other down to boost their position and credibility, it only goes to show their childishness, insecurity and pride.  When we see or hear such scandals, we feel sad for the Church and embarrassed that such things are happening among people who are supposedly committed to Christ and the gospel.  How could they use the name of God to justify their attacks on the integrity and weaknesses of others?  What must we do to prevent such unfortunate competition and factionalism from taking place?

Firstly, we must remind ourselves that we are God’s servants.  St Paul wrote, “After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you.”  Our task is to serve God and His Church.  Everything we do must be for His greater glory.  As servants, we must not do anything that discredits His Church.  The greater good of the Church must be kept in mind and not our personal or factional interests.

Secondly, our position in service is assigned by God; not by our choice. It is for the Lord to allocate His gifts to us and to place us where He thinks we can best serve Him.  To aspire for positions or to vie for honour is not what a servant of God should do.  He would be serving His own self.   We all have our parts to play in everything.  No one person is responsible for the success of any project.  Someone might get the honour but it is not for himself but on behalf of the team. Like in the case of the Prime Minister; if the country is doing well, it is not solely his work alone but that of his team and supporters.  So too the bishop and the parish priest and in any organization!  Let us not delude ourselves into believing that it is all due to our hard work and leadership.

Thirdly, it is God who is the cause of fecundity.  “God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow.”  Man proposes but God disposes.  Regardless how hard we work, it is not for us to determine the success of any project.  Success is not only strategic planning or hard work but it is due to the grace of God.  There are other factors as well that are beyond our control; the weather, the circumstances, the timing, the people whom we meet, the contacts, the generosity of those who support us, etc.   Without the grace of God, we cannot succeed.  So once again, let us not allow our glory to get into our heads, thinking that success is due to us alone.

Fourthly, we are all fellow workers in God’s farm. We are called to work as a team.  The farm belongs to God and the building is His.  So as servants of God we are all called to work together to tend to His farm and take care of His building.  All are needed to get the job done.  Since God is the owner and we are His servants, our task is to serve Him and remember that we are only stewards.  We do not own the people under our charge.  They are not our property for us to do as we like.  As stewards, we must be responsible and at the end of the day, give an account to the Lord for all the talents and resources He has blessed us with to serve His people.

Finally, the reward must be left to God alone.  A servant of God cannot be thinking of rewards.  What reward should we expect when the greatest reward has already been given, namely, the capacity to serve Him and His people?  Without Him blessing us with health, wealth, charisms and time, we will not be able to serve His people.  That we are able to serve and make use of our resources to help others is the greatest of all rewards, for in service we find life and fulfillment.  So there are no other rewards we can expect because the reward is love, joy, peace and fulfillment.  When a person lives in that manner after the life of Christ, he or she should be thankful.  Indeed, in the gospel, the reward of doing well as we see in the parable of the Talents is to be given a greater task and a heavier responsibility to manage other things.  The more we expand and expend ourselves for service, the greater is the joy and the happiness.

All that we have just said are exemplified in the life and ministry of Jesus.   The gospel describes His daily routine, which was hectic and busy.  But Jesus was conscious that His ministry was not about Himself but about the needs of the people.  His mission was to proclaim the Good News of God’s unconditional love and mercy.  His sole purpose was to lead the people to know His Father’s love and mercy.  It was not to lead people to Him and if people were to come to Him, it was only because He is the Way to the Father.

Hence, although identified with His people and their distress, He was also detached from them.  He did not allow Himself to be controlled by the people or even by their love and attachment to Him.    He did not make use of them for His security or ego.  When they sought to have Him stay with them, the answer of Jesus was firm, “’I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do’. And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.”  He did not wait for any appreciation or recognition for the work He has done.  In some instances, He even forbade those who were healed to speak of Him for fear that others might come to Him for the wrong reasons.  This explains why He “rebuked them (the Devils) and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.”  He did not allow the Devil to derail His plans and His mission by identifying Him as the Son of God.  He wanted people to come to Him not out of fear but out of faith.  So it must be a personal discovery and a relationship, not based on spectacular performances.

Jesus was focused on His mission and not on Himself.  This is the key to prevent a cult personality.  Today, we need to learn from Jesus by being discerning and growing in self-awareness. Unless leaders are praying sincerely, they would not be able to be self-effacing in their leadership and ministry.  Worst of all, they can be deceived into thinking too highly of themselves and believing that they are indispensable for the success of the organization.  Humility and selfless service is the key to leadership.

The basis of our ministry must come from our humility and gratitude to God who enables us to serve with Him.   Being grateful that we are chosen as His own and for His service is the greatest reward. We should not be seeking more.  “They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own. From the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men. Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield. In him do our hearts find joy.  We trust in his holy name.”  To be counted among the servants of God and His children is the greatest of all joys in life.

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

THE AUTHORITY OF A LEADER

20160830 THE AUTHORITY OF A LEADER

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 ©

The Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. After all, the depths of a man can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other man, and in the same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God. Now instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually. An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit. A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men. As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 144:8-14 ©

The Lord is just in all his ways.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

  slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

  compassionate to all his creatures.

The Lord is just in all his ways.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

  and your friends shall repeat their blessing.

They shall speak of the glory of your reign

  and declare your might, O God,

to make known to men your mighty deeds

  and the glorious splendour of your reign.

The Lord is just in all his ways.

Yours is an everlasting kingdom;

  your rule lasts from age to age.

The Lord is faithful in all his words

  and loving in all his deeds.

The Lord supports all who fall

  and raises all who are bowed down.

The Lord is just in all his ways.

Gospel Acclamation

Heb4:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of God is something alive and active:

it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.

Alleluia!

Or

Lk7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 4:31-37 ©

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.

  In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.

THE AUTHORITY OF A LEADER

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [  1CORINTHIANS 2:10-16; LUKE 4:31-37]

In the gospel, we are told twice how the people reacted to the teaching of Jesus and His works. With regard to His teaching, it “made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.”  Indeed, the authority of our Lord was different from that of the other rabbis and teachers.  Whereas they all referred to other authorities, namely God and Moses, Jesus preached in His own name and in His own authority.  He did not have to preface His words, with “thus says the Lord”, like the prophets and the teachers of the day.  He spoke from His own conviction and in His own person and in His own authority.

Not only did He teach with authority, but He also acted with authority and power.  Whether it is with respect to man or even the evil spirits, Jesus could command with authority.  When “the spirit of an unclean devil … shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?’  But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet!  Come out of him!’  And the devil throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all.” Just with a command, the evil spirit left the possessed man.  In contrast, the exorcists of His days had to recite long incantations and even used other objects and herbs to drive out the evil spirits.  Jesus did not need to say long prayers but simply at His word, the evil spirits obeyed immediately.

What gave Jesus that absolute authority that commanded respect and obedience? Jesus was fully aware of His own identity.  Hence, when the devil said, “I know who you are: the Holy One of God”, He told him to be quiet.  He did not need the devil to announce His identity.  He did not need the devil to affirm His identity.  He knew who He was.  Furthermore, in letting the people know His identity, they might mistake His messiahship as a political one.   Jesus knew the devil’s tactic to derail His plans.  As the Son of God, He was conscious that He was not acting by Himself but in union with the Father.  He was aware that He had the Father’s backing and support in what He was doing.   Everything He did was in according with the Father’s will and His plan for us.

Secondly, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.  After His baptism, the Holy Spirit led Him into the desert.  He began His ministry in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was not only acting by Himself but always in the power of the Holy Spirit.   It was the Spirit at work in His ministry, empowering Him to heal, to teach authoritatively and giving Him discernment and understanding that the human mind cannot understand or perceive. It was His docility to be led by the Spirit that enabled Jesus to do what He did.  Hence, we read that “astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching!  He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’  And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.”

In contrast, many of us, even as leaders, act without personal authority.  The only authority we have is human authority.  This is the authority that comes from our academic studies.  Just because we hold an academic degree on a certain subject, people will listen to us and respect what we say because we are supposedly experts in that subject matter.  But then many might disagree with us as well in our findings and analysis.   Intellectual knowledge and scholarship are not sufficient to command full authority from our listeners, especially when there are so many diverse opinions on every issue.  It is a matter of reliability but there is no guarantee of truth.

When academic authority fails, some exercise juridical authority that comes from the Office.   We use force and power to make them submit to our authority.  Using the power that comes from the office means to use the force of the law.  If you break the laws, you would be penalized accordingly.  So our subordinates and those under our charge obey us more out of fear of punishment than conviction or even understanding.  We cannot change the hearts of men through fear and punishment.  We only make them hostile towards authority.  They will await their chance to usurp our authority one day so that they can change the rules.

Finally, when that fails, many of us will use authority that comes from our connection with influential or powerful people.  We use them or name drop to get things done.  Indeed, we would quote this and that famous person to make our point because no one will respect us for our own opinions.  This was what the prophets and many teachers did.  When they taught, they would quote some established teachers and leaders to back up what they were saying.  Some of us may even use money and rewards to get others to collaborate with us.  By so doing we enter into that slippery path of corruption, cronyism and become obligated to them.

As a consequence, we destroy ourselves and lose our credibility as leaders.  St Paul makes it clear what an unspiritual man is. “An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit.”  Those who are unspiritual cannot understand or see beyond the superficiality of life for the eternal values.  They cannot understand why living a life of love and giving is better than simply acquiring things and wealth and power.  They are not able to appreciate why spending time with God in contemplation brings more joy and happiness than indulging oneself in the things of the world, like getting drunk, fighting, arguing and living in debauchery.  They cannot understand why sex alone cannot bring happiness without love.

Whereas a spiritual man understands what really matters in life.  He distinguishes the means from the end.  “A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men.  As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ.”  When we have the mind and the spirit of Christ, we will look at everything through the eyes of Christ.  This is what St Paul wrote elsewhere too, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col 3:2f) “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

Thus, we need to ask for the Spirit of God to enlighten and guide us.  Only the Spirit of God can lead us to understand life the way God sees.  “The Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God.  After all, the depths of a man, and in the same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God.”  Human understanding of the world will not bring us very far.  Science can help us in technology and knowledge of the world.  But science does not deal with the matters of the heart which is love and truth.  Science of course, when seen with faith, can help us to encounter God.  “Now instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us.  Therefore we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually.”

Thus, today, if we are serious in acquiring the Spirit of God in our lives so that we can discern and judge wisely, then we need to pray.  There is no other way to be filled with the Spirit of God except through prayer and contemplation of the Word of God.  He speaks to us through the Word and He fills us with His Spirit in prayer and through worship, especially through the means of the sacraments.  Only when we are imbued with His Spirit, can we then speak with conviction and act with courage and authority.

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