TRAGEDY OF REJECTION

20170201 TRAGEDY OF REJECTION

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15 ©

In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death.

  Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly; but do not get discouraged when he reprimands you. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons. Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? Of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, and far from pleasant; but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness. So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will not be wrenched, it will grow strong again.

  Always be wanting peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a whole community.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 102(103):1-2,13-14,17-18 ©

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

  all my being, bless his holy name.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

  and never forget all his blessings.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

As a father has compassion on his sons,

  the Lord has pity on those who fear him;

for he knows of what we are made,

  he remembers that we are dust.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting

  upon those who hold him in fear;

his justice reaches out to children’s children

  when they keep his covenant in truth.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Or

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 6:1-6 ©

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

TRAGEDY OF REJECTION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ HEB 12:4-15; PS 102:1-2,13-14,17-18; MARK 6:1-6   ]

In the gospel, we read the shock Jesus received upon returning to His hometown.  “Most of them were astonished when they heard him.”  From being astonished, it led to disbelief and rejection. They said, “What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?”  In a terse and heartbreaking remark, the evangelist wrote, “And they would not accept him.”

Indeed, this is often the reality of life.  We should not be surprised as Jesus said, “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house.”  Those supposedly closest to us, whether they are family members or colleagues, are often our greatest enemies and wet blankets.  They cannot see the good in us but only our faults.  Instead of supporting us, they are always putting us down for whatever initiatives we take.  They oppose us in whatever good we try to do. We receive nothing but discouragement and sometimes even slander.  This explains why many children lose confidence in their studies because no matter how hard they try, their parents would criticize them and ridule their efforts, destroying their confidence and self-esteem.  So too in the office as well!  Instead of affirming our fellow colleagues, we pass disparaging remarks, make them feel small or inadequate.  Isn’t this the way the relatives of Jesus said as well?   “Where did the man get all this?”

The tragedy is that often those rejected by us are happily welcomed by others.  That is why we prefer to be with those who love us and support us.  When husbands and wives keep putting each other down, they do not realize that they are killing the love between them and indirectly forcing the other partner to seek consolation and support elsewhere.  Children too, when they do not find acceptance at home, would prefer to hang out with their friends instead of being  at home in a hostile environment.  Indeed, if you find someone who does not like to be at home, most likely there is no real home but simply a house.  A home is where you expect support, encouragement, understanding, compassion, consolation and love.

Likewise in our parishes, how often have we had good laity who are professionals and doing well in life offering to devote their time to serving God, only to find discouragement and rejection? In so doing, the Church ends up losing valuable resources to other organisations and institutions, including NGOs and non-Catholic or non-Christian entities, that appreciate them more.   We have lost the services of many talented Catholics in our churches because we fail to appreciate them and value their services.  The irony is that many of them are now doing very well in the world, serving the poor.

What is the reason?  Clearly, most of the time when we find ourselves unable to welcome the prophets in our lives, it has to do with insecurity and self-interest.  The relatives of Jesus were jealous of Him.   They could not accept that someone who was living with them and once under their authority could now speak in such an authoritative manner.  The scribes and Pharisees also opposed Jesus later in His ministry because they found Jesus a threat to their status quo, their position in society and most of all, they did not like what Jesus said because they felt embarrassed by the truth of His words.  They were all out to remove Jesus as He was a nuisance and an obstacle to their comfort and interests.

We too behave exactly the same way.  This explains why most people have difficulty with those in authority.  They are too proud to obey.  They want things to be done their way, and according to their whims and fancies.  They do not want to be told what to do.  When their vested interests are compromised, they will fight back to retain their status quo.  This is what Pope Francis often warns us; that worldliness has crept into the Church as well.  Even within the Church, there is an unconscious ambition for fame, power, attention, security and comfort. The zeal for the spread of the gospel is often lacking so much so that it is in danger of becoming just another institution that affords security with all the material and emotional benefits.

So if we do not want to lose the assistance and services of our fellow Catholics, we must welcome them.  We must not see others who have talent or fresh ideas as working against us.  More often than not, we react out of our insecurity.  The bottom line is that we do not like our cheese moved.  We want things to remain the same.  We are routine people and we do not like changes.  But without the sacrifices and pain of change, no organization or church can grow.   When we are set in our own ways, just like the relatives of Jesus, we will remain stagnant, unable to receive the blessings of God.  This was what the evangelist said, “He could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”   By rejecting such talented people and their sincere good will, we are the ones to suffer in the end.  Then we should not be complaining and lamenting why we do not have enough volunteers in the Church.  The answer is simple.  They are not welcome and their professional advice and skills are not appreciated.

Conversely, when we welcome the initiatives of people, we empower them and help them to become better each day.  What people need is our confidence and trust.  When we are receptive, open and docile to their plans and visions, they will be more willing to share and to listen to us and to work collaboratively to bring their ideas to greater heights.  When they see us sincerely wanting to better their proposals and not sabotaging them, they will be more forthcoming and eager to contribute to our interests.  By placing our confidence in them, we help them to become more confident in themselves and more courageous in thinking out of the box and taking risks.

For those of us who are rejected, we should not fall into despair.  As the author in the first reading reminds us, we are sons of God.  “My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his training, for the Lord trains those he loves, and chastises every son he accepts.  Perseverance is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons.”  We are the children of God but we need to be purified and grow in grace, in humility and faith.  “Our human fathers were training us for a short life and according to their own lights; but he does it all for our own good, so that we may share his own holiness.”   Jesus learned obedience through suffering.  It was through the rejection of His own relatives that He could be prepared to accept a wider rejection from the community.  His rejection by His own relatives and townsfolk prepared Him for the final betrayal and rejection of the apostles and those who whom He has helped.

Most of all, the author warns us not to fall into resentment and bitterness.  “Seek peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a large number.”   We must learn to forgive like Jesus and use such rejection to grow in compassion for our enemies and trust in the Lord.  Indeed, if we accept the trials of life positively, they can make us better, not bitter.  We must be brave and courageous and see everything not through our wounded eyes and bruised ego but through the mercy and compassion of God.

So let us heed the exhortation of the author of Hebrews, “any discipline is at the time a matter for grief, not joy; but later, in those who have undergone it, it bears fruit in peace and uprightness. So steady all weary hands and trembling knees and make your crooked paths straight; then the injured limb will not be maimed, it will get better instead.”  With a stronger prayer life, a deeper relationship with the Lord, with greater openness and perseverance in establishing dialogue with those who see us as our enemies, and by building bridges instead of walls, we will one day not just transcend our opponents but we will make them our friends.  We will use their taunts for our growth so that we can become better and more purified in love and service.

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

FREEING OURSELVES FROM OUR BONDAGES

20170130 FREEING OURSELVES FROM OUR BONDAGES

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Hebrews 11:32-40 ©

Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets – these were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and earned the promises. They could keep a lion’s mouth shut, put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were given strength, to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders. Some came back to their wives from the dead, by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusing release so that they would rise again to a better life. Some had to bear being pilloried and flogged, or even chained up in prison. They were stoned, or sawn in half, or beheaded; they were homeless, and dressed in the skins of sheep and goats; they were penniless and were given nothing but ill-treatment. They were too good for the world and they went out to live in deserts and mountains and in caves and ravines. These are all heroes of faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 30(31):20-24 ©

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

How great is the goodness, Lord,

  that you keep for those who fear you,

that you show to those who trust you

  in the sight of men.

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence

  from the plotting of men;

you keep them safe within your tent

  from disputing tongues.

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

Blessed be the Lord who has shown me

  the wonders of his love

  in a fortified city.

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

‘I am far removed from your sight’

  I said in my alarm.

Yet you heard the voice of my plea

  when I cried for help.

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

Love the Lord, all you saints.

  He guards his faithful

but the Lord will repay to the full

  those who act with pride.

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

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.

FREEING OURSELVES FROM OUR BONDAGES

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Heb 11:32-40; Ps 30:20-24; Mk 5:1-20]

We are created in the image and likeness of God.   We are created in freedom and for freedom.  This explains why the desire for freedom is in the DNA of every human person.  Without freedom, we cannot be truly happy in life.  Even God respects our freedom so much so that He would not even stop us from choosing Hell instead of choosing Him if we so desire.  We know that conscience is also paramount in making decisions and the person’s conscience must be respected.   Of course, the judgment of conscience presumes that the person takes into account in his or her discernment process, the objective norms.

Consequently, to be under bondage in any way violates the dignity of the human person.  We can feel and identify with this man who was under the bondage of the Evil Spirit.  “The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him anymore, 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.”  If one of us or our loved ones were possessed, we can imagine the trauma and the anxiety that we would have to go through.  Indeed, we do not have to go that far in speaking about demonic possession.   Some of us and our loved ones suffer from various types of obsessions and compulsive disorders.   Handling such sufferers is never easy and can be extremely trying for the care givers.   But the sufferers too are going through extreme loneliness of being misunderstood and often ridiculed and ostracized.

What are these obsessions?  The most common is pornography and lust.  Some people are not able to get over our obsession for lewd sex.  They cannot live without masturbating or watching pornography.  Others suffer from addiction to gambling, drinking and smoking.  Such addictions cause much harm not just to the person himself but to his or her loved ones who live in fear that something untoward would happen to the person.  Many are not able to control their temper and would often easily take it out on innocent victims.  At times, they can even be violent, hitting out at their loved ones.  Of course, some of the obsessions are internal and these deal with envy and greed.  They are voices inside us, making us lose our peace and happiness, yet we find ourselves powerless to silence these voices in our hearts.

In truth, the greatest bondage is fear!  All sins originate from fear.  The greatest irony of today’s gospel story is that the real person under bondage was not the man that Jesus delivered but the townsfolks who became fearful of the implications of accepting Jesus into their lives.  Instead of welcoming Jesus to stay, they were fearful of further economic losses.  “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.”

Indeed, when we examine our obsessions and bondages, we will realize that they are rooted in fear. All the sins we commit are due to our fear of pain and suffering.  Most of all, we fear death, which is our greatest enemy because we think that with death, everything is finished.  So long as we fear suffering and death, we cannot live a life of freedom.  This explains why the richest and most powerful people in the world are the most insecure people because they have everything to lose; their wealth, power and glory.  Whereas for the poor people, those who are suffering because of illnesses or oppression and injustices, they have nothing to lose.  They can only hope for the fullness of life hereafter.

But with Christ all fears are overcome.   St Paul says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Rom 6:22f)  In his letter to the Corinthians, we read of Christ’s total victory over the last enemy of humanity.  “As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”  (1 Cor 15:22-25)

So for those who fear, it is because of their ignorance, like the swineherds.  They thought that with Jesus around, they would lose their livelihood and their business would be affected.  It is true as well for those of us who cling to sins.  We think that if we are chaste in our relationships, we will lose our loved ones.  What we lose is inauthentic and selfish love, not true love!  Those of us who gamble are afraid that if we stop gambling, we will not have enough.  On the contrary, their health will get better, there will be peace of mind, less stress, less family squabbling and they will be able to work better.  Most of all they will have more money because no one can be a winner in gambling except the gambling operators!   Again, some cannot give up drinking and smoking for fear that their lives will be more stressful without alcohol and cigarettes.  On the contrary, with less dependence on them, life will become freer and they will enjoy better health and be more sober to deal with life’s challenges.

Indeed, when we choose the illusory security offered by the world, we will be the ultimate loser as we could even lose our life, our health, our job and family, and even God!  In asking Jesus to leave, the villagers might have retained their herds, but they lost a great opportunity to find the fullness of life.  For the Jews, a pig symbolizes contamination by uncleanness.  So to choose the life of a pig is to live in that manner, under bondage, no direction and a life without happiness.  Which is a better option?  Do we want to choose the fullness of life?  For this, it means giving up something and everything that is detrimental to our well-being and peace of mind.  We cannot expect to find peace and joy if we allow ourselves to be under the bondage of the Evil One.

Today, the gospel invites us to take care and make a decision for Christ, like the man who was delivered from the Evil Spirit.  “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.”   He not only became a disciple of Jesus but an apostle to his own people.  If we are liberated, we too will have a change of perspective towards life, like those who suffered from a near death experience or remission from a terminal illness.

How do we overcome our fears?  Firstly, we must name it.  This was what Jesus sought to do when He asked, “What is your name?”  And the Evil Spirit answered, “My name is legion, for there are many of us.”   So acknowledging the fact that we are obsessed or under bondage is the primary step towards healing and freedom.  Unfortunately, the truth is that those of us who are addicted or under some kind of bondage would deny the fact.  Without the humility to call a spade a spade, there can be no cure or effective liberation. Rather, in all honesty, when we name the fear we have, the paralysis of shame is immediately overcome.  That is why when the name of the Evil Spirit was revealed, they knew that they could no longer stay in the house of the possessed man.   Getting people to acknowledge their sins, their wrong doings, their addictions and fear is the most challenging part because of pride.   We are all too proud to admit we need help or that we are sinners.  So if we want to be set free from our fear and bondages, name your sin specifically and it will have lost its power.

Secondly, we must rely on the strength that comes from Jesus alone.  The name of Jesus on the other hand puts fear into the hearts of the Evil Spirit.  “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 from 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.’”   We too cannot depend on our own strength but on Jesus who is our mighty hero to defend us.  He is the Lord of hosts, the army commander of our almighty God.   When we have faith in the name and authority of Jesus over sin and evil, we no longer have to live in fear.  He is our strength and our stronghold.

We are called to imitate the faith of our fathers.  With the psalmist, we pray, “Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.  How great is the goodness, Lord, that you keep for those who fear you, that you show to those who trust you in the sight of men.  You hide them in the shelter of your presence from the plotting of men; you keep them safe within your tent from disputing tongues.”  With the heroes of faith in the Old Testament, we must be strong in our faith and our battle against our enemies. “Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets – these were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and earned the promises.  They could keep a lion’s mouth shut, put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle.  They were weak people who were given strength, to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders.”

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

A CHANGE OF MINDSET AS THE KEY TO A BLESSED LIFE

20170129 A CHANGE OF MINDSET AS THE KEY TO A BLESSED LIFE

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13 ©

Seek the Lord,

all you, the humble of the earth,

who obey his commands.

Seek integrity,

seek humility:

you may perhaps find shelter

on the day of the anger of the Lord.

In your midst I will leave

a humble and lowly people,

and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.

They will do no wrong,

will tell no lies;

and the perjured tongue will no longer

be found in their mouths.

But they will be able to graze and rest

with no one to disturb them.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 145(146):6-10(Lord6) ©

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

or

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,

  who is just to those who are oppressed.

It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

  the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

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

or

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,

  who raises up those who are bowed down,

the Lord, who protects the stranger

  and upholds the widow and orphan.

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

or

Alleluia!

It is the Lord who loves the just

  but thwarts the path of the wicked.

The Lord will reign for ever,

  Zion’s God, from age to age.

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

or

Alleluia!

Second reading

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ©

Take yourselves for instance, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or

Mt5:12a

Alleluia, alleluia!

Rejoice and be glad:

your reward will be great in heaven.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12 ©

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;

  theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

  they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

  they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

  they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

  they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

  they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

  they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

  theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

A CHANGE OF MINDSET AS THE KEY TO A BLESSED LIFE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ZEPH 2:3; 3:12-13; 1 COR 1:26-31; MT 5:1-12]

We all seek a blessed life.  Presumably a blessed life is a happy life.  But what really is a blessed life?  Does it mean being materially rich, influential and successful in the world?  Or does it mean having a beautiful home, a loving family and a meaningful career and life-style? So whilst all might agree that we want a blessed life, the way we see a life as blessed might differ.

Basically, there are two approaches to life, which the scripture readings present to us.  One is the way of the world and the other is the way of Christ.  This is expressed by St Paul when he asked the Corinthians, “how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families?  No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning.”

The way to life according to the world can be summarized in one word, power; the power over life, not just one’s life but also that of others.  Power is often expressed in the desire for self-autonomy without God, self-determination and individualism.  This power can be obtained first and foremost by acquiring knowledge because knowledge is power.  Today, we know that to be successful in the world, we need education because education is power.  That is why many of us are in the paper race, earning one degree after another.  We surf the Internet for more information and knowledge. Governments and multi-corporations vie for the best CEO in town, paying them enormous salaries.  There is also the race to acquire the latest technology, be it biotechnology or arms.  For to have such knowledge means that we can defend ourselves from our enemies and we can prolong our life.   But the point is whether such power that is acquired through knowledge or wealth can really advance life.  The plain truth is that technology can also be used for the destruction of life and nations.  The world lives in a precarious state because countries are always competing with each other for better technology to develop the latest weapons. So knowledge will only create further competition and fear.

Secondly, power can also be acquired through wealth and status.  In other words, for those of us who do not have intellectual power, we can have economic power.  With money and status, one becomes influential and feared by others.  People become beholden to them because of the power they hold over others through their wealth. Indeed, we know how often politicians, governments and even religious leaders are corrupted by money and bought over by rich and influential people.   When power is acquired through wealth and corruption, this results in great social injustices. The rich get richer through unfair and unethical means.  The poor, who have neither money nor status in life, nor influence become poorer and are robbed of their dignity and respect.  This sows the seeds of jealousy, envy, hatred, greed and competition, which can lead to violence, robbery, killing and fraudulent means to acquire money.  Society becomes divided since everyone treats their fellowman as competitors or even enemies.  Because each cares for himself, society disintegrates first on the national then the global level.

Hence, we must be weary of the approach that the world provides us to solve the world’s ills since knowledge and wealth can be used to destroy humanity and life.  So we must conclude that power gained through knowledge or wealth cannot truly bring life but death! Of course, there is no denying that knowledge and wealth can help to bring about a better quality of life.  The Church is not against science or technological development.  But knowledge and wealth alone without the wisdom and love of God can be destructive.  When man confides in his own innate power and wisdom, he becomes proud and self-centred, thinking of his own interests before others.

In place of worldly power, today, the scripture readings offer us the way of God.  What is this way?  Prophet Zephaniah sums up the way to a blessed life in three pillars, namely, “Seek the Lord, seek integrity and seek humility.”  But what does it mean to seek the Lord?  To seek God is to seek His wisdom.  Knowledge of God and His wisdom will enable us to live our lives meaningfully.  This wisdom of God is of course revealed in the very life and teaching of Jesus.  St Paul declares that God has made us members of Christ Jesus and “by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom.”  If Christ is the wisdom of God, it is because the life of Jesus manifests to us the way God looks at this world.

What then is this wisdom of God?  It is fundamentally a reversal of the values of the world, for it emphasizes powerlessness and humility.   We see this clearly in the divine plan of salvation. In St Paul’s understanding of Christ’s death on the cross, and in his choice of the poor and the weak, God has shown that life is more than power acquired through knowledge or wealth. Indeed, “those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen.”  The death of Jesus on the cross forces us to rethink the values of the world.  For the world glorifies power, knowledge and wealth but God honours the poor, the just and those who keep faith. This is again elaborated in the beatitudes of today’s gospel. The beatitudes of Christ, of course is the blueprint to life.  It proclaims that real power is powerlessness through humility, poverty, justice and compassion. These beatitudes summarize the very life and attitudes that Jesus which lived during his life.

However, we can arrive at a real understanding of the wisdom of God in Christ only through a life of humility.  For good reason, therefore, Jesus prefaced His beatitudes with the proclamation, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  This is fundamental.  Of course, the poor in spirit is clearly not the same as being materially poor or ‘poor spirited’, that is, weak in spirit.   As Pope St Leo the Great said, “Poverty is blessed, then, when it is not beguiled by a longing for earthly goods and does not seek increase of the world’s riches, but desires to be enriched with heavenly blessings.”  (DO Wk 22 Friday)  To be poor in spirit is to recognize that one is a pauper in virtues, of love, mercy, forgiveness, generosity, compassion and truth.  Of course being materially rich can become an obstacle to such spiritual virtues since as St Leo also pointed out, “very many rich people do not use their wealth for works of charity rather than as a means to puff their pride.”

However, whether we are materially rich or poor, if we have the spirit of poverty, that is the desire to grow in spiritual values, then we all share a common purpose of bringing love and unity through peacemaking and compassion; justice with mercy; and truth with purity of heart. In this way, we live a life of integrity, a balanced and centred life.  This is precisely what the beatitudes proclaim.  Through humility, we learn gentleness and meekness in dealing with others and ourselves; we learn how to comfort others because we have gone through our own struggles; we become merciful and compassionate to others because of our solidarity with them; we thirst for justice and truth and unity because we believe we are all sons of God.  Most of all, because we live in purity of God, that is a good conscience, we are not afraid of abuses and persecutions that we might suffer on account of Christ and the truth.

Only such a life can bring us real peace, joy and happiness because such attitudes towards life and others, promote unity, mutual love and care; understanding and compassion; honesty and justice.  Indeed, Pope John Paul II reminds us that the Kingdom of God is effectively prepared by people who carry out their work seriously and honestly, not aspiring to things that are too high, but turning, in daily faithfulness, to those that are lowly.

The final question remains and which we have to answer honestly for ourselves.  Why is it as Thomas Kempis in his book the Imitation of Christ, Bk 3,3 asked, that “many listen more willingly to the world than to God, and are readier to follow the desires of their flesh than God’s good pleasure?  The world promises things temporal and of small value and is served with great eagerness”; but God promises “things most excellent and everlasting, and yet men’s hearts remain sluggish”; “for an unchangeable good, for an inestimable reward, for the highest honour and never-ending glory”, we are “loath to undergo even a little fatigue.”  “Blush, then, slothful and querulous servant …” he said, that we “are actually more ready to labour for death” than for life; to rejoice more in vanity than the truth! Let us reflect.

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