20170508 THE CHURCH IS CATHOLIC; NOT CHRISTIAN
Readings at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: White.
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First reading
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Acts 11:1-18 ©
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The apostles and the
brothers in Judaea heard that the pagans too had accepted the word of God, and
when Peter came up to Jerusalem the Jews criticised him and said, ‘So you have
been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them, have you?’ Peter in reply
gave them the details point by point: ‘One day, when I was in the town of
Jaffa,’ he began ‘I fell into a trance as I was praying and had a vision of
something like a big sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. This
sheet reached the ground quite close to me. I watched it intently and saw all
sorts of animals and wild beasts – everything possible that could walk, crawl
or fly. Then I heard a voice that said to me, “Now, Peter; kill and eat!” But I
answered: Certainly not, Lord; nothing profane or unclean has ever crossed my
lips. And a second time the voice spoke from heaven, “What God has made clean,
you have no right to call profane.” This was repeated three times, before the
whole of it was drawn up to heaven again.
‘Just at
that moment, three men stopped outside the house where we were staying; they
had been sent from Caesarea to fetch me, and the Spirit told me to have no
hesitation about going back with them. The six brothers here came with me as
well, and we entered the man’s house. He told us he had seen an angel standing
in his house who said, “Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter; he has a
message for you that will save you and your entire household.”
‘I had
scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way
as it came on us at the beginning, and I remembered that the Lord had said,
“John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” I
realised then that God was giving them the identical thing he gave to us when
we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God’s way?’
This
account satisfied them, and they gave glory to God. ‘God’ they said ‘can
evidently grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life.’
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Responsorial
Psalm
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Psalm
41(42):2-3,42:3-4 ©
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My soul is
thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
Like the deer that
yearns
for
running streams,
so my soul is yearning
for you,
my God.
My soul is
thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
My soul is thirsting
for God,
the God
of my life;
when can I enter and
see
the face
of God?
My soul is
thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
O send forth your
light and your truth;
let these
be my guide.
Let them bring me to
your holy mountain,
to the
place where you dwell.
My soul is
thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
And I will come to
the altar of God,
the God
of my joy.
My redeemer, I will
thank you on the harp,
O God, my
God.
My soul is
thirsting for God, the God of my life.
or
Alleluia!
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Gospel
Acclamation
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Jn10:14
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the good
shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep
and my own know me.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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John 10:11-18 ©
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Jesus said:
‘I am the good
shepherd:
the good shepherd is
one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since
he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not
belong to him,
abandons the sheep
and runs away
as soon as he sees a
wolf coming,
and then the wolf
attacks and scatters the sheep;
this is because he is
only a hired man
and has no concern
for the sheep.
‘I am the good
shepherd;
I know my own
and my own know me,
just as the Father
knows me
and I know the
Father;
and I lay down my
life for my sheep.
And there are other
sheep I have
that are not of this
fold,
and these I have to
lead as well.
They too will listen
to my voice,
and there will be
only one flock,
and one shepherd.
‘The Father loves me,
because I lay down my
life
in order to take it
up again.
No one takes it from
me;
I lay it down of my
own free will,
and as it is in my
power to lay it down,
so it is in my power
to take it up again;
and
this is the command I have been given by my Father.’
THE
CHURCH IS CATHOLIC; NOT CHRISTIAN
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [
ACTS 11:1-18; PS 41:2-3,42:3-4; JOHN 10:11-18 ]
Very often, Catholics are confused as to
whether to call themselves Catholics or Christians, or Catholic
Christians. Many of our Catholics are even apologetic about lacking the
courage to call themselves Catholic and so prefer the name, Christian. In
truth, there is no real dichotomy, although there is a difference. As
individuals, we are Christians because we are the disciples of Christ.
However as Church, we are Catholic, because we belong to the One Church of
Christ, which is the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. In other words,
because the Church is the assembly of Christians and this Church embraces all
of humanity, then rightly, we call ourselves Catholics because as Church we are
one in worship, doctrines and fellowship.
Indeed, we should be proud of the
Catholicity of the Church because that is the wish of Jesus in today’s
gospel. Jesus made it clear that He came not just for the Jews but for
all. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the
Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my
sheep. And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and
these I have to lead as well. They too will listen to my voice, and there will
be only one flock, and one shepherd.” Indeed, it is God’s plan that all
will be united in Christ who is our Good Shepherd, who died for us for our
salvation. Christ did not come to die for the Jews but for all who are
sinners. He did not come to die for good men but for His enemies as
well. That is why with the death of Christ, the curtain of the Temple is
torn down. “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave
up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from
top to bottom.” (Mt 27:5—51a)
St Paul wrote, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or
free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according
to the promise.” (Gal 3:28f)
Accordingly, we must avoid the temptation
to exclusivity, like the Jews we read about in the first reading. For the Jews,
they considered themselves exclusively the People of God and the Chosen
Ones. They believed that salvation belonged to them because they were
given the Law of Moses. Some, however, believed that the Gentiles, the
non-Jews could be saved, provided they also observed all the Jewish laws and
traditions. In essence, they lived like a Jew although biologically they
did not belong to the Jewish race. When a religion is reduced to a race
and confined to a culture, it cannot but bring division among humanity.
The truth is that this world belongs to the diversity of peoples, races and
cultures. A true religion must therefore be Catholic in that it must
embrace all peoples regardless of race, language or culture. This is the
message of today’s scripture readings. The Church of Christ must be
Catholic and therefore inclusive of all.
The Catholicity of the Church is
underscored first by the vision of St Peter. In that vision, the Lord
assured St Peter that all food was clean. “What God has made clean, you
have no right to call profane.” The observance of the Jewish
customs and hygiene regulations might have its place in the context of the
Jews, but for the rest of the people, such laws did not apply. God
considered all food to be clean and therefore eating them would not make us
contaminated or make us ritually unclean. Consequently, we are permitted
to partake of all kinds of food and to eat with all kinds of people.
Sharing a common meal is the way in which we forge unity and love.
When we make food a divisive issue among peoples, we destroy the very intention
of what a meal is supposed to bring about, namely, fellowship, trust, unity and
love. Hence for us Catholics, in reaching out to others, we must be all
things to all men. St Paul remarked, “I have become all things to all
people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Cor 9:22)
Secondly, the Acts of the Apostles
reveals to us the inclusivity and magnanimity of God’s plan. Even before
they were baptized, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. St Peter recounted,
“I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the
same way as it came on us at the beginning, and I remembered that the Lord had
said, ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy
Spirit.’ I realised then that God was giving them the identical thing he gave
to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God’s
way?” Clearly, the Lord wants all Gentiles, not just the Jews and not
just Christians, to be filled with His Holy Spirit. God could even work
outside the established institutions like baptism. We cannot restrict the
way God’s grace is given to all of humanity. “All men are called to
belong to the new people of God. Wherefore this people, while remaining one and
only one, is to be spread throughout the whole world and must exist in all
ages, so that the decree of God’s will may be fulfilled. … It follows that
though there are many nations there is but one people of God, which takes its
citizens from every race, making them citizens of a kingdom which is of a
heavenly rather than of an earthly nature.” (LG 13)
This goes to show that to call the Church
Catholic means that we too should embrace people beyond the confines of the
Catholic Church. “This Church constituted and organized in the world as a
society, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of
Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him, although many elements of
sanctification and of truth are found outside of its visible structure. These
elements, as gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, are forces impelling
toward catholic unity.” (LG 8b) Even whilst we maintain that the fullness
of Christ’s Church is present in the Catholic Church, yet the Church recognizes
that others share elements of the gifts given to the Church.
The Catholicity of the Church would
include all Christians which are not in union with the Catholic Church. This is
because the Church “recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who,
being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not
profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the
successor of Peter.” This is because they too “honor Sacred Scripture,
taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere
zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son
of God and Saviour. They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united
with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own
Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate,
celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of
God. They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits. Likewise
we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit,
for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among
them with His sanctifying power.” (LG 15)
Beyond Christians, the Catholic Church
also embraces all those who have not yet received the gospel. (cf LG 16)
Firstly, among those who are “related in various ways to the people of
God.” These include the Jews and the Muslims as they profess “to hold the
faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God.”
Salvation is also extended to those who know Christ implicitly as well.
Such is the Catholicity of the Church. Whilst continuing to make Christ
known to all, the Church does not exclude others who could also be saved “who
through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church,
yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will
as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.” It is the
Church’s belief that because God is the Father of all, He will not “deny the
helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have
not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to
live a good life.” This does not mean that the Church does not need to
proclaim Christ as the Saviour. Rather, “Whatever good or truth is found
amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the
Gospel.” The Church’s task is to lead them to the Good Shepherd so
that they too can find the fullness of life.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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