Wednesday 28 June 2017

CAN THE CHURCH WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE WORLD?

20170629 CAN THE CHURCH WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE WORLD?

First reading
Acts 12:1-11 ©
King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns. Herod meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly.
  On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with double chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said ‘Hurry!’ – and the chains fell from his hands. The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ Peter followed him, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. It was only then that Peter came to himself. ‘Now I know it is all true’ he said. ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-9 ©
From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
or
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
  his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
  The humble shall hear and be glad.
From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
or
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
Glorify the Lord with me.
  Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
  from all my terrors he set me free.
From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
or
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
Look towards him and be radiant;
  let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
  and rescued him from all his distress.
From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
or
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.
The angel of the Lord is encamped
  around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
  He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
or
The angel of the Lord rescues those who revere him.

Second reading
2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18 ©
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
  The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel Acclamation
Mt16:18
Alleluia, alleluia!
You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 16:13-19 ©

You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’



CAN THE CHURCH WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE WORLD?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Acts 12: 1-11Ps 33:2-92 Tim 46-817-18Mt 1613-19  ]
We are living in a world of rapid changes.  The world is moving and changing so fast that what we see today was unimaginable 30 years ago.  Technology, mass media and digital communications have changed the world radically.  The way we communicate, the way we live, our lifestyles, whether it is at work, in the family, social or religious life have changed.  
But it is not just changes in technology; economic, political and social life, and ideology have changed as well.  Indeed, today, we are paralyzed by the many choices in life.  Even buying a phone is not an easy decision as there is a whole range of choices, all with different capabilities.   Watching television or going for a movie is equally daunting as there are a plethora of choices to choose from. So too with regard to the different ideologies of how life should be lived. All opinions seem to have their valid points.  With so much information it is difficult to make sense of what is truly right or wrong.  In a society that is so steeped in relativism, it has become difficult for anyone to talk about morality.  Pragmatism and individualism rule the day.  At the other extreme end of the pendulum, those who resist change express themselves in fundamentalism which can become violent, especially among religious fanatics.
In the midst of these changes, the Church presents herself as the spokesman for what is truth in the world.  The Church in the person of the Holy Father is seen as the moral spokesman for humanity.  The Church regards herself as the bulwark and pillar of truth.  But the Church is also under attack from the onslaught of those who disagree with the teachings of the Church.  There is much opposition not just from without but also from within.
Can the Church withstand the change of time in the light of extreme ideologies such as relativism, secularism and fundamentalism? The common lamentation of our young people is that the Church is no longer relevant in their lives.  We seem to be speaking a different language and they cannot sync with the Church’s language both in terms of style, content and communication.   Indeed, will the Catholic Church be reduced to a minority, as Pope Emeritus Benedict warned us during his pontificate?  We have the new Herods persecuting the Church today for political gains.  In the first reading we read that King Herod “beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well.”
Many political and even religious leaders are pandering to the wishes of the majority regardless of whether those things they ask for are good or bad for them.  Instead of leading the people into the fullness of truth, they are being led by the people.  This is the consequence of democracy, truth by consensus.   Or rather, a pragmatic approach to life.  Give them whatever they want.  The leader is reduced to a coordinator, no longer one who leads.   The truth is that most people behave like little children.  In a world of technology and consumerism, we must get what we want quickly.  We cannot wait.  So, do we pander to the desires of our children even when they ask for things that could harm their future?  But this is what we do for the so-called adults in the world today.  The world is no longer ruled by truth but by consensus and desires.
So as leaders, how can we lead if we do not know the truth, what is truly good for our people, not just for today but for tomorrow?  As in the gospel, the people during the time of Jesus held different views about Him.  We get nowhere if we base the truth on consensus.  Reason is important for finding the truth, but truth has its limits and must be supplemented by faith.
How can we be sure that we have the truth to life and love if not because of our faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God?  This is the foundation of truth.   Jesus assured Peter, “So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.”  Unless our faith is founded on the Church’s faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God, we cannot claim that we have the truth.  Anything less than this confession of faith expressed by Peter will not give us the courage to withstand the onslaught of the world and the diverse worldviews.
By extension, as Catholics, we also believe that the rock that Jesus refers to is not just the rock of faith but Peter as the leader among the apostles.  He is also that little pebble, “Petra” in which the Church is built upon.  This is because the Lord has entrusted the keys of heaven, that is the authority, to St Peter to decide on matters pertaining to faith and morals for the Church.  The Lord said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.”  For this reason, good Catholics will abide by the teachings of the Pope, together with the bishops. The magisterium is considered as the authentic, authoritative teacher of the Church.  When Jesus promised the Church that He would be with us until the end of time, obviously, it cannot be merely with the individual but the Church as a whole, led by the apostles and their successors.
Indeed, if obedience is lacking today, it is because faith is lacking.  This is the cause of disobedience at every strata of life.  Today, obedience to authority is no longer taken seriously even in priestly and religious life.  Everybody trusts only in his or her opinions and claims to have personal revelation from God.  There is a distrust in authority because of scandals and corruption.  So, whilst it is understandable why people have lost faith in authority, none of us must lose faith in Christ.  We must hold fast to the promise of Christ that He will somehow protect His Church from the Evil One.  Hence, obedience requires us to surrender in faith even when we do not understand.
Faith in Christ can overcome all things.  Christ will protect His Church.  This was the faith of Peter in Christ.  We read how the Lord sent an angel to deliver him from his enemies.  The angel set him free from his chains and led him out into safety.  It was such a miraculous event that caught Peter by surprise.  So, too, the Lord came to Paul’s aid in his trials. “The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”  So we might suffer a temporary setback and have to deal with some scandals affecting the Church.  But we can be sure that the Lord will also set us back and lead us forward to the future with even greater zeal and growth in holiness and in strength.
But Peter and Paul’s faith in Christ is not limited to being delivered only in this life but in the life to come.  Although their lives ended in death, they knew that even death could not overcome them because the last word is life eternal.  Life and love will triumph over death and hatred.  That was why they were also not afraid of death. St Paul was confident of final victory which is even more important than temporary victory.  He wrote, “All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day.”
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, we are called to imitate them for they are the pillars of the Church.  Like them, we are called to be faithful to the Lord even unto death.  In the first reading, we have St Peter who was ever ready to witness to the Lord even when threatened with imprisonment by King Herod and the Jews.   St Paul too spoke of his life as a libation offered for Christ and the Church.  He wrote, “My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith.”  Both Peter and Paul gave their life for Christ and His Church.  Both were martyred in Rome.
If we want to have the same courage and fidelity to Christ, then we need to strengthen our faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God.  This faith is given through grace, for the Lord said, “Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.”  We can only pray for this faith of revelation.  But we must, like Sts Peter and Paul, cooperate with His grace given to us, doing all that we can within our strength and then surrender everything else unto the Lord who will complete the task for us.

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


Tuesday 27 June 2017

LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY

20170628 LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY

Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Red.

First reading
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18 ©
It happened that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’
  ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless...’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.’ And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.’ Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
  ‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off.
  Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:
‘To your descendants I give this land,
from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River,
the river Euphrates.’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 104(105):1-4,6-9 ©
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or
Alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name,
  make known his deeds among the peoples.
O sing to him, sing his praise;
  tell all his wonderful works!
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or
Alleluia!
Be proud of his holy name,
  let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Consider the Lord and his strength;
  constantly seek his face.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or
Alleluia!
O children of Abraham, his servant,
  O sons of the Jacob he chose.
He, the Lord, is our God:
  his judgements prevail in all the earth.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or
Alleluia!
He remembers his covenant for ever,
  his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
  the oath he swore to Isaac.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or
Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation
Ps118:18
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
Alleluia!
Or
Jn15:4,5
Alleluia, alleluia!
Make your home in me, as I make mine in you,
says the Lord;
whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 7:15-20 ©
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.’



LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Gn 15:1-1217-18Ps 105:1-4,6-9Mt 7:15-20   ]
In the first reading, the Lord spoke to Abram, “Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.”  What was the fear of Abram?  The greatest fear of any man or woman is that one might live his or her life in vain!  The truth is that we have only one life.  A successful life is determined not by how successful we are in terms of achievements and material wealth but in how we impact the lives of our family members and fellow human beings.  When Abram was called by God to leave his familiar homeland to go to the land of Canaan, an uncharted territory, he went in faith because the Lord said to him, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  (Gn 12:2f)  It was this dream of being a blessing to the nations that he set out of Ur of the Chaldaeans.
This fear is specifically heightened because he and Sarah were childless.  It was not wealth and fame that Abraham was seeking as he was doing very well and he was rich.  How could he pass on the legacy to the next generation?  Abram said to the Lord, “My Lord, what do you intend to give me? I go childless… See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.”  Although Abram had a most loyal servant (cf Gn 24), yet, it would not be complete unless he passed on the inheritance, what he treasured most, to one of his own descendants.   Otherwise, it was the custom of his time that his wealth would be given to the chief servant of the house.  So the fear of not being able to continue the family line was what bothered Abram.  But it was more than just his family line but the values of hospitality and love for God that Abram wanted to pass on to the next generation.  If God were to make his family a great nation, obviously he would need an heir.
Every parent would want to leave what is most precious to him to his own flesh and blood.  For many, it is the business enterprise painfully set up and nurtured over many years.   For others, they hope that their children would be successful in their careers.  Yet, all these are secondary!  They will not be happy people just because they have a great career, much wealth and fame.  It is short sightedness that makes parents think that they have done a great job if they have given a good education to their children or that they are now working as professionals or making lots of money.  Have they asked themselves if their children are happy, satisfied and living in harmony and peace with their family and siblings?  Are they contributive to society, generous and reaching out to others?  If they have not but live only for themselves, then the parents have failed because they have only given them a luxurious life but not a good life filled with joy and love.
What parents should desire to leave behind to their children is reducible to two things; love and faith.  With love and faith, their children will always be successful wherever they are.  When they have love, they will live out their lives meaningfully and purposefully for the good of their fellow human beings.  When they have faith in God, they will live humbly before God, knowing that all things come from Him and that their destination is with God at the end of time.  They are pilgrims along the way to the eternal home with God in heaven.
How can we pass on this love to our children if not the love which husband and wife have for each other?  The greatest teacher in life is not one who teaches but who inspires; not by what he or she says only but what he or she does.  Indeed, the only reason why couples have children is so that they can pour out the love they have for each other to their children.  No longer are children meant to be our financial or emotional security.  Rather, we want to impart to them the love that made possible the union between husband and wife, giving flesh and blood to a child.  Every child has meaning only when it is born out of love between husband and wife.   A child is not a toy or a dog that we buy from the market to play with.  A child needs the security and protective love of his or her parents.  From them, they learn how to love.  This is the best gift parents can leave to their children, the gift of love which they have received from each other.
This, too, was the case of our Father as well.  He wanted to impart to us the love He has for His Son in the same spirit.  Jesus came to show us the love of His Father so that we can partake of His love.  That, too, was the legacy that Jesus wanted to leave behind just before His passion.  In His last testament, He prayed, “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one,  I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”  (Jn 17:21-23)
But equally important is that parents must leave to their children the gift of faith.  In the first reading, we read of how Abram was a man of deep faith in God.  “Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.”  It was in faith that he left his homeland even though he was doing very well where he was.  But God had greater plans for him.  He was then already 75 years old, the age of retirement.  It was as if God was giving him a new beginning by calling him out of Ur at this age.   And even though he was childless, he continued to trust in God’s divine providence.  He took the Word of God seriously when God promised Him, “your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.  Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants.”  The responsorial psalm declares that God is a faithful God and one who is true to His word and the covenant He established with Abraham and humanity. “O children of Abraham, his servant, O sons of the Jacob he chose.  He, the Lord, is our God: his judgements prevail in all the earth.  He remembers his covenant for ever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.”
This is the failure of many parents.  They think that giving their children a good education can see them through in life.  The truth is life is unpredictable.  There are many things in life which we cannot handle and are beyond us.  There will be suffering, disappointments and pains.  Without a deep faith in God’s love for us, we would find it difficult to carry on.  Relying on ourselves alone will not bring us far.   We need faith in God to see us through in life, when we meet with trials, especially illnesses.  Imparting faith is more than just faith in God’s providence but in the values of the gospel as well.  Values such as love, faith, trust, kindness, generosity, compassion, forgiveness, hospitality and integrity are what make a person happy in himself or herself.
Our faith in Christ determines how we live out our lives.  This is what our Lord said in the gospel.  “Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit.”   How do we determine whether we have faith or not?  It is not a matter of saying nice words but our way of acting.   A man of faith in God is not made clear by his teaching or words but by his life of love and compassion for others.   We must be mentors to others by our lives.
Consequently, we must ask ourselves whether we are false prophets in sheep’s clothing.  We have been given many blessings from God.  All of us who are parents, teachers, Church leaders, or any other kind of leader, must ask what we want to impart to those under our charge.  Do we want them to be loving and God fearing people who live lives of faith and love?  Or do we simply want them to be successful in worldly terms?

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