Sunday, 16 July 2017

DRIVEN BY FEAR OR BY LOVE

20170717 DRIVEN BY FEAR OR BY LOVE

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Exodus 1:8-14,22 ©
There came to power in Egypt a new king who knew nothing of Joseph. ‘Look,’ he said to his subjects ‘these people, the sons of Israel, have become so numerous and strong that they are a threat to us. We must be prudent and take steps against their increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might add to the number of our enemies. They might take arms against us and so escape out of the country.’ Accordingly they put slave-drivers over the Israelites to wear them down under heavy loads. In this way they built the store-cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. But the more they were crushed, the more they increased and spread, and men came to dread the sons of Israel. The Egyptians forced the sons of Israel into slavery, and made their lives unbearable with hard labour, work with clay and with brick, all kinds of work in the fields; they forced on them every kind of labour.
  Pharaoh then gave his subjects this command: ‘Throw all the boys born to the Hebrews into the river, but let all the girls live.’
Responsorial Psalm           Psalm 123(124) ©
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
‘If the Lord had not been on our side,’
  this is Israel’s song.
‘If the Lord had not been on our side
  when men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive
  when their anger was kindled.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
‘Then would the waters have engulfed us,
  the torrent gone over us;
over our head would have swept
  the raging waters.’
Blessed be the Lord who did not give us
  a prey to their teeth!
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Our life, like a bird, has escaped
  from the snare of the fowler.
Indeed the snare has been broken
  and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
  who made heaven and earth.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation            cf.Ac16:14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!
Or        Mt5:10
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy those who are persecuted
in the cause of right,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia!
Gospel
Matthew 10:34-11:1 ©
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.
  ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
  ‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
  ‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.
  ‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’
  When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.

DRIVEN BY FEAR OR BY LOVE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Ex 1:8-1422Ps 123:1-8Mt 10:34-11:1   ]
All living things have this natural instinct to preserve their life and protect their interests.  So we should not be surprised that human beings as part of this animal kingdom behave similarly.  We dread suffering, pain and especially death.  So we will fight to defend our freedom and our needs.  When we perceive danger to our well-being or interests because of perceived or potential enemies, we take steps to eradicate our fears.
This was the case of the new Pharaoh in the first reading “who knew nothing of Joseph.  ‘Look,’ he said to his subjects ‘these people, the sons of Israel, have become so numerous and strong that they are a threat to us.  We must be prudent and take steps against their increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might add to the number of our enemies. They might take arms against us and so escape out of the country.’”  As a king, he had to consider the potential threats to their nation because of the growing strength of the Hebrews.  This situation is not new.  In our times, governments have to deal with global migration.  Because of globalization, mass communication, increased trade and improvements in transportation, migration is a reality that is here to stay.  There are serious demographical changes in most countries in the world.  What are the implications of welcoming migrants?  These are the questions that governments have to deal with, on the immediate front and the future of the nation.
The normal reaction to fear and threat is always suppression.  That was what the Pharaoh did. He tried all ways to control the growth and the strength of the Hebrews.  “Accordingly they put slave-drivers over the Israelites to wear them down under heavy loads.  The Egyptians forced the sons of Israel into slavery, and made their lives unbearable with hard labour, work with clay and with brick, all kinds of work in the fields; they forced on them every kind of labour.”  And when those measures were not effective enough, Pharaoh issued an order.  “Throw all the boys born to the Hebrews into the river, but let all the girls live.”
In the same vein, the early Christians were also persecuted by the Jews initially, and then by the Romans.  In the gospel, Jesus prophesied to the Twelve.  “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.”  What Jesus said actually happened by the time of the evangelist.  By this time, the Jews had prohibited the Jewish Christians from entering the synagogues.  Right from the start of the early Church, the Jewish Christians, especially St Paul, had a hard time explaining and convincing the Jews how Christ was the promised Messiah.  This problem was further complicated by the admission of Gentiles into the Christian Faith as it caused religious and cultural tensions. The early Christians were considered troublemakers and were responsible for dividing the family and the nation.
Later on, the Romans also began to take the Christians seriously.  Initially, they perceived it simply as a religious squabble between the Jews and the Christians.   If ever they were concerned about the Christians or the Jews, it was for political reason as they needed to ensure that law and order were observed in the country.  Otherwise, there could be social unrest due to rebellion.  But when the Roman Emperor began to assert its religious authority over the subjects and demanded to be worshipped as god, the conflicts began.   When Christians refused to acknowledge the Roman Emperor as God or worship him, or take part in their sacrifices, it was seen as treason and a rebellious act.   Of course, it did not help that there were rumors of Christians practising cannibalism and incest.
Yet, the lesson we can learn both from Pharaoh and the Romans is that persecution only makes matters worse.  Instead of stifling the rebellion or destroying the group, it only caused it to grow faster, stronger and more resilient.  We read that “the more they were crushed, the more they increased and spread, and men came to dread the sons of Israel.”  Through the hard labour they were subjected to, they became stronger and even more rebellious because of the injustices done to them.  This is true in the current turbulent world today.  When certain groups of people are oppressed, marginalized and not given the opportunities for a better life, they would align themselves and become a potent force against the establishment. Terrorists are always born out of poverty, injustice and marginalization. Terrorist leaders need to justify their actions by formulating an ideology rooted in God’s command to destroy their enemies and the rewards of martyrdom.  The more we seek to sideline an organization or a movement, the more offensive they would become; not just defensive.  They defend themselves by attacking others.  Most of all, they will put fear into the hearts of people.
In the early Church, we know that the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the Church.  The Catholic Church did not grow out of a peaceful environment.  Many Christians in the first four centuries had to die for their belief.  Many of them were cruelly tortured and martyred to death.  Many were separated from their families.  They took the words of Jesus to heart.  “Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me.  Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me.  Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me.  Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.”  By making Christ the center of their life, they had to carry the cross like Jesus.  In the process, they came to find life.
Consequently, the way to protect our common interests cannot be driven by fear.  When we act from fear, we tend to apply actions that are detrimental to the well-being of others.  When it is a matter of “I-win, you lose”, such a principle would create resentment and anger.  We must seek to find a win-win solution so that everyone’s interests are taken care of.  Regardless of what religion we have or do not have, whatever political inclinations, we all desire peace, love and unity.  That is why dialogue is the only way out of conflict.  No peace can be built through weapons and wars.  Terrorism cannot win their battle against the rest of the world.  It only strengthens the resolve to get rid of terrorists.  But then it would be a tit for tat world.
So we must engage in dialogue so that there could be a better understanding of each other’s position; and then see whether some compromises could be made.  Let us not imagine that dialogue is a simple exercise.  It requires tremendous openness, listening skills, and the sincerity to enter into each other’s fears and desires.  Often, minds are already made up or there is no breakthrough in opening each other’s mind.  Some of us hold such deep-seated views that no one can change us.   Regardless, we still must restart dialogue when it breaks down because this is the only way out.
But the most effective way to ensure peace and unity is to build friendships even before trouble and misunderstandings happen.  We must welcome each other in Christ.  “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.”  We are called to welcome a prophet and a holy man.  Indeed, “if anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, he will most certainly not lose his reward.”   Indeed, when we welcome each other as friends, then all issues can be discussed openly and with respect, but most of all with love and a sincere desire to bless each other.  In Singapore, we thank God that all religious leaders are friends with each other and always in dialogue among themselves and also with the government who sees religions as partners in the development of the country for the good of all peoples.

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


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