Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together: March 2018

Saturday 31 March 2018

A RESURRECTED CHURCH

20180401 A RESURRECTED CHURCH

01 APRIL, 2018, Easter Sunday

First reading

Acts 10:34,37-43 ©

'We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection'

Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 117(118):1-2,16-17,22-23

EITHER:

Second reading

Colossians 3:1-4 ©

Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

OR:

Alternative Second reading

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 ©

Get rid of the old yeast and make yourselves unleavened as you were meant to be

You must know how even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough, so get rid of all the old yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread, unleavened as you are meant to be. Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed; let us celebrate the feast, then, by getting rid of all the old yeast of evil and wickedness, having only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Gospel Acclamation

1Cor5:7-8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed:

let us celebrate the feast then, in the Lord.

Alleluia!.

Gospel

John 20:1-9 ©

He must rise from the dead

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

A RESURRECTED CHURCH

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 10:34.37-43; COL 3:1-4 OR 1 COR 5:6-8; JN 20:1-9 ]

Alleluia! The Lord is Risen! This is the Good News that the Church proclaims to all of humanity. The resurrection is the foundation of Christian joy and Christian hope. With the resurrection of Jesus, we know that He is truly Lord and savior of the world. With the resurrection, He shows us that the way to life is through love and service unto death. Most of all, the resurrection frees us from the fear of death as the end of everything in life. Christian hope in fullness of life after death takes away the sting of death.

Consequently, faith in the resurrection of our Lord means that we no longer have to live in our tombs. There are many who are living in shame, in fear and self-condemnation of their past and their mistakes, like the apostles who were hiding in the upper room. There are those of us who are discouraged in life because of failure and disillusionment, like the disciples at Emmaus when they felt their hopes dashed with the death of their master. There are those who have lost their loved ones and unable to let go, as in the case of Mary Magdalene. Then there are those who live in wonder or bewilderment, as Peter did even when he saw the empty tomb, unable to make sense of it. And there are those who doubt the reality of the Risen Lord, like St Thomas who said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (Jn 20:25)

However, for those of us who have encountered the Risen Lord, we no longer need to take refuge in our tombs of unbelief and fears. Instead, we manifest joy, optimism, courage, and hope for the future even when it appears gloomy. This was what happened to the disciples of Jesus when they met the Risen Lord. Their whole direction in life changed from hopelessness and discouragement to one of confidence and joy for the future. Whether it was Mary Magdalene, the disciples at Emmaus, the apostles, or even St Paul, their encounter with the Risen Lord set them free from all fears about the future. From being cowards, fearful of their enemies, especially the Jewish authorities, they proclaimed the Good News with boldness even when under persecution and at the risk of their lives.

Indeed, they could not contain the joy of knowing that Jesus was their Lord and Savior. They were now capable of living for God and for others. They were no longer protecting their lives or hoarding their wealth for themselves. The early Church grew as a community through their sharing of a common faith, love and resources. They were all supportive of each other and the work of the apostles. Together as a Christian community, they pooled all their resources together for the spread of the gospel. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the community used the gifts they had received for the building of the Church.

Once we have encountered the Risen Lord, then it will be our turn to announce Him to the world. A clear sign that we have truly encountered the Lord and can sing Alleluia from our hearts, not just from our lips, is when we cannot but be like the disciples who ran to announce the resurrection to others. We cannot contain such incredible news to ourselves. We would want to share with the whole world. The lack of the desire to announce that He is risen means that our faith in the Risen Lord is just a cerebral faith, not a personal conviction.

As a resurrected Church, like the apostles, we must go out and proclaim the Good News. The instruction of the Risen Lord to the disciples was, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers.” (cf Mt 28:10) We do this by recovering our personal relationship with the Lord. We need to rekindle the faith of our Catholics. Then we need to reach out to those who are searching for God in their lives or desire a personal relationship with Him. But faith is not just about worship and doctrines; we need to express them concretely as there are many who are seeking for signs of love and welcome, a sense of identity and belonging.

There are many Catholics who lack passion and enthusiasm in the faith. They might go for church services but their hearts are far from God. They do not have any real relationship with Him. The practice of faith is reduced to fulfilling obligations. Some have stopped coming to church because they have been wounded by fellow Catholics, especially Church leaders. Where are they? The young and the rationalists are not able to connect with the Church. Many cannot feel the presence of God in their lives because of a secularist culture where God is absent. Many are overwhelmed with the current ideologies of relativism, materialism and individualism. But deep in their hearts, they feel empty, even if they have all the pleasures of this life.

To change this, we must be a resurrected Church. Firstly, Christ is risen but is He risen in our hearts? This is what St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians in today’s second reading is asking us. (1 Cor 5:6-8; cf Col 3:1-4) Their lives were radically changed. From fear to courage, from slavery to freedom, from ambition to service, from death to life. The apostles, like St Paul, were so changed by the Lord that they began to live holy lives in imitation of the Lord. So are we risen in faith and in love? Has our faith in the Lord increased and strengthened? Is our relationship with the Lord real, intimate and personal? Are we joyful and hopeful people in the way we look at life and even when we suffer, either because of the trials of life or even because of injustices? Are we a community of love among ourselves and welcoming of others into our family, reaching out to the poor, non-believers and even nominal Catholics or those who have left the Church? Or are we exclusive, parochial-minded and protectionist of our turf, reducing us to mere enclaves?

Secondly, all of us must be renewed in our faith and our love for Christ and His Church. We need to be formed in our faith and be empowered through spiritual renewal and growth. What about a deepening growth in doctrinal and moral faith? Have our Catholics become better informed in their theological faith so that they can defend and explain their faith to the world? Are our Catholics journeying alone in faith or do they have a community to pray with, sharing the Word of God intimately and be strengthened in their faith?

Thirdly, we must be partners of the archdiocesan vision and mission to build a vibrant, evangelistic and missionary Church. Has our parish community grown in number and in strength? Are there more ministries and services, not just serving the parish but also going out of the parish to serve the larger community, especially the neighbourhood? How many are evangelistic- minded and witnessing to Christ in their lives? So too in every parish, your pastoral care is not just for Catholics but every one, believer or not, who reside within your parish and even beyond. Do we see the number of adult baptism growing each year? We have about 1,000 adult baptisms a year, which is just 0.25 percent of the 383,000 Catholics in Singapore. It clearly means that our Catholics are not living up to their obligation of bringing Christ to those around them.

The more tangible signs that we are truly an anointed Church and a resurrected Church is the fruit of more adult baptisms, priestly and religious vocations and young people. How can we call ourselves a Church that is alive with the Spirit when we do not find young people who have fallen in love so much with Jesus that they want to give their lives entirely to His service in the Church and for the community? How can we call ourselves a local Church if we are still so dependent on migrant priests and increasingly so? Indeed, we are grateful to them but they cannot be a replacement for local vocations. The MEP fathers handed over their ministry to the local Church in the 1970’s, but ironically, we are handing it back to migrant priests. If the Church is local, then vocations must come from within the Church.

Finally, the sign of a resurrected Church is when we see more and more young people in church, leading in ministries and activities. It means the Church is growing and is vibrant and not stagnating. We are beginning to see this in the work of the Office of Young People. However, in our parishes, how many young people do we retain in the service of the Church after confirmation? How many of them are still active or fervent in their faith, or has the Sacrament of Confirmation become a sacrament of farewell? The moment we see only elderly in our churches, then it means the Church is slowly dying. There is a future for the Church only when we see young children and especially young people active in church.

So let us not remain in our tombs. Let us find strength and hope from the Risen Lord as we move forward in building a Church that is vibrant, evangelistic and missionary. Let us have faith and live out the resurrection in our lives. In Christ who was crucified and now risen, we come to realize the victory of love over hatred, life over death. Unless we show ourselves alive in Christ, no one would believe that the Lord is Risen from the dead. The Good News of Easter can only be announced by those who have seen the Lord. Only then will the announcement be passionate, enthusiastic and courageous.

THE DAWNING OF FAITH IN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

20180331 THE DAWNING OF FAITH IN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

31 MARCH, 2018, Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

First reading

Acts 10:34,37-43 ©

'We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection'

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 117(118):1-2,16-17,22-23

EITHER:

Second reading

Colossians 3:1-4 ©

Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is

OR:

Alternative Second reading

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 ©

Get rid of the old yeast and make yourselves unleavened as you were meant to be

Sequence

Christians, to the Paschal Victim

offer sacrifice and praise.

The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;

and Christ, the undefiled,

hath sinners to his Father reconciled.

Death with life contended:

combat strangely ended!

Life’s own Champion, slain,

yet lives to reign.

Tell us, Mary:

say what thou didst see

upon the way.

The tomb the Living did enclose;

I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!

The angels there attesting;

shroud with grave-clothes resting.

Christ, my hope, has risen:

he goes before you into Galilee.

That Christ is truly risen

from the dead we know.

Victorious king, thy mercy show!

Gospel Acclamation

1Cor5:7-8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed:

let us celebrate the feast then, in the Lord.

Alleluia!.

Gospel

He must rise from the dead

THE DAWNING OF FAITH IN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 10:34.37-43; COL 3:1-4 OR 1 COR 5:6-8; JN 20:1-9 ]

Alleluia! This is the cry of joy of every Christian at Easter. This joy is founded on the fact that the Crucified Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father. We can imagine the profound and indescribable joy of the disciples of Jesus when they heard that their master and Lord had come back to life after a tragic and shameful death on the cross just three days ago. Surely, if someone whom we loved deeply and dearly had died, and then later on proclaimed to be alive, our joy would be so indescribable.

Indeed, the resurrection of Christ is an act of the supreme power of God. It is a marvelous intervention of God, as in the Incarnation. This is an out of this world event, the most unimaginable and extraordinary happening in the whole of history.

But is this amazing claim of the Christians true? Are we repeating superstitious stories passed on to us? What is the basis of faith in the resurrection? Is the resurrection faith founded on the Empty Tomb?

Indeed, arriving at Easter Faith is not just a sudden encounter. To see the Risen Christ, we need the conditions that can give birth to faith in the Lord. Without faith, no one can see the Risen Lord. Faith is the eyes that allow a person to see the Risen Lord. When the young man told the women, “There is no need for alarm. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him”, it requires faith. The empty tomb itself is no proof. One must add, He is Risen. This explains why the Risen Lord was not seen by all except those who had faith. This explains why the RCIA journey takes the people through different stages, from inquiry to catechumenate and to the election, as they need time to study, pray and be initiated into the faith before they are baptized.

In other words, coming to faith in the Risen is a dawning experience. It is so significant that the setting for the Easter encounter was at dawn when everything was still dark and the light was just beginning to penetrate the sky. Mary Magdalene came in the dark but at the early dawn when the light was beginning to shine. So too was Peter who came a while later. They were still in darkness and that was they were still unable to see the true meaning of the empty tomb.

For ourselves too, we might be like the disciples trying to figure out what the resurrection is all about and whether it is true. We want to find logical proofs of the resurrection of the Lord before we can believe. By so doing, we will always remain in the dark because no proofs can suffice unless we see the Risen Lord in faith.

What, then, are the signs for faith in the Risen Lord? The signs are important so that our faith is not an arbitrary faith, or worse still, a fictitious faith. The Empty Tomb provides us the signs as it did for the apostles. Indeed, the stone was rolled away, not so much to let Jesus out, as He, being the Risen Lord, could walk through walls and closed doors, but so that we can enter and see the signs of His resurrection. The impossibility of someone taking away the body of Jesus was clear because the tomb was guarded by the soldiers and it would require a few people to remove the stone.

Secondly, there were traces of the Resurrected Lord that were left behind the Empty Tomb. When they entered the tomb, they “saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.” That the linen cloths were left behind and properly rolled up showed that His body was not stolen in a hurry. It was as if Jesus woke up from His sleep and tidied His bed properly, as most of us do. There is another suggestion that according to the Jewish tradition, a master would fold the napkin when he leaves the table to indicate to the servant that the meal is not yet done and he would be back a while later. Regardless, these are indications that the body of Jesus was not stolen in a hurry.

Thirdly, there are the living testimonies of encounters with the Risen Lord. The fact is that the lives of the disciples were transformed. If they did not encounter the Lord, what could have brought about such a radical change from men of despair and filled with fear to men of hope and courage? No psychological autosuggestion would be possible because if their master had failed in His mission, how could they, uneducated men, seek to do what their master could not, if not for the fact that they saw the Risen Lord! Indeed, this was the testimony of Peter when he addressed Cornelius and his household. (cf Acts 10:39-42)

Not only did they simply claim that they encountered the Risen Lord, the proof was in their transformed life. St Paul says, “If in union with Christ we have imitated his death, we shall also imitate him in his resurrection. We must realise that our former selves have been crucified with him to destroy this sinful body and to free us from the slavery of sin. When a man dies, of course, he has finished with sin. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 6:5-6; 10-11) Their lives were radically changed. From fear to courage, from slavery to freedom, from ambition to service, from death to life. The apostles, like St Paul, were so changed by the Lord that they began to live holy lives in imitation of the Lord.

But faith in the resurrection does not stop at this, they continued to deepen their understanding of what raising Jesus from the dead by the Father implied. Their conclusion was that if the Father had raised Jesus from the dead, then His claims of divinity were true. Thus, they said, “he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.” (Acts 10:42f) Jesus, for them, was therefore the Anointed One of our Lord, the Messiah that was to come to save the people. He was also made Lord to be the judge of everyone at the end of time. Through Him, we have our sins forgiven because of His mercy and love.

We might not have seen the Risen Lord with our own eyes, but we are called to believe like the disciples on the Word of the Angel. (cf Lk 24:5) Indeed, those of us who believe on account of the testimonies of the disciples and all the Christians who have encountered His power at work in their lives too will come to faith in His resurrection. In our time, we have many who have testified to God’s intervention in their lives in miracles, especially of healing and having their petitions answered. We do not seek the Lord in the tombs of the dead. We seek Him among the living. If we were to ask, how can we be sure that the apostles did not deceive us with their stories, or if they had not concocted some stories from the figment of their imagination, then the answer is, when we look at them, are they alive, not just physically but spiritually alive?

If we are still not satisfied and we do not want to rely on secondary sources, we too can encounter the Risen Lord through intimacy in prayer. This is a privileged way to encountering the Lord. This was the case of the beloved disciple John. We read that “the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.” St John did not see the Risen Lord but upon seeing the signs, he knew that the Lord was risen. This was because John knew the Lord intimately. He could sense from the signs that he saw. Indeed, when we know someone intimately, we can sense the person’s presence or needs even when we do not see him or her. Love knows and understands what reason does not comprehend.

So if our faith in the Risen Lord is still weak, what must we do? We must run with the disciples to see the Lord. Why would they run to the tomb, as if the body of Jesus was still there? Their passionate love for Jesus was what caused them to run to see the Lord. If we want to see the Lord, then we too need to seek Him by strengthening our relationship with Him. We can see Him through the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist and Reconciliation, if we prepare and celebrate them attentively and with fervor. We can find the Risen Lord in the scriptures when we read of Him and especially through the preaching of the Church and the teaching of the Magisterium. Finally, we can see the Risen Lord as we reach out to serve Him in the poor, the suffering and the hungry. (cf Mt 25:40) We are called to be witnesses of love and charity and hope for others.

Once we have encountered the Risen Lord, then it will be our turn to announce Him to the world. A clear sign that we have truly encountered the Lord and can sing Alleluia from our hearts, not just from our lips, is when we cannot but be like the disciples in running to announce the resurrection to others. We cannot contain such incredible news in ourselves. We would want to share with the whole world. The lack of the desire to announce that He is risen means that our faith in the Risen Lord is just a cerebral faith, not a personal conviction.