20180519
COMPARING OUR LOT WITH OTHERS IN SERVING THE
LORD
19 MAY, 2018, Saturday, 7th Week of Easter
Readings at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: White.
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First reading
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Acts 28:16-20,30-31 ©
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In Rome, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God without hindrance
from anyone
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On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his
own with the soldier who guarded him.
After three
days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to
them, ‘Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs
of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of
nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I
was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against
my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you and talk to you, for it is
on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.’
Paul spent
the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came
to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the
Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 10(11):4-5,7 ©
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The upright shall see your face, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord is in his holy temple,
the Lord, whose throne is in heaven.
His eyes look down on the world;
his gaze tests mortal men.
The upright shall see your face, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord tests the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
The Lord is just and loves justice;
the upright shall see his face.
The upright shall see your face, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
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Gospel Acclamation
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Col3:1
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Alleluia, alleluia!
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.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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cf.Jn16:7,13
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I will send you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord;
he will lead you to the complete truth.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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John 21:20-25 ©
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This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and we
know that his testimony is true
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Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following
them – the one who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said to
him, ‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’ Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus,
‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I
come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ The rumour then went
out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said
to Peter, ‘He will not die’, but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come.’
This
disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and
we know that his testimony is true.
There were
many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I
suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.
COMPARING OUR LOT WITH OTHERS IN SERVING THE LORD
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ACTS 28: 16-20, 31-31; JOHN 21:20-25 ]
As Easter draws
to a close, the scripture readings today sum up the appropriate sentiments we
should have after Easter. The gospel text of John ends with the
recognition that “there are many things that Jesus did; if all were written
down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have
to be written.” Indeed, the written scriptures, inspired as they
are, cannot fully communicate the Good News in person, that is, Jesus the
Living Lord and our savior. Even if it could, the gospels do not pretend
to have recorded everything the Lord said and did.
So, too, the
Acts of the Apostles concludes with Paul in Rome, the capital of the
world. He “spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He
welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching
the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without
hindrance from anyone.” St Luke who centered his gospel on Jerusalem
concluded the Acts in Rome. In his gospel, he began with Jerusalem and
ended with the appearances of the Risen Lord in Jerusalem. Jerusalem, in
Luke’s consideration, is the place of salvation and glory where Jesus suffered
death and glorification at His resurrection. In Acts, he continued with
Jerusalem but ended in Rome because Rome was the capital of the world, thereby
signifying that the gospel had been preached to all the nations.
How can the
gospel be preached to all nations? The gospel must now be
incarnated and lived in us and through us. We must make Jesus present
in us. That was what Jesus told St Peter in the gospel, “You are to follow
me.” In this sense, Easter lives on and is not yet finished. Since the
author of the 4th gospel says that the books cannot contain
Jesus, we must continue to make Him known through our lives, our words and
deeds. Until the end of time, we must continue the work of proclamation
of the Good News that started at Pentecost, the great conclusion to the season
of Easter which we are celebrating tomorrow.
At Pentecost, we
receive the Holy Spirit for the work of building up the Body of Christ and the
work evangelization. Jesus bestowed upon us the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, both the seven gifts for holiness and the functional gifts for service
to the Church and to the world. However, each would be called to serve Him in
different ways and in different capacities, according to the gifts we have
received and the task the Lord has appointed us to. It does not matter
what we are called to do, the role or office that is given to us. What is
essential and common for all of us is that we follow Him.
Some of us
might be called to suffer martyrdom, like Sts Peter and Paul. They had to die for the
gospel. St Peter stayed back in Palestine and became a shepherd to his
flock. St Paul spread the gospel by being an itinerant preacher in Asia
Minor, bringing him all the way to Rome. Both suffered tremendous
hardship, opposition and persecution for their faith. But not all
are called to be martyrs, which is a charism.
More likely, most
of us are called to be living martyrs like St John. This is true of
parents, teachers, priests and religious. We are called to give our lives
in service for our spouse, children, family, loved ones and those entrusted to
us. Every day we are challenged to give ourselves more and more to them
without counting the cost. Most of the time, our sacrifices for them are
taken for granted. Quite often, our recipients see our labour of love as
their right and our obligation. To live a long life in service is truly a
prolonged form of martyrdom. For those who die for the faith violently, their pain
may be intense but short. For us who die a living death, our pain is
stretched but less intense. Whatever the case, we have to suffer for the
sake of love.
That is why
between the two, it is difficult to compare which is greater or more
difficult. Indeed, quite often we are not satisfied with our own lot
in life. We feel that others have a better deal than us, not just in life
but in ministry or in work. We often envy others who seem to have fewer
responsibilities than us or are given a better position or are receiving more
benefits and rewards than us who serve like slaves, working like dogs and get
very few privileges. We say, “It is not fair!” That was what
happened to St Peter when he queried the Lord regarding the ministry of St John.
But Jesus told him pointedly, “If I want him to stay behind till I come, what
does it matter to you? You are to follow me.” So, rather than being
inquisitive and comparing our lot with others’, we must trust in the Lord’s
wisdom and His divine providence and election. God knows what we can do
and what is the best thing for us to do. He knows the crosses that we can
carry and which are suitable for us so that we are not tested beyond our own
strength. Hence, we must avoid the temptation to compare ourselves with
others’ lot and fate.
Instead of
defending His choices, Jesus simply told Peter, “Follow me!” This is all that
matters. Ours is not to ask why, but to follow after Jesus to die for the
love of God and our fellowmen. Otherwise, we allow the devil to plant his
seeds of dissent, anger, resentment, envy and greed in us. What counts is
not what we do but what God wants us to do with the gifts that the Holy Spirit
has bestowed on us. We might never understand why such and such a
person is appointed to a task or an office. We might even feel that we
are the better person. But this is where we must trust in God’s wisdom
and providential plan. Man proposes but God disposes. We look at
the externals of man and his past, God looks at our hearts and the future. We
are just different and we are called to follow Him according to God’s chosen
plan for us. Thus, there is nothing to be envious about, or wallow in
self-pity at our situation. If we have been placed there, then we can be
sure that God wants us to follow and serve Him in that particular situation.
Learning from
Sts Peter, Paul and John, let us realize that whichever form of life
and service one takes, we can give glory to God. Whether a short life of
martyrdom, ending in death like St Peter, or a life of service at home,
activity outside our confines like St Paul or simply living a long life of
contemplation like St John, we proclaim the gospel and extend the kingdom of
God in our own unique and distinctive ways. At the end of it all, what is of utmost
importance is that we do His will, just as Jesus did the Father’s will and
brought Him glory. In life or in death, we must glorify God. In
joys and suffering, God must also be praised and glorified. Like Paul, we
should proclaim the good news in and out of season, whether in chains or
without chains.
St Teresa of
Avila in the Way of Perfection, 17 also wrote, “God doesn’t lead all by one
path, and perhaps the one who thinks she is walking along a very lowly path
is in fact higher in the eyes of the Lord. So, not because all in this house
practice prayer must all be contemplatives; that’s impossible. And it would be
very distressing for the one who isn’t a contemplative if she didn’t understand
this truth… I spent fourteen years never being able to practice meditation
without reading.” And even with regards to spiritual consolations, she
warned, “If humility is present, I don’t believe they will be any the worse off
in the end but will be very much the equals of those who receive many delights;
and in a way they will be more secure, for we do not know if the delights are
from God or from the devil… Those who do not receive these delights walk with
humility, suspecting that this lack is their own fault, always concerned about
making progress. They don’t see anyone shed a tear without thinking that if
they themselves don’t shed any they are very far behind in the service of God.
And perhaps they are much more advanced, for tears, even though they be good,
are not all perfect. In humility, mortification, detachment, and the other
virtues there is always greater security. There is nothing to fear; don’t be
afraid that you will fail to reach the perfection of those who are very
contemplative.”
So instead of
worrying or comparing ourselves with others, let us simply do His holy will and
be contented with our own lot in life. Rather than choosing to do what we want, we must always
ask the Lord, “What do you want of me?” Instead of choosing to serve the
Lord in the ways we like, especially in Church ministry, we must ask Him what
and how He wants us to serve. Otherwise, we end up serving ourselves.
Instead of bringing glory to Him, we hinder the plan of God from working
through and in us. But if we make ourselves available to Him and
according to His plan for us, we will be fruitful in whatever we do.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of
Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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