20180515
RENDERING AN ACCOUNT OF OUR LIFE
15 MAY, 2018, Tuesday, 7th Week of Easter
Readings
at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: White.
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First reading
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Acts 20:17-27 ©
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I have without faltering put before you the whole of God's
purpose
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From Miletus Paul sent for the elders of the church of Ephesus.
When they arrived he addressed these words to them:
‘You know
what my way of life has been ever since the first day I set foot among you in
Asia, how I have served the Lord in all humility, with all the sorrows and
trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I have not hesitated to
do anything that would be helpful to you; I have preached to you, and
instructed you both in public and in your homes, urging both Jews and Greeks to
turn to God and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
‘And now you
see me a prisoner already in spirit; I am on my way to Jerusalem, but have no
idea what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit, in town after
town, has made it clear enough that imprisonment and persecution await me. But
life to me is not a thing to waste words on, provided that when I finish my
race I have carried out the mission the Lord Jesus gave me – and that was
to bear witness to the Good News of God’s grace.
‘I now feel
sure that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will
ever see my face again. And so here and now I swear that my conscience is clear
as far as all of you are concerned, for I have without faltering put before you
the whole of God’s purpose.’
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 67(68):10-11,20-21 ©
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Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
You poured down, O God, a generous rain:
when your people were starved you gave them new life.
It was there that your people found a home,
prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
May the Lord be blessed day after day.
He bears our burdens, God our saviour.
This God of ours is a God who saves.
The Lord our God holds the keys of death.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
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Gospel Acclamation
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cf.Jn14:18
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;
I go, but I will come back to you,
and your hearts will be full of joy.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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Jn14:16
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I shall ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you for ever.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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John 17:1-11 ©
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Father, it is time for you to glorify me
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Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Father, the hour has come:
glorify your Son
so that your Son may glorify you;
and, through the power over all mankind that you have given him,
let him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to him.
And eternal life is this:
to know you,
the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
I have glorified you on earth
and finished the work that you gave me to do.
Now, Father, it is time for you to glorify me
with that glory I had with you
before ever the world was.
I have made your name known
to the men you took from the world to give me.
They were yours and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now at last they know
that all you have given me comes indeed from you;
for I have given them the teaching you gave to me,
and they have truly accepted this, that I came from you,
and have believed that it was you who sent me.
I pray for them;
I am not praying for the world
but for those you have given me,
because they belong to you:
all I have is yours
and all you have is mine,
and in them I am glorified.
I am not in the world any longer,
but they are in the world,
and I am coming to you.’
RENDERING AN ACCOUNT OF OUR LIFE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 20:17-27; PS 68:10-11,20-21; JN 17:1-11]
In today’s
scripture readings, we read of Jesus and St Paul, who were coming to the end of
their mission, taking stock of their lives and rendering an account to God for
the task they were entrusted with. All of us one day too will
have to give an account to God for the life that we live. We have been
given the resources and talents to fulfill His mission in life. If we are
to die a happy death, we need to be able to give an account for the way we made
use of the resources the Lord has given to us for the growth of His kingdom.
The first
thing we note about St Paul and Jesus is that they were focused on their
mission. Paul said, “But life to me is not a thing to waste words on,
provided that when I finish my race I have carried out the mission the Lord
Jesus gave me – and that was to bear witness to the Good News of God’s
grace.” Paul was a zealous missionary and apostle of Christ and the
Good News. Having been given the grace of encountering the Risen Lord, he
surrendered his entire life to the proclamation of the Good News, especially to
the Gentiles. He wasted no time or energy on anything except to bear
witness to the Good News.
Jesus too was
totally focused on His mission. He said to His Father, “I have glorified you on earth and
finished the work that you gave me to do.” From young He was concerned
about doing His Father’s business. When He was found missing after the
visit to Jerusalem, the parents found Him at the Temple and said, ‘Child, why have
you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you
in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did
you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’” (Lk 2:48f)
On another occasion, the Lord said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent
me and to complete his work.” (Jn 4:34)
Both too gave
their best to the mission entrusted to them. They were creative and
proactive. Paul wrote, “I have not hesitated to do anything that would be
helpful to you; I have preached to you, and instructed you both in public and
in your homes, urging both Jews and Greeks to turn to God and to believe in our
Lord Jesus.” Paul was never discouraged when he met with
opposition. He would use every opportunity to preach the gospel. He
was not afraid of death. When he was brought before the Sanhedrin, he
took the occasion to unsettle and divide them and that got him the ticket to go
to Rome eventually to proclaim the Good News. (cf Acts 22-25)
Jesus too was
resourceful. When He was unwelcomed in the synagogue, He took the pulpit
to the seashore, the hills and the fields. He spoke in the language of the people,
using examples from daily life and parables. Thus, at the end of His
life, He could truthfully claim, “I have made your name known to the men you
took from the world to give me. They were yours and you gave them to me, and
they have kept your word. Now at last they know that all you have given me
comes indeed from you; for I have given them the teaching you gave to me, and
they have truly accepted this, that I came from you, and have believed that it
was you who sent me.”
Both Jesus
and Paul accepted the trials of the apostolate as a necessary component in the
proclamation of the gospel. They did not shy away from persecution. When Paul was beaten up by the
Jews, he got up and returned to the city. Paul faced opposition both from
within and without. Hence, he said, “I have served the Lord in all
humility, with all the sorrows and trials that came to me through the plots of
the Jews.” There was no bitterness and revenge on his part but sadness
that the gospel was rejected.
Indeed, Paul
and Jesus never lived under the illusion that just because they were doing good
things, they would be appreciated and be recognized. Indeed, many of us
get jaded in ministry because we face opposition, criticisms and lack of
appreciation. We expect the Church and the community to be thankful for
our services. Instead of doing everything for the glory of God by
persevering in doing what is good and right, we give up easily because of
discouragement. However, for Paul, he was always ready to bear the
cross. He wrote, “And now you see me a prisoner already in spirit; I am
on my way to Jerusalem, but have no idea what will happen to me there, except
that the Holy Spirit, in town after town, has made it clear enough that
imprisonment and persecution await me.” Jesus was fully aware of what was
ahead for Him and His disciples. Instead of praying for His own safety,
He was more worried and anxious for His disciples. “I pray for them; I am
not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they belong
to you: all I have is yours and all you have is mine and in them I am
glorified. I am not in the world any longer, but they are in the world, and I
am coming to you.”
Both were
conscious that it was not sufficient to preach the gospel but also to be the
glory of God to others by living an exemplary life. The best form of preaching
is not by words but by our life. No one will believe the shepherd, priest
or lay leader if he or she does not live a life of charity and service.
What we say about God and His love must be reflected in our own life if our
words are to be believed. Paul was not only a great preacher but he was
exemplary in his Christian life. He was sincere in living the gospel that he
proclaimed. Thus, he could say with conviction, “You know what my
way of life has been ever since the first day I set foot among you in Asia, how
I have served the Lord in all humility, with all the sorrows and trials that
came to me through the plots of the Jews. I have not hesitated to do
anything that would be helpful to you.” He served humbly and
carried his cross and sufferings especially from his fellow Jews with
love. He did all he could for the Christians, giving all that he
had for their greater good.
The whole
life of Jesus was also lived in such a way that He glorified God by His life.
This
has always been the prayer of Jesus. “Father, the hour has come: glorify
your Son so that your Son may glorify you; and, through the power over all
mankind that you have given him, let him give eternal life to all those you
have entrusted to him. And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jesus spent His entire
life glorifying His Father by His words and deeds. He sought to make the
love and name of His Father known.
Having lived
their lives for God and humanity, both of them could end their life with a
clear conscience, which is itself the reward of a well-lived life. This was what Paul said to
the Christians, “And so here and now I swear that my conscience is clear as far
as all of you are concerned, for I have without faltering put before you the
whole of God’s purpose.” There is nothing that can give us real inner
peace than to know that we have done all we could, giving our life for the
service of our fellowmen, notwithstanding our limitations and the challenges we
had to contend with. Having lived such a life, we have nothing to fear
except to receive the rewards of eternal life. This was how Paul felt at
the end of his missionary journey. “For I am already on the point of
being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there
is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who
have loved his appearing.” (2 Tim 4:6-8)
So too, Jesus felt that way when He said to His Father. “Now, Father, it
is time for you to glorify me with the glory I had with you before ever the
world was. I have made your name known to the men you took from the world to give
me.” So with Jesus and Paul, let us entrust our lives to God knowing that
He will be faithful to us. Paul knew that somehow God would protect
Him. He had no idea what would happen to him, “except that the Holy
Spirit, in town after town, has made it clear enough that imprisonment and
persecution await me.”
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of
Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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