20180523
SEEING LIFE FROM A LARGER PERSPECTIVE
23 MAY, 2018, Wednesday, 7th Week,
Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: Green.
|
First reading
|
James 4:13-17 ©
|
|
You cannot know what will happen tomorrow
|
Here is the answer for those of you who talk like this: ‘Today or
tomorrow, we are off to this or that town; we are going to spend a year there,
trading, and make some money.’
You never
know what will happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that is here for a
little while and then disappears. The most you should ever say is: ‘If it is
the Lord’s will, we shall still be alive to do this or that.’ But how proud and
sure of yourselves you are now! Pride of this kind is always wicked. Everyone
who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.
|
Responsorial Psalm
|
|
Psalm 48(49):2-3,6-11 ©
|
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Hear this, all you peoples,
give heed, all who dwell in the world,
men both low and high,
rich and poor alike!
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches?
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
For no man can buy his own ransom,
or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him.
He cannot buy life without end,
nor avoid coming to the grave.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
He knows that wise men and fools must both perish
and leave their wealth to others.
How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
|
Gospel Acclamation
|
Jn14:6
|
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
|
Gospel
|
Mark 9:38-40 ©
|
|
You must not stop anyone from working miracles in my name
|
John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us
casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to
stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle
in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for
us.’
SEEING LIFE FROM A LARGER PERSPECTIVE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ JAMES 4:13-17; MK 9:38-40 ]
Man lives in
deep insecurity. From the beginning of time, since Adam and
Eve, we have always wanted to be in control. We seek to control our
lives. We do not want to live in unpredictability. For this reason, we
plan and seek control over our lives and even over others’. This is
what St James said to the Christians in his community. The rich,
especially the businessmen, thought they were in control of their lives.
Similarly, the disciples in today’s gospel also sought to control those who
were outside their group. John asked Jesus, “Master, we saw a man who is
not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us
we tried to stop him.”
Why do we
seek control over our lives and that of others’? It boils down to
reliance on oneself and insecurity over our competitors. We want to be in
charge. It has to do with ego and competition too. As a
consequence, we become envious of others. If the disciples were not happy
that others were doing the same thing they were doing, it was because they did
not want to share their power with others. So it was out of envy that
they reacted. It was not because the man was doing something contrary to
what they were doing. They sought to prevent others from doing good
simply because they did not belong to their group.
Indeed, this
is what St James told his community. It has to do with pride and
wanting to do things our way. “But how proud and sure of yourselves you are
now! Pride of this kind is always wicked. Everyone who knows what
is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.” Ultimately, it
is about power and security. Jealousy and the need to be in control
spring from the fear that one’s happiness would be taken away if others are in
control over us. So man seeks power to control others. This power
can come in the form of healing, as in today’s gospel, or knowledge or
skills. Power is sought by the world today because man does not
want to entrust his life to God. He does not want to live a life that is
unpredictable. So he seeks to control his life.
But this is the
folly of the world. Life, in the final analysis, is
not within our control. This is what St James told his people.
“Today or tomorrow, we are off to this or that town; we are going to spend a
year there, trading, and make some money.’ You never know what will
happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that is here for a little
while and then disappears.” The psalmist reiterates this truth when he
said, “Why should I fear in evil days the malice of the foes who surround me,
men who trust in their wealth, and boast of the vastness of their riches? He
knows that wise men and fools must both perish and leave their wealth to
others.” Life and death are predestined by God. Man, regardless of
his wealth and status, cannot determine his fate. It would be foolish to think
that his life is made secure by his wealth and status in life. Before the
reality of death, we are equal. The psalmist echoes this truth too when he
says, “For no man can buy his own ransom, or pay a price to God for his life.
The ransom of his soul is beyond him. He cannot buy life without end, nor avoid
coming to the grave.”
Rather than
filling our lives with anxiety and fear, we must depend on the Lord’s
providence. We are called to surrender our lives to the Lord, to do
what we can and leave the future to Him. St James wrote, “The most you
should ever say is: ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we shall still be alive to
do this or that.’” Indeed, we are called to place our trust not in the
securities of this world but in God alone. All we need to do each day is
to cooperate with His will. It is in doing His will day after day that we
will find peace and joy. If we simply do His will, we can be sure that
somehow the Lord will look after us. And even when it is time for
us to go, we will depart this world happily knowing what is in store for us in
the future.
Finally, we
must cooperate with those who are doing good, regardless of who they
are. “Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in
my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is
for us.’” It is important for us to work with those people of other
faiths and people of goodwill. It is the Lord’s will that all will be
saved by His love. It is not important which channel His love will come
through. What is important is that we continue His work of healing and
restoration. It is for this reason that Catholics are called to work with
people of goodwill in restoring justice, equality and peace to all of
humanity. The values we work for are universal truths that protect the
dignity of every individual from the time of conception till death.
We can therefore rejoice with those of other religions and all those in
government and non-governmental organizations that work for the dignity and the
rights of the individual, ensuring justice, equality and the good of all.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of
Singapore © All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment