20190201
ARE
YOU STILL PROUD TO BE A CATHOLIC?
01 FEBRUARY,
2019, Friday, 3rd Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour:
Green.
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First reading
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Hebrews 10:32-39 ©
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We are the sort who keep faithful
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Remember all the sufferings that you had
to meet after you received the light, in earlier days; sometimes by being
yourselves publicly exposed to insults and violence, and sometimes as
associates of others who were treated in the same way. For you not only shared
in the sufferings of those who were in prison, but you happily accepted being
stripped of your belongings, knowing that you owned something that was better
and lasting. Be as confident now, then, since the reward is so great. You will
need endurance to do God’s will and gain what he has promised.
Only a little while now,
a very little while,
and the one that is
coming will have come; he will not delay.
The righteous man will
live by faith,
but if he draws back, my
soul will take no pleasure in him.
You and I are not the sort of people who
draw back, and are lost by it; we are the sort who keep faithful until our
souls are saved.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm
36(37):3-6,23-24,39-40 ©
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The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
If you trust in the Lord and do good,
then you will live in the land
and be secure.
If you find your delight in the Lord,
he will grant your heart’s
desire.
The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
Commit your life to the Lord,
trust in him and he will act,
so that your justice breaks forth like the
light,
your cause like the noon-day
sun.
The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
The Lord guides the steps of a man
and makes safe the path of one
he loves.
Though he stumble he shall never fall
for the Lord holds him by the
hand.
The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just comes from the
Lord,
their stronghold in time of
distress.
The Lord helps them and delivers them
and saves them: for their
refuge is in him.
The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
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Gospel Acclamation
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Ps118:27
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Make me grasp the way of your precepts,
and I will muse on your wonders.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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Mt11:25
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Mark 4:26-34 ©
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The kingdom of God is a mustard seed
growing into the biggest shrub of all
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Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what
the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while
he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does
not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time:
he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
He
also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we
find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the
soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows
into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds
of the air can shelter in its shade.’
Using
many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were
capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but
he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.
ARE YOU STILL
PROUD TO BE A CATHOLIC?
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ HEB 10:32-39; PS 37:3-6,23-24,39-40; MARK 4:26-34 ]
With the recurrent
negative publicity surrounding the Church and scandals involving its hierarchy,
it is difficult to stand erect, hold our heads high and say that we are proud
to be Catholic. Indeed,
many Catholics are ashamed of their faith. Even those Catholics with
supposedly strong faith are shaken at hearing such reports. For those who
have weak or little faith, what more can we expect from them? Some have
left the Church and given up that little sliver of faith that is left in
them. Those who have been sexually abused are angry with the Church and
some are seeking justice to redress their pain.
Indeed, it is difficult
to stay firm and strong in our faith. As it is, our Faith is being
attacked from all fronts.
The credibility of our leaders is not the only casualty. The moral teachings
of the Church have always been opposed by the world, whether with regard to
marriage, the family or the dignity of human life from conception until
death. It is extremely challenging in today’s world to remain faithful to
our spouse, to be chaste in relationships, to stand up for what we believe in,
lest we be ridiculed, opposed and discriminated. Few Catholics identify
themselves in the workplace, in business, or share their faith with their
colleagues or friends. It is safer to hide our faith so that we will not
be bypassed for promotion or business deals. We are not willing to lose
our worldly pursuit of power, position and wealth on account of our faith.
Above all, with life
being more comfortable today, and pleasures, convenience and comforts so easily
accessible, unlike in the old days when life was harsh, difficult and austere,
people do not think about the next life. In fact, because we are so
comfortable in this world, we do not desire to leave it to go to heaven.
We want to live on this earth for as long as possible so that we can enjoy the
pleasures of life. That is why people go for makeover and freeze their
embryos and stems cells, etc because they want to continue to live
forever. Only those who live in poverty, in meaninglessness, are sick and
lonely desire to die so that they can be relieved from the pain of this
life. Otherwise, the thought of dying would be far from their minds.
This is true even for
Catholics. How we live our lives is not much different from those without
faith in God. Faith
for many Catholics is more like taking a Panadol for relief or a stop-gap to
explain the mysteries of life events. Their faith is more a supplement, a
safety net, an insurance. In case everything else fails in life, they
still have something to rely on. They use their faith to help them to go
through life, especially in times of suffering, trials, bereavement or helplessness.
Only then, will they turn to God for help or assistance. However, we need
to truly ask ourselves, do we live this life on earth as a preparation and
purification for life eternal?
In contrast, we look at
the early Christians. It is hard to imitate their faith in Christ.
They were persecuted, insulted, suffered violence and even put in prison. They were stripped of their
property and wealth. This was what the author of Hebrews wrote, “Remember
all the sufferings that you had to meet after you received the light, in
earlier days: sometimes by being yourselves publicly exposed to insults and
violence, and sometimes as associates of others who were treated in the same
way. For you not only shared in the sufferings of those who were in prison, but
you happily accepted being stripped of your belongings.” Such courage,
perseverance and fidelity to Christ and their faith is most edifying. Few
of us would be able to sacrifice ourselves as much as they did. Most of
us are cowards when it comes to suffering for Christ. We want to be loved and
accepted by all.
What was their
secret? It is their faith in the greater things to come. The author of Hebrews said that
their fidelity to their faith was due to the fact that they knew that they
“owned something that was better and lasting. Be as confident now, then, since
the reward is so great. You will need endurance to do God’s will and gain what
he has promised.” A greater reward was awaiting them in heaven. And
this reward would be theirs soon. “Only a little while now, a very little
while, and the one that is coming will have come; he will not delay.”
This was also how St
Peter encouraged the early Christians. “In this you rejoice, even if now for a
little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of
your faith – being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested
by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus
Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even
though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an
indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your
faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Pt 1:6-9)
For the sake of the
greater future, we can sacrifice the present. This has always been the case, even in daily
life. For the sake of the future of our children, parents sacrifice their
comforts and work hard to give their children a good education. What more
if we are speaking of not just being successful in the world but for the joy of
eternal life, as a foretaste on this earth and in its fullness after
death. St Paul himself wrote, “Do you not know that in a race the runners
all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may
win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to
receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.”
That is why, the key to
firmness in our faith is to live by faith, not by sight. The author of Hebrews wrote to his
people, “The righteous man will live by faith, but if he draws back, my soul
will take no pleasure in him. You and I are not the sort of people who
draw back, and are lost by it; we are the sort who keep faithful until our
souls are saved.”
What does faith entail?
It means to live an honourable life and trust in God who does all things well. The psalmist says, “If you trust in
the Lord and do good, then you will live in the land and be secure. If you find
your delight in the Lord, he will grant your heart’s desire. Commit your
life to the Lord, trust in him and he will act, so that your justice breaks
forth like the light, your cause like the noon-day sun. The Lord guides the
steps of a man and makes safe the path of one he loves. Though he stumble he
shall never fall for the Lord holds him by the hand. The salvation of the just
comes from the Lord, their stronghold in time of distress. The Lord helps them
and delivers them and saves them: for their refuge is in him.”
Secondly, it means to
believe that He is working even when we cannot see Him at work in our lives. This is what the parable of the
farmer is teaching us. “A man throws seed on the land. Night and day,
while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he
does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the
ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no
time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.” God is working
in ways beyond our imagination. So we must have faith in the divine grace
of God working in and through our lives and the events of history.
Of course, like the
farmer, we must cooperate with His grace. We must sow the seed and water the
plants. We must cooperate with His grace at work in our lives. St
Paul wrote, “We know that all things work together for good for those who
love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28) Trusting in God does not mean we do
nothing but simply allowing the grace of God to work. St Paul shows
us the example when he wrote, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his
grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any
of them – though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Cor 15:10)
Indeed, we must not be
too concerned with the visible workings of grace. We must be patient and
start cooperating with God’s grace. We
need to work from somewhere and begin somewhere. For as the Lord said,
the Kingdom of God is “like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in
the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it
grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the
birds of the air can shelter in its shade.” If we want to see
change in the Church, renewal, conversion, growth, and be truly a tree that all
can find rest under its shade, then we must take steps, each in his or her own
ways, to build up their faith and the faith of their brothers and
sisters. Together in the same mission, we will establish God’s kingdom
eventually in the hearts of men and women.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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