20191029 SUSTAINING HOPE
IN SUFFERING
29 OCTOBER,
2019, Tuesday, 30th Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour:
Green.
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First reading
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Romans 8:18-25 ©
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I think that what we suffer in this life
can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us.
The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons. It was not
for any fault on the part of creation that it was made unable to attain its
purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still retains the hope of being
freed, like us, from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and
glory as the children of God. From the beginning till now the entire creation,
as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth; and not only
creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too
groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free. For we must be content
to hope that we shall be saved – our salvation is not in sight, we should
not have to be hoping for it if it were – but, as I say, we must hope to
be saved since we are not saved yet – it is something we must wait for
with patience.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 125(126) ©
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What marvels the Lord
worked for us.
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.
What marvels the Lord
worked for us.
The heathens themselves said: ‘What
marvels
the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.
What marvels the Lord
worked for us.
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.
What marvels the Lord
worked for us.
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of
song,
carrying their sheaves.
What marvels the Lord
worked for us.
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Gospel Acclamation
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Jn15:15
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I call you friends, says the Lord,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
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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Luke 13:18-21 ©
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Jesus said, ‘What is the kingdom of God
like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took
and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air
sheltered in its branches.’
Another
thing he said, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the
yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was
leavened all through.’
SUSTAINING HOPE
IN SUFFERING
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ROM 8:18-25; LK 13:18-21 ]
We are all looking for liberation
from the sufferings in this life.
St Paul expressed the longing of each one’s heart. “From the beginning
till now the entire creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of
giving birth; and not only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits
of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free.”
Indeed, this life, in spite of the respite we get now and then, is a difficult
life. It is a life of struggle, pain, and suffering because of mistakes
made, the injustices from our fellowmen, desires and dreams unfulfilled.
From the time we come out of our mother’s womb, we have been crying and
groaning until we end in the tomb.
How does the world deal
with suffering? It is one of escapism. Karl Marx used to charge the Church for using
Faith in God as an opium to numb the people of their pains instead of solving
their problems. In truth, it is the world that is offering opium to the
modern man who is seeking peace, joy and freedom from pain and suffering.
In the face of loneliness, the world offers temporary friendship and insincere
love by advocating cohabitation, same sex union and divorce. When
people are sad, they are offered sensuality, music, sex, pornography, drugs,
and alcohol to desensitize their pains. When people face meaninglessness
in this life, the world distracts them with the latest novelties to keep them
going and chasing for the moon. When people are afraid of death, the
world deceives them by offering them cosmetic makeovers. Those who are
suffering immense pain, whether emotional or physical pain, are offered
euthanasia or suicide. These are the drugs the world provides to relieve
human suffering.
For us, Christians, the
way to overcome despair in life is to have hope in the future glory. This is what St Paul wrote, “I
think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as
yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. The whole creation is eagerly
waiting for God to reveal his sons.” Christian hope is what keeps us
going forward even in the face of suffering because we know that the joy before
us is greater than all that we are suffering now. We will eventually be
freed for life. St Paul wrote, “creation still retains the hope of being
freed, like us, from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and
glory as the children of God.” This was how St Peter gave hope to
the Christians undergoing persecution for their faith. “By his great
mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are
being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time. 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.” (1 Pt 1:3-7)
Indeed, it is our
certain hope because of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ that we
know that all suffering will come to an end upon death. But it would not be our extinction
or annihilation from the world. Rather, it would be the fullness of life and
joy. We will share in the fullness of life as God’s children. “He
will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with
them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning
and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed
away.” (Rev 21:3-4)
Indeed, when the time comes, “we will be like him, for we will see him as he
is.” St Paul says our true citizenship is in heaven. “But our
citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our
humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the
power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.” (Phil 3:20f)
So whether we live in
hope or despair is dependent on whether we have faith in God and in Christ. For those who do not believe in God,
the ultimate destiny is one of meaninglessness and frustration. St Paul
wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still
in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be
pitied.” (1 Cor 15:17-19)
Those who live for this world only are people who are truly to be pitied.
Regardless of how much they contribute to the world, the achievements that they
have made, the good that they have done, the impact they have made in the world,
the money that they have made, the possessions that they have accumulated, all
these will end with death. What is even more heartbreaking is to realize
that all the hard work will be undone by the next generation. Our legacy
will not last for very long. This was what King Solomon reflected
at the end of his life, “I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and
see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. What is crooked cannot be made
straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.” (Eccl 1:14f)
In the face of this
reality, one cannot ask, so what is the meaning of life if we only live for
this world? Why do we make so
much sacrifices for the future of humanity when these do not have eternal
values? Why do we do good or sacrifice for others instead of enjoying
ourselves, taking care of ourselves, taking as much as we can out of this life before
we leave this place forever and disappear from the face of this universe into
nothingness? This life ultimately is senseless and that is the ultimate
goal of secularism, annihilation. This explains why more and more people
are taking the lives of others including their own. The world is falling
into despair because of discouragement, aimlessness and meaningless
suffering. This is because many are misled into believing that there is
no life beyond this world. This is the greatest of all lies spread by the
Evil One.
But for us who have
faith in God, then we continue to hope patiently because we know that our hope
is certain. St Paul urges us,
“we must be content to hope that we shall be saved – our salvation is not in
sight, we should not have to be hoping for it if it were – but, as I say, we
must hope to be saved since we are not saved yet – it is something we must wait
for with patience.” Whilst living in this world, even in the midst of
suffering, we know that a greater future and glory awaits us. With St
Paul, the hope of the future should give us the impetus to press on
relentlessly. He said, “Not that I have already obtained this or have
already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ
Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I
have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for
the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13f)
This is what the parable
of the mustard seed is instructing us. It reminds us of patience in realizing our
ultimate goal in life. Jesus said, “What is the kingdom of God
like? What shall I compare it with? It is like mustard seed which a
man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the
birds of the air sheltered in its branches.” Like the mustard seed, it
begins small and insignificant but given time and patience, it will become a
big tree that provides rest and shelter for many. So we too must be
patient in our growth to Christian maturity in life. Through our
suffering, trials and mistakes, we will grow in grace and wisdom. The
Lord Himself, “although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he
suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal
salvation for all who obey him.” (Heb 5:8f) Again the author of Hebrews
exhorts us, “Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as
children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? For
they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines
us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now,
discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it
yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by
it.” (Heb 12:7,10f) We should not be afraid of
suffering and trials because they are meant to “strengthen your weak
knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not
be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” (Heb 12:12f)
So it is critical how we
want to be influenced and how we are influencing the world. The parable of the leaven brings to
our attention how serious the yeast can bring change in the dough just as how
we can change the world by our attitudes towards life and especially towards
God. We can be the yeast used positively to transform life, give hope to
people who are struggling and suffering, a hope that will sustain their long
journey in life. Or we can be the yeast of Herod, the Scribes and
Pharisees that perpetuate this hypocrisy towards the truth and meaning of life
and death. Until each one of us is ready to face the ultimate question
which we are postponing because of the distractions of the world, we will begin
to wonder how we should live our life. If there is life beyond this
world, then we should be ready to recognize that what we do now have eternal
consequences for the next world. But if there is no life beyond this
world, everything we do is done ultimately in vain.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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