20191104
DRAWING
GOOD OUT OF EVIL
04 NOVEMBER,
2019, Monday, 31st Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour:
White.
These are the readings
for the feria
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First reading
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Romans 11:29-36 ©
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God never takes back his gifts or revokes
his choice.
Just
as you changed from being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of
their disobedience, so those who are disobedient now – and only because of
the mercy shown to you – will also enjoy mercy eventually. God has
imprisoned all men in their own disobedience only to show mercy to all mankind.
How
rich are the depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and
how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could
ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could
ever give him anything or lend him anything?
All
that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for
ever! Amen.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 68(69):30-31,33-34,36-37 ©
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In your great love,
answer me, O God.
As for me in my poverty and pain
let your help, O God, lift me
up.
I will praise God’s name with a song;
I will glorify him with
thanksgiving.
In your great love,
answer me, O God.
The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not spurn his
servants in their chains.
In your great love,
answer me, O God.
For God will bring help to Zion
and rebuild the cities of
Judah
and men shall dwell there in
possession.
The sons of his servants shall inherit it;
those who love his name shall
dwell there.
In your great love,
answer me, O God.
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Gospel Acclamation
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Ps118:18
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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Jn8:31-32
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Alleluia, alleluia!
If you make my word your home
you will indeed be my disciples,
and you will learn the truth, says the
Lord.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Luke 14:12-14 ©
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Jesus said to his host, one of the leading
Pharisees, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends,
brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by
inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the
crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are
fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’
DRAWING GOOD OUT
OF EVIL
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Rom 11:29-36; Ps 69:30-31, 33-34, 36-37; Lk 14:12-14 ]
Quite often we lament
that God is not fair. We
are envious at how God has blessed others with beauty, wealth, status, power,
health, talents such as knowledge and understanding. We feel
disadvantaged when compared to our friends and relatives. Deep in our
hearts, not only do we envy them but we are resentful against God. We see
our disadvantages as the cause of our misery and unhappiness in
life. This is because we fail to see from God’s perspective. We are
looking from a narrow self-centered perspective.
In truth, what we
consider advantages can also be disadvantages. Being rich also means that we are tempted
to power and glory, using them for ourselves and eventually destroying
ourselves because of greed and a licentious lifestyle. Those of us who
are beautiful might never know whether we are loved for our external beauty or
for ourselves. Rich and intelligent people often deceive themselves into
thinking that they are self-sufficient and secure until tragedy strikes, and
they come to realize their nothingness and finiteness. Furthermore, rich
and powerful people have no freedom because they are afraid of their
competitors, enemies and those who want to make use of them.
St Paul tells us that
“God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.” It is God’s desire to give us His gifts,
which are happiness and life with Him. Regardless whether we are poor or
rich, intelligent or average, famous or ordinary, healthy or sick, the Lord
continues to love us. As Jesus said, “He makes his sun rise on the evil
and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”
(Mt 5:45) Every one of us can find happiness in
whichever state of life we are in. It has less to do with what we have,
or own. It has more to do with how we look at our situation and transform
it into something positive and life-giving.
Indeed, based on his personal
experience, St Paul shared how God in His wisdom has made use of those who are
disobedient to Him for the obedience of others, those who sin for the salvation
of others; and in return, those who became obedient and saved are in turn
called to extend the mercy they received to others. “Just as you changed from
being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of their disobedience, so
those who are disobedient now – and only because of the mercy shown to you –
will also enjoy mercy eventually. God has imprisoned all men in their own
disobedience only to show mercy to all mankind.” The Jews, in
rejecting the gospel, made it possible for the gospel to be given to the
Gentiles. The latter in return are now called to bring the gospel to the
Jews. So regardless whether we have been called by God first and rejected
His call, or called by God later and accepted it, God makes use of both good
and evil for His purpose.
In the eyes of God, none
is better off than the other;
those who are favoured are called to favour others; those who are blessed are
called to bless others. The gifts they received do not belong to them.
Conversely, those not blessed or favoured are used by God to grow in humility
and faith by helping those who are rich and healthy to give of themselves to
others, thereby saving them from self-centeredness and pride. This truth
is brought out in the gospel when Jesus told them about those choosing to be
seated in places of honour at the meal. “When you are invited, go and sit
down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you,
‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who
sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Lk 14:10f) The point is that where we
will be seated, that is our place in life. It is not our choice or something
that we earn by our hard work alone, it is given by God. He will place us
accordingly in life where we can best realize our potentials.
Regardless where we are
placed in life, it does not matter so long as we make the best of what we have
been given. God in His divine
providence has a plan and purpose for each one of us. If we cooperate
with His plan, we will find happiness and fulfillment in life regardless of
where we are placed. Conversely, those who are blessed richly but do not
use their riches and blessings wisely, will not find fulfilment as well. They
will only destroy themselves. This same truth is also taught in the
Parable of the Talents, when the master gave different talents to different
servants, but only demanded that they make use of what they had been given.
The master did not demand that the man with five talents produce more
than five or that the one with two talents produce five talents. Each one
gives 100% of what he has been given. So the man with five talents only
needed to produce five more and similarly the man with two talents.
“For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an
abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken
away.” (Cf Mt 20:14-30)
Consequently, those who
are rich or have been blessed by God must not allow their blessings to remain
only with them.
Hence, Jesus told the host, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your
friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your
courtesy by inviting you in return.” When the rich invites the rich, it
is merely an exchange, not a gift. It is normal for us to invite those
who have invited us for their celebrations. Such an invitation is not
genuine but often issued out of obligation or simply mutual gain. It
becomes a social status and the gifts that God blesses us still remain with
ourselves. We have given nothing away.
Rather, Jesus tells us
to bless those who cannot repay us back. “No; when you have a party, invite the
poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means
that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous
rise again.” By inviting those who are considered poor in the eyes of the
world, we are truly instruments of God’s blessings. When we give
without expecting any return, we will receive a greater gift from God, which is
to share in the life of God, His love and generosity, bringing us a joy and
freedom that the world cannot give. When we reach out to the poor and be
with them, we come to understand their stories, their struggles and their
pains. In this way, the poor will no longer just be a concept or a word
but someone whom we relate as persons, sharing the same need for love, acceptance,
understanding and comfort. Reaching out to the poor and the sick changes
our lives. Reaching out to prisoners too will change the way we look at
those who are criminals, drug offenders and cheaters. The poor have much
to teach us about love.
Consequently, whether we
are rich or poor, healthy or sick, leaders or servants, we are meant for each
other. The
rich help the poor materially and the poor bless the rich with meaning,
purpose, joy and love. So, too, the healthy and the sick are meant
for each other. Those who are healthy are called to help the sick.
By attending to the sick, they come to value their health and by giving
themselves to the sick, they learn patience, generosity and kindness. The
sick in turn receive the love and assistance of the healthy and so are made use
by God to save the healthy. So, too, leaders cannot serve unless their
subordinates and servants assist them. Leaders without followers are
powerless. On the other hand, those who help the leaders help themselves
because the leader will ensure that they are well taken care of. So
whether we are leaders or followers, we need each other.
This is what St Paul
meant when he 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) Indeed, he was filled with admiration at
the wisdom of God that he was moved to praise Him. “How rich are the
depths of God – how deep his wisdom and knowledge – and how impossible to
penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind
of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything
or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for
him. To him be glory for ever! Amen.” Indeed, how great out God is, how
wise, how loving, how kind and how just.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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