20200529 THE CAPACITY TO LIVE OUT THE VOCATION OF LOVE
29 May, 2020, Friday, 7th Week of Easter
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
First reading
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Acts 25:13-21 ©
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'I ordered Paul to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar'
King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. Their visit lasted several days, and Festus put Paul’s case before the king. ‘There is a man here’ he said ‘whom Felix left behind in custody, and while I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and elders of the Jews laid information against him, demanding his condemnation. But I told them that Romans are not in the habit of surrendering any man, until the accused confronts his accusers and is given an opportunity to defend himself against the charge. So they came here with me, and I wasted no time but took my seat on the tribunal the very next day and had the man brought in. When confronted with him, his accusers did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected; but they had some argument or other with him about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus whom Paul alleged to be alive. Not feeling qualified to deal with questions of this sort, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on this issue. But Paul put in an appeal for his case to be reserved for the judgement of the august emperor, so I ordered him to be remanded until I could send him to Caesar.’
Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 102(103):1-2,11-12,19-20 ©
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The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
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Alleluia!
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia!
For as the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord has set his sway in heaven
and his kingdom is ruling over all.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
mighty in power, fulfilling his word.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation
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Jn14:26
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Alleluia, alleluia!
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you.
Alleluia!
Gospel
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John 21:15-19 ©
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Feed my lambs, feed my sheep
Jesus showed himself to his disciples, and after they had eaten he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’
In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
THE CAPACITY TO LIVE OUT THE VOCATION OF LOVE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 25:13-21; PS 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20; JN 21:15-19 ]
From young, our parents and our teachers used to make us think of our ambition. Every parent or teacher wants his or her child to succeed in life. An ambition, however, is self-serving. It is about our self, our achievements, and our success in life. Everything else, prestige, fame, honor, wealth, or power, are but tools to help us attain the height of success in life. That was what the apostles were seeking as well before the passion and death of our Lord. They were competing among themselves as to who was the greatest and who would be chosen to sit on the left and right of our Lord when He came into His kingdom. (cf Mt 20:20-28) But just by achieving worldly success in life is no guarantee for happiness. Are we just interested in our children’s success or giving them a happy and meaningful life? Is success equivalent to happiness in life? Clearly, many successful people are not happy with their life!
Furthermore, ambition is always self-reliant and can lead to disappointment. One has to be disciplined and focused. One has to work hard and persevere. That was how Peter behaved as a fisherman. He thought by his ingenuity, knowledge, and experience alone, he could bring in a big catch of fish. Twice, he used his talent and failed before our Lord – the first time before his call, and the second time before his repentance. After toiling all night in vain, the Lord appeared to him and asked him to pay down the nets. A miracle happened; there was a big catch of fish. (cf Lk 5:1-11; Jn 21:1-8) Understandably, those who fail in their ambition become frustrated, angry, and resentful, and fall into depression.
However, the Lord calls us not for an ambition but a vocation. The word “vocation” comes from the Latin word, “vocare”, which means a call. What is this call? It is a call to love. This is the only vocation in life. St Theresa of the Child Jesus discovered this in her contemplation. “O Jesus, my Love, at last I have found my vocation, my vocation is Love! Yes, I have found my place in the Church, and it is you, O my God, who have given me this place. Thus I shall be all things: thus my dream shall be realized!” Jesus called the apostles to be apostles of love.
What does it mean to be an apostle of love? Love is not just a sentimental word. It is more than a nice romantic feeling. Profession of love itself is not yet love. Love calls for action and service to others. In the gospel, each time when Peter professed his love for the Lord, Jesus said, “Feed my lambs. Look after my sheep. Feed my sheep.” As if it was not enough, the Lord went further to ask for the sacrifice of his life, a total surrender of his freedom. “‘I tell you most solemnly, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.’ In these words, he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God.” Love ultimately calls for death to self. True love calls for not just agape but oblative love.
This was what the Lord asked of Peter when He said, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?” Twice, the Lord used the Greek word, “agape” which means sacrificial and oblative love. Only at the third time did Jesus employ the same word, “phileo”, which Peter used in his reply to Him. Peter, who had earlier rejected our Lord, had just recovered and was healed from his fallen ego, was now more realistic and measured in his affirmation of his love for our Lord. Before His passion, Peter was over presumptuous when he said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” (Mt 26:33) Peter at this juncture felt he could only love Jesus as a good friend. He was not ready to die for Him.
This is true for us as well in our love for the Lord. How many of us can truly say that we love the Lord to the extent of dying for Him? How many of us are ready for martyrdom? We might be ready to die for our spouse or children when called upon to do so, but would we die for Jesus? Unless our love for Jesus is deeper and stronger than our love for our loved ones, we will not be ready to die for Him. I think our love is more like Peter’s, the love of a friend. In other words, we love Jesus as much as we think He loves us. Our love to some extent is conditional, in friendship, and even in marriage. Would we still continue to love our friends when they do not care for us? Do we still love our spouse when they ill-treat us? How many continue to love God when they are suffering from a tragedy in life, from illness, loss of a loved one, or when going through a crisis? Many give up their faith when their prayers are not answered according to the way they desire. When Jesus does not give us what we want, we feel that He does not love us and even wonder whether He is real.
But this is not what true love entails! Jesus has taught us what loving God requires. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 10:37-39) In John’s gospel, Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (Jn 15:13f) He also said, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:46-48) It is true that most of us cannot meet the demands of our Lord in discipleship and in love.
The good news is that Jesus accepts whatever love we can give. There is an ideal, but He also accepts what we can give, just as Heaccepted the inadequate love of Peter. He did not force Peter to either love Him totally or not at all. Jesus was patient with Peter. He knew that Peter would not have the capacity to love Him with agape love. He waited for Peter, Paul and the rest of the apostles to arrive at this ideal of love. Most of them were eventually martyred for their faith. They found the capacity to give their lives totally to the Lord when the time came. St Peter was martyred in Rome. St Paul was ready to go all the way to Rome to testify to Jesus’ death and resurrection. So, too, for us. When we feel that we do not yet have the capacity to love Jesus with the love that is demanded from us, we should not be afraid. We should not shrink back like Judas. We should not go away like the rich man when the Lord said to him, “‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” (Mk 10:21f)
Rather, let us turn to Him in humility like Peter and He will give us the capacity to love even until death when the time comes and the situation warrants the sacrifice of our life. Indeed, there are many who wonder whether they can take care of their spouse or their children in their sickness or when their elderly become immobile. How can we look after a child that is born mentally or physically challenged? How can we continue with our life when our loved ones depart from us? How can we find the strength to feed the lambs and look after the sheep of God? That is why some dare not respond to the call to priestly and religious life, because we think we cannot sacrifice that much. We cannot on our own!
This is why, as we come to the end of the 7th Week of Easter, the Church is preparing us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, which is the love of God poured into our hearts, will give us the capacity to love like God. (cf Rom 5:5) The Holy Spirit will endow us with His gifts. (Eph 4: 7-16) The Holy Spirit will give us the strength to endure the trials. He will empower us and give us joy in sorrow, courage in difficulties. Let us welcome Him!
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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