20200709 EXERCISING THE PATERNAL LOVE OF GOD
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading
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Hosea 11:1-4,8-9 ©
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I am the Holy One in your midst and have no wish to destroy
Thus says the Lord:
When Israel was a child I loved him,
and I called my son out of Egypt.
But the more I called to them, the further they went from me;
they have offered sacrifice to the Baals
and set their offerings smoking before the idols.
I myself taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them in my arms;
yet they have not understood that I was the one looking after them.
I led them with reins of kindness,
with leading-strings of love.
I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek;
stooping down to him I gave him his food.
Ephraim, how could I part with you?
Israel, how could I give you up?
How could I treat you like Admah,
or deal with you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils from it,
my whole being trembles at the thought.
I will not give rein to my fierce anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again,
for I am God, not man:
I am the Holy One in your midst
and have no wish to destroy.
Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 79(80):2-3,15-16 ©
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Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
shine forth from your cherubim throne.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
Gospel Acclamation
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Ps94:8
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Alleluia!
Or:
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Mk1:15
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Alleluia, alleluia!
The kingdom of God is close at hand:
repent and believe the Good News.
Alleluia!
Gospel
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Matthew 10:7-15 ©
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You received without charge: give without charge
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge. Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with a few coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workman deserves his keep.
‘Whatever town or village you go into, ask for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave. As you enter his house, salute it, and if the house deserves it, let your peace descend upon it; if it does not, let your peace come back to you. And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet. I tell you solemnly, on the day of Judgement it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom and Gomorrah as with that town.’
EXERCISING THE PATERNAL LOVE OF GOD
09 July, 2020, Thursday, 14th Week, Ordinary Time
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [HOS 11:1-4, 8-9; MT 10, 7-15]
There are two impactful imageries to illustrate the love of God, namely, a spousal love and a paternal love. Both of these imageries used in the bible complement the different aspects of God’s love. Even within the Book of Hosea, the prophet underscores these two characteristics of God’s love. In the first three chapters of Hosea, the prophet describes God’s love as a spousal relationship between God and His people. This dimension of God’s love in terms of romance, union, intimacy and fidelity helps us to relate and feel the warmth of God’s love. Even Jesus used this theme of the bride and bridegroom and the Wedding Banquet in His teaching on the parables of the Kingdom of God. (Mt 22:1-14) Paul spoke of the Church as the spouse of Christ. (Eph 5:21-33)
In marital love, there is an emphasis on equality between the couple. Both are adults and so maturity in love requires them to love each other to the best of his or her capacity. It is on the level of mutual response. Marital love is a contract and raised to a sacrament by Christ between two parties. However, in most non-Catholic communities, where marriage is a contract, it can be broken when one party fails to live up to his or her responsibility. We speak of marital rights and also the possibility of divorce. Whilst marital love is supposed to be a sign of the love of Christ for His Church to the extent of dying for us, it remains an ideal for married couples to strive to love like Jesus. In truth, many Christian marriages fall short of the love Christ has for His bride, the Church. Catholic marriages also end in divorce.
However, there is another aspect of human love that could help us to better relate with God, namely that of a fatherly love. This love, unlike married love, is often one-sided, although we expect the love to be reciprocal. The relationship between the parent and a child and the ensuing obligations is not fundamentally rooted in moral laws instituted by man. This does not negate the fact that most communities have erected laws to safeguard the relationship between parents and children, simply because many children today lack filial piety towards their parents. Of course, in some, we have parents abusing their children and neglecting their obligations towards them as well.
However, in most cases, the law governing the love and relationship between parent and children is written in our hearts. It is in our human nature for parents to love their children without conditions. Isaiah used the example of a mother’s love for her children to illustrate the tender love of God for us. “But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” (Isa 49:14-16) We can never imagine a mother abandoning her baby but it does happen. But not with God!
Indeed, parents’ love for their children is unconditional. Regardless what a child does, good or bad, smart or intelligent, he or she remains forever their child. Parents will always love their children, often more than themselves. Parents would sacrifice everything for their children. They think nothing of sacrificing their time and comfort to provide for their education, even paying for their holidays and other indulgences. All that parents have are mostly spent on their children. Many would not even do that for their spouse! This is because their children are their flesh and blood. It is not just a biological bond but there are also emotional and psychological ties between parents and children. Even if a child were to disown his or her parents, the emotional and biological ties remain, whether they recognize it legally or not.
This is the way God the Father loves us. The Lord said, “When Israel was a child I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” God has shown His unconditional love for Israel. They were slaves but God chose them out of all the nations to be His people. (cf Dt 7:6) He formed His people in the desert so that they could be strong enough to occupy the Promised Land. “I myself taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in my arms; I was the one looking after them. I led with reins of kindness, with leading-strings of love. I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek; stooping down to him I gave him his food.” Such was the love of God for His people. Like a father or mother, the Lord loved them, protected them, fed them, guided them and looked after them.
Unfortunately, most of us like Israel are spoilt children. The greatest pain of parents is not the sacrifices they make for their children. In fact, they are happy to sacrifice all their time, energy, leisure, freedom and money for their children. However, when their children are unresponsive, ungrateful, wayward or disobedient, they break the hearts of their parents. This is because parents love their children as much as they love themselves. When their children suffer, they suffer as much and even more. Parents cannot bear to see their children suffer even when they make mistakes. We try to protect them and save them from the consequences of their folly. Even when their children abuse them, take advantage of them, hurt, betray and cheat them of their money and property, neglect them, they will still love them and forgive them the moment they ask for forgiveness. Parents never stop loving.
Is not this the way God loves us as well, a love that is a suffering love. When we reject God and spurn His love, there is this internal conflict in God. He said, “My heart recoils from it, my whole being trembles at the thought. I will not give rein to my fierce anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again.” God will never destroy us because He is the God of love. He will not take revenge for God is all merciful. He only wants to save us, just like all parents, when He sees us rebellious, living a selfish and immoral life. God, like most loving parents, would not give in to their hurts and take revenge. God loves us so much that He gave us His only Son.
Yet, God’s love can only do so much. He cannot stop us from hurting ourselves. This applies to our relationship with our children too. When they insist on going their own way, breaking the laws of God, which is His wisdom for authentic living, they will hurt themselves, destroy beautiful relationships and make a mess of their life. What can parents do in spite of their attempts to give them advice and reach out to them? What can God do if we insist on rejecting His love and mercy as Israel did in her entire history from the Exodus right until the time of Christ? The history of Israel is a history of infidelities to God. So too is our history with God as well. Humanity insists on going their own way, the way to perdition.
When God allows us to suffer the consequences of our sins, it is an act of His divine mercy. We should never think that when we suffer the penalty for our sins it is because God is angry and is taking revenge on us. As the Lord said, “I am God, not man: I am the Holy One in your midst and have no wish to destroy.” Rather, the punishment we incur is God’s mercy to allow us to come to realization of our sins so that we can repent. It takes a greater capacity of love for parents to allow their children to make mistakes and learn from them. To protect them from the consequences of their mistakes would mean that they will never learn from them.
Today, in the gospel, Jesus invites us to be missionaries of the Father’s love by healing the sick, casting out evil and proclaiming the Kingdom of God’s mercy and love. Like Him, our love must be unconditional since we have received without charge, we must “give without charge.” Ministering to the people of God requires acting like our heavenly Father towards His children. Everywhere we go, we must bring peace and reconciliation. But there will be times when we are rejected, then with humility, we shake the dust from our feet. Our patient and forgiving love will let them know that our doors remain open to them always.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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