Friday 30 October 2020

HUMILITY IS MEASURED BY OUR SELFLESSNESS

20201031 HUMILITY IS MEASURED BY OUR SELFLESSNESS

31 October, 2020, Saturday, 30th Week, Ordinary Time

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Philippians 1:18-26 ©

Life to me is Christ; but death would bring me more

Christ is proclaimed; and that makes me happy; and I shall continue being happy, because I know this will help to save me, thanks to your prayers and to the help which will be given to me by the Spirit of Jesus. My one hope and trust is that I shall never have to admit defeat, but that now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. This weighs with me so much that I feel sure I shall survive and stay with you all, and help you to progress in the faith and even increase your joy in it; and so you will have another reason to give praise to Christ Jesus on my account when I am with you again.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 41(42):2-3,5 ©

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

Like the deer that yearns

for running streams,

so my soul is yearning

for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

My soul is thirsting for God,

the God of my life;

when can I enter and see

the face of God?

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

I would lead the rejoicing crowd

into the house of God,

amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Col3:16a,17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,

find a home with you;

through him give thanks to God the Father.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt11:29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,

says the Lord,

for I am gentle and humble in heart.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 14:1,7-11 ©

Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

HUMILITY IS MEASURED BY OUR SELFLESSNESS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Philippians 1:18-26; Psalm 42:2-3,5; Luke 14:1, 7-11 ]

The theme of today’s gospel is on humility. Jesus underscored the importance of acting humbly when we are invited to a dinner. He said, “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour.” What does it mean to be humble? How do we know that we are humble? Humility in today’s scripture readings is spelt out in terms of selflessness. A truly humble person is selfless in his relationship to God and to others. He is not focused on himself but on glorifying God and loving his brothers and sisters.

A humble person does not focus on his position, his prestige and his privileges. He is at ease with everyone and he is happy wherever he is. He does not seek places of honor, praises and recognition. This is because he is very much aware of his limitations and inadequacies. He knows himself well enough. He knows where he stands before God and before others. No matter what he does, he knows that he cannot compare with many others who could do better. He knows he can never be the best because there will always be others who are better than him. He does not think highly of himself or lowly of himself either. He does not think of himself at all. He is just what he is. It does not matter to him what his position in society is so long as he is able to serve. At any rate, all these positions do not really matter because when death knocks at our door we will be reduced to skeletons like everyone else. Even if we do not meet death yet, the moment we are no longer in office or hold positions in public life, we are just like everyone else. Indeed, a humble man allows God to place him wherever He thinks fit. Hence, the Lord exhorts us to choose the lowest place so that God could then assign us the place where we should be. We must not think so highly of ourselves because “a more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, ‘Give your place to this man.’ And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place.”

This indeed was the case of our Blessed Mother Mary. She is truly the icon of humility. Upon receiving the news that she would be the mother of God, in all humility, she said, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Lk 1:34) And then when the angel explained to her that it would be by the power of the Holy Spirit, her response was, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) Upon receiving the news that her cousin, Elizabeth was with child and now in her sixth month, she went to help her till she gave birth to John the Baptist. She was forgetful of her position as the mother of the Savior. Instead, when Elizabeth praised her, she directed all praise to God, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Lk 1:46-49) And at the Wedding Feast in Cana, she quietly saved the wedding couple from embarrassment, without seeking recognition of any sort when she asked her Son to intervene with the miracle of the wine. (cf Jn 2:1-11)

St Paul in the first reading demonstrated the same humility whenever he spoke of himself. He was always conscious of his shameful past. He confessed many times that he “was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Tim 1:13,15) But he was forever grateful like Mary of God’s mercy and grace. “I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim 1:13f) He knew that it was the prayers “and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ” that he would eventually be delivered from imprisonment even though he left everything into the hands of God.

Selflessness is not only with respect to the way we view ourselves but also seen in the way we serve the Lord. Although many of us think that we are serving the Lord, many of us serve from impure or less than noble motives. This was the case of some of the preachers and missionaries during the time of Paul. Some of them were actually happy and relieved that Paul was imprisoned because he was a threat to their status and popularity. Isn’t this true when we see our competitors falling out of the race for positions in the church or in organizations or at work? But this was not the case for St Paul. He did not mind that others were taking his position in the community so long as they were also working for Christ, even if their motives were dubious. He wrote, “Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.” (Phil 1:15-18) He knew that in the final analysis, God would vindicate him. So with great faith and self-surrender, he wrote, “Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.”

The only concern of St Paul was that the gospel was preached regardless who was the instrument of the Good News. It did not have to be him, so long as people could hear the gospel and be converted. All that mattered at the end of the day was that Christ was exalted. “Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.” The whole focus of St Paul was always directed to the Lord. When a person is focused on the Lord, he forgets about himself, his needs, his pain and his sacrifices. Often resentment in work and ministry comes about because even when serving God and His church, we are more concerned about our privileges, positions and remuneration. When we are busy with God’s work and serving our people, we do not have time to consider our personal needs. “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.” He was not absorbed in himself but it was all about the proclamation of the gospel. All he was concerned was that Christ be exalted and preached.

Indeed, so selfless was Paul in his love for the Lord and his people that he said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.” His only purpose in life was to serve God and His people. Paul was singular-minded in his passion for Christ and the gospel. He lived for the Lord and for the gospel. He lived for the sake of his people. Even though he preferred to be with Christ since that was the ultimate goal in life, that would be for himself. He was equally happy to sacrifice himself for the people by remaining on earth. “Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.” Indeed, no greater joy is there than to enter into heaven with the rest of our brothers and sisters. We do not enter heaven alone!

In the final analysis, to be humble means to lose ourselves completely in Christ. In his letter to the Galatians, he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:19f) The key to living a life of humility like Mary is to lose ourselves in Christ. When we are in Christ, life or death does not matter. As he wrote to the Romans, “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom 14:7f) For Paul, his only concern was that Christ was proclaimed in his life or in his death. Regardless, he would always be in Christ because Christ lived in him. Sharing in the life of Christ is what ultimately matters.

THE JOY OF A CHRISTIAN

20201030 THE JOY OF A CHRISTIAN

30 October, 2020, Friday, 30th Week, Ordinary Time

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Philippians 1:1-11 ©

Greeting and thanksgiving

From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, together with their presiding elders and deacons. We wish you the grace and peace of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God whenever I think of you; and every time I pray for all of you, I pray with joy, remembering how you have helped to spread the Good News from the day you first heard it right up to the present. I am quite certain that the One who began this good work in you will see that it is finished when the Day of Christ Jesus comes. It is only natural that I should feel like this towards you all, since you have shared the privileges which have been mine: both my chains and my work defending and establishing the gospel. You have a permanent place in my heart, and God knows how much I miss you all, loving you as Christ Jesus loves you. My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more and never stop improving your knowledge and deepening your perception so that you can always recognise what is best. This will help you to become pure and blameless, and prepare you for the Day of Christ, when you will reach the perfect goodness which Jesus Christ produces in us for the glory and praise of God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 110(111):1-6 ©

Great are the works of the Lord.

Alleluia!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart

in the meeting of the just and their assembly.

Great are the works of the Lord,

to be pondered by all who love them.

Great are the works of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Majestic and glorious his work,

his justice stands firm for ever.

He makes us remember his wonders.

The Lord is compassion and love.

Great are the works of the Lord.

Alleluia!

He gives food to those who fear him;

keeps his covenant ever in mind.

He has shown his might to his people

by giving them the lands of the nations.

Great are the works of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

cf.1Th2:13

Alleluia, alleluia!

Accept God’s message for what it really is:

God’s message, and not some human thinking.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 14:1-6 ©

'Is it against the law to cure a man on the sabbath?'

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. There in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees. ‘Is it against the law’ he asked ‘to cure a man on the sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a sabbath day without hesitation?’ And to this they could find no answer.

THE JOY OF A CHRISTIAN

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [PHILIPPIANS 1:1-11; LUKE 14:1-6 ]

Christianity is about the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the gospel is truly Good News, then every Christian must always be joyful regardless of the situation he or she is in, whether in good or bad times, success or failure, in health or sickness, poverty or plenty as St Paul himself wrote, “I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.” (Phil 4:11f)

In contrast, the Jewish religious leaders during the time of Jesus were people who exhibited anything but joy. The Mosaic Laws were meticulously carried out without joy. It was a burden to everyone. They tried to observe them as much as they could; and sometimes find loopholes to avoid breaking the laws. The laws were not kept out of love for God or for their fellowmen but simply to avoid condemnation by God. The only perverted joy they got out of observing the laws was to get the attention and praises of people so that they were thought to be holy and pious. They became self-righteous. As the Lord remarked, “they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” (Mt 23:3-5)

In today’s gospel, when Jesus was invited for a meal “at the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely.” They were out to find fault and to trap Him so that they could find reasons for Him to be arrested. They were malicious, conniving and insincere. When Jesus saw a man with dropsy, His immediate response was to heal him. So He asked the religious leaders, “Is it against the law to cure a man on the Sabbath, or not?” They all knew the answer because as the Lord pointed out, “Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a Sabbath day without hesitation?” And of course, the man who was suffering from dropsy was certainly worth much more than an animal. Instead of rejoicing, they were angry with Jesus for relieving someone of his pain and healing him.

The letter to the Philippians presents to us what a Christian, especially a pastor, church leader and those in church ministries, must possess, namely, the spirit of joy. Without joy, we cannot proclaim the gospel. This is why Pope Francis in his first encyclical, named it as the Gospel of Joy. He introduced his encyclical by saying, “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 1) He warns us, “Consequently, an evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral! Let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm, that “delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow… And may the world of our time, which is searching, sometimes with anguish, sometimes with hope, be enabled to receive the good news not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervour, who have first received the joy of Christ”. (Ibid, 10)

What, then, is the foundation of Christian joy? It comes from the joy of sharing the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is a great joy and privilege for us to be recipients of this joy and sharing it with others. Joy is always contagious. When we are joyful, we bring joy to others. Only those who have found joy in Christ are able to share this joy with others, spontaneously and enthusiastically without any motives except to invite others into our joy in the Lord. Indeed, more than ever, people in the world need to hear the joy of the gospel, especially in a world where life has become meaningless, reduced to the pursuit of pleasures and adventures, accumulation of wealth and power, but with great emptiness in our hearts because God is not felt and our love is inward-looking and insecure. When we live self-centered lives, there can be no joy or peace or fulfillment.

But greater is the joy of sharing the gospel when the proclamation of the gospel is done in collaboration with our fellow Christians. This was why Jesus, when sending out the disciples for the mission, sent them out two by two. He “sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.” (Lk 10:1) We never evangelize alone but always with our brothers and sisters. Indeed, the great joy of pastors and church leaders is when we have support in our mission and ministry. We all need support and encouragement. This was how St Paul felt. “I pray with joy, remembering how you have helped spread the Good News from the day you first heard it right up to the present.” Indeed, when we travel together, we find strength and courage, especially in times of trials and challenges. Knowing that we are not alone gives us joy and hope.

Yet, an even greater joy is to know that we are in solidarity in suffering for the sake of the gospel. Again, Paul wrote, “It is only natural that I should feel like this towards you all, since you have shared the privileges which have been mine: both my chains and my work defending and establishing the gospel.” Paul was writing from prison but he was certainly not depressed or discouraged. Regardless of the situation, Paul was always positive, for nothing could chain up the spread of the gospel, even when he was chained by the Romans. This joy came primarily from the Lord Himself as he wrote later on, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) And he added, “In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.” (Phil 4:14) Indeed, knowing that we do not suffer alone but with our brothers and sisters, give us courage and perseverance.

But what touches the hearts of everyone, is not just collaboration and support in our ministry but the love of our brothers and sisters. St Paul felt the affection of the Christians in Philippi. This was the only community that he accepted gifts from because he felt he knew them enough to accept their help, including financial assistance, without giving cause to misunderstanding that he was making use of them. Knowing how much they loved him, certainly evoked in him a similar response of affection. This was why he wrote in an affectionate and personal manner to them unlike in the other letters. “You have a permanent place in my heart, and God knows how much I miss you all, loving you as Christ Jesus loves you.”

Finally, the greatest joy of a Christian is to find ourselves together becoming “pure and blameless” reaching “the perfect goodness which Christ Jesus produces in us for the glory and praise of God.” There is no other joy than to reflect the glory and praise of God because it means that we have purified ourselves to become like Him. (1 Jn 3:2f) For this reason, like St Paul, whilst we give thanks for all His blessings, we too must pray that “our love for each other may increase more and more” and that “(we) never stop improving (our) knowledge and deepening (our) perception so that (we) can always recognise what is best.” With a discerning heart and growing love, indeed, as St Paul said, “I am quite certain that the One who began this good work in you will see that it is finished when the Day of Christ Jesus comes.” Truly, a Christian remains joyful in hope because we know our destiny.

Wednesday 28 October 2020

PUTTING ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD

20201029 PUTTING ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD

29 October, 2020, Thursday, 30th Week, Ordinary Time

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Ephesians 6:10-20 ©

Put on God's armour and resist the devil

Grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put God’s armour on so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the Sovereignties and the Powers who originate the darkness in this world, the spiritual army of evil in the heavens. That is why you must rely on God’s armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance when the worst happens, or have enough resources to hold your ground.

So stand your ground, with truth buckled round your waist, and integrity for a breastplate, wearing for shoes on your feet the eagerness to spread the gospel of peaceand always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. And then you must accept salvation from God to be your helmetand receive the word of God from the Spirit to use as a sword.

Pray all the time, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion. Never get tired of staying awake to pray for all the saints; and pray for me to be given an opportunity to open my mouth and speak without fear and give out the mystery of the gospel of which I am an ambassador in chains; pray that in proclaiming it I may speak as boldly as I ought to.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 143(144):1-2,9-10 ©

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,

who trains my arms for battle,

who prepares my hands for war.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

He is my love, my fortress;

he is my stronghold, my saviour

my shield, my place of refuge.

He brings peoples under my rule.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

To you, O God, will I sing a new song;

I will play on the ten-stringed lute

to you who give kings their victory,

who set David your servant free.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

Gospel Acclamation

Ps147:12,15

Alleluia, alleluia!

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

He sends out his word to the earth.

Alleluia!

Or:

cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,

in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Gospel

It would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem

Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.

‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say:

‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’

PUTTING ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPHESIANS 6:10-20; LUKE 13:31-35 ]

In the gospel, we read of the growing opposition against Jesus, not just from the religious leaders but even from the political leaders. Jesus was warned by some Pharisees that Herod Antipas was plotting to kill Him just as he killed His cousin, John the Baptist earlier on. But Jesus was defiant. He was not afraid of those who opposed His mission. His reply was, “You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.” Jesus was conscious that He would join the line of prophets before Him who were martyred for their cause. He would not be deterred by the threats that came from a king who was known to be shrewd and destructive.

However, Jesus was equally convinced His Father’s plan for the salvation of humanity could not be derailed by the enemies of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was confident that the Father would shield Him from harm so that He could fulfil His mission until the end. The Father protected Him when His townsfolk sought to throw Him down the cliff. (Lk 4:29f) His enemies tried to arrest Him “‘but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.” (Jn 7:30) When the Jews wanted to stone Him for blasphemy, “but he escaped from their hands.” (Jn 10:39) Nevertheless, He also knew that He would eventually be killed by His enemies. Yet, He was certain that God will triumph as He said on the third day, a veiled illusion to His resurrection.

In the first reading, St Paul was also facing opposition to his ministry and mission. He had gone through much. He wrote, “Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked.” (2 Cor 11:24-27) In today’s letter, he was writing from Rome, in chains, under home detention whilst waiting for trial. Again, we find Paul, like Jesus, indefatigable, never giving up hope or allowing himself to be discouraged by the circumstances he was facing. On the contrary, he never sought for any sympathy. He asked for prayers to be given “an opportunity to open my mouth and speak without fear and give out the mystery of the gospel of which I am an ambassador in chains; pray that in proclaiming it I may speak as boldly as I ought to.”

However, St Paul, like Jesus, knew that he was not fighting against human enemies alone. Rather, “we have to struggle against the Sovereignties and the Powers who originate the darkness of this world, the spiritual army of evil in the heavens.” Jesus Himself was tempted by Satan at the beginning of His ministry. (Mt 4:1-11) Indeed, human enemies are not as insidious as the demons under the control of Satan. These malevolent spirits influence world leaders, whether political, spiritual, corporate, to implement policies that destroy the unity of humanity, the integral development of human beings and the destruction of ecology and the planets. “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”‘ (1 Pt 5:8) We see the evil and negative forces ruling society today in business, politics, entertainment and even in religions. This is why, no matter how much we can say or articulate against the materialistic and individualistic trends of the world, our voices fall on deaf ears and only invite greater opposition.

Indeed, if we are battling against principalities, powers and rulers of the unseen world, surely we cannot fight them with our human strength. St Paul urges us to “Grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put God’s armour on so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. You must rely on God’s armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance when the worst happens, or have enough resources to hold your ground.” Indeed, we must fight the evil spirits with the Holy Spirit. We are facing a very powerful enemy that seeks to destroy the Church of Christ. Satan is very insidious and malicious. Evil spirits are not mere fantasies or myths as they want us all to believe so that we will not put up any defence against them. The greatest deception that the evil spirits is using today is to tell a scientific, technological and secularistic world that spirits do not exist and there are no evil spirits but just a figment of our imagination.

Hence, we must put on the armour of God. St Paul who was being guarded by a soldier day and night when he was in prison must have seen in the armor of the soldiers, a graphic representation of how God’s army must also put on to defend themselves from the onslaught of their enemies, to guard themselves from the dark forces of evil. This armor of God firstly is for defensive purpose. The images of the belt, breastplate, shield, helmet and proper footwear represent the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of readiness, the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. In a nutshell, to put on the armor of God is to put on our Lord Jesus Christ. How can we do this?

Indeed, unless a Christian lives by the truth of the gospel, the devil who is the Father of lies will deceive us. Jesus said, “He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jn 8:44) For the Christian, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. (Jn 14:6) “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Jn 8:31f)

A Christian must also live a righteous life of integrity. There is nothing that can truly vindicate us against our enemies except a life of honesty and integrity. Even if our enemies do not believe in our words, our lives will prove to them that what we believe is true. This was how our Lord lived His life. Even His enemies recognized the integrity of our Lord when they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.” (Mt 22:16) To keep ourselves from falling into complacency, which is another deceptive snare of the Evil One, is to keep ourselves busy in the mission. Wearing the shoes on our feet is a symbol of being always ready “to spread the gospel of peace and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil one.”

Most of all, we need to wear the shield of faith because without faith, we will succumb to the temptations, opposition and discouragement from the Evil One. This faith can only grow through the reading of the Word of God and prayer. Hence, St Paul exhorts us, “you must accept salvation from God to be your helmet and receive the word of God from the Spirit to use as a sword.” The Word of God is the only sword that can defend us from the wiles of the enemy by helping us to know what is true and good. “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb 4:12) Reading the Word of God must be accompanied by fervent and expectant prayer. “Pray all the time, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion. Never get tired of staying awake to pray for all the saints.” In the final analysis, the Word of God, the Eucharist, the Bread of Life and prayers will be the means by which we can defend ourselves from the Evil One. Of course, we cannot do it alone but with Christ and His Church. Together, under the headship of Christ, the Church conducts this spiritual warfare.

Tuesday 27 October 2020

FOSTERING UNITY: A HOPELESS ENDEAVOR?

20201028 FOSTERING UNITY: A HOPELESS ENDEAVOR?

28 October, 2020, Wednesday, Ss Simon and Jude, Apostles

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Red.

First reading

In Christ you are no longer aliens, but citizens like us

You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God,

and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.

Day unto day takes up the story

and night unto night makes known the message.

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard

yet their span extends through all the earth,

their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Te Deum

Alleluia, alleluia!

We praise you, O God,

we acknowledge you to be the Lord.

The glorious company of the apostles praise you, O Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Jesus chooses his twelve apostles

Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

FOSTERING UNITY: A HOPELESS ENDEAVOR?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPHESIANS 2:19-22; LUKE 6:12-19 ]

One of the greatest challenges a leader faces is building unity and alignment in his organization. This is true in every organization, be it religious, political, corporate or government. This is because we all come from diverse backgrounds, experiences, upbringing, education, religious convictions, political inclination and influence. More so in a world of globalization where we are all exposed to different cultures, religions and philosophical ideologies, getting everyone on the same page, buying into the mission and vision and moving the dream forward becomes almost a futile task. So much so, many leaders are tempted to give up.

The Church is divided not only because we cannot agree on the vision and mission of the Church, but also the way we should move forward. Disagreement is found not just on operational issues but also doctrinal views. Each one has their own views of God, of liturgy, and Church laws. Indeed, the real cause of division is doctrinal and theological pluralism, the understanding of authority. More so for the Catholic Church which is universal, with more than one billion members from all cultures, languages, spiritual maturity, theological depths, social and intellectual classes, and religious experiences.

If we feel hopeless and want to give up the vision of a united Church, a united people, a united country, then we should turn to Ss Simon and Jude for inspiration. This is what St Paul wrote, “You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.” We are called to build our foundation in the apostles and in Christ as our foundation stone. In this way, “As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.”

Indeed, among the apostles, St Jude is known as the patron saint for hopeless cases and St Simon is named as the zealot. From St Jude, we need to ask for perseverance, and from St Simon, never to give up our zeal for what we believe in and what we stand for. St Jude was also concerned about the division in the Church. He wrote one of the Catholic epistles, addressed to the Universal Church. In his letter, he expressed concern about the division of the Church caused by Christians who were living a life of licentiousness and corrupting the other Christians by unacceptable teachings. Of them, he wrote, “They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 12f) Simon, on the other hand, was known for his zeal and passion for his Jewish identity, his love for the Law and his people. His zeal and unswerving devotion to God gave him the title, “the Zealot.”

What does it take to forge unity in our churches and organizations? The answer is found in rooting ourselves in the Lord as our cornerstone. St Jude posed a question to our Lord. “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.” (Jn 14:22-24) Indeed, only when we allow the Lord to live in our hearts in His Word, does the Father come to make our home with us. Unity is founded on our common love for the Lord.

For us, Christians, if Christ is our cornerstone as St Paul said in the first reading, then we must find our unity in Him. This was how the Lord gathered His disciples together. In the gospel, we read that “when day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became the traitor.” The Lord knowingly choose from among His disciples a very disparate and diverse group of men to be His apostles. They all came from different social classes, political inclinations, different trades and occupation, mostly of the lower class, uneducated but also some dubious characters like Matthew the tax-collector and even among them, a traitor. All these with different temperaments, personalities and characters would surely be unable to get along with each other. We can be sure that there were clashes and tensions among them. Yet, Jesus chose them, not in spite of, but because of their different perspectives and social strata, so that they could contribute to the richness and diversity of the new People of God.

Jesus would form them into a community by winning them over by His love. It was their common devotion to the Lord that brought them together in spite of their differences and social status. They might have fought with each other for positions and status, or how they should relate with the Romans, but all came together because of one man, Jesus, whom they loved and admired. For the sake of Jesus, they were willing to set aside their differences and work together for the common good of the Church. Indeed, as Christians, we might have our differences in doctrines, in our vision for the Church, the way we carry out the mission, yet, if we have a common love for the Lord, we will stay together and work together because we love Christ. To love the Lord is to love His Church. This was what the Lord prayed in His priestly prayer, “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (Jn 17:21-23)

Secondly, unity can only be achieved by prayer. This was why the Lord, before He appointed the Twelve, was up the whole night in prayer. In fact, this is the only instance in the gospel when we are told that the Lord spent the whole night in prayer before making an important decision. “Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.” Of course, at the Garden of Gethsemane, before His passion, He also prayed the whole night for strength and courage. We cannot achieve great things or make wise decisions without prayer. So often, as Church, we spend hours in meetings but only a few minutes in prayer. Perhaps, we have not listened to God and that is why our decisions are not inspired by God. Like St Jude, we must never give up hope in God who works in us.

Thirdly, unity can be achieved if we all have clarity of our fundamental common vision and mission, which is to build the New People of God, constituted by our Lord in appointing the Twelve apostles to replace the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In choosing the Twelve, Jesus was establishing the New People of God, which will come from all strata of society, regardless of language, race and culture. We are all called to be members of God’s household. “You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household.” Inspired by this vision of our Lord, we are all called to join in His mission which is the work of restoration, reconciliation and healing. After appointing the Twelve, “He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.” This is what we are called to do as well. Be a hope to others as St Jude is to us. Be zealous in reaching out to the suffering and wounded as Simon the Zealot was.

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