20210102 KEEPING OURSELVES IN THE TRUTH
02 January, 2021, Saturday, Weekday of Christmas Tide
First reading | 1 John 2:22-28 © |
The anointing he gave you teaches you everything
The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ –
he is the liar,
he is Antichrist;
and he is denying the Father as well as the Son,
because no one who has the Father can deny the Son,
and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.
Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning:
as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you,
you will live in the Son
and in the Father;
and what is promised to you by his own promise
is eternal life.
This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray.
But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you,
and you do not need anyone to teach you;
the anointing he gave teaches you everything;
you are anointed with truth, not with a lie,
and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.
Live in Christ, then, my children,
so that if he appears, we may have full confidence,
and not turn from him in shame
at his coming.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 97(98):1-4 © |
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn1:14,12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.
Alleluia!
Or: | Heb1:1-2 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
At various times in the past
and in various different ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
but in our own time, the last days,
he has spoken to us through his Son.
Alleluia!
Or: |
Alleluia, alleluia!
A hallowed day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, worship the Lord,
for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 1:19-28 © |
'One is coming after me who existed before me'
This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:
a voice that cries in the wilderness:
Make a straight way for the Lord.’
Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
KEEPING OURSELVES IN THE TRUTH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 JOHN 2:22-28; JOHN 1:19-28]
During the time of John, there were already divisions in the early Church among believers. Some were denying that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. Some denied that Jesus was truly God but just only a man. This is not surprising because already during the ministry of Jesus, people were wondering who Jesus was. When John the Baptist appeared in the scene, they asked him, whether he was the Christ, Elijah or the Prophet. The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to deliver Israel from her enemies and restore the glory of the Kingdom of David. Moses also prophesied that a prophet like him would appear and they must listen to him. (Dt 18:15) They were also waiting for Elijah whom they expected to come again as prophesied by Malachi. (cf Mal 4:5) When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is” they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Mt 16:13f)
So who is Jesus? St John in no uncertain terms declared that Jesus was the Christ. He was the Son of God and He was the Lord. There cannot be any compromise on this belief in Christ as the Son of God. He said, “The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ – he is the liar; he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.” Indeed, acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God is a condition for us to say that we believe in the same Father since Jesus came from the Father. In all His teachings, He claimed to be identified with the Father. “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.” (Jn 12:49) Jesus said to Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. (Jn 14:9-11) Indeed, the entire gospel of John was “written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:31)
Today, we are also confronted with moral relativism and confusion. Most of the debates are now so much focused not on the doctrines of our Lord but the moral teachings of the bible. There is much controversy with regards to the very basic foundations of life, such as transgender, same-sex union, abortion, euthanasia, the use of human embryos for medicine and science. The opposition does not come only from the world but even among Christians and Catholics. We are also tempted to compromise our moral beliefs to suit the world. We are making all kinds of adjustment to accommodate the errors of the world in the name of compassion. Church leaders often give conflicting teachings articulating their personal opinions rather than what the Church teaches. This explains why the Church has lost much credibility in being the moral spokesman in the world.
John the Baptist is our exemplar on fidelity to the truth. Although he was questioned about his identity, he was interested to talk not about himself but about God and his mission. He refused to accept those misleading notions about him. Instead, he cited the prophet Isaiah, saying, he is like him, “a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.” He considered himself only as the voice, not the Word of God. His task was simply to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. He declared, “there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal strap.”
John the Baptist was clear of his mission and his role. Without any self-interests or concern about his popularity or identity, he testified to Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29) The next day when he saw Jesus coming toward him, he confessed, “I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (Jn 1:33f) Later on, when asked to clarify how Jesus could baptize as well, he said, “I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (Jn 3:27-30)
How, then, can we remain in the truth and not be deceived by falsehood spreading even within the Church by those who claim to be walking in the truth? St John the evangelist gives us three criteria. Firstly, he said, “Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you, you will live in the Son and in the Father; and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life.” We need to go back to our roots and the foundation of our faith in Christ and in the apostolic teaching. This is why, tracing our faith back to Jesus and the apostles is critical to protect the orthodoxy of our faith. Only when we know our roots, can we then assess whether along the way, the gradual development of doctrines has strayed from the fundamental principles of our faith. Whilst growth in doctrines is a principle accepted in theology, just as a human body grows from a baby to a child and to an adult, so too, the development of doctrines must be in continuity with the foundation and not be something totally different or without continuity. This would be an illegitimate development.
What does the apostolic faith consist of? Namely, the scriptures accepted as canonized by the Church and the apostolic tradition handed on to us. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16f) He also exhorted the Christians, “You may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. (1 Tim 3:15) Again, he reminded the Thessalonians to be faithful to the apostolic traditions when he wrote, “We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.” (1 Th 2:13)
This is because the Church as a whole has received the anointing of truth. “This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray. But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything; you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.” The Church has been given the teachings of Christ and also empowered by the Holy Spirit to guide the community in their faith. This was what the Lord promised us. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (Jn 16:12f) This is why it is important to be in communion with the Church and the hierarchy so that we all can help each other through the anointing we have received to preserve us in the truth.
In the final analysis, as to whether we are walking in the truth or not, it must be manifested in our lives. “Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence, and not turn from him in shame at his coming.” Although we are not saved by good works (Eph 2:8f) yet without good works, it is an indication that we lack faith. (Jms 2:14) Truth, in the final analysis, is not an idea, a thought, a word or a philosophy but love. Truth and love are corollaries. Love is the demonstration of walking in truth.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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