Sunday, 28 February 2021

SEEKING FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

20210301 SEEKING FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

01 March, 2021, Monday, 2nd Week of Lent

First reading

Daniel 9:4-10 ©

Yours is the integrity, Lord; ours the shame

O Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and have kindness for those who love you and keep your commandments: we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and your ordinances and turned away from them. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. Integrity, Lord, is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treason we have committed against you. To us, Lord, the look of shame belongs, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God mercy and pardon belong, because we have betrayed him, and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God nor followed the laws he has given us through his servants the prophets.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 78(79):8-9,11,13 ©

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.

Let your compassion hasten to meet us;

we are left in the depths of distress.

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

O God our saviour, come to our help.

Come for the sake of the glory of your name.

O Lord our God, forgive us our sins;

rescue us for the sake of your name.

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.

But we, your people, the flock of your pasture,

will give you thanks for ever and ever.

We will tell your praise from age to age.

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;

whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or:

cf.Jn6:63,68

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel

Luke 6:36-38 ©

Grant pardon, and you will be pardoned

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

SEEKING FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Dan 9:4-10; Ps 79:8-9,11,13; Luke 6:36-38 ]

Lent is a time to begin restoration of our broken lives. This was the situation of the Israelites during the time of Daniel. Through their misery and Babylonian exile, they came to realize that all these were brought about by their failure to keep the Covenant. They had lost everything that they cherished most, their nation and their kingdom. But reconciliation is not just between us and God. Reconciliation must simultaneously take place between us and our fellowmen. So, restoration and healing are both vertical and horizontal. The first reading speaks of the Israelites seeking reconciliation with God by asking for forgiveness for their sins. The gospel speaks of rendering forgiveness to our brothers and sisters.

Regardless whether it is our reconciliation with God or with our fellowmen, or seeking forgiveness from God or from our fellowmen, restoration begins with a clear confession of our sins. This was what the Israelites confessed, “we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and your ordinances and turned away from them.” The humility to recognize our sins and our faults is the fundamental step towards restoration. So long as we are arrogant, proud and ignorant of our blindness, selfishness and sinfulness, there cannot be true contrition or true repentance.

Awareness of our sins is not just doctrinal but personal. There are many Catholics who go for confession not because they are personally contrite for what they had done, but simply because they do not agree with the moral teachings of the Church. They confess their sins in a perfunctory manner because the Church says it is a sin. Indeed, I know of many married couples who do not see anything morally wrong with contraception, with going for IVF, having same sex relationships, or even with divorce. Many of our young people are usually not convinced of sexual sins because of secular influence, the friends they mix with, and so are numb to such sins. In fact, they think the Church is old fashioned, outdated and not realistic, still living in the past. So if they not personally convinced, we cannot expect them to stop sinning.

Acknowledgement of our sins must also be existential, that is, to be able to name our sins. Unfortunately, because of relativism, it is difficult to know what sins we have committed because everything is permissible. There are no moral judgments on our actions. So much so, although some of us know that we are sinners, we cannot name our sins. But a general feeling of our sins without the ability to name them will not help us to make any true contrition or repentance. What we cannot name, we cannot change. It is not enough to have a general notion that we are sinners. But we must know what our existential sins are.

If we cannot come to terms with the reality of sins in our lives, this is where, hopefully, suffering the consequences of our sins can wake us up to the truth of our actions. In the final analysis, what is right or wrong is not just a matter of an intellectual debate or something that is abstract and academic. The consequences of our actions will reveal what we do is right or wrong. Unfortunately, by the time, we realize that what we have done is wrong, it is usually a bit too late because the consequences would have set in. This was the case of the Israelites. Only in their exile did they come to realize that the prophecies were true and that they were wrong to reject the message of the prophets. “We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.”

Indeed, God had always meant good for the people but they came to realize only too late. As a consequence, they suffered the shame of humiliation by having their kingdom destroyed and banished to Babylon. “Integrity, Lord, is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treason we have committed against you. To us, Lord, the look of shame belongs, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.” Some of us unfortunately need to be brought low, to be humbled in order to know who we are and our limitations. So long as we think we are almighty and can do everything by ourselves, we become arrogant and proud. There can be no repentance until we see our true self. Pride is always the cause of the fall of every human person who thinks highly of himself.

Yet, we should not view our sufferings that come from our sins negatively. Rather, they are moments of grace. As the Book of Proverbs reminds us, “My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Prov 3:11f) Acceptance of punishments is to take responsibility for our sins. When such punishments are seen positively, they bring about a real conversion of heart. Otherwise, we become even more resentful. Sufferings can either break us or make us better. This is why the Church imposes some penance on the penitents after confession to help a person to amend his or her life, not so much as a punishment but as a grace of God for us to reflect on our deeds, our life, so that we can attain true contrition of heart.

However, we must trust in God’s mercy. God is always forgiving. Like the psalmist, we can pray confidently to God for His mercy. “Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us. Let your compassion hasten to meet us; we are left in the depths of distress. O God our saviour, come to our help. Come for the sake of the glory of your name. O Lord our God, forgive us our sins; rescue us for the sake of your name.” In the gospel, the Lord assures us that our Father is compassionate. He does not condemn us but only desire our conversion. Indeed, the mercy of God is expressed throughout the scriptures. The Prophet Micah wrote, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of your possession? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in showing clemency. He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Mic 7:18f)

For forgiveness to be effective and complete, the forgiveness we receive from God must be extended to others. This is what the Lord said to His disciples, “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned.” Indeed, if God can forgive us for all our sins committed against Him and His honour, surely, we can forgive our fellow sinners the sins committed against us. Just as we have failed to live a good life and righteously, so too we must give leeway for others as they seek to purify themselves in love.

When we judge others or condemn them, we are only reflecting ourselves in the way we look at people and also the way we look at ourselves. Hence, the Lord said, “Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.” We cannot be forgiving of others, if we are not forgiving towards ourselves. If we are conscious of our struggles in being faithful to the Lord, we will be sympathetic towards those who fail as well. Being able to pardon others means that we will be capable of pardoning ourselves. Those who cannot forgive others most likely cannot truly forgive their mistakes either. And so even when they receive forgiveness from the priest at confession, they are not truly convinced that God could love them still and truly forgive them. This explains why no true healing takes place even after confession if we do not extend that forgiveness we have received from God to others. In truth, at the end of the day, we know we are reconciled with God and find peace in our hearts only when we are reconciled with our brothers and sisters.

Saturday, 27 February 2021

A PASCHAL FAITH ENABLES US TO WALK THROUGH THE ENIGMA OF LIFE

20210228 A PASCHAL FAITH ENABLES US TO WALK THROUGH THE ENIGMA OF LIFE

28 February, 2021, 2nd Sunday of Lent

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Violet.

First reading

Genesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18 ©

The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith

God put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he called. ‘Here I am’ he replied. ‘Take your son,’ God said ‘your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.’

When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he said. ‘I am here’ he replied. ‘Do not raise your hand against the boy’ the angel said. ‘Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son.’ Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son.

The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. ‘I swear by my own self – it is the Lord who speaks – because you have done this, because you have not refused me your son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obedience.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 115(116):10,15-19 ©

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

I trusted, even when I said:

‘I am sorely afflicted,’

O precious in the eyes of the Lord

is the death of his faithful.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;

you have loosened my bonds.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;

I will call on the Lord’s name.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil

before all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

Second reading

Romans 8:31-34 ©

God did not spare his own Son

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt17:5

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard:

‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel

Mark 9:2-10 ©

This is my Son, the Beloved

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.

As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean.

A PASCHAL FAITH ENABLES US TO WALK THROUGH THE ENIGMA OF LIFE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [GN 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18; ROM 8:31-34; MK 9:2-10]

This life is a mystery. It is full of ambiguities and paradoxes. On one hand, we are blessed with many gifts, successes and happiness. On the other hand, we know we have so many problems yet unresolved. We live in sin and yet we know that we are not that bad to be classified as a condemned sinner. Yes, we are not perfect. In our frustration and anxiety to put things straight, we cannot but become impatient and dissatisfied. How are we to learn to accept such bi-polarities in life without feeling discouraged or complacent? We are invited today to walk by faith, not by sight; to see life dimly as though through a glass.

How are we to live our life in the face of so many dilemmas? The answer that pervades right through all the readings is faith. We are called to share the faith of Abraham, the faith of Paul and that of Jesus. But what kind of faith is a saving faith? It is the faith of the paschal mystery. It is the faith that goes through sufferings, so as to come to the resurrection. Only a paschal faith can help us to walk through the paradoxes of life. This faith proclaims that as we walk through the journey of life, we will catch a glimpse of the resurrection. Indeed, if the disciples were told not to tell anyone what they saw until after the resurrection, it was simply because the power of the resurrection could not be known or experienced without the prior need of carrying our cross and embracing the sufferings of life.

A paschal faith therefore requires us to take the path of suffering. The gospel of Mark is against an epiphany Christology. In other words, St Mark is weary of a Christian that focuses too much on the glory and miracles of Jesus culminating in the Transfiguration. Noticeably, St Mark, unlike Luke and Matthew, did not mention the transformed face of Jesus but only emphasized the whiteness of Jesus’ garments. So in Mark’s understanding, the divine manifestation of Jesus can only be found at the end of that journey. This explains why the disciples were bewildered when Jesus predicted His death and they were instructed to keep silent about the incident until after the resurrection.

To disclose the transfiguration before the death and resurrection of Jesus would be a wrong expression of Christology involving glory without the cross. The truth is simply this: No cross, no crown! The full and final disclosure of the glory of Jesus could come only after His death and resurrection. Hence, there is a kind of spirituality that we must avoid, a spirituality that only speaks of miracles, healings and blessings. It is a spirituality that promotes an easy life, a life of comfort without sufferings. This is a false spirituality. For the passion and death of Jesus reminds us that no one can escape the path of suffering and death if he or she truly wants to find the fullness of life.

How then can we cultivate this paschal faith so that we can go through life bearing our cross and sufferings cheerfully and with a certain hope that we will be victorious in the final outcome?

Firstly, the faith that is required from us is a discerning faith. Abraham thought in his naivety that God wanted the life of his son. However, God is not a sadistic God. Of course, the intuitive faith of Abraham, even if he perceived wrongly, was still exercised in good faith. God does not judge our actions but more on our intentions. Of course, today, faith requires us to discern properly the Lord’s call. The story of God rejecting Abraham’s sacrifice his son was an implicit disapproval of a primitive practice of human sacrifice.

Secondly, a paschal faith must be a trusting and obedient faith. This is the faith of Abraham. One would think that Abraham’s faith was fully matured already because he was willing to leave his homeland to a far distant country. Nay, to sacrifice Isaac, his only son whom he loved so dearly, which ironically was to be the reward of his faith and obedience, is certainly the extreme test of faith. Hence, Abraham is praised not so much because he wanted to sacrifice his only son but because of his total trust and obedience to God. Abraham trusted God totally, regardless whether he understood his plan for him or not.

It is this trust that gave Abraham the courage to submit in obedience to his word. Without trust, there can be no real obedience. That is why obedience is not simply a blind obedience or irrational decision, but an obedience of the heart because one believes from the depth of one’s being. Disobedience is always due to the lack of trust. So it is Abraham’s deep intuitive trust in God’s providence and love that gave him the confidence to submit in obedience to His divine plan.

Thirdly, the paschal faith entails a Christocentric faith. This is the faith of St Paul. In the face of persecutions and trials, St Paul was certain of the hope that lies before him. He did not succumb to despair because of his past sins, or his sufferings in his ministry. For he knew that in spite of his sinfulness and weaknesses, he has been reconciled to God in Christ, liberated from sin and death, empowered by the Spirit and is destined for glory. The basis for this assurance of salvation and victory in Christ is founded on the gift from God of His only Son. Stating his case, he said, “with God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give.”

Indeed, so great is the love of God for us that he sacrificed His only Son to save us, unlike Abraham who did not have to sacrifice his only son. This clearly means that God cannot be outdone in love and generosity. When we think that we have given a lot to God or have suffered so much in this world, then stop again to think that God has suffered even much more than any of us. When we become aware of this truth, we can be sure of a triumphant end to our sufferings in this life.

To arrive at a paschal faith, which is a discerning, trusting, obedient and Christocentric faith, we need to follow Jesus in acquiring anaffective and contemplative faith. If Jesus could go through His mission, it was because of His absolute trust in His Father; a confidence that came from His intimacy with Him. It was the experience of the Father’s unconditional love that empowered Jesus to go through His the passion and death. So too for us as well.

This is why, the Father invites us to listen to His beloved Son. Listening is the first step in creating trust and obedience. We need to listen anew to what God is saying about the gift of Jesus His only Son to us. But we cannot listen unless we go to the mountain where God is present in our aloneness. To listen is a necessary stage to prayer and contemplation. Only in prayer can we, like Jesus, bask in the presence of God and His love and be enlightened. When we listen and contemplate, we will be empowered, like Jesus who went resolutely to Jerusalem, the place of His passion and glory, when He came down from the mountain.

Empowerment comes from a deep encounter with God, an encounter that assures us personally that God loves us and is with us. Only such an encounter can enable us to give ourselves to God and His will in total trust and confidence because we have had a glimpse of the end, so to speak, of the resurrection because we have experienced the overwhelming love of Jesus in our hearts and the enlightenment He has given to us to in our lives. It is through prayer and contemplation that, like the disciples, we will behold the glory of God, not in its glory now, but in the face of the crucified Christ.

Only because we have faced the cross with Jesus, can we proclaim to the world that Jesus is the epiphany of the glory of God. This we do by courageously enduring the struggles in our own lives without losing faith in time of sufferings. When others see us as people of faith, not because we are successful but because we remain faithful and confident in our trials, they will see the glory of God in our goodness and perseverance. They will see God’s strength in us in our weaknesses; and that when sin increases, grace abounds all the more. Yes, God manifests Himself in human weakness and imperfections. By perceiving His glory in our state of human frailty, we are encouraged to live our lives with great fidelity, strength and hope.

Friday, 26 February 2021

BECOMING WHO YOU ARE

20210227 BECOMING WHO YOU ARE

27 February, 2021, Saturday, 1st Week of Lent

First reading

Deuteronomy 26:16-19 ©

You will be a people consecrated to the Lord

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.

‘You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice. And the Lord has today made this declaration about you: that you will be his very own people as he promised you, but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour he will set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to the Lord, as he promised.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 118(119):1-2,4-5,7-8 ©

They are happy who follow God’s law!

They are happy whose life is blameless,

who follow God’s law!

They are happy who do his will,

seeking him with all their hearts.

They are happy who follow God’s law!

You have laid down your precepts

to be obeyed with care.

May my footsteps be firm

to obey your statutes.

They are happy who follow God’s law!

I will thank you with an upright heart

as I learn your decrees.

I will obey your statutes;

do not forsake me.

They are happy who follow God’s law!

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk8:15

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Blessed are those who,

with a noble and generous heart,

take the word of God to themselves

and yield a harvest through their perseverance.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or:

2Co6:2

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Now is the favourable time:

this is the day of salvation.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel

Matthew 5:43-48 ©

Pray for those who persecute you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

BECOMING WHO YOU ARE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [DT 26,16-19; PS 119:1-2,4-5,7-8; MT 5:43-48]

“You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” What does this perfection mean? None of us will ever dream of being perfect like the Heavenly Father because we know we are sinners and will never be able to be perfect in every way like our Heavenly Father. Indeed, this was the temptation of the fallen angels; they wanted to be perfect without God, or Adam and Eve, who sought perfection using their own strength.

The truth is that the call to perfection is not an abstract and metaphysical perfection as God is. God is perfect in every sense of the word, metaphysically and existentially. He is perfect in omniscience, omnipotence, love and compassion. What Jesus is asking us is not to be perfect as God is perfect in this sense. Rather, the perfection that Jesus is asking is that of a functional or existential perfection. In other words, perfection is when we become who we are. Perfection, as St Paul says, is to grow to full maturity in Christ. “The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.” (Eph 4:11-14)

Conversely, to fail in perfection is when we have not become who we are. Sin is not just a moral action. Sin in Greek is hamartia, which means to miss the mark. In other words, when we fail to arrive at our destination, this is sin. St Paul defines sin as to “fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23) God has created us to share in His image and likeness. When we sin, we do not reflect His image and likeness. When we fail to attain our end, it means we have not yet been perfected. So a student is perfected when he gets all A’s for all his papers. A shoe is perfected when it fits the feet well and the person wearing it is comfortable. A chef is perfect when everyone enjoys his cooking. When we attain what we are called to do, we find fulfillment. So when we become truly His sons and daughters reflecting the Father’s unconditional love and mercy, we are perfect like Him. This is what Jesus meant by perfection. “But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes the sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.”

This is why St John urges us to grow in holiness, which is to grow in perfection in love and mercy. “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 Jn 3:2f) We call someone a saint not because he is perfect like God but he has perfected himself and his life. He has become what God had meant him to be. In other words, he perfects himself by living out his vocation of love, mercy and service completely according to what God intended him to be, whether as a missionary, a priest, a teacher or a doctor. It does not matter which vocation we are called to but it does matter that we live out our vocation to the fullest in truth and love so that we arrive at our ultimate calling, and find fulfilment in life, which is called self-realization.

But what does it mean to be perfected in love, mercy and forgiveness? The call to love must be properly distinguished, otherwise we live in guilt and give up growing in love completely because it seems such an impossible task. We must distinguish four kinds of love in the Greek language. We have the first form of love, which is storgi. This is family love, the love between parents and children. Such family love for each other is natural affection. All parents care for their children and are always worried for them. There is a certain attachment which is more than biological and emotional but spiritual as well. This is why it is often said, “blood is thicker than water!” Even though we do not like our parents or siblings, we have this natural obligation to care for them. When we see one of our family members suffering and we do not help them out, we feel guilty even if we cannot get along with them.

Secondly, there is eros, which is a sexual love, a love that comes from our passion for each other. Again, this is natural for God made man and woman to complete each other. We desire to be physical in love because love wants to find completion and unity. This is very much expressed in the act of sexual intercourse and physical signs of love. Unfortunately, this form of love which is a pure expression of love for the other person often becomes lust. The other person is used for sexual pleasure rather than truly an act of love and an expression of unity in mind and heart.

Thirdly, there is philia which is the love of a friend. This kind of love is the purest form of human love. It brings warmth and it is without self-interest. This love is reciprocal. We have many examples of such beautiful human friendships in the bible. The exemplar would be David and Jonathan. Both of them were sworn friends and brothers to each other. Jonathan would even sacrifice his crown to support David to be the king. True friends care for the other person more than for himself. It is never difficult to sacrifice what we like or need or have to give to our good friends. We are happy to forfeit our rights because to see our friends happy and fulfilled, this is our greatest joy. Friendship love brings warmth, affection, joy and security.

Finally, there is agape. This is the kind of love that we are called to imitate in God. Unlike the other three forms of love, agape is not moved by passion but by an act of the will. Of course, this does not mean that passion is always absent. What we want to say is that agape love, which is what godly love is all about, can exist even without feeling passionate towards someone. This is what it means to be sons and daughters of our heavenly Father who he “causes the sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.” God continues to love even when we reject Him, as Jesus did on the cross, forgiving and praying for His enemies. St Paul said, “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) God did not die for good people but for us all in Christ Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:16f) God does not require us to have the kind of passionate feelings we have for our loved ones, our lovers or our friends. What is needed is just an act of the will to love. We love by caring for our enemies, especially when they are in trouble. We continue to reach out to them even though they do not like us or think ill of us. In other words, agape love means to care for a person simply because he or she is a child of God even if he or she were a deviant child. But in God’s eyes, we must love them and reach out to them so that they too can come to know the face of God and be healed of their blindness, selfishness and brokenness.

How can we do this? Of course, not by our strength. We cannot arrive and be perfected as God’s sons and daughters through our own strength but only through Him alone. St Paul said, May God “give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.” (Eph 1:17-19) Only when we come to the know “the breadth and length and height and depth, and the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:18f) We need the Spirit of God’s love to fill our hearts. (Rom 5:5)

Thursday, 25 February 2021

RADICAL CHOICE FOR LIFE

20210226 RADICAL CHOICE FOR LIFE

26 February, 2021, Friday, 1st Week of Lent

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Violet.

First reading

I prefer to see the wicked man renounce his wickedness and live

Thus says the Lord:

‘If the wicked man renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is law-abiding and honest, he will certainly live; he will not die. All the sins he committed will be forgotten from then on; he shall live because of the integrity he has practised. What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man – it is the Lord who speaks – and not prefer to see him renounce his wickedness and live?

‘But if the upright man renounces his integrity, commits sin, copies the wicked man and practises every kind of filth, is he to live? All the integrity he has practised shall be forgotten from then on; but this is because he himself has broken faith and committed sin, and for this he shall die. But you object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.’

Responsorial Psalm

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,

Lord, hear my voice!

O let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my pleading.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,

Lord, who would survive?

But with you is found forgiveness:

for this we revere you.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?

My soul is waiting for the Lord.

I count on his word.

My soul is longing for the Lord

more than watchman for daybreak.

(Let the watchman count on daybreak

and Israel on the Lord.)

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?

Because with the Lord there is mercy

and fullness of redemption,

Israel indeed he will redeem

from all its iniquity.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive?

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Amos5:14

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,

and that the Lord God of hosts may really be with you.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Or:

Ezk18:31

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks –

and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Gospel

Anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’

RADICAL CHOICE FOR LIFE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EZEKIEL 18:21-28; PS 130:1-8; MT 5:20-26 ]

Today, in the light of a so-called democratic world, where relativism prevails, the emphasis is on freedom to choose. This was precisely the temptation of Adam and Eve. They too were tempted by the Devil to eat from the Tree of knowledge and evil so that their eyes could be opened and be free to choose what they want in life. But this freedom to choose today has led to untold and unimaginable abuses. The freedom to choose is not just a matter of political choices but includes everything in life, often in an exaggerated manner.

Freedom is promoted as an absolute right even at the expense of the safety of the common good. So many are insisting on the freedom to not wear masks during the Covid-19 pandemic even in public spaces. Women demand freedom to own their own body and so the right to decide whether a baby in her womb should live or die. Human beings today also demand the right to determine whether they want to live or die. Even when it concerns one’s beliefs, one must be free to embrace not just any religion, even Satanism or a cult that is anti-social and anti-institutional. So freedom extends even to immorality, consumption of drugs, spreading lies and untruths, insulting people’s reputation in the social media and even making fun of people’s religious beliefs and sacred symbols.

The consequences of making wrong choices will lead to death. This is the warning of both scripture readings. This was the case of the Israelites. For rebelling against the Lord and breaking the Covenant repeatedly, and practicing idolatry, they were exiled to Babylon. Many died in the process of fighting with the Babylonians. The whole nation unfortunately was punished, regardless of who had done wrong. Punishment sometimes is collective, as in a nation, a tribe or a family. When a member does wrong, the whole family suffers. This is true even in a church or organization. When there is a corruption or a scandal committed by a member, the entire church or organization is put to shame and questioned. This is not fair, we say, but the truth remains that we are a people and we are in solidarity in sin, in suffering and in prosperity as well.

But not all choices have damaging effects on the entire community. There are many choices we make in life that will affect us directly and the impact will be felt more by the individual than the entire community. This is the context of today’s reading from the prophet Ezekiel. We cannot relegate all responsibility for our conduct to the community. There is also individual responsibility as well. In the final analysis, we are responsible for our own crimes and not the crimes of the rest of the family, or those of previous generations, although one might suffer the consequences of their sins. But we are not held responsible. When a good man suffers because of the sins of others, he is not personally responsible for the crime. Just as in the case of our Lord when He was without sin but made sin for us all. (cf 2 Cor 5:21)

Regardless, the point is whether we want to make a radical choice for life or for death. Moral choice ultimately is a choice for life or death, which is more than simply physical life or mortal death. On the very explicit level, it refers to a judicial sentencing of one who is convicted of an offence. More often than not, it could be the consequence of revenge and killing because of anger and resentment. But it could also mean that we do not find happiness in life because we harbor anger in us because of envy, refusal to forgive and live a life of guilt and fear of retaliation by those whom we have hurt. When we live a selfish life, we cannot find happiness either in this life or in the next life. Our choices will determine our end. If we do evil, we will reap evil. If we do good, we will reap goodness. (cf Gal 6:8f)

Yet the good news is that none of us need blame our present on the past, whether of ourselves or of the generations before us. We can choose to change. Human freedom means that we can make the best even out of evil. As Paul said in Romans, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28) So we are not condemned to our past. It is unfortunate that there are those who like to find scapegoats for their present woes. We can make a real change. Ezekiel wants us to know that we are not predestined to be that way. We are all predestined to share in the life of Christ. St Paul wrote, “He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Eph 1:4-6) So our wicked past or foolish mistakes are forgiven the moment we decide to repent.

But this freedom also works the other way. If the righteous abandon a righteous life, the past cannot guarantee his future. Good works in the past do not absolve one from paying the consequences of his sins. If he chooses the path of the sinner, he too will bear the consequences as well, regardless of the good he has done. Therefore, we must stay focus all the time and we cannot allow evil to triumph over us. We cannot, as some do, rest on the merits of their forefathers or the good deeds he had done. God will judge us here and now, where our heart is. Every action, good or bad, becomes a habit and will form our heart to be good or evil. So we have the power to make things right or make a mess out of our lives.

This is why we cannot be complacent in our spiritual life. Often, the righteous can become complacent in their spiritual life since they think they are protected from evil. But we can never be certain. St Peter warns us to be on guard against falling from grace, “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pt 5:8) Baptism is not a spiritual insurance policy that works without our cooperation. Just as wicked people like the Good Thief have repented and turned back to God, so too good people have fallen from grace, like Peter and the apostles. We can either repent or resent, like the Good and the Bad thief who hung with Jesus on the cross. It is tragic that there are people like the Bad Thief whose hearts have been so soiled by the world and possessed by evil that even at the end of their life they would not forgive or let go, but continue to rebel and reject the grace of God. This is already a foretaste of hell.

In the gospel Jesus warns us just as He warned His disciples, that if their “virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees” they would never get into the kingdom of heaven. God judges our hearts, not just our actions. This is what the Lord is teaching us. It is not what we do but why we do what we do. Whether it is with regard to anger, adultery, divorce, oath-taking, it is the motive that counts, not merely the external actions. He said, “if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.” So we can even act the way society expects of us, but this does not mean that we are righteous because we could be doing it so that we will not suffer rejection by society. Some are moral not because they want to, or it is the right thing to do, but because they want to look good by people. We need to purify our hearts and our minds.

Hence, the Lord is advising us that whilst we have the time, let us make peace with God, with our fellowmen and with ourselves. “Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and judge to the officer and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.” So long as we are alive, we can still repent and change our way of life to the way of Christ. It is never too late. Even the Good Thief had a chance to enter the Kingdom upon his death. However, we might not be too sure whether our hearts will be hardened like the Bad Thief who continued to resist God. We must turn over a new leaf now.