20210516 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS WITNESS TO WHAT THEY HAVE WITNESSED
16 May, 2021, Sunday, 7th Week of Easter
First reading |
Acts 1:15-17,20-26 © |
'Let someone else take his office'
One day Peter stood up to speak to the brothers – there were about a hundred and twenty persons in the congregation: ‘Brothers, the passage of scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, foretells the fate of Judas, who offered himself as a guide to the men who arrested Jesus – after having been one of our number and actually sharing this ministry of ours. Now in the Book of Psalms it says:
Let someone else take his office.
‘We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us – and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection.’
Having nominated two candidates, Joseph known as Barsabbas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias, they prayed, ‘Lord, you can read everyone’s heart; show us therefore which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned to go to his proper place.’ They then drew lots for them, and as the lot fell to Matthias, he was listed as one of the twelve apostles.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 102(103):1-2,11-12,19-20 © |
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia.
For as the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven
and his kingdom is ruling over all.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
mighty in power, fulfilling his word.
The Lord has set his sway in heaven.
or
Alleluia.
Second reading | 1 John 4:11-16 © |
Anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him
My dear people,
since God has loved us so much,
we too should love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
but as long as we love one another
God will live in us
and his love will be complete in us.
We can know that we are living in him
and he is living in us
because he lets us share his Spirit.
We ourselves saw and we testify
that the Father sent his Son
as saviour of the world.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in him, and he in God.
We ourselves have known and put our faith in
God’s love towards ourselves.
God is love
and anyone who lives in love lives in God,
and God lives in him.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Jn14:18 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;
I will come back to you,
and your hearts will be full of joy.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 17:11-19 © |
Father, keep those you have given me true to your name
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Holy Father,
keep those you have given me true to your name,
so that they may be one like us.
While I was with them,
I kept those you had given me true to your name.
I have watched over them
and not one is lost
except the one who chose to be lost,
and this was to fulfil the scriptures.
But now I am coming to you
and while still in the world I say these things
to share my joy with them to the full.
I passed your word on to them,
and the world hated them,
because they belong to the world
no more than I belong to the world.
I am not asking you to remove them from the world,
but to protect them from the evil one.
They do not belong to the world
any more than I belong to the world.
Consecrate them in the truth;
your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world,
I have sent them into the world,
and for their sake I consecrate myself
so that they too may be consecrated in truth.’
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS WITNESS TO WHAT THEY HAVE WITNESSED
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ ACTS 1:15 – 26; PS 103; 1 Jn 4:11-16; JN 17:11-19]
Today, we celebrate World Communications Sunday. It is a reminder that we are missionary disciples as the Lord commanded us to do when He ascended into heaven, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19f) Indeed, this command is often forgotten and not taken seriously by many baptized Catholics. They think that evangelization is an option and if they live a good life anonymously as a Christian, they are already witnessing. They do not feel the need to witness to Jesus.
At one end of the spectrum Catholics who, in order to protect their faith, insulate themselves from the world. This would be a misreading of today’s gospel when Jesus said, “they belong to the world no more than I belong to the world. I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.” In order to protect themselves from being contaminated by the world and the Evil One, they only mix with their Catholic friends. They are like a frog in the well. Occasionally, they would jump out of the well to find food in the world and the necessities of life. They go to work but would quickly return to be with their Catholic friends. They feel secure and safe with them. They do not have friends outside the Catholic community. This is not wrong because Jesus also prayed for unity among His disciples so that they can withstand the opposition and persecution of the world.
But if we isolate and insulate ourselves from the world, we are only saving ourselves, building a ghetto so that we are sheltered from the world. The gospel tells us that God cares for the world, for humanity and for sinners. “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.” (Jn 3:16) We are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. (cf Mt 5:13-16)
At any rate, as St John writes in the second reading, if we claim to love God, then we must love our brothers and sisters. “My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit.” If we have no love for our others, it shows that God is not in us. No one can claim to have seen God or have known His love if he or she has no act of charity to show, namely, His inclusive love for all, regardless.
But we can swing to the other end of the spectrum, which is to be assimilated into the world. Some of us think that the best way to witness the gospel is to be one of them, not just one with them. This would contradict what the Lord said, that we are to be in the world but not of the world. By being one of them, we adopt the selfish values of the world, clothe, enjoy and live like them. This is what secularization is all about, so that the world will feel comfortable with us instead of we being an affront to them if we behave differently from them. As the Lord said, “the world hated them, because they belong to the world no more than I belong to the world.”
So if we want the world to love us, then we must concur with their values on the culture of death and materialism. Indeed, many of our Catholics are anonymous in their faith outside the church. They are afraid to be identified as Catholics and more frightened still to talk or share about their faith. They do not want to be distinguished as disciples of Christ. They even adopt non-Christian beliefs and integrate them into their Catholic Faith, which we call syncretism, unlike the good values which are acceptable. Indeed, we are desperate for people of other faiths and the world to accept us as “normal” people like them.
How, then, can we find the median approach to living out the Christian Faith? The theme, “Come and see” means that we ourselves must first be witnesses of Christ, of His resurrection, which is the first condition for the apostolic ministry, as in the case of the election of Matthias. “We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us – and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection.” Unless we have seen the Lord ourselves, there is nothing for us to witness or testify to the world. We must encounter Jesus in the Holy Spirit. John said, “We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world.”
Secondly, the capacity to be effective communicators of truth and love presupposes that we are immersed in the Word and are consecrated to Jesus. “Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.” We must know the gospel and our doctrines well, so that we can give a reasonable account for what we believe. (1 Pt 3:15) Otherwise, what we have in the world today is fake news, lies, distorted facts to support evil institutions, accomplices in corruption for the sake of power, wealth, fame and glory. Ironically, those who promote justice are blind to their own injustices. They hold double standards. Unless we are guided by Jesus, we cannot walk in truth and love.
Indeed, we must live in Him, as St John tells us, and be true to His name. “Holy Father, keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us.” To be true to His name, means that we are sanctified in Him and recognize Him as our Lord. (1 Pt 3:15) We imitate His holiness, which is to live in truth and love. We reflect the character of God and His virtues in our life. Jesus said, “Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.” To be consecrated in the truth is to let the Word of God dwell in us, for that is how Jesus the Incarnated Word of God continues to be with us until the end of time, the Word of God makes its home in us.
Thirdly, to come and see, means that communicators must be in the world, learn to have first-hand knowledge of the situation. They must be at the scene, among the crowd, at the event, interacting with the people. Effective communicators do not just sit in an arm-chair and write. Before they do that, they must be with the people as Jesus was, living in their midst, carrying their infirmities, their pains, their frustrations and their sins in His body. This was how Jesus became the compassionate High Priest who sympathizes with us. As Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:15f)
Truly, the greatest and best journalists are those who sacrificed their lives to be with the people in their struggles, in their oppression, in their misery, uncovering the truth, the facts and the realities of what is happening on the ground for all the world to know so that knowing the truth, at least people of goodwill in turn will come to help, or champion their cause and their freedom, promote truth, justice and compassion in the world. We are grateful for all these communicators of truth to the world so that humanity would be pricked in their conscience and moved to do good, promote justice, foster the culture of truth and authentic, faithful and loving relationships. What motivates a true journalist is truth and love of humanity.
Yet, if we are faithful to the Truth, Jesus warns us that the real persecution would come both from the world and the Evil One. The world will transform us into worldly people if we do not evangelize ourselves. Most of all, the Evil One works through the world. Jesus knew how powerful the Evil One is because he led one of His chosen Twelve astray. “While I was with them, I kept those you had given me true to your name. I have watched over them and not one is lost except the one who chose to be lost, and this was to fulfil the scriptures.” Judas betrayed Him. Hence, He prayed again, “I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one.” We must therefore always be on the alert to the power of evil at work in the world today, in politics, in business and in the entertainment industry, and even in powerful people controlling the media to support their selfish cause.
Indeed, the Archdiocesan Communications Office’s tagline is: Communicating Truth, Forming Faith. This is what all media must seek to do in church and society. “Come and See!” Come to Jesus, witness His resurrection and be formed in the Word of God. See the reality of the world, identify with them, feel for them, and offer them Jesus and the gospel as the solution for the unity and salvation of humanity.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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