20210617 INTEGRITY OF A MINISTER OF GOD
17 June, 2021, Thursday, 11th Week, Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Corinthians 11:1-11 © |
I was careful not to be a burden to you in any way
I only wish you were able to tolerate a little foolishness from me. But of course: you are tolerant towards me. You see, the jealousy that I feel for you is God’s own jealousy: I arranged for you to marry Christ so that I might give you away as a chaste virgin to this one husband. But the serpent, with his cunning, seduced Eve, and I am afraid that in the same way your ideas may get corrupted and turned away from simple devotion to Christ. Because any new-comer has only to proclaim a new Jesus, different from the one that we preached, or you have only to receive a new spirit, different from the one you have already received, or a new gospel, different from the one you have already accepted – and you welcome it with open arms. As far as I can tell, these arch-apostles have nothing more than I have. I may not be a polished speechmaker, but as for knowledge, that is a different matter; surely we have made this plain, speaking on every subject in front of all of you.
Or was I wrong, lowering myself so as to lift you high, by preaching the gospel of God to you and taking no fee for it? I was robbing other churches, living on them so that I could serve you. When I was with you and ran out of money, I was no burden to anyone; the brothers who came from Macedonia provided me with everything I wanted. I was very careful, and I always shall be, not to be a burden to you in any way, and by Christ’s truth in me, this cause of boasting will never be taken from me in the regions of Achaia. Would I do that if I did not love you? God knows I do.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 110(111):1-4,7-8 © |
Your works, Lord, are justice and truth.
or
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.
Your works, Lord, are justice and truth.
or
Alleluia!
Majestic and glorious his work,
his justice stands firm for ever.
He makes us remember his wonders.
The Lord is compassion and love.
Your works, Lord, are justice and truth.
or
Alleluia!
His works are justice and truth,
his precepts are all of them sure,
standing firm for ever and ever;
they are made in uprightness and truth.
Your works, Lord, are justice and truth.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | 1S3:9,Jn6:68 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!
Or: | Rm8:15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The spirit you received is the spirit of sons,
and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 6:7-15 © |
How to pray
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test,
but save us from the evil one.
‘Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.’
INTEGRITY OF A MINISTER OF GOD
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 Cor 11:1-11; Ps 111:1-4,7-8; Mt 6:7-15 ]
Today, in the face of scandals committed by religious leaders, not just within the Catholic Church but all religions in general, St Paul provides us the high ideals of what it takes to win credibility as a minister of the gospel. He himself was challenged by other religious leaders whom he sarcastically called, “arch-apostles.” They were challenging his authority as an apostle, his competency and his eloquence as a teacher and preacher. Hence, St Paul had to clarify himself and defend his credibility as his authority as an apostle was challenged. We, too, as leaders will always be challenged in what we do, the decisions we make. There will be people who will slander us and seek to destroy our credibility. How did St Paul defend himself in the face of criticisms and opposition to his ministry? By maintaining integrity in his decisions.
Firstly, St Paul showed the sincerity of his love for the Christians in Corinth. He had no ulterior motives in reaching out to the Christian community. He did everything purely out of love. At the end of today’s scripture reading, he said, “would I do that if I did not love you? God knows I do.” Indeed, his love was sincere and true. All the sacrifices he made were purely out of love and care for the people. Only a sincere love for those people we serve can help us to discern the practical considerations when we serve. When our love for those under our care is not genuine or tainted with selfishness, then the works we do will not always be for them but ultimately for our own interests.
Secondly, St Paul sought to protect the Christians in Corinth. “I only wish you were able to tolerate a little foolishness from me. But of course: you are tolerant towards me. You see, the jealousy that I feel for you is God’s own jealousy: I arranged for you to marry Christ so that I might give you away as a chaste virgin to this one husband.” Many of us protect our loved ones only because we are attached to them and we are afraid to lose them. Often, in relationships, jealousy happens because another person is more attractive, intelligent, eloquent or given more attention than us. So we are jealous of them, lest they take away our friends or the attention that was ours.
Whereas for St Paul, his desire to protect the Christians was pure, not so much to get the people’s support for him but to ensure that they remained faithful to Christ as His spouse. St Paul used the imagery of a maiden betrothed to our Lord. A Christian from birth is betrothed to the Lord. His task was to ensure that they are married to the Lord and find consummation in Him especially when they die. So, his love for his people was unselfish, for their sake and for the sake of God. He was like John the Baptist who said, “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason, my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn 1:28-30)
Thirdly, purity of heart and mind is necessary for anyone who wants to be a spouse of Christ. Virginity is the symbol of total devotion to God, just like our Blessed Mother. It is also symbolic of our keeping our hearts pure for God, a mind free from falsehood and a life free from sin and corruption. The Corinthians were being seduced by Satan to betray their relationship with the Lord because of false and corrupt teaching which impacted the way they thought and the way they lived. Wrong doctrines lead to wrong praxis. We must always maintain orthopraxis, which means that right teaching will lead to right practice. If the world is so corrupt and amoral it is because of moral relativism and individualism.
Indeed, they were being misled by eloquent preachers. “I am afraid that in the same way your ideas may get corrupted and turned away from simple devotion to Christ. Because any newcomer has only to proclaim a new Jesus, different from the one that we preached, or you have only to receive a new spirit, different from the one you have already received, or a new gospel, different from the one you have already accepted – and you welcome it with open arms.” This is true even in our churches today. Some parishioners are impressed by the preaching or teaching of a priest or a lay speaker. Some can preach eloquently and impress their listeners but few know their lifestyle. Some even teach their own opinions in an attempt to please the world and find popularity and acceptance rather than speak the truth according to the gospel. Some theologians and preachers twist and turn the gospel to preach ideas that endorse the values of the world. Indeed, many of our Catholics have been misled even by priests on what the Church and scriptures are truly teaching.
St Paul made it clear that although he “may not be a polished speechmaker, but as for knowledge, that is a different matter; surely we have made this plain, speaking on every subject in front of all of you.” St Paul warned the Corinthians not to be fooled by such preachers and teachers. He may not be preaching with eloquence, not even from his head knowledge, but he preached from his heart. He was preaching not just from intellectual knowledge gained from study, but from his personal encounter with the Lord. There is nothing more convincing than when a person preaches from the depths of his heart. In his first letter to them, he wrote, “When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.” (1 Cor 2:1-5) When a preacher preaches from his heart, even if he is not eloquent, his listeners will be convicted by his message.
Finally, the acid proof of the integrity of Paul was that he preached the gospel for free. In those days the teachers in Greece were paid highly for their wisdom and teaching. St Paul worked to pay for his own upkeep as a tent-maker. He did not want to take any money for his preaching. This was because Paul did not want to depend on anyone lest he compromised his independence in proclaiming the gospel. Even today, many religious leaders who are dependent on the funds provided by the community, especially the rich and powerful, tend to compromise their message lest they hurt the feelings of their benefactors. This is how the gospel today is being compromised because religious leaders want to protect their personal interests as they are dependent on the financial contributions of these people. As it is said, he who pays the piper calls the tune.
But this was clearly not the case of Paul, for he said earlier, “The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. In my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. (1 Cor 9:14,18) He told the Corinthians, “Was I wrong, lowering myself so as to lift you high, by preaching the gospel of God to you and taking no fee for it?” Of course, for a craftsman who stayed in a permanent place, he would have had a regular pool of clients. But for Paul who was an itinerant preacher and a tent-maker, he would not have been able to earn much, as his potential clients would not know the standard of his craftmanship. Hence, he bent his rule by accepting funds from those communities that he was no longer serving, so as to protect his integrity. “I was robbing other churches, living on them so that I could serve you. When I was with you and ran out of money, I was no burden to anyone; the brothers who came from Macedonia provided me with everything I wanted. I was very careful, and I always shall be, not to be a burden to you in any way.” His free service shows the absolute integrity of Paul in his work as an apostle and a teacher.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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