Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together: August 2021

Tuesday 31 August 2021

COMING TO FAITH

20210901 COMING TO FAITH

01 September, 2021, Wednesday, 22nd Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

Colossians 1:1-8 ©

The message of the truth has reached you and is spreading all over the world

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy to the saints in Colossae, our faithful brothers in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for you to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you show towards all the saints because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven. It is only recently that you heard of this, when it was announced in the message of the truth. The Good News which has reached you is spreading all over the world and producing the same results as it has among you ever since the day when you heard about God’s grace and understood what this really is. Epaphras, who taught you, is one of our closest fellow workers and a faithful deputy for us as Christ’s servant, and it was he who told us all about your love in the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 51(52):10-11 ©

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.

I am like a growing olive tree

in the house of God.

I trust in the goodness of God

for ever and ever.

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.

I will thank you for evermore;

for this is your doing.

I will proclaim that your name is good,

in the presence of your friends.

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.

Gospel Acclamation

1P1:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of the Lord remains for ever:

What is this word?

It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk4:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 4:38-44 ©

He would not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Christ

Leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked him to do something for her. Leaning over her he rebuked the fever and it left her. And she immediately got up and began to wait on them.

At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

When daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place. The crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’ And he continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.

COMING TO FAITH

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Col 1:1-8; Ps 52:10-11; Lk 4:38-44]

How does a person come to faith? Does faith precede love and hope? Most of us would think that faith comes first. This is of course not wrong. It is faith that inspires love and gives us hope. We have many examples in the bible where faith is a pre-requisite. Abraham responded to God’s call in faith to go to Canaan when God promised him that He would give him land, posterity and a nation. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.” (11:1-2; 39-40) Indeed, without faith, Christ would not perform miracles. In His hometown, “He could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.” (MK 6:5f)

This is why the preaching of the gospel is necessary to inspire faith. In his letter to the Romans, he wrote, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:13-15,17) Praising the Thessalonians for their docility to the proclamation of the gospel, he said, “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)

However, not all come to faith because they hear the gospel. Some come to faith through love. This is because of pride, or they have been hurt and wounded in life, especially by Christians or their loved ones. They are angry with God and are sceptical of the Christian faith. They need healing and closure. In truth, many are turned off by Christians because some of us do not reflect the gospel of love. Our lives contradict our faith in Christ. Others have suffered so much in life that they gave up hope in God, in humanity and in themselves. They live in hopelessness, self-pity and anger. For such people, the way to reach out to them is not through words but through action. It is our charity and love that would win them over.

Indeed, this was how the early Christians won people over to the faith, by their love for one another and by their love for the poor, the marginalized, and even their enemies. We read in the early Church, “Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:43-47) Saul was inspired when he remembered how St Stephen forgave his enemies when he was stoned to death. (Acts 7:58-60)

Conversely, a proof that we have authentic faith in Christ is charity, without which there is no real faith. This was what the Thessalonians manifested. St Paul commended them saying, “We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for you to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ and the love that you show towards all the saints.” St James warned the Christians, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (Jms 2:14, 17) St John also wrote, “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” (1 Jn 3:17f) Indeed, because they love each other and beyond their community, the Thessalonians produced concrete results. “The Good News which has reached you is spreading all over the world and producing the same results as it has among you ever since the day when you heard about God’s grace and understood what this really is.”

Then again, some come to faith because of the hope of a better life. Those who are suffering because of poverty, injustices and sickness begin to ask themselves the meaning and purpose of life. We can have faith in God and love in this world but as St Paul wrote, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Cor 15:19) The world, precisely, has fallen into despair because they have no hope beyond this world. They only work and live for this world. Pleasures and enjoyment in life cannot fulfil us. Wealth and power do not stay with us forever. In the face of illness and death, or meaninglessness when we have everything we want, we begin to ask what is our future beyond this life. This is why faith in Christ’s resurrection is the basis of Christian Hope. Christian hope is a substantiated hope. St Paul said, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” (1 Cor 15:13f) It is this hope of the fullness of life beyond death that causes us to have faith in Christ, who by His death and resurrection gives us a foretaste of the life that is to come, which we already share in this life when we live a life of love and charity. Truly, many come to have faith in Christ just like the Centurion, the Synagogue Official or the woman with haemorrhage when they were in desperation.

Having established that faith could arrive through the proclamation of the gospel received in faith, or through the encounter of God’s love through our fellowmen, or through our hope for a better life, we must be clear that these three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are independent of each other, yet are intrinsically linked. Whether we begin with faith or hope or charity, it will lead to the other two theological virtues. We cannot have true faith without love; or love without hope; or hope without faith and love. So in the work of evangelization, we must reckon that people would come to faith in God in various ways, through preaching in faith, through the sharing of the gospel, through good works and works of mercy, or through the search for meaning and purpose beyond this life.

Jesus in the gospel brings all these three virtues together. Jesus did not just worship the Father, but after worship and prayer, He expressed His faith in His Father through works of mercy and healing. His faith and prayer life were not dichotomized from His love for the people. Indeed, upon leaving the synagogue after delivering the Word of God, tired as He was, He went to Simon’s house to heal his mother-in-law. Then, “at sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people.” But His life was not all work and ministry, He ensured there was a balance between spending time with His Father and with the people. So we read, “when daylight came he left the house and made his way to a lonely place.” His capacity to love the people came from His intimacy with His Father. He drew strength and inspiration from the Father in His ministry. He was no workaholic or activist.

But above all, Jesus was clear of His mission, the Hope that He was called to give to the people was beyond His own people and beyond this life. That was why He would not be constrained by simply focusing on the present needs and forgetting the greater future for humanity, which is the establishment of the Kingdom of God. When “the crowds went to look for him, and when they had caught up with him they wanted to prevent him leaving them, but he answered, ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.'” Faith, hope and charity work together.

Monday 30 August 2021

PREPARING FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

20210831 PREPARING FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

31 August, 2021, Tuesday, 22nd Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6,9-11 ©

Keep strengthening one another

You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers, about ‘times and seasons’, since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, ‘How quiet and peaceful it is’ that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour pains come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it.

But it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober. God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him. So give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one another, as you do already.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14 ©

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

The Lord is my light and my help;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink?

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

all the days of my life,

to savour the sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord!

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

Gospel Acclamation

Heb4:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of God is something alive and active:

it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 4:31-37 ©

'I know who you are: the Holy One of God'

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.

In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.’ And reports of him went all through the surrounding countryside.

PREPARING FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 Th 5:1-6. 9-11; Ps 27:1,4,13-14; Lk 4:31-37 ]

Most people fear death, and ironically, even Christians. For the world we can understand why they fear death, because for them there is nothing beyond death. It is the end of everything, all their achievements, the wealth they have accumulated, the loving relationships they have established. This is why the world tries to prolong life on earth. As St Paul said, they live in darkness. They are ignorant of God and therefore of the future of humanity and this earth. Without faith in God, life is reduced to mere matter. Once dead, we return to ashes or vanish into atoms in space. But for Christians, we should know better, that death is the not the end of everything. As the Preface for the Dead at Mass says, “life is not ended but changed.” Yet, Christians also are fearful of death.

Why, then, are we fearful of death? Firstly, because we know that death often comes unexpectedly. St Paul wrote, “You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers, about ‘times and seasons’, since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, ‘How quiet and peaceful it is’ that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour pains come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it.” Indeed, how often have our world collapsed because we received news that we are suffering from an advanced stage of a terminal illness, especially when we are still relatively young and when we are very successful in our career or business. We cannot take such news. Or worse still, when we hear someone suddenly collapsing and dying without any warning symptoms. Most tragic of course is when our loved ones die because of a tragic accident. Without any time to come to terms with ourselves or be with our loved ones, such departure is heart-breaking. Often, those in bereavement put the blame on the heartlessness of God and the lack of mercy. Some have given up faith in Him for not protecting their loved ones from harm. Indeed, death is unpredictable with regard to the time, but it is certain.

Secondly, many of us, especially if we are still 80 and below, think that we have still much time on earth. As St Paul says, we are not alert when the thief is coming. We do not cherish every minute we have and make the best of it by living meaningful and loving lives. Instead, we squander away our precious time through idling, living a life of pleasure, enjoying oneself, and not expanding oneself by reaching out and making a difference in the lives of others. Instead of spending our time living creatively, we use that time to lament, complain and quarrel with people. We are sleeping and inattentive to the signs of the time, especially when we lose our loved ones suddenly, or when we hear our friends suffering from terminal illnesses. We always think that cancer or heart attack will not strike us but someone else. Or we think we will not meet any tragic accidents. We are over presumptuous and therefore we are unprepared. Often, when tragedy strikes, it is too late to wake up to the reality.

Thirdly, we live in fear of the light. To live in darkness or in the night is to do things that we are ashamed of, because we do evil or immoral things. Jesus made it clear when He said, “the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” (Jn 3:19-21) Writing to the Romans, St Paul exhorts them, “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Rom 13:11-14)

For those of us who are prepared, we will not be too concerned, like the Thessalonians about the Day of the Lord. Every day for us is the Day of the Lord. In other words, we live every moment of the day, in consciousness of the Lord’s presence. St Paul says, as “sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober.” To stay awake and be sober means simply that we do everything in God’s presence. We have nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of because we live in the light, in truth and in love. For those of us who live with a clear conscience, judgment has already taken place. They do not need to wait for the final judgment because before God and man, they walk in sincerity and truth.

We have reasons to be afraid of judgment only because we know that we are not ready to face the truth about ourselves. We know that when we come before God, everything would be revealed, all our secret thoughts, desires and actions. There will be no cover up. There will be no excuses. There will be no pretence. And when our sins are exposed, we will be so ashamed of ourselves before God and our brothers and sisters that we dare not meet them, just as Adam and Eve hid from God after they disobeyed Him because they were naked. (Gn 3:10) They saw the truth about themselves. This is why the Lord said, “I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge.” (Jn 12:47f)

Instead, for those who are living in the consciousness of God’s presence, we welcome the Day of the Lord, whether alive or when we die. For St Paul assured us, “God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him.” Jesus said, “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 3:17) As far as we are concerned, life or death should not make a difference to us as St Paul himself wrote, “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.” (Phil 1:21-24) What was important for St Paul is the fact that “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. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” (Rom 14:7-9)

This was how the Lord overcame evil in His ministry. In the synagogue whilst teaching, “there was a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil, and it shouted at the top of its voice, “Have you come to destroy us?” In other words, “You cannot destroy us unless you also destroy the man because we have power over the man as we are inside him.” But in casting the devil out and without causing the man any harm, Jesus showed His power. Hence, “astonishment seized them and they were all saying to one another, ‘What teaching! He gives orders to unclean spirits with authority and power and they come out.'”

Sensing the presence of God in Jesus is the key, therefore, to overcoming the evil one and the fear of death. Even the devil sensed His holy presence immediately, “I know who you are, the Holy One of God.'” So too the people sensed the presence of God in Jesus, both by His teaching and His works of healing and exorcism. It is notable that the authority of Jesus did not come simply because “his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority” but it was complemented by the divine presence in Him. Hence, the best way to live in the light is to be guided by our Lord’s teaching and His divine presence in the Christian Assembly. St Paul urged the Christians to “give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one another, as you do already.” It is the mutual encouragement of fellow Christians that we keep ourselves alert to the Lord’s coming each day.

Sunday 29 August 2021

BETWEEN DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION

20210830 BETWEEN DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION

30 August, 2021, Monday, 22nd Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ©

Do not grieve about those who have died in Jesus

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord’s own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord’s coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them; to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 95(96):1,3-5,11-13 ©

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

O sing a new song to the Lord,

sing to the Lord all the earth.

Tell among the nations his glory

and his wonders among all the peoples.

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

The Lord is great and worthy of praise,

to be feared above all gods;

the gods of the heathens are naught.

It was the Lord who made the heavens,

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,

let the sea and all within it thunder praise,

let the land and all it bears rejoice,

all the trees of the wood shout for joy

at the presence of the Lord for he comes,

he comes to rule the earth.

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

With justice he will rule the world,

he will judge the peoples with his truth.

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk4:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 4:16-30 ©

'This text is being fulfilled today, even as you listen'

Jesus came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,

for he has anointed me.

He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives

and to the blind new sight,

to set the downtrodden free,

to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. They said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely?’

But he replied, ‘No doubt you will quote me the saying, “Physician, heal yourself” and tell me, “We have heard all that happened in Capernaum, do the same here in your own countryside.”’

And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’

When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

BETWEEN DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ 1 Th 4:13-18; Ps 96:1,3-5,11-13; Lk 4:16-30]

Bereavement is always a time of great sorrow when we mourn the death of our loved ones or those who died tragically or suddenly. It is only human and natural for us to grief on the death of our loved ones, those who have been close to us. Mourning and crying is part of the healing process in bringing closure to the separation from our departed loved ones. Even Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus. (Jn 11:33-35) As Christians, we are human beings with emotions and so there should be no constraint for us for to weep.

What St Paul exhorts us is that we do not grieve over them, “like the other people who have no hope.” In other words, we must not grieve in such a way that our loved ones are gone forever and they have been extinguished from the face of this earth, and reduced to dust and atoms in space. Indeed, for the world at large, many do not believe in life after death. This is why the greatest and last enemy of man is death. (1 Cor 15:26) Of course, people of other faiths believe in some kind of continuity after death. Some believe in reincarnation, transmigration of souls or that the dead will live in some shadowy place of lifeless existence.

But for Christians, we do not just believe in the continuity of the person after death or some form of immortality of the soul. We believe in the resurrection of the body. St Paul said, “We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.” Writing to the Corinthians, he said, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. All will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” (1 Cor 15:13,14,22,23) The resurrection will take place on the last day. This was what Martha said to the Lord “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” (Jn 11:24)

So the question that is posed in today’s first reading is, what will happen to those who have died before the last day? St Paul said, “We can tell you this from the Lord’s own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord’s coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. Those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord in the air.”

Where are the dead now? Are they sleeping? Are they still existing? If they are sleeping, what is the basis for us to believe that the person that is sleeping is the same person since the body has turned to skeleton and dust? Where is that person really? This is where the question of the intermediate state has to be dealt with. In the Church’s teaching, the last four things are death, judgement, hell and heaven. In other words when we die, we are immediately judged and assigned our destiny, to be in hell, cut off and alienated from God and the saints, or to be in heaven enjoying the beatific vision of seeing God face-to-face and in the community of the saints.

However, some Christians do not accept the intermediate state. Because to do so means that one has to accept the immortality of the soul. Protestant Christians describe the person who dies as sleeping in the Lord if he had faith in Him and lived a righteous life. But how does a person sleep in the Lord if he has no state of existence? Why is there a great reluctance to admit the doctrine of the immortality of the soul?

Firstly, it is a philosophical question regarding anthropology. Human beings are created as an embodied spirit. We are not pure spirit, nor are we mere matter. We are spirit in matter. So if we separate the body from the spirit, we would have a diminished human person. This artificial separation is attributed to an influence of Greek philosophical dualism of form and matter, body and spirit, mind and body. For the Greeks, the soul is that immortal intellective mind. As far as Plato is concerned, the soul is not dependent on the body.

Secondly, it is a mistaken understanding of grace. Protestant Christians believe in the pure doctrine of grace. Salvation is through faith in God’s grace in Christ alone. We cannot earn salvation. It is therefore a reaction to the Catholic’s position that although salvation is a grace from God, we must cooperate with this grace by producing good works. Without good works, as St James said, there is no faith. (Jms 2:14-26) This danger becomes more real when Catholics in the doctrine of the immortality of the soul speak of purgatory, where a person who is not yet purified, undergoes continued purification after death. This appears to contradict the doctrine of grace.

Thirdly, it is also a reaction to the abuse of indulgences practiced in the Middle Ages where indulgences were gained through the offering of donations, pilgrimages, through good works, sacrifices and penances. Such practices give the impression that Catholics can buy the grace of God using monetary gifts or sacrifices. What is scandalous for some Protestants is that these good works can be applied to the souls in purgatory. As far as they are concerned, our destiny is fixed upon death and there is no turning back.

Of course, in truth, and on hindsight, we know that such abuses did happen and it has led to an extreme reaction from the Protestants in wanting to safeguard the doctrine of pure grace and justification by faith alone. But in truth, indulgences have been corrected and given a proper place and understanding in the Church as means by which we are united with the souls in purgatory by encouraging and helping them to let go completely the residues of all that are worldly and earthly that they are unable to let go and return to the Lord. This necessity for purification is what St John wrote, “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) However, we must not think that purgatory is a mid-way between hell and heaven, a place of torture and extreme alienation from God. Those in purgatory are actually at the threshold of heaven. They are close to God but because they have difficulties in letting go completely of their anger, selfishness and attachment to the world that they could not give themselves completely to Him.

Indeed, the doctrine of the intermediate state, the immortality of the soul and the doctrine of purgatory, hell and heaven is consistent with the scriptures. Otherwise, we cannot explain where the dead are before the resurrection on the last day when as the Prophet Daniel said, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Dn 11:2f) Until then, the person who dies must continue to have some form of existence, which we call the soul.

Indeed, the Lord apparently endorsed the continuity of the soul even when a person dies when He said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mt 10:28) He also assured the good thief that “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk 23:43) Jesus also told the story about Dives being separated from Lazarus in hell. Abraham said to Dives, “between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” (Lk 16:26)

For this reason, Catholics live with the consolation that our departed ones will not just rise again on the last day, but that they are already in heaven or on the way to the Father’s House. We can therefore find great relief and joy that our departed ones are not lingering around lifeless but are actually taken into the bosom of God, for the Lord assured us, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” (Jn 14:2f)

Saturday 28 August 2021

WALKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

20210829 WALKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

29 August, 2021, Sunday, 22nd Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

Observe these laws and customs, that you may have life

Moses said to the people: ‘Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. You must add nothing to what I command you, and take nothing from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God just as I lay them down for you. Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim, “No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation.” And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?’

Responsorial Psalm

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

He who walks without fault;

he who acts with justice

and speaks the truth from his heart;

he who does not slander with his tongue.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who does no wrong to his brother,

who casts no slur on his neighbour,

who holds the godless in disdain,

but honours those who fear the Lord.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;

who takes no interest on a loan

and accepts no bribes against the innocent.

Such a man will stand firm for ever.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Second reading

Accept and submit to the word

It is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above; it comes down from the Father of all light; with him there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change. By his own choice he made us his children by the message of the truth so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he had created.

Accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves.

Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

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

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:

James1:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

By his own choice the Father made us his children

by the message of the truth,

so that we should be a sort of first-fruits

of all that he created.

Alleluia!

Gospel

You put aside the commandment of God, to cling to human traditions

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,

while their hearts are far from me.

The worship they offer me is worthless,

the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ He called the people to him again and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

WALKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Dt 4:1-2, 6-8; Ps 15; James 1:17-18,21-22,27; Mk 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23]

In the responsorial psalm, we said, “the just will live in the presence of the Lord.” How true these words are to us all who struggle to be faithful to God in this world. Indeed, although many of us might be baptized, and some of us are even priests and religious, yet we do not always walk consciously in the presence of the Lord in our everyday life. This explains why many are scandalized by our conduct, more so when we spend so much time in prayer and devotional reading of the bible. Like the Jews during the time of Jesus, we think that God is only present when we are at prayer and at worship.

Whilst this is true, the whole purpose of worship of God is to lead us to the love of our neighbours. St James makes it clear, “Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.” The psalmist says, “Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain? He who walks without fault; he who acts with justice and speaks the truth from his heart. He who does no wrong to his brother, who casts no slur on his neighbour, who holds the godless in disdain, but honours those who fear the Lord. He who keeps his pledge, come what may; who takes no interest on a loan and accepts no bribes against the innocent. Such a man will stand firm for ever.”

Indeed, Jesus sums up the entire purpose of religion by synthesizing all the commandments to two. “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Mt 22:37-39) This was what the Israelites and the Jews often forgot. They were either intent on keeping the laws meticulously, just like the Pharisees and the Scribes, or they lived contrary to the laws, like the tax-collectors.

Yet, there is a danger that those of us who seek to keep the Laws can do it without observing the spirit of the laws. In the case of the Jews, they would observe carefully the customary laws of ritual and hygienic purity. They would never eat “with unclean hands, that is, without washing them” and they were particular about the “washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes.” But some would find excuses and loopholes to use the laws to evade responsibility to their parents and society. They used the Corban law to consecrate everything to God so that no one else had a right to their money and property. Indeed, the only sure criterion we know that we love God is not only when we worship Him but when we live the life of the spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal 5:22) The opposite of a life of the Spirit is what the Lord said, “fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.”

In itself, the customary laws of the elders have some merits. They are just like some religious practices that every religion has for their believers. We all need cultural symbols and signs to remind us of God’s presence and the call to live out what we believe. So the ritual laws of purity are good insofar as it helped the Jews to observe purity of mind, heart and actions before God and their fellowmen. So too all the practices of religions. But they are the means, not the ends themselves. When we are more concerned about external performance, it only makes us look holy but we are far from God. Jesus cited this criticism of the Prophet Isaiah who said, “This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.” (Mk 7:6f; cf Isa 29:13)

In other words, it is not so much a matter of observing the customary laws, it is a question of how we keep ourselves from being contaminated by the world. In the gospel, Jesus made it clear the reason for the lack of consistency in the way we live out our faith is more than just forgetfulness. St James said it is because in the first place, we are broken people with a fallen nature. St James wrote, “one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14f) We desire to be good but our flesh is weak. We are seduced by the world to pursue after pleasures, fame and glory. The Lord diagnosed the origin of evil, “For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge.” These evil intentions are brought to the open from the temptations of the world. When we are influenced daily by the unsolicited influence of social media, internet, movies, entertainment and advertisements, we cannot but unconsciously subscribe to the worldly values promoted by the world. This is how the devil works, in a very subtle and unobtrusive way.

As a consequence, so contaminated by the world and its values, we become oblivious to the presence of God, what is good or evil, because we are numbed to sin and to the truth. We are like the rich man who was oblivious to poor Lazarus outside his door, hungry and sick. We are so absorbed in our own comfort and convenience that we are blind to the sufferings and pains of our fellowmen. In other words, we have forgotten about God and His word in our lives. St James warns us, “For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.” (James 1:23f)

How, then, can we walk in the presence of the Lord? Remembering the Word of the Lord is the key. Moses said to the people: “Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you.” How can we remember the Word of God, not just reading and forgetting? It calls first for attentive reading of the Word. This comes about through a devotional reading of the Bible and through an inductive study of the Word which requires a careful observance of the text, interpretation according to the context and then applying to our daily life. But it is not enough to read or study the Word of God, we must remember them and call to mind every time when we have to make decisions or discernment. Unless we commit the scripture text to our memory, we will not able to allow the Word of God to make its home in us. (Jn 14:23)

However, we must, as Moses and James tell us, to put into practice. “Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding.” Indeed, it is practice that makes our learning and memory perfect because it reinforces what we read and believe. When we do not put the Word of God into practice, we will eventually forget them. So it is important that we must make resolutions after reading the Word of God, or a homily, as to how we want to implement the insights we have received from the day’s reflection.

Finally, to help us to be constantly aware of His presence, and to determine our progress in our spiritual life, the Church exhorts the faithful to make daily examen, two or three times a day, when we wake up, at midday and in the evening before we sleep. The daily examen is not so much to find our faults and our weaknesses so that we can correct them. Rather, the examen is more than just an examination of conscience, which is what we do before celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation. It is to examine the moments when we were attentive to God’s presence in our lives or when we missed out His presence, whether in good or bad times. The truth is the Lord is present in every event of our life and the lives of others. It depends on whether we are conscious of His presence and able to see and read the signs of His presence in our work, daily chores, relationships and ordinary events. Walking in His presence, we find peace! Living the life of the Spirit in lover makes us truly alive.