20211012 ASHAMED OF THE GOOD NEWS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PERVERTED
12 October, 2021, Tuesday, 28th Week, Ordinary Time
First reading | Romans 1:16-25 © |
These people knew God and failed to honour him
I am not ashamed of the Good News: it is the power of God saving all who have faith – Jews first, but Greeks as well – since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith.
The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all the impiety and depravity of men who keep truth imprisoned in their wickedness. For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them since God himself has made it plain. Ever since God created the world his everlasting power and deity – however invisible – have been there for the mind to see in the things he has made. That is why such people are without excuse: they knew God and yet refused to honour him as God or to thank him; instead, they made nonsense out of logic and their empty minds were darkened. The more they called themselves philosophers, the more stupid they grew, until they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for a worthless imitation, for the image of mortal man, of birds, of quadrupeds and reptiles. That is why God left them to their filthy enjoyments and the practices with which they dishonour their own bodies, since they have given up divine truth for a lie and have worshipped and served creatures instead of the creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen!
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 18(19):2-5 © |
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
and night unto night makes known the message.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard
yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps118:135 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let your face shine on your servant,
and teach me your decrees.
Alleluia!
Or: | Heb4:12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of God is something alive and active:
it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 11:37-41 © |
Give thanks for what you have and it will all be clean
Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’
ASHAMED OF THE GOOD NEWS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PERVERTED
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Rom 1:16-25; Ps 19:2-5; Lk 11:37-41]
St Paul declared, “I am not ashamed of the Good News: it is the power of God saving all who have faith – Jews first, but Greeks as well – since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith.” How did St Paul find so much confidence in the power of the Gospel? This is in spite of the many times he was mobbed, attacked, stoned and ridiculed in the proclamation of the gospel. Yet, he never felt ashamed even when humiliated and put in prison. Many of us in truth are so ashamed of the gospel that we do not want people to know that we are Catholics, much less have the courage to share the Good News with others. Somehow, we lack the confidence. We are afraid of losing our privileges and our position in life and in society.
What could be the reasons for the diffidence? Simply because we might not have experienced the power of the gospel to save! Right from the outset, St Paul revealed the heart of his motivation in proclaiming the gospel. He had witnessed how the gospel saved both Jews and Gentiles who had faith in Him. He understood the power of the preached Word. But this is so only for those who believe. Writing to the Thessalonians, 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) Truly, the gospel has an incredible power for as Isaiah said, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”‘ (Isa 55:10f)
How, then, does believing in the gospel change our lives? How does the gospel effect salvation and transform our lives completely? St Paul says, “it reveals the justice of God.” This refers not so much the justice of God in that God will punish those who sinned against Him. Seeing God in this manner will condemn us rather than save us. Rather, it refers to God’s righteousness in forgiving us our sins. It is not about human righteousness which demands strict justice but God who saves us in Christ. Indeed, for those of us who have surrendered ourselves in faith to the gospel, our lives have changed radically. This is why St Paul cited from Habbakuk 2:4, “The upright man finds life through faith.” But it is not just faith in God, it is faith in Christ who saves us through His death on the cross. It is this righteousness revealed in Christ that motivated Paul to give up trying to earn righteousness. Instead, he surrendered his life to the Lord in faith. In Christ, we are forgiven and stand sinless before God. In Christ, we can do all things in Him. In Christ, we know that we are children of God and heirs with Him. In Christ, death is conquered. In Christ, we are assured of eternal life with God.
Unfortunately, those who chose not to believe will result in condemnation. “The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all the impiety and depravity of men.” When St Paul spoke about the wrath of God, he was not projecting an angry God that is capricious, uncontrollable and ill-humoured. Rather, the wrath of God is presented in contrast to the godlessness and sins. But why is it that there are those who would not believe? What could be the reasons for unbelief? What are the factors that hinder people from believing in God?
Firstly, unbelief is the consequence of the suppression of truth. “The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all the impiety and depravity of men who keep the truth imprisoned in their wickedness.” This is what is happening in the world today. With so much fake news, distorted truths, lies and clever arguments, the truths of faith are being undermined. Using intellectual and scientific arguments, God is explained away as an opium of the people, for the naïve and silly people. Suppression of truths by those who are powerful and those in control of the media is being done systematically.
The foundational truth of the existence of a creator is being suppressed. St Paul wrote, “For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them since God himself has made it plain. Ever since God created the world his everlasting power and deity – however invisible – have been there for the mind to see in the things he has made. That is why such people are without excuse.” Man begins by denying the reality of God, even though natural theology can help us to know that the existence of God is credible. Creation and the functioning of the universe and the creatures of God show that there must be a mind, a creator behind all these. Otherwise, we cannot explain our origin.
Secondly, unbelief is the consequence of the perversion of the truth about God. “They knew God and yet refused to honour him as God or to thank him; instead, they made nonsense out of logic and their empty minds were darkened. The more they called themselves philosophers the more stupid they grew, until they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for a worthless imitation, for the image of mortal man, of birds, of quadrupeds and reptiles.” Instead of worshipping God as their creator, they worship man instead. The worst form of idolatry is not just the worship of statues, of animals, nature but human beings. By so doing, they eradicate the distinction between God and His creatures. God is no longer simply revealed in nature but is identified with nature. So the end result is that man worships nature as if nature is God. And if nature is God, he is also divine as well. God is reduced to nature. The transcendence of God is forgotten. This explains why man today worships himself and worship other creatures.
Thirdly, unbelief results in the perversion of life. After suppressing the truth about God, man ends up supplanting His place. He ends up worshipping himself. “That is why God left them to their filthy enjoyments and the practices with which they dishonour their own bodies, since they have given up divine truth for a lie and have worshipped and served creatures instead of the creator, who is blessed for ever, Amen!” This is what is happening in the world today when man thinks so highly of himself. He has no need of God. He himself has the truth and he does not believe in the revealed Word of God. He is a law unto himself. This is why moral relativism rules the world today. Decisions are made by man in reference to himself, his desires, his needs and his preferences. Individualism and self-centeredness are the order of the day. There is no morality, no right or wrong, no conscience that demands we treat God with respect and our brothers and sisters with fairness and justice.
Fourthly, unbelief could also come from the perversion of faith itself. This was the case of the religious leaders in today’s gospel. Very often it is the hypocritical way we live our faith that causes others to lose faith in God. We practice an outward religion. Jesus condemned the religious leaders for the lack of transformation in their lives. “You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.” Jesus denounced them because there was no change in the interior life. The religion they practiced was just an outward show. What is needed today is a renewal of our faith, which calls a real transformation of life. Faith must lead to a life of obedience, not out of fear of God but out of love and gratitude for the life He has given to us. When Jesus told them to give alms, He was simply reminding them that a true love for God is always expressed in concrete charity to our fellowmen. Indeed, perhaps the real reason why many have lost their faith in God and in Christ is because of the life of contradiction which we live between our faith and what we do every day, in our relationship with our fellowmen. Many are scandalized by our hypocritical life. More than unbelievers, ironically it is the “hypocritical” believers that cause others to lose faith.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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