20220408 SEARCHING FOR GOD’S WILL IN OUR MINISTRY
08 April, 2022, Friday, 5th Week of Lent
First reading |
Jeremiah 20:10-13 © |
He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men
Jeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All those who used to be my friends
watched for my downfall,
‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.
Then we will master him
and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 17(18):2-7 © |
In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, Lord, my strength,
my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise,
when I call I am saved from my foes.
In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The waves of death rose about me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the snares of the grave entangled me;
the traps of death confronted me.
In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my anguish I called to the Lord;
I cried to God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt4:17 |
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Repent, says the Lord,
for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Or: |
cf.Jn6:63,68
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Gospel | John 10:31-42 © |
They wanted to stone Jesus, but he eluded them
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:
‘Is it not written in your Law:
I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word gods
of those to whom the word of God was addressed,
and scripture cannot be rejected.
Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,
“You are blaspheming,”
because he says, “I am the son of God.”
If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in him.
SEARCHING FOR GOD’S WILL IN OUR MINISTRY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [JER 20:10-13; JN 10:31-42]
Doing God’s work is one of the most challenging tasks in life, especially when it is concerned with prophetic work. This is because people are challenged by what we teach or do. People are happy so long as what we do does not hinder what they are doing as well. But if they see us as obstacles to their ambition, goals, or success, whether in business or for power, they will seek to destroy us. This was the case of Jeremiah who was a threat to the status quo of the king and his officials. So too was the case of Jesus because His teaching too challenged the status quo of the Jewish leaders.
Consequently, it is a mistake to think that doing Church work or being involved in the work of evangelization is fun and always full of joy. If we are seeking fun and pleasure, then we are doing for it ourselves, not for God. Service to God and His people is a very demanding task which calls for much sacrifice, not just in terms of time and resources but even in personal freedom. In truth, many of us are not ready to suffer for the ministry. When we meet with trials and difficulties, we get disillusioned and resign. This clearly shows that we are not working for God but for ourselves. Service to God, whether voluntary or paid, is not a matter of whether we like our job or not, but it is a matter of doing God’s will. So if God wills that we do a certain job, even if we do not like it, we are to obey His will. And if God wants us to suffer for Him in doing good even when we are providing a free service, then we must accept such trials in the spirit of Christ. We do not simply give up because the going is tough! Did Jesus or Jeremiah give up their prophetic tasks simply because they were opposed on all sides? Nay, they remained in their posts even when threatened with death.
In the face of challenges and opposition, what should we do? How can we remain firm like the Lord? Firstly, we need to discern and decipher exactly whether what we are doing is the Lord’s will. When Jeremiah was opposed, he began to have self-doubt as to whether what others said of him could be true. Jeremiah said: “I hear so many disparaging me, ‘Terror from every side!’ Denounce him! Let us denounce him! All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall, ‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we will master him and take our revenge!'” Could he be deceived or misled? Could he be a false prophet and heard God’s voice wrongly? So Jeremiah took time to search the depths of his heart and the voice of God that He heard calling him so deeply to speak to His people the message that he received from God.
Secondly, we need to be clear of our identity and calling. Jesus knew Himself, His identity, His relationship with God and what He had been called to do. This explains why Jesus was able to remain firm when opposed by the Jews and refused to take back His claims when they threatened to stone Him to death as prescribed by the Law of Moses for those who blasphemed. Jesus knew that He came from the Father and that He did everything in union with the Father. He defended Himself saying, “If I am not doing my Father’s work, there is no need to believe me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for sure that the Father is in me and I am the Father.”
Thirdly, Jesus vindicated Himself by His works. When “the Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?'” We can doubt a person’s words but we cannot doubt His works because every tree must be judged by its fruits. So too with Jesus! He did not ask that they believe in His words but what proved His message was from God were the works that He performed, the works of God, seen in the healing miracles and works of mercy, compassion and liberation.
Fourthly, Jesus justified Himself as one being sent. He did not come from Himself but He was sent by the Father. When the Jews accused Him of claiming to be God, He said, “‘Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So the Law used the word gods of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and scripture cannot be rejected. Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because he says, ‘I am the Son of God.'” Indeed, Jesus knew that He was sent by the Father and was consecrated for a mission. The mission of Jesus was to represent the Father’s love and mercy. To be called the son of God was not exceptionally strange because quoting from Psalm 82:6, the Israelite leaders and judges were called gods. (cf Ex 4:16; 7:1). They were seen as agents of God’s revelation and His divine will. Following this scriptural basis, the claims of Jesus could not be considered blasphemy. In fact, Jesus was claiming that He was one with His Father in mind and heart.
How many of us can stand firm with Jesus and when challenged, refer our opponents to the works we do? Can we say that we always walk the talk? Unless, we are true to ourselves and live blameless lives, we cannot speak with that confidence to others or tell them what to do. In the final analysis, instead of taking things into our own hands, after all that is said and done, like Jeremiah, we must turn to the Lord for courage and strength. Let us surrender judgement and justice to God. Jeremiah said, “But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.” Instead of taking actions against our enemies, let the Lord who is our commander and fighter seek justice for us. For as Jeremiah said, “But you, Lord of hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.”
We must wait for the time to strike by seeking out God’s timing, not ours. We read that when they wanted to arrest the Lord, “He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising.” Jesus did not fight head-on with His enemies because He knew He still had much work to do. “They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.” He ran away not because He was a coward but because He needed time to finish what He had to do. He went away in order to return another day to fight the battle that would bring ultimate victory. Jesus did not allow His ego to take the better of Him. Rather, His thought was always the accomplishment of the Father’s will and His divine plan. So there was an opportunity for that.
It will be good also for us to learn from Jesus to return to our Galilee or Transfiguration experience. We read that whilst withdrawing from the heat of the opposition, He went to renew and refresh Himself in the Father’s love by returning to that place where He was baptized. It was necessary for Jesus to recall the Father’s promise of His love for Him when He was baptized and the mission given to Him at His baptism. We too must always return to that moment of our calling, that event in which we experienced the love of Christ and how we heard Him calling us to serve Him. Constant withdrawal and remembrance of His love for us will help us to stay focused, especially in times of doubt and trials. Like the disciples of John, we must not forget our own God-experience. We read that “Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in him.” So in our frustrations and in those moments we feel so tired, alone and disillusioned in our ministry, let us withdraw to that place and event when we felt the Lord so intimately.
Always in prayer and quiet reflection do we, like Jesus and Jeremiah, find strength to regain our energy and focus so that we can finish the job that the Lord has entrusted us. With the psalmist, we pray, “I love you, Lord, my strength, my rock, my fortress, my saviour. My God is the rock where I take refuge; my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold. The Lord is worthy of all praise, when I call I am saved from my foes. In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.” With praise and thanksgiving and trust, we should join Jeremiah in trusting Him. “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.”
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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