PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF A CULT PERSONALITY

20220831 PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF A CULT PERSONALITY

 

 

31 August, 2022, Wednesday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

1 Corinthians 3:1-9 ©

Neither the planter nor the waterer matters, only God, who makes things grow

Brothers, I myself was unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and indeed, you are still not ready for it since you are still unspiritual. Isn’t that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people? What could be more unspiritual than your slogans, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’?

  After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow. It is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will duly be paid according to his share in the work. We are fellow workers with God; you are God’s farm, God’s building.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 32(33):12-15,20-21 ©

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

  the people he has chosen as his own.

From the heavens the Lord looks forth,

  he sees all the children of men.

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

From the place where he dwells he gazes

  on all the dwellers on the earth;

he who shapes the hearts of them all;

  and considers all their deeds.

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

  The Lord is our help and our shield.

In him do our hearts find joy.

  We trust in his holy name.

Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

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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!

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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.

 

PREVENTING THE GROWTH OF A CULT PERSONALITY

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 COR 3:1-9; PS 33:12-15, 20-21; LUKE 4:38-44]

Everywhere there are charismatic leaders that will shine out from among the rest. They attract followers because of their eloquence, passion, dynamism, preaching and other charisms, such as healing and humour.  Most organizations are dependent on leaders who are charismatic for their growth.  Without such leaders, it would be difficult to attract members and attention.

But there is a danger that such charismatic leaders can create a kind of cult personality.  In some religions, leaders have been known to form cults where members give absolute obedience and surrender their lives, wealth and even wives to them!  When that happens, members no longer act rationally because they are mesmerized by their leaders and their rhetoric.

In the early Church, charismatic leaders also existed in the Church of Corinth.  There was factionalism.  Some were for Paul and others for Apollos.  The people were taking sides and championing their favourite leader.  As a result, the community was divided.  This is happening in our parishes as well.  There are cliques and supporters of one priest over another; one leader over another.   This is made worse when both leaders are competitors or are not able to get along.  Not only are people divided, but the leaders are also divided when they support such factionalism. This can cause great scandal and embarrassment to the Church.  At the end of the day, the whole Church is wounded and the name of the Church is discredited since all of us belong to the one Body of Christ.

St Paul says this is due to the lack of spirituality and immaturity in our spiritual life.  “Brothers, I myself was unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and indeed, you are still not ready for it since you are still un-spiritual. Isn’t that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people? What could be more unspiritual than your slogans, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’?”   Indeed, when those who call themselves Christians engage in such politicking, quarrelling and publicly displaying their unhappiness with their leaders, instigating others to stand up for him or for her, slandering or competing with each other and putting each other down to boost their position and credibility, it only goes to show their childishness, insecurity and pride.  When we see or hear such scandals, we feel sad for the Church and embarrassed that such things are happening among people who are supposedly committed to Christ and the gospel.  How could they use the name of God to justify their attacks on the integrity and weaknesses of others?  What must we do to prevent such unfortunate competition and factionalism from taking place? 

Firstly, we must remind ourselves that we are God’s servants.  St Paul wrote, “After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you.”  Our task is to serve God and His Church.  Everything we do must be for His greater glory.  As servants, we must not do anything that discredits His Church.  The greater good of the Church must be kept in mind and not our personal or factional interests.

Secondly, our position in service is assigned by God; not by our choice. It is for the Lord to allocate His gifts to us and to place us where He thinks we can best serve Him.  To aspire for positions or to vie for honour is not what a servant of God should do.  He would be serving His own self.   We all have our parts to play in everything.  No one person is responsible for the success of any project.  Someone might get the honour but it is not for himself but on behalf of the team. Like in the case of the Prime Minister; if the country is doing well, it is not solely his work alone but that of his team and supporters.  So too the bishop and the parish priest and in any organization!  Let us not delude ourselves into believing that it is all due to our hard work and leadership.

Thirdly, it is God who is the cause of fecundity.  “God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow.”  Man proposes but God disposes.  Regardless how hard we work, it is not for us to determine the success of any project.  Success is not only strategic planning or hard work but it is due to the grace of God.  There are other factors as well that are beyond our control; the weather, the circumstances, the timing, the people whom we meet, the contacts, the generosity of those who support us, etc.   Without the grace of God, we cannot succeed.  So once again, let us not allow our glory to get into our heads, thinking that success is due to us alone.

Fourthly, we are all fellow workers in God’s farm. We are called to work as a team.  The farm belongs to God and the building is His.  So as servants of God we are all called to work together to tend to His farm and take care of His building.  All are needed to get the job done.  Since God is the owner and we are His servants, our task is to serve Him and remember that we are only stewards.  We do not own the people under our charge.  They are not our property for us to do as we like.  As stewards, we must be responsible and at the end of the day, give an account to the Lord for all the talents and resources He has blessed us with to serve His people.

Finally, the reward must be left to God alone.  A servant of God cannot be thinking of rewards.  What reward should we expect when the greatest reward has already been given, namely, the capacity to serve Him and His people?  Without Him blessing us with health, wealth, charisms and time, we will not be able to serve His people.  That we are able to serve and make use of our resources to help others is the greatest of all rewards, for in service we find life and fulfilment.  So there are no other rewards we can expect because the reward is love, joy, peace and fulfilment.  When a person lives in that manner after the life of Christ, he or she should be thankful.  Indeed, in the gospel, the reward of doing well as we see in the parable of the Talents is to be given a greater task and a heavier responsibility to manage other things.  The more we expand and expend ourselves for service, the greater is the joy and the happiness.

All that we have just said are exemplified in the life and ministry of Jesus.   The gospel describes His daily routine, which was hectic and busy.  But Jesus was conscious that His ministry was not about Himself but about the needs of the people.  His mission was to proclaim the Good News of God’s unconditional love and mercy.  His sole purpose was to lead the people to know His Father’s love and mercy.  It was not to lead people to Him and if people were to come to Him, it was only because He is the Way to the Father.

Hence, although identified with His people and their distress, He was also detached from them.  He did not allow Himself to be controlled by the people or even by their love and attachment to Him.    He did not make use of them for His security or ego.  When they sought to have Him stay with them, the answer of Jesus was firm, “‘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.”  He did not wait for any appreciation or recognition for the work He did.  In some instances, He even forbade those who were healed to speak of Him for fear that others might come to Him for the wrong reasons.  This explains why He “rebuked them (the devils) and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.”  He did not allow the Devil to derail His plans and His mission by identifying Him as the Son of God.  He wanted people to come to Him not out of fear but out of faith.  So it must be a personal discovery and a relationship, not based on spectacular performances.

Jesus was focused on His mission and not on Himself.  This is the key to prevent a cult personality.  Today, we need to learn from Jesus by being discerning and growing in self-awareness. Unless leaders are praying sincerely, they would not be able to be self-effacing in their leadership and ministry.  Worst of all, they can be deceived into thinking too highly of themselves and believing that they are indispensable for the success of the organization.  Humility and selfless service is the key to leadership.

The basis of our ministry must come from our humility and gratitude to God who enables us to serve with Him.   Being grateful that we are chosen as His own and for His service is the greatest reward. We should not be seeking more.  “They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own. From the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men. Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield. In him do our hearts find joy.  We trust in his holy name.”  To be counted among the servants of God and His children is the greatest of all joys in life.

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Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

 

THE AUTHORITY OF A LEADER

20220830 THE AUTHORITY OF A LEADER

 

 

30 August, 2022, Tuesday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 ©

The Spirit reaches even the depths of God

The Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. After all, the depths of a man can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other man, and in the same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God. Now instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually. An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit. A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men. As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 144(145):8-14 ©

The Lord is just in all his ways.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

  slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

  compassionate to all his creatures.

The Lord is just in all his ways.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

  and your friends shall repeat their blessing.

They shall speak of the glory of your reign

  and declare your might, O God,

to make known to men your mighty deeds

  and the glorious splendour of your reign.

The Lord is just in all his ways.

Yours is an everlasting kingdom;

  your rule lasts from age to age.

The Lord is faithful in all his words

  and loving in all his deeds.

The Lord supports all who fall

  and raises all who are bowed down.

The Lord is just in all his ways.

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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!

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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.

 

THE AUTHORITY OF A LEADER

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 CORINTHIANS 2:10-16; LUKE 4:31-37]

In the gospel, we are told twice how the people reacted to the teaching of Jesus and His works. With regard to His teaching, it “made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.”  Indeed, the authority of our Lord was different from that of the other rabbis and teachers.  Whereas they all referred to other authorities, namely God and Moses, Jesus preached in His own name and in His own authority.  He did not have to preface His words, with “thus says the Lord”, like the prophets and the teachers of the day.  He spoke from His own conviction and in His own person and in His own authority.

Not only did He teach with authority, but He also acted with authority and power.  Whether it is with respect to man or even the evil spirits, Jesus could command with authority.  When “the spirit of an unclean devil … shouted at the top of its voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?’  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.” Just with a command, the evil spirit left the possessed man.  In contrast, the exorcists of His days had to recite long incantations and even used other objects and herbs to drive out the evil spirits.  Jesus did not need to say long prayers but simply at His word, the evil spirits obeyed immediately.

What gave Jesus that absolute authority that commanded respect and obedience? Jesus was fully aware of His own identity.  Hence, when the devil said, “I know who you are: the Holy One of God”, He told him to be quiet.  He did not need the devil to announce His identity.  He did not need the devil to affirm His identity.  He knew who He was.  Furthermore, in letting the people know His identity, they might mistake His messiahship as a political one.   Jesus knew the devil’s tactic to derail His plans.  As the Son of God, He was conscious that He was not acting by Himself but in union with the Father.  He was aware that He had the Father’s backing and support in what He was doing.   Everything He did was in accordance with the Father’s will and His plan for us.

Secondly, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.  After His baptism, the Holy Spirit led Him into the desert.  He began His ministry in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was not only acting by Himself but always in the power of the Holy Spirit.   It was the Spirit at work in His ministry, empowering Him to heal, to teach authoritatively and giving Him discernment and understanding that the human mind cannot understand or perceive. It was His docility to be led by the Spirit that enabled Jesus to do what He did.  Hence, we read that “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.”

In contrast, many of us, even as leaders, act without personal authority.  The only authority we have is human authority.  This is the authority that comes from our academic studies.  Just because we hold an academic degree on a certain subject, people will listen to us and respect what we say because we are supposedly experts in that subject matter.  But then many might disagree with us as well in our findings and analysis.   Intellectual knowledge and scholarship are not sufficient to command full authority from our listeners, especially when there are so many diverse opinions on every issue.  It is a matter of reliability but there is no guarantee of truth.

When academic authority fails, some exercise juridical authority that comes from the office.   We use force and power to people them submit to our authority.  Using the power that comes from the office means to use the force of the law.  If you break the laws, you would be penalized accordingly.  So our subordinates and those under our charge obey us more out of fear of punishment than conviction or even understanding.  We cannot change the hearts of men through fear and punishment.  We only make them hostile towards authority.  They will await their chance to usurp our authority one day so that they can change the rules.

Finally, when that fails, many of us will use authority that comes from our connection with influential or powerful people.  We use them or name drop to get things done.  Indeed, we would quote this and that famous person to make our point because no one will respect us for our own opinions.  This was what the prophets and many teachers did.  When they taught, they would quote some established teachers and leaders to back up what they were saying.  Some of us may even use money and rewards to get others to collaborate with us.  By so doing we enter into that slippery path of corruption, cronyism and become obligated to them.

As a consequence, we destroy ourselves and lose our credibility as leaders.  St Paul makes it clear what an unspiritual man is. “An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit.”  Those who are unspiritual cannot understand or see beyond the superficiality of life for the eternal values.  They cannot understand why living a life of love and giving is better than simply acquiring things and wealth and power.  They are not able to appreciate why spending time with God in contemplation brings more joy and happiness than indulging oneself in the things of the world, like getting drunk, fighting, arguing and living in debauchery.  They cannot understand why sex alone cannot bring happiness without love.

Whereas a spiritual man understands what really matters in life.  He distinguishes the means from the end.  “A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men.  As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ.”  When we have the mind and the spirit of Christ, we will look at everything through the eyes of Christ.  This is what St Paul wrote elsewhere too, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col 3:2f) “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

Thus, we need to ask for the Spirit of God to enlighten and guide us.  Only the Spirit of God can lead us to understand life the way God sees.  “The Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God.  After all, the depths of a man, and in the same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God.”  Human understanding of the world will not bring us very far.  Science can help us in technology and knowledge of the world.  But science does not deal with the matters of the heart, which is love and truth.  Science of course, when seen with faith, can help us to encounter God.  “Now instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us.  Therefore we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually.”

Thus, today, if we are serious in acquiring the Spirit of God in our lives so that we can discern and judge wisely, then we need to pray.  There is no other way to be filled with the Spirit of God except through prayer and contemplation of the Word of God.  He speaks to us through the Word and He fills us with His Spirit in prayer and through worship, especially through the means of the sacraments.  Only when we are imbued with His Spirit, can we then speak with conviction and act with courage and authority.

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Written by His Eminence, William Cardinal Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

THE WORK OF PROPHECY IN OUR TIMES

20220829 THE WORK OF PROPHECY IN OUR TIMES

 

 

29 August, 2022, Monday, Beheading of John the Baptist

First reading

Jeremiah 1:17-19 ©

Stand up and tell them all I command you; do not be dismayed at their presence

The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying:

‘Brace yourself for action.

Stand up and tell them

all I command you.

Do not be dismayed at their presence,

or in their presence I will make you dismayed.

‘I, for my part, today will make you

into a fortified city,

a pillar of iron,

and a wall of bronze

to confront all this land:

the kings of Judah, its princes,

its priests and the country people.

They will fight against you

but shall not overcome you,

for I am with you to deliver you –

it is the Lord who speaks.’

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 70(71):1-6,15,17 ©

My lips will tell of your help.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;

  let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me, free me:

  pay heed to me and save me.

My lips will tell of your help.

Be a rock where I can take refuge,

  a mighty stronghold to save me;

  for you are my rock, my stronghold.

Free me from the hand of the wicked.

My lips will tell of your help.

It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,

  my trust, O Lord, since my youth.

On you I have leaned from my birth,

  from my mother’s womb you have been my help.

My lips will tell of your help.

My lips will tell of your justice

  and day by day of your help.

O God, you have taught me from my youth

  and I proclaim your wonders still.

My lips will tell of your help.

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Gospel Acclamation

Mt5:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy those who are persecuted

in the cause of right,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Mark 6:17-29 ©

The beheading of John the Baptist

Herod sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

  An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

 

THE WORK OF PROPHECY IN OUR TIMES

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [JEREMIAH 1:17-19; MARK 6:17-29]

In the days of old, prophecy was normally made by a charismatic leader.  Most of the time he was a lone voice crying out in the desert, like John the Baptist. This was the case of most of the prophets in the Old Testament. Most of the time, they were fighting against the established institutions.  Whether it was Jeremiah, John the Baptist, our Lord Jesus or the apostles, their real enemies and opponents were the rulers of the day, the king, the princes, the nobles, the priests and the powerful.  It must have been terribly frightening to be a prophet because the kings and the authorities had power over life and death. To criticize or reprimand those who were in power was to court death, imprisonment and punishment.  So it is not surprising that all the prophets, including our Lord, were persecuted, imprisoned, mocked, ridiculed, threatened, intimidated and even killed.

Who wants such a job?  Who wants to be unpopular?  Who wants to have his life shortened when we have only one life?  Who would not be worried for his loved ones, especially his family members if anything were to go wrong for them?  Who is not afraid of pain and rejection, physical and moral suffering?  Who is not afraid of loneliness and isolation?  We can be sure that when John the Baptist was thrown into the dungeon, a small little cell all chained up in the palace, it must have been very hard and miserable for him as he was so free all his life. Worst of all, a prophet is not paid.  He would have to live simply.  He is called to be a prophet not just in words but in life.  So why be a prophet when there is nothing to gain from it?

Unlike other offices, positions or jobs where people aspire to and work for them, a prophet needs to be called.  This is because without conviction and passion this prophetic office cannot be exercised faithfully. Indeed, Jeremiah and John the Baptist knew in their hearts that they were called by the Lord. “The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying: ‘Brace yourself for action. Stand up and tell them all I command you. Do not be dismayed at their presence, or in their presence I will make you dismayed.'”   The prophetic office is not a choice we make based on our likes and preferences.  It has to be a call from within our hearts, hence, the Latin word, “vocare”.

Only when we are called, can we then exercise the office with confidence and power.  This is because unlike other career choices, we know that we are not working for ourselves but for God and His people.  We also know that unlike a career where we need to depend on ourselves, when it is a vocation, we depend more on God who works in and through us.  We know that we are not fighting this battle alone but because this mission is from God, He will supply us the graces to accomplish His tasks.  This is what the Lord said to Jeremiah, “I, for my part, today will make you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, and a wall of bronze to comfort all this land: the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the country people.  They will fight against you but shall not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you – it is the Lord who speaks.”  With the psalmist, we can place our total trust in the Lord to help us and rescue us from our foes.  “In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, free me: pay heed to me and save me.  Be a rock where I can take refuge, a mighty stronghold to save me; for you are my rock, my stronghold.  Free me from the hand of the wicked.”   In the final analysis, a true prophet is so only because we can see the hand of the Lord working in and through him in a most powerful manner.

Whilst the essential pattern of the call to be a prophet and the work is still the same today, the way one is called to exercise the office of prophecy can be quite different.  In those days, we depended simply on a charismatic person.  This still remains the case today.  We need charismatic leaders filled with passion, zeal and conviction for anything to move forward.  However, unlike prophecy then, which was localized in a particular county or country, today we live in a global village.  It would be impossible to communicate with the rest of society if we simply go about doing our work.

So over and above a charismatic prophet who is both eloquent in words and exemplary in deeds, there is a need for collaboration with others.  We need the support of the community as well.  This explains why consistently and repeatedly, the popes have reminded us that the mission of the Church must be accomplished in communion.  We cannot act alone as in the past.  The prophets of today need to be supported by the community if his work were to be effective.  If the Church has become a diminishing prophet in the world, it is because we are not working together as Church.  If we are fighting among ourselves and divided, Satan is very happy.  The world wants to see the Church divided from within so that they do not have to do anything.  If we do not support the Holy Father in His mission, the Church cannot be a real prophetic force in the world. If the world listens to the pope, it is because they know that more than a billion people are behind him.  So if want to preach about the beauty of married life and the family, we must, as Catholics, demonstrate the joy of married love and the family.

Even this is not sufficient if we want our message to get across to all peoples in the world.  Today, we need the media to help us in the work of prophecy.  The stark reality is that in a globalized and digital society, the only way to reach out to the masses is to leverage the tools of mass communication.  Print alone is no longer effective.  The media is a double-edged sword.  They can be our friends or our enemies.  The power of the media is really great.  It can swing the opinions of the masses by the way it reports the news and the way it presents the facts.  Public opinion is easily swayed by the media and those who use social communication tools.  Quite often, one is elected or heard only because of the support and the sympathy of the media.  Thus, the media is a very powerful instrument in the work of prophecy today.  If harnessed well, they can help us to spread the Good News and proclaim the truth to the world.

But there are also many Herodias around who would manipulate anyone to serve their cause.  Herodias would even go to the extreme of allowing her daughter to dance before Herod, which in those days was considered inappropriate for a royal member of the family.  But she was so vindictive that she would not spare any effort to destroy her critics.  This is true of the world today.  Our opponents of the truth and justice can and will do anything to discredit the prophets of the Church, often using the media and manipulating it for their own agenda and interests.  If not dealt with properly, they could destroy all that we have built.  Thus a prophet today must be on guard against the devious plans and attacks of our enemies all the time.

This is all the more urgent because of relativism.  Our hearts inform us of what is right and what is wrong.  Herod liked to listen to John the Baptist and yet was afraid of him.  Like Herod, we are often in a dilemma.  There is in each one of us, good and evil.  We are not much different from Herod.  We do not like to hear the truth in case we need to change; yet we feel drawn to hear the truth that is proclaimed.  As Church, therefore, we need to speak together as one led by our leader, be he our Holy Father or the bishop of the diocese, so that when we speak, we can be heard clearly by the world, as opposed to when we speak singly or as an individual.

Let us today be inspired by John the Baptist’s courage and fidelity to the truth.  He preferred to be true to his calling and the voice of God than to listen to the world.  He lived and died for the truth.  We too are called to be the conscience of the world.  We must not hide the truth and choose popularity, acceptance and personal gain over truth and justice.  Let us not waiver like Herod and give in to impulse, driven by fear, emotions and self-indulgence.  John could do this only because of his relationship with the Lord.  He derived his strength and fortitude from prayer and communion with God in the desert and in solitude.  If we feel discouraged today, and all alone like Jeremiah, John the Baptist and our Lord, let us go to the garden of Gethsemane and cry out for help.  Like the psalmist, we pray, “It is you, O Lord, who are my hope, my trust, O Lord, since my youth. On you I have leaned from my birth, from my mother’s womb you have been my help. My lips will tell of your justice and day by day of your help.  O God, you have taught me from my youth and I proclaim your wonders still.”

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Written by His Eminence, William Cardinal Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

HUMILITY OF THE GREAT

20220828 HUMILITY OF THE GREAT

 

 

28 August, 2022, Sunday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 3:19-21,30-31 ©

Behave humbly, and you will find favour with the Lord

My son, be gentle in carrying out your business,

  and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.

The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly,

  and then you will find favour with the Lord;

for great though the power of the Lord is,

  he accepts the homage of the humble.

There is no cure for the proud man’s malady,

  since an evil growth has taken root in him.

The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables,

  an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 67(68):4-7,10-11 ©

In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

The just shall rejoice at the presence of God,

  they shall exult and dance for joy.

O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;

  rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.

In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,

  such is God in his holy place.

God gives the lonely a home to live in;

  he leads the prisoners forth into freedom:

In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

You poured down, O God, a generous rain:

  when your people were starved you gave them new life.

It was there that your people found a home,

  prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor.

In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

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Second reading

Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24 ©

You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.

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Gospel Acclamation

Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him, 

and we shall come to him.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt11:29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,

says the Lord,

for I am gentle and humble in heart.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Luke 14:1,7-14 ©

Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled

On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

  Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

 

HUMILITY OF THE GREAT

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Eccl 3:19-21, 30-31; Ps 68; Heb 12:18-19, 22-24; Lk 14:1, 7-14]

Today’s scripture readings are timely, following the Holy Father’s appointment of me as a cardinal of the Universal Church yesterday.  But the readings apply not just to me only, but to all who hold positions of influence and authority, whether within the Church or in secular life.  Understandably, the office of a cardinal is considered a high position in the Church as it ranks second only to the Holy Father, and the cardinal has the grave responsibility of electing the next pope.  Of course, until then, he has the duty of helping the Holy Father to care for the Universal Church.

Due to his special position in the Church, he is taken seriously for what he says.  Being not just a public figure but a world figure, it therefore behoves him to be conscious of his dignity and his position, lest he gives cause to scandals and confusion because of what he says or does.  What he says or does could have global impact and sensationalized by the media for better or for worse.  Hence, respect and dignity are accorded not so much to him as a person but to his office.  Thus, he should never be carried away by the honour given to him.  He must not become egoistic and think that people are honouring him as a person, but that they are giving due respect to his office of which he represents.  One must never forget that he is representing the Holy Father and the Church.  So what he says or does must be reflective of the Church.

Consequently, those of us who are in position must remain humble.  Regardless whether we are cardinals or otherwise, every position of authority requires us to be humble.  Sirach advises us, “My son, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver. The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble.”  Indeed, the higher we are, the humbler we are expected to be because we are all called to be servant leaders.   We are called to be models of humble service and conduct.

Indeed, Jesus warned the religious leaders not to think too highly of themselves.  He gave the example of someone being invited for a meal in the house.  Most of us, as the Lord observed, seek the high places of honour.  We feel great about ourselves and feel that we should be seated where we are recognized as important.  Indeed, some of us are desperate to be recognized and known.  But the Lord underscored that it is not we who should place ourselves in life.  He said, “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, ‘Give up your place to this man.'”  Pride and arrogance is an overestimation of oneself, one’s talents and position.

Rather, we must take our position in life as an honour and a responsibility bestowed by God.  It is not something we earned, or something we deserved.  Our position in society, our role in life and in the community, our talents and our skills are all given by God in accordance with His plan. We must never think that we are the best person, the smartest and the best leader in our community or in the world.  God chose us in very mysterious ways, often surprising the expectations of the world.   This is the same sentiments expressed by St Paul when he wrote, “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.”  (1 Cor 1:26-29) We should not be envious when others are promoted or seated at a higher place than us.  It is God who placed us accordingly, like the host who seats his guests.

Truly, we must be on guard against pride and an obsession with our office and position in a way that concerns itself with boosting our ego and our image.  “There is no cure for the proud man’s malady, since an evil growth has taken root in him. The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.”  A proud man is focused on himself, his position, his recognition and his glory.  He is not concerned so much about upholding the office he holds on behalf of the institution or organization that he is answerable to but he is more concerned about himself.  When we are proud, we become demanding, easily slighted and seek to be served, to be adored and flattered.  A proud and egoistic person does not know himself.  He is always insecure.  He is self-serving.  This was true with the religious leaders during the time of our Lord. This can also be true for those of us who hold positions in life as well. 

However, a humble person recognizes that he is just an ordinary man like the rest.  We all share in the same humanity.  We are made of flesh and blood, have feelings and desire happiness and love in life.  We need proper food and accommodation to function properly.  The author of Hebrews describes the future of humanity.   He wrote, “What you have come to is nothing known to the senses. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven.”  Indeed, in the eyes of God, we are all equal.  We are all citizens of heaven, sons and daughters of God.  In heaven, we are all equal and are all loved by God.  In heaven, we do not distinguish ourselves as greater or lesser than others.  We are all brothers and sisters.

What distinguishes us is our calling to work in the vineyard of the Lord.  But beyond these basics, we are all called to different vocations according to what the Lord has graced us.  We have nothing much to boast except God’s graciousness and mercy.  Without God’s grace, we cannot be who we are today.  All our success, achievements and glory come from God alone.  So if there is anything to boast, we can only boast of the Lord.  “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1:31) It does not matter which office we are appointed to in life. What ultimately matters is how we live out our vocation in life.  In being true to what the Lord has chosen us to do in life, we perfect ourselves in grace and holiness.  Indeed, the reward of heaven is given to those who have perfected themselves.  The letter of Hebrews says, “You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.”

One sure way of growing in perfection is when are humble to accept our position in life so that we can accept others as well regardless of their status.  Jesus said, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.” Some of us are too proud to be regarded as less than who we think we are.  In truth, we are all poor, crippled, lame and blind in some ways.  That God accepts us for who we are and invites us to His banquet, means that we too are called to accept others in the same way.

Hence, the Lord invites us to do the same by inviting others into our lives, even those we think are below our status.  In God’s eyes, we are all equal.  The truly humble person therefore is able to enjoy the company of all, regardless whether they are of high or low standing, educated or uneducated; and make all feel at ease with him.  This is because he is identified with them as human beings and embraces them as brothers and sisters.  The basic human things and human rights are common to all.  A humble man in spite of his position should become less conscious of his position, and thinks less of himself and more of others. When we are at ease with everyone, great or small, then we are truly humble because we feel we are one with our fellow brothers and sisters.  When that happens, we no longer feel separated from others but recognize that we are all one in Christ and loved by the Lord.

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Written by His Eminence, William Cardinal Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.