FINDING BACK OUR JOY THROUGH A CHILD-LIKE SPIRITUALITY

20221001 FINDING BACK OUR JOY THROUGH A CHILD-LIKE SPIRITUALITY

 

 

01 October, 2022, Saturday, St Therese of the Child Jesus

First reading

Isaiah 66:10-14 ©

Towards Jerusalem I send flowing peace, like a river

Rejoice, Jerusalem,

be glad for her, all you who love her!

Rejoice, rejoice for her,

all you who mourned her!

That you may be suckled, filled,

from her consoling breast,

that you may savour with delight

her glorious breasts.

For thus says the Lord:

Now towards her I send flowing

peace, like a river,

and like a stream in spate

the glory of the nations.

At her breast will her nurslings be carried

and fondled in her lap.

Like a son comforted by his mother

will I comfort you.

And by Jerusalem you will be comforted.

At the sight your heart will rejoice,

and your bones flourish like the grass.

To his servants the Lord will reveal his hand.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 130(131) ©

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

O Lord, my heart is not proud

  nor haughty my eyes.

I have not gone after things too great

  nor marvels beyond me.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

Truly I have set my soul

  in silence and peace.

A weaned child on its mother’s breast,

  even so is my soul.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

O Israel, hope in the Lord

  both now and forever.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

---

Gospel Acclamation

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Matthew 18:1-5 ©

Unless you become like little children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven

The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

  ‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.’

 

FINDING BACK OUR JOY THROUGH A CHILD-LIKE SPIRITUALITY

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Isaiah 66:10-14; Ps 131; Matthew 18:1-5]

Life is rather stressful for most of us adults.  We feel that we have so many responsibilities to fulfil.  We worry about our children and our elders.  We worry about our job and business.  We are anxious about our health.  In addition, we always worry that we do not have enough money to get by.  We harbour much unpleasant memories in our hearts.  We cannot forgive people who have hurt us.  We bear grudges and keep our resentment against them.  We cannot let go of things that happened in the past.  We live in fear of the future.  No wonder, we have lost the joy of living.  Life for us has become a burden, a drudgery.  The only joy we have is reduced to sensual and material enjoyment, which is hardly fulfilling because our spirit remains hungry even if our body is satiated.

To be happy and joyful in life, the gospel invites us to recapture the “little way of spiritual childhood” of St Theresa of the Child Jesus.  This is what the Lord asks of us when He said, “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”   In the first reading, the prophet invites us to come to God who is our mother.  “Rejoice Jerusalem, Rejoice, rejoice for her, all you who mourned her! That you may be suckled, filled, from her consoling breast, that you may savour with delight her glorious breast. For thus says the Lord: Now towards her I send flowing peace, like a river, and like a stream in spate the glory of the nations. At her breast will her nurslings be carried and fondled in her lap. Like a son comforted by his mother will I comfort you.”  Indeed, all of us can become great saints like her if only we learn how to cultivate the child-like spirituality of St Theresa.

What does it mean to cultivate a child-like spirituality?  The first quality of child-likeness is humility.  A child recognizes his or her limitations.  He lives in dependence on his parents and teachers.  He is always willing to ask questions and to learn more and more.  He is never too proud to ask for help.   He does not isolate himself from others.  This is what the psalmist says, “Lord, my eyes do not look high nor my thoughts take wings for I can find treasures in ordinary things. Great affairs are not for me, deeds beyond my scope. In the simple things I do, I find joy and hope.”    Humility is the gateway to know God.  Instead of questioning God about the mysteries of life, in humility we accept the mysteries of life in faith.  With the psalmist, we pray, “O my Lord, within my heart pride will have no home. Every talent that I have comes from you alone.”

Secondly, a child lives in faith and trust.  Children have complete confidence in their parents that they will provide them with the necessary means of survival.  They open up to their parents and share with them how they feel and what they do.  They feel safe when their parents are around.  For every need, they would turn to mommy and daddy to protect them.  To be a child of the heavenly Father is to trust in His divine providence and to believe that all things happen for our good.  As the psalmist says, “Truly, like a child at rest close to its mother’s breast, safe in your arms my soul is calmed.” St Theresa had this attitude, considering the fact that her faith was not shaken by the loss of her mother when she was only four years old, and four of her nine siblings.  She continued to hold firmly in faith her trust in the Lord.  In contrast, adults are self-reliant.  Somehow, along the process of growth, they lose trust in God and their parents.  They become sceptical and paranoid of people.  They are always suspicious of others, doubting their motives and intentions.  This does not mean that we are to trust everyone blindly but generally, we should take the courage to trust rather than to doubt the person’s good intention.  They believe that they can do all things and attain all things through their efforts alone.  They take no chances. They are egoistic.  They depend on their own strength and will.

Thirdly, a childlike spirituality is to live in the ambit of God’s love.  The psalmist says, “And like a child at rest close to its mother’s breast, safe in your arms my soul is calmed.” Children are joyful only because they do not worry too much about the future.  They live in the present because they have this trust that their parents will provide.   They do not look for many things in life but the unconditional love of their parents.  So long as their parents are with them, they feel secure and they will find ways to entertain themselves.   That was how St Theresa lived her life each day with complete confidence in the love of God.  Her faith in God’s love was unshakeable.  Being loved by God for St Theresa was the greatest joy in her life.  Living in His loving presence gives us that assurance and security.  As a consequence, she was able to live a life of lasting joy regardless of the circumstances in her life.   Her last words were, “My God, I love You!”  Indeed, in her writings, she said, “What matters in life is not great deeds, but great love.”   From St Theresa, we learn the spirituality of doing ordinary things for all with love.  St Theresa’s spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with extraordinary love.

Fourthly, like a child, St Theresa was able to let go of her past and hurts easily.  She was not encumbered by the injuries or slight that others did to her.  Like St Theresa, we need to cultivate a short memory like children.  They easily forget their pains and sufferings.  They might cry over something but the next moment they are smiling.  They do not take things too seriously or keep them in their hearts.  They may be quarrelling with their siblings but within a short while they are laughing and playing with each other.  Adults are different.  We have an elephant memory.  Our pride and ego prevent us from letting go.  We can keep grudges and hurts for years.  That is why we are no longer joyful because we are burdened by our past and unforgiveness.  Instead of bearing grudges, she used her sufferings for the conversion of others.

She would think the better of them and made excuses for them.  As St Paul wrote, “Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.”   In her autobiography, she wrote “And it is the Lord, it is Jesus, Who is my judge. Therefore I will try always to think leniently of others, that He may judge me leniently, or rather not at all, since He says: ‘Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.'”

Indeed, she found peace because she could accept others as they were.  In her autobiography, she wrote how she chose to be at peace within herself rather than giving in to her annoyance with some irritating nuns.  One incident was when a fellow sister was always fidgeting during meditation.  She was tempted to tell her fellow sister off but instead chose to offer the noise to the Lord as a form of musical praise.  In another incident, another sister unknowingly splashed her face with dirty water while doing laundry.  Instead of getting angry, she learned to offer her dirty face as an act of humility to Christ.  Every sacrifice she made to keep the peace was for Jesus. She once said “Let us not be justices of the peace, but angels of peace.”

Fifthly, St Theresa had a sense of contemplative wonder at the mysteries of life.  She would contemplate on the Holy Family and imagined what the child Jesus would do.  She was practicing what we today call “Ignatian contemplation” on the gospel.  Through such contemplative wonder, she was able to penetrate the love of God and engage in a dialogue with Him like a child.  Indeed, children are always imaginative and instead of seeing problems, they see possibilities.  Creativity is at its best when we are children because children are able to express themselves freely.  They are curious and amazed at the things they see.  We too must never lose the sense of wonder at the mysteries of life.  Instead of looking at things with a fixated mindset, we must learn to be imaginative and creative so that we can see the beauty of life.  When we have a sense of wonder, we will always be grateful and humble before God and men.

Indeed, if we want to grow in holiness, it does not take extraordinary feat.  We do not have to do great things but do small things in a great way.  St Theresa is our hope that all of us can be holy as well.  Holiness is not the same as commitment to one’s duty.  St Paul wrote, “If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”  (1 Cor 13:3)   Indeed, many of us can be hardworking, but the reason why we work hard is because of our pride.  We want people to know that we are capable.   We become ambitious.  We want to prove to others that we are good enough for them.  Often it springs from the lack of security and self-esteem.  Such people are perfectionists and often cause others to suffer because of the high demands they place on them.  Holiness is to do all things with love.  This is what St Paul teaches us, “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”  (1 Cor 13:2)

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

 

SEEING A BIGGER PICTURE KEEPS US IN PERSPECTIVE

20220930 SEEING A BIGGER PICTURE KEEPS US IN PERSPECTIVE

 

 

30 September, 2022, Friday, 26th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Job 38:1,12-21,40:3-5 ©

The immeasurable greatness of God

From the heart of the tempest the Lord gave Job his answer. He said:

Have you ever in your life given orders to the morning

  or sent the dawn to its post,

telling it to grasp the earth by its edges

  and shake the wicked out of it,

when it changes the earth to sealing clay

  and dyes it as a man dyes clothes;

stealing the light from wicked men

  and breaking the arm raised to strike?

Have you journeyed all the way to the sources of the sea,

  or walked where the Abyss is deepest?

Have you been shown the gates of Death

  or met the janitors of Shadowland?

Have you an inkling of the extent of the earth?

  Tell me all about it if you have!

Which is the way to the home of the light,

  and where does darkness live?

You could then show them the way to their proper places,

  or put them on the path to where they live!

If you know all this, you must have been born with them,

  you must be very old by now!

Job replied to the Lord:

My words have been frivolous: what can I reply?

  I had better lay my finger on my lips.

I have spoken once... I will not speak again;

  more than once... I will add nothing.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 138(139):1-3,7-10,13-14 ©

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

O Lord, you search me and you know me,

  you know my resting and my rising,

  you discern my purpose from afar.

You mark when I walk or lie down,

  all my ways lie open to you.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

O where can I go from your spirit,

  or where can I flee from your face?

If I climb the heavens, you are there.

  If I lie in the grave, you are there.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

If I take the wings of the dawn

  and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,

even there your hand would lead me,

  your right hand would hold me fast.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

For it was you who created my being,

  knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I thank you for the wonder of my being,

  for the wonders of all your creation.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

---

Gospel Acclamation

Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord is faithful in all his words

and loving in all his deeds.

Alleluia!

Or:

Ps94:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Harden not your hearts today,

but listen to the voice of the Lord.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Luke 10:13-16 ©

Anyone who rejects me rejects the one who sent me

Jesus said to his disciples:

  ‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. And still, it will not go as hard with Tyre and Sidon at the Judgement as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell.

  ‘Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.’

 

 

SEEING A BIGGER PICTURE KEEPS US IN PERSPECTIVE

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [JOB 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5; Lk 10:13-16]

Most of us, like Job, have been brought up within a religious tradition.  Our faith values and beliefs are dependent on that tradition.  Whilst religious tradition is important in shaping our faith in God, yet, at times it does not fit into every situation.  Indeed, many of us question why the Church is so strict when it comes to divorce and remarriage.  There are many other ethical issues or even Church discipline that some of us cannot reconcile with the mercy and love of God.  Some have left the Church as they find the Church too legalistic, dogmatic and ritualistic.

This was the situation of Job.  He was brought up in a religious tradition that taught him that the good are rewarded by God and the bad are punished.  The doctrine of immediate retribution was very strong in the early part of the Old Testament, which is dealt with in the Book of Ezekiel.  One of the sayings in those days was, “The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”  In fact, there is a general belief in the doctrine of Karma.   You reap what you sow.  This was what St Paul also told the Christians in Galatia, “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”  (Gal 6:7) Job was brought up in that theology of immediate retribution in this life.  Hence, we can appreciate his inner struggle, seeking to reconcile his misfortunes with his innocence.

We can all surely empathize with Job in the way he reacted towards God.  Searching and examining his life, in all conscience, he did nothing wrong to deserve the punishments he was receiving.   Indeed, he was a just and righteous man.  He was blameless and truly a law-abiding Israelite.  He was more than fair in his dealings with others but was also generous with the poor.  Even his friends could not find anything that he had done wrong.  Although most of us cannot compare with the integrity of Job, on many occasions, we too have been fair in our relationships with God and our fellowmen.  We treat our workers and our loved ones well.  We provide for their welfare and pay them a just salary.  Yet, how often have we been cheated by them, or even betrayed in spite of all the good we have selflessly done for them.  In such moments we feel like Job, that God has been unfair to us.  We have contributed so much to the Church all our lives and then He permitted us to suffer a terminal illness or took away our spouse or children.  When such tragedies strike, like Job, we wonder where the justice of God is, since we read so often in the bible, particularly in the psalms, that the righteous man will be rewarded by God.

Right from the onset, we must state clearly that the doctrine of immediate retribution cannot be applied without qualification.  Most times, retribution happens in this life.  If we do not work, we will be sacked; and if we do not study, we will fail our exam.  This is something expected and a principle based on universal experience.  However, it is also true that there are many occasions when the unjust also seem to prosper as well whilst the good suffer.  This was how the psalmist felt too, “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold for I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles their bodies are healthy and strong.”  (Ps 73:1-4) Sometimes, like the psalmist, we envy evil and selfish people because they seem to be doing so well even though they break all the commandments of God, whereas law-abiding Christians like ourselves suffer the disadvantages of being true to our principles.  So we must not fall into the sin of presumption, as the friends of Job did when they sought to find some hidden blemish in his life to defend the justice of God.  The fact was that Job’s suffering had nothing to do with any wrong that he had done.

So where do we go from here, when religious traditions do not agree with life experiences?  We are called to embrace the mystery of God’s love in the midst of a world that is imperfect and sinful.  Suffering will remain always a mystery regardless how we try to explain it away or to make sense of it.  Even God is not exempted from suffering. So it is not just us who are suffering.  Anyone who loves will suffer.  We suffer not just for ourselves but for our loved ones.  The answer to the question of suffering and evil is not a matter of logic but a matter of embracing this profound mystery in faith and love. This was the sin of Job.

What was the sin of Job?  Even though initially he claimed he had no sin, in truth he did sin by questioning God’s wisdom and knowledge.  He was so proud and confident of himself, thinking that he could bring God to a trial and show forth the lack of wisdom and justice in God.  He had accused the Lord of being unjust.  With that limited knowledge of his, without being able to see the big picture, Job was simply thinking about himself.  He was too presumptuous to think that he was able to understand everything.  One thing was that he was unaware of the reason why God permitted Satan to tempt him. This is so common even in daily life.  Many of us are not happy with our superiors and all those in authority for their decisions and management of situations.  That is why those in public service get the most complaints because those who complain can only see the problem from their narrow perspective.  It is about “I, me and mine”.   So when their needs are not satisfied or their convenience is compromised, they will accuse the authorities for not being responsible or caring, failing to realize that there are many other factors and considerations to be taken in every decision.

Seeing things in perspective and humbly admitting our ignorance is what is required of us, as Job finally did.  God did not defend Himself or explain His reasons for what He did.  He simply helped Job to know his place in the world.  God spoke through His creation.  Where was Job when God created the world?  The point is that God in His wisdom and power created the universe.  Surely He knows better how to manage this creation than anyone of us!  We cannot even bring a person to life or create life in any creature.  So who are we to question the wisdom of God, His justice and providence?   When Job came to realize his insolence of wanting to bring God to trial, he became conscious of his sin.  His sin was in questioning God and thinking he knew better what to do.  He doubted God’s justice and even suggested that He was unjust and evil.  He was deeply remorseful when challenged to see the bigger picture of life and creation.  He said, “My words have been frivolous: what can I reply? I had better lay my finger on my lips. I have spoken once…I will not speak again; more than once … I will add nothing.”  We are limited, finite and mortal.  So all we can do is to bow down in silence before the mystery of God’s creation and accept it in faith and love.

Yet, the irony is that when we surrender ourselves to the providence of God and His divine will, we will find peace. Like the psalmist, we are called to surrender in faith to God’s will and plan for us.  With the psalmist, we must pray, “O where can I go from your spirit, or where can I flee from your face? If I climb the heavens, you are there.  If I lie in the grave, you are there.  If I take the wings of the dawn and dwell at the sea’s furthest end, even there your hand would lead me; your right hand would hold me fast. For it was you who created my being, knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, for the wonders of all your creation.”  If we can pray this prayer with faith, then like Job, we will once again experience His love and blessings.

When our commitment to God is dependent on circumstances and temporal favours, our faith will remain weak.  Rather, we must follow Job in coming to realize our finiteness and God’s incomprehensible wisdom.   Let us be humble before God and continue to respect and trust in Him even when we are suffering.  We must avoid falling, like the inhabitants in Capernaum, condemned by the Lord for their pride.  We must not lack faith like those in Chorazin and Bethsaida who did not recognize the marvels of God’s love and creation.  So with faith and humility, embracing God’s plan and His will, we will find peace and joy.

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

ST MICHAEL THE PROTECTOR

20220929 ST MICHAEL THE PROTECTOR

 

 

29 September, 2022, Thursday, Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

First reading

Daniel 7:9-10,13-14 ©

His robe was white as snow

As I watched:

Thrones were set in place

and one of great age took his seat.

His robe was white as snow,

the hair of his head as pure as wool.

His throne was a blaze of flames,

its wheels were a burning fire.

A stream of fire poured out,

issuing from his presence.

A thousand thousand waited on him,

ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

A court was held

and the books were opened.

I gazed into the visions of the night.

And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,

one like a son of man.

He came to the one of great age

and was led into his presence.

On him was conferred sovereignty,

glory and kingship,

and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.

His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty

which shall never pass away,

nor will his empire ever be destroyed.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 137(138):1-5 ©

In the presence of the angels I will bless you, O Lord.

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart:

  you have heard the words of my mouth.

In the presence of the angels I will bless you.

  I will adore before your holy temple.

In the presence of the angels I will bless you, O Lord.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love,

  which excel all we ever knew of you.

On the day I called, you answered;

  you increased the strength of my soul.

In the presence of the angels I will bless you, O Lord.

All earth’s kings shall thank you

  when they hear the words of your mouth.

They shall sing of the Lord’s ways:

  ‘How great is the glory of the Lord!’

In the presence of the angels I will bless you, O Lord.

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Gospel Acclamation

Ps102:21

Alleluia, alleluia!

Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts,

his servants who do his will.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

John 1:47-51 ©

You will see heaven laid open, and the Son of Man

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’

 

ST MICHAEL THE PROTECTOR

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ DAN 7:9-10, 13-14 (OR REV 12:7-12A); JOHN 1:47-51]

Today is the Feast of the Archangels. However, we will focus particularly on St Michael as suggested in today’s first reading from the book of Apocalypse.  More so, for most of us Catholics, we have a special devotion to St Michael, namely, to seek his protection and intercession from the snares of the Evil One.  Most Catholics have experienced the powerful shield that St Michael gives us.  This is what we read in the first reading.  “Now war broke out in heaven, when Michael with his angels attacked the dragon. The dragon fought back with his angels, but they were defeated and driven out of heaven.”  Indeed, St Michael is often seen as the protector of heaven and of humanity from the attacks of Satan.

The word, “Satan” literally means the Adversary.  He has been opposing God right from the start of his existence.  He fights against good and seeks to set up his own kingdom without God.  How does he do it?  What are the weapons of Satan?  He brings about division.  Wherever and whenever you seek division, there is the work of the devil. He knows that when we are divided, the kingdom cannot stand.  “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”  (Mk 3:24f)

What is the cause of division?  Firstly, it is due to pride.  The primary reason for the fall of Satan was his pride.  He wanted to be like God without God. He was enchanted by his own beauty and intelligence, thinking that he is better than anyone else and that he can be happy without God.  This is true for many people today. They are bewitched by their intellect, believing that knowledge, technology and power can change the world and that they can be in charge of their lives or find happiness through material things and pleasures.  Relativism and secularism are the expressions of man’s pride and self-importance.

Secondly, pride leads to ambition.  Satan was over ambitious.  He was serving himself rather than God.  Angels, like us, are created to serve God and be His messengers of the Good News and of love.  We are created by God to play our role in His divine plan, which is to build a kingdom of love and unity.  There is a difference between ambition and vocation.  Ambition is about achieving success for oneself.  It is about our egoism.  Ambition makes us selfish and even intolerable of others’ success.  It does not even respect the right means to achieve the end.

Thirdly, Satan thrives on our ignorance; that is the offspring of pride.  Many of us, because of our knowledge, think that evil spirits are just a myth.  Anything that is not empirically proven we reject.  We fail to realize that there is the spiritual world besides the material world.  Many of us are misled into thinking that the Devil does not exist because we do not see him.  This makes us easy targets and prey of the Evil One because he can work on us, deceiving and tempting us into sin without us being aware of it.   We are not alert and watchful of how the Devil is influencing us to sin and evil.

Fourthly, it is due to lies and deception.  “The great dragon, the primeval serpent, known as the devil of Satan, who had deceived the entire world, was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him.”  If humanity has become so proud and arrogant, it is because we have been deceived by the Evil One.  He has led us to believe that happiness has to do with power, riches and status.  He has misled us into thinking that because of our knowledge, we know everything in this world and we can do without God.  Half-truths and lies are the means by which the Devil confuses us and tempts us to sin.  As Jesus said, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”  (Jn 8:44)

Today when we celebrate the Feast of the Archangels, we are reminded of our role in the history of salvation.  Like the angels, we are called to play our part for the good of creation and humanity.  We are called to be people who are bridge builders, not dividers!  This is what Jesus said to Nathanael, “I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.”  In other words, we are called to be like the angels who are intermediaries between God and man.  We are to be the ladder for others to come to God.  This is our calling in life.   All of us in different ways are called to be God’s angels and archangels in the lives of our fellowmen in the building of God’s kingdom.

We have the shining example of Nathanael who is just the opposite of the Devil.  We read that first and foremost, he was a man of peace, unlike the devil who brings division.  For the Israelites, a man sitting under the fig tree even in the face of problems means that he is at peace and not easily unsettled by the troubles of the world.  (cf. Mic 4:4) A man of God is always a man of peace.  Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”  (Mt 5:9) Those who are always divisive wherever they go, whether in church, in the office or in the family. They are under the influence of the Evil One because he likes to divide and conquer.  The Devil is individualistic, selfish, proud and self-centred.  He cannot live with anyone.  Wherever he is present, there will be quarrels, misunderstanding and discord.

Indeed, to find peace in this world, we need to find peace within ourselves.  If we are causing so much division around us, it is because we lack peace in our hearts.  If there is a lack of peace, it is because many of us do not sit under the fig tree to pray and contemplate.  We are doing many things but we lack self-awareness.  Even what we do for the Church becomes an ambition, driven by worldly motives rather from the love of God within us.  That explains why even in service, there is so much pride among our priests, religious and laity.  There is division when our ego takes the better of us.  The lack of collaboration is always because of pride and ambition.

Secondly, we are told that he was a man without deceit, in contrast to the Devil who is the father of lies. “When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.'”  This was the greatest compliment Jesus could pay to anyone.  In other words, Nathaniel was a man who sought to be true to himself. He was not a hypocrite nor was he unfaithful to himself.  All his life, he sought to do the right thing, follow the law and wait for the coming of the messiah and the kingdom of God.   What about us?  Are we lacking integrity in our lives?  If we do, then we are living a lie.  Many of us are living a lie, especially in married life.  We pretend to be loving and united in marriage or in our organization, but there is so much jealousy, resentment and anger.

So how can we overcome the seductions of the Evil One?  Firstly, following Nathaniel, we are called to recognize who the Messiah is.  “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.”  We can conquer the Evil One only through the blood of the Lamb.  “Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ, now that the persecutor, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down. They have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb.”  We must take note that the one who would accuse us of our sins would be the Devil, not our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is the devil who leads us to sin and condemns us every day in our conscience so that we feel totally unworthy and a hopeless sinner, and finally give up on ourselves and on God.

But if we have faith in Jesus, then we know that salvation is not our work and our merits but because of His mercy, forgiveness and love.  To be saved by the blood of the Lamb means to be saved by the love of Jesus, His victory over sin and death by His passion on the cross and the resurrection.   We are called to cling on to the forgiveness and mercy of God instead of our ego, pride and ambition. We are called to rely on God for strength against the foes of division.

Secondly, this peace comes about through contemplation and prayer.  Nathaniel was a man of prayer.  The fig tree was a good place to pray and contemplate because its leaves are big and shady.  So sitting under the branches of the fig tree provides a wonderful place to pray, especially when there were no air-conditioners in those days. In a special way, as we contemplate on the Word of God and His mercy, we should also solicit the assistance of St Michael to keep the Evil One at bay.  

Most of all, the most effective way to fight against the Evil One is to live a good and holy life through a life of martyrdom and self-sacrifice.  The evangelist wrote that the triumph was won also “by the witness of their martyrdom, because even in the face of death they would not cling to life.”  We are called to be faithful to Christ even unto death.  We must live out the life of Christ in contrast to the work of the Evil One.  Witnessing to Christ’s love, faithful and humble service to the Lord is the means by which we triumph over sin and division.

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

 

SETTING OUR BAR TOO LOW

20220928 SETTING OUR BAR TOO LOW

 

 

28 September, 2022, Wednesday, 26th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Job 9:1-13,14-16 ©

How can man be in the right against God?

Job spoke to his friends:

Indeed, I know it is as you say:

  how can man be in the right against God?

If any were so rash as to challenge him for reasons,

  one in a thousand would be more than they could answer.

His heart is wise, and his strength is great:

  who then can successfully defy him?

He moves the mountains, though they do not know it;

  he throws them down when he is angry.

He shakes the earth, and moves it from its place,

  making all its pillars tremble.

The sun, at his command, forbears to rise,

  and on the stars he sets a seal.

He and no other stretched out the skies,

  and trampled the Sea’s tall waves.

The Bear, Orion too, are of his making,

  the Pleiades and the Mansions of the South.

His works are great, beyond all reckoning,

  his marvels, past all counting.

Were he to pass me, I should not see him,

  nor detect his stealthy movement.

Were he to snatch a prize, who could prevent him,

  or dare to say, ‘What are you doing?’

How dare I plead my cause, then,

  or choose arguments against him?

Suppose I am in the right, what use is my defence?

  For he whom I must sue is judge as well.

If he deigned to answer my citation,

  could I be sure that he would listen to my voice?

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 87(88):10-15 ©

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

I call to you, Lord, all the day long;

  to you I stretch out my hands.

Will you work your wonders for the dead?

  Will the shades stand and praise you?

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

Will your love be told in the grave

  or your faithfulness among the dead?

Will your wonders be known in the dark

  or your justice in the land of oblivion?

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

As for me, Lord, I call to you for help:

  in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Lord, why do you reject me?

  Why do you hide your face?

Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

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Gospel Acclamation

Ps118:105

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is a lamp for my steps

and a light for my path.

Alleluia!

Or:

Ph3:8-9

Alleluia, alleluia!

I have accepted the loss of everything

and I look on everything as so much rubbish 

if only I can have Christ

and be given a place in him.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Luke 9:57-62 ©

'I will follow you wherever you go'

As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’

  Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’

  Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

 

 

SETTING OUR BAR TOO LOW

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Job 9:1-13, 14-16; Luke 9:57-62]

What is the real problem with the Catholic Church today?  We have many members but very few disciples of Christ.  Many want to get baptized but few live a life of Christian discipleship after baptism.  Most are Sunday or nominal Catholics.  Yes, they come to church but they are not fired up for Christ and His kingdom.  Some join the Church like a club house for fellowship and socializing.  Others do so just in case they need God or in case they get punished in the next life.  Many are occasional visitors to the church although they are “members.” They come on sentimental occasions like Christmas and Good Friday.  Beyond that they do not have any real relationship with the Lord, nor are they involved in the proclamation of the Good News, either in words or deeds.

When you have a Church with members who belong to one of the three categories or all of them in the gospel, the Church cannot grow.  The growth of the Church in the past was all due to those who had a deep faith in the Lord.   They were willing to sacrifice everything for Christ and the gospel.  The many missionaries who brought the faith beyond Europe sacrificed their lives and their loved ones for the sake of the gospel, even when faced with persecution and death.  Consider all the beautiful basilicas and churches built in Europe, many of them took more 100 years to build!  It was not constructed in a matter of years but in 100s, and yet the Catholics slowly, patiently, perseveringly built them.  Such was their faith and devotion to God, Christ and the gospel.

Perhaps, the greatest weakness of the Catholic Church is that we have lowered our bar too low for Christian discipleship.  We have made too little demands on our members and potential members. We want to take in everybody, the lame, the blind, the dumb, the tax-collectors, the prostitutes but we are not ready to challenge them at the same time to live out the radical life of being a Christian.  Indeed, Christ welcomed all sinners but He did not simply tell them that they could continue with their old way of life.   On the contrary, in no uncertain terms, He spoke of the cost of discipleship.  He did not couch His expectations and demands in nice words and political correctness.  His demands were sharp, clear, demanding and non-compromising. This is clearly illustrated in the three would-be disciples in today’s gospel.

To the first man who wanted to follow the Lord, Jesus answered, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”   Many of us never count the cost and the sacrifices that we have to undertake before embarking on anything.  We only look at the frills, the privileges, the honour and the fun but fail to take into consideration the sacrifices, commitment and demands. Many young people entering into relationships only think of enjoying physical intimacy, but never ask whether they are ready for emotional and intellectual intimacy.  Many get married, thinking only of romance, but never looked at other married couples, how they are struggling in their marriages.  The truth is that in a marital relationship, there is more to the romance between two persons; there are other elements involved: children, in-laws and siblings, besides finance, housing, education, values, religion, work, illnesses, etc.  When we consider all these challenges, the romance will fly out of the window. Equally true for those who desire positions in life and aspire to high offices.  Little do they know that heavy is the head that wears the crown!   With heavy responsibilities on your shoulders, you might not be able to have time for your loved ones, much less for God!  So we seek prestige and position in life only to realize that we cannot handle the stress, the demands and the sacrifices needed.  When their marriage and family life fail, including their health, they will regret.

So too in Church ministry, whether as volunteers or workers, there is commitment!  When a person is newly baptized, even before he learns to wean off milk, we put him into Church ministry and even in positions of responsibility.  He does not know what it is like to work in a community of sinners waiting to become saints.  When he meets with difficulties, rejection and disagreements, he becomes resentful and leaves the Church completely because the little faith he has cannot sustain him.  Of course, this applies especially to those who want to work in the Church.  They think that working in the Church is like working in paradise.  It is more like purgatory and hell because they will be purified by those whom they serve, suffering humiliation, being misunderstood, betrayed and rejected.  They will have to suffer loneliness and even ostracized.  So, this is what Jesus was telling the man.  Think of the demands and sacrifices before you ask for discipleship!     

So what is the problem?  This is because God is not the centre of our life.  That was why when the second man who was asked by the Lord to follow Him, asked for permission to look after his father till death first, the response of Jesus was swift.   “Leave the dead to bury the dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”   Jesus was not teaching him to be irresponsible and neglect his filial responsibilities.  Rather, He was telling him to place God first in His life.  Only then will everything fall into place.  When we give our total commitment to God, then we will know where to place our priorities and how to love our parents, spouse, children, friends, colleagues.  Everything must revolve around Christ.  Because when we love God above all, we too will love them as much as God loves them.  But when God is second or right at the bottom of the scale, we will manipulate and abuse those people whom we love and are under our care.

So if we want to be fully alive as a Christian, then we must focus our eyes on the Lord.  We must never take our eyes off Him in whatever we do.  If we do not do that, then our lives will become a mess.  Jesus told the third man, “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”  We must not allow our attachment to our will and to the things of this world to prevent us from following the ways of God.  Quite often, it is our attachment to our old way of life that makes us turn back from the Lord. Many of us fall back to our old ways of life, especially when the journey is tough.   Singular mindedness is necessary if we are to do anything well in life.  The lack of focus and perseverance is the cause of many failures.   A Christian therefore will not allow anything to side track him in following the gospel way of life.

In the light of all that we have said, the question we must ask ourselves with regard to the apathy of faith among Catholics is whether we have compromised too much.  Have we set our bar too low, thinking that we should not exact too much from them?  As a consequence, we have unwittingly allowed the minority to influence the majority.  Even the strong sheep, after some time, will follow the weak and stray sheep.  Most of the problems we face in the Church today is due to the fact that we did not get it right from the start.  We relaxed Church discipline with regards to attire, marriage, the prerequisites for baptism and the other sacraments, etc.   Whilst we must be compassionate, it does not mean compromising our principles and our gospel values.  The Church has given too much away so much so we are left with very little to inspire, to challenge and to evoke the holiness, truth and beauty of the Church. We have underestimated our Catholics’ ability to give much more than what they are doing now for their faith.

Today, we have the example of Job who gave his total commitment to the Lord even in those moments of suffering.  He could not understand the ways of God but he knew that he could not fight against God and His divine plans.   So even when he could not understand why he had to suffer innocently, he submitted to God’s will.  Job was realistic and he accepted the cost of discipleship, which is to be committed to the Lord in faith until the very end.

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