Sunday, 30 October 2022

THE CHALLENGES TO COMMUNION IN MISSION

20221031 THE CHALLENGES TO COMMUNION IN MISSION

 

 

31 October, 2022, Monday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Philippians 2:1-4 ©

Be united in your love

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

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

Ps118:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider

the wonders of your law.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn8:31-32

Alleluia, alleluia!

If you make my word your home

you will indeed be my disciples,

and you will learn the truth, says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 14:12-14 ©

Do not invite those who might be able to invite you back

Jesus said to his host, one of the leading Pharisees, ‘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.’

 

THE CHALLENGES TO COMMUNION IN MISSION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Philippians 2:1-4; Luke 14:12-14]

One of the biggest challenges in kingdom building is uniting the People of God in one mission.  We have division at every level, from the universal church to the diocese and the parish and within church organizations.  There will always be elements that will sow seeds of division.  At the same time, we know that without unity, there is no mission.  Since the mission of the Church is to bring all into communion, the division among ourselves is a contradiction to the message we are bringing to the whole of humanity.  In other words, if we cannot put our own house in order, how can we be a catalyst of communion for others?

This was the same appeal of St Paul to the early Christians when he wrote, “If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy.”  Indeed, nothing can make the head of any household happier than to have a united family.  One of the greatest sadness of any parent is to see the family divided.  So, too, for the universal and local church.  A divided Church is a cause of sadness and scandal to all.  That is why the last prayer of Jesus for the Church is the prayer for unity among His disciples. “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”  (Jn 17:20f)

How, then, can we build communion among ourselves? St Paul urges us to “be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind.”  Unity can only come about when we are ready to align ourselves together for a common purpose, which is the spread of the gospel and for the glory of God, and the salvation of humanity.  Without this alignment with the entire Church, each of us would be doing our own thing and in our own ways.  When we do that, regardless of what we do, even if it is good and praiseworthy but brings about division in the Church, it would be counterproductive.  It may serve our purpose but not the greater goal of the Church.   It therefore behoves every one of us, laity, priests and religious, to endeavour to seek to be one with the local church and with the bishop in our ministry, just as the bishop seeks to unite the local church with the universal church under the leadership of the Holy Father.

It is for this reason that the structure of the Catholic Church is both a hierarchical and organic model.  It is hierarchical in the sense that there are different levels of authority in the Church where all are called to respect for the sake of unity. The Holy Father is the symbol of unity in the Church.  Consequently, he has absolute power over the church of Christ so that the Church could be always one in the face of diverse opinions.  To preserve the unity of the universal Church, the local bishops pledge obedience and allegiance to the Holy Father, working in unity with him, in close consultation and always deferring to the decisions of the Holy Father.  Similarly, the bishop of the local diocese is given full power over his diocese so that he could align his priests and the people with the universal mission of the Church under the leadership of the Holy Father.   No bishop can act independently of the college of bishops and of the Holy Father.   Similarly, too, no priest or individual in the local church can act independently without being in communion with the local bishop. Whilst respecting the organic dimension of the church, that is, all with different gifts, there is a need to ensure that all gifts are used for the good of the Church and in support of the mission of both the local and universal church.

So what is it that prevents this alignment from taking place?  There are two main causes of disunity, pride, and self-centeredness.  St Paul was aware of such competition originating from pride and egotism among the Christians.  “There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing.”   In the community, the sin of pride continues to manifest itself in competition among church organizations, the struggle for power, recognition and honour.  Often, organizations and movements within the church compete with each other for membership and popularity. Within organizations, members are envious of each other, especially of those who are talented and can do better than the others.  Most of all, arrogance, which is the sin of pride, is the cause of much division. This is especially evident in those who are supposedly talented and accomplished in life.  They will not listen to the opinions of others but insist that their views and their ways are the only way.   They cannot compromise and see beyond their narrow confines and interests.   Their tunnel vision often causes much division in any group they are in.  Sometimes they are harsh, sarcastic, and destructive in their words, causing other members of the group to be hurt.

The second factor that causes disunity is self-interest.  Although all in the church say that they are working for Christ and the Church, yet many do so with self-interests and hidden agendas.  It is about themselves, their desires, and their needs.  This prompted St Paul to remind the Christians, “that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.”  In our conduct in the community, do the interests of the larger Church come before our own in all that we do?  There are many church members and groups that desire to have things their way.  They become cliquish and demanding.   Most church groups only care for their members and the reputation of their organization, but they are not concerned about the interests of the larger community.  They do not work for them or with them.

Consequently, today we are called to exercise humility in our service.  St Paul invites us to “always consider the other person to be better than yourself.”   None of us must think only of our interests and be too proud to learn from others.   A truly wise man is one who is capable of listening and welcoming others who have different views of life.  Without humility, we can no longer listen to others.  We must be clear that our desire is to bring glory to God and not to ourselves.  St Paul urges us to be self-effacing, ever ready to give way and deference to others.  Whether in words or in actions, we need to act and speak charitably so that we do not hurt others who listen to us.  When we are truly humble without any airs or behave as if we are somebody, then people will find us easy to talk to and are comfortable with us, knowing that we do not judge them.

Secondly, let our service to the Church be without vested interests.  This is the meaning of the parable in today’s gospel.  Often the rich are invited for meals and functions because we expect favours from them.  We do things out of selfish motives so that we can gain something from it.  Indeed, many are helping in government, NGOs and the Church with a personal agenda and ulterior motives.  Their service is not pure and noble.  Some help in the church not as an expression of love but out of guilt and fear that God would punish them for not doing anything good.  Others are involved so that they can get contacts for their businesses.

Let our love and service be without vested interests.  This is why Jesus told the people to 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.”  Real service is when it is done without selfish interests, not for one’s glory or honour, or one’s benefit.  When there is nothing to gain and when things are done without any expectation of reward, favour or recognition, then we can afford to be detached in whatever we do.  Then we would avoid fighting for position, power and recognition.  In this way, our service will bring about true unity among our brothers and sisters.

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

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A CONVERSION EXPERIENCE AS A COMING HOME

20221030 A CONVERSION EXPERIENCE AS A COMING HOME

 

 

30 October, 2022, Sunday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Wisdom 11:22-12:2 ©

You are merciful to all, because you love all that exists

In your sight, Lord, the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales,

like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground.

Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things

and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent.

Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence,

for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it.

And how, had you not willed it, could a thing persist,

how be conserved if not called forth by you?

You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life,

you whose imperishable spirit is in all.

Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend,

you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned,

so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 144(145):1-2,8-11,13b-14 ©

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

I will give you glory, O God my king,

  I will bless your name for ever.

I will bless you day after day

  and praise your name for ever.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

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.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

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.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

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.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

Second reading

2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2 ©

The name of Christ will be glorified in you, and you in him

We pray continually that our God will make you worthy of his call, and by his power fulfil all your desires for goodness and complete all that you have been doing through faith; because in this way the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you and you in him, by the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

  To turn now, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,

in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn3:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:

everyone who believes in him has eternal life.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 19:1-10 ©

Salvation comes to the house of Zacchaeus

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

 

 

A CONVERSION EXPERIENCE AS A COMING HOME

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [WIS 11:22-12:2; 2 THESS 1:11-2:2; LK 19:1-10]

What is a home? Isn’t it where we find a sense of belonging, acceptance, love, forgiveness, and mutual acceptance?  A home is where we find rest, peace and joy.  It is where we can be our true selves.  In that sense, even though some of us may be living in beautiful houses, yet we do not have a home, because these are not places where warmth, love and acceptance prevail.

This yearning to find a home is encapsulated in the person of Zacchaeus.  Although he had a beautiful house, it was not a home.  He was living a lonely life, without love, peace, joy or fulfilment.   There was a deep vacuum in his life, and he knew it.

So we can imagine the joy of Zacchaeus when Jesus said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.”  Of all peoples, it would seem that he was most unworthy to have Jesus enter his house.  Indeed, Zacchaeus was not just a tax collector hated by all peoples but the chief tax collector!

So what prevented him from reaching out to others and to Jesus? What prevented him from seeking the real thing and filling the void in his life?  He had many obstacles.

Firstly, over the years, he had lost his identity as the son of Abraham and the child of God.  He forgot who he was.  So, when Jesus called him by name, for the first time in his life, he was recognized as a person, not as a tax-collector.  He was seen as a child of God, the son of Abraham, as Jesus affirmed.  All this while, Zacchaeus was captivated by his office.  This accounted for his timidity in meeting Jesus on the road and hence his resorting to climbing a sycamore tree just to have a glimpse of Jesus.  That he was a short person underscores his lack of confidence and his rejection by others.  Thus, it was such a great surprise to him that Jesus would even notice him.  Isn’t this the way many of us lacking self-confidence would act as well?  We need to rely on our titles such as CEO, Senior Office, President, Executive Director, etc to feel important.  Stripped of our office and titles, we become insecure.   A person who identifies himself only with his office will lose his personhood when it is taken away from him, or when he retires.

Secondly, his pride and greed prevented him from letting go of his so-called securities in life.  Perhaps his being up on the tree was not so much an attempt to hide as was his desire to avoid mixing with the lowly in the crowd. So on one hand, he was a lonely person, but on the other hand he was not ready to come down from his throne to reach out to others.  Yet, in his heart, he knew that he needed peace.  He was anxious to see Jesus because he knew that somehow Jesus would be able to satisfy the hunger in his heart.  Like him, many of us are afraid to let others know of our faith in Christ publicly.  We hide our identity as Christians.  And like him too, we are not capable of reaching out in love for others.

It was precisely for people like Zacchaeus that Jesus has come.  He came to free us from our bondages, to show us the mercy of God and to lead us back to the Promised Land, our Home.  In inviting Himself to the house of Zacchaeus, He demonstrated Himself to be the Saviour, for salvation is always the initiative of God, not the work of man.  He knew that Zacchaeus needed God’s mercy and love more than anyone else.  By choosing to stay in the most unworthy dwelling place on earth, Jesus again showed Himself to be the incarnated Word that has taken His humble dwelling in man.

Indeed, Jesus truly exemplified God’s love and mercy in the first reading.  As the author tells us, God is magnanimous to His creatures.  He loves us all, regardless of our status and our sinfulness.  His love for us is proven in the fact that without His love, we cannot exist.  Indeed, “you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it.”  Truly, without love, even if we could exist, we would not want to, as life without love is meaningless.  That is why God not only wants us to exist but also to live.  How can we live if not by sharing in His Spirit of love? “You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all.”

God not only loves us but demonstrates His unconditional love by showing that He is the merciful and compassionate one.  He understands our struggles against sin.  The author of the book of Wisdom wrote, “Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent.”

Consequently, the dignity of a Christian comes from the fact that he is loved and accepted by God in Christ, not because of his own doing. Like Zacchaeus we are nobody.  With Jesus, we recover our identity and our self-worth.  With Jesus in our hearts, love, joy and peace prevail.  The experience of such an unconditional love of God in Christ is what we call a Conversion Experience. When we meet God’s humble and unselfish love in Christ, everything is changed.  Our lives cannot remain the same again.  To think that we are worthy of such a love is overwhelming.  To be loved with such a love is transforming and healing.  This is what a Conversion Experience does.

Such a Conversion Experience will surely impact our lives as it did for Zacchaeus.  A radical change of lifestyle is the sign of an authentic conversion experience especially in moral living.  In the presence of God’s love in Jesus, Zacchaeus showed the sincerity of his repentance by deciding to give half of his property to the poor. He resolved, “if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.”  What could have transformed a mean and selfish person to one who could empty himself for others if not for the fact that he had recovered his identity as a child of God in Christ?  By making room for Christ in his house, he was making room for Christ in his heart.  That was what made Jesus declare, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.”

However, such a Conversion Experience is only the beginning of the recovery of our identity.  We need to live out this identity as the son or daughter of God every day.  St Paul exhorts us to “pray continually that our God will make you worthy of his call …. because in this way the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified in you and you in him.”  Truly, we must live up to our dignity as God’s children by being faithful to our vocation and to the gospel life.  We are called to glorify God in and by our lives.  This is where many of us who have had the Conversion Experience failed to observe and as a result, have drifted back to our old way of life.  Instead of continuing the process of deepening our love for the Lord and striving to grow in grace, virtue and holiness, we have allowed the Old Adam to resurrect.

Of course, growth in holiness is not dependent on our will and strength alone.  St Paul makes it clear that just as salvation is primarily the work of God, so, too, is our growth in holiness.  Only God can make us worthy of His call.  Only “by his power” can He “fulfill all your desires for goodness and complete all that you have been doing through faith.”  But we must cooperate with His grace at work in us by a deepening prayer life and ongoing formation in the faith.  Without a life of discipleship, we cannot glorify Him.  Unless He lives in us, He cannot work in and through us.

For those who have not yet returned to the Lord, or allowed the Lord to come to our hearts, we must follow the determination of Zacchaeus in making room for Christ to enter, and not allow any obstacles to prevent us from meeting the Lord.  Open your heart to the Lord and He will come to dine with you.  The “today” that Jesus said to Zacchaeus, when “salvation has come to this house” is still valid for us.  Salvation is ours if we too will quickly come down from the tree of pride and receive Jesus into our hearts.  If we receive Him with delight and enthusiasm, He will make His home in us with the Father in the Holy Spirit, especially when we receive Him at the table of the Lord in the Eucharist.   This is the coming which will take place today; not the vain speculation about His Final coming that St Paul warned the Thessalonians “not to get excited too soon or alarmed.”  That He is here with us in our hearts now, gives us a foretaste of eternity with Him.

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

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PROCLAIMING CHRIST AT ALL COSTS

20221029 PROCLAIMING CHRIST AT ALL COSTS

 

 

29 October, 2022, Saturday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Philippians 1:18-26 ©

Life to me is Christ; but death would bring me more

Christ is proclaimed; and that makes me happy; and I shall continue being happy, because I know this will help to save me, thanks to your prayers and to the help which will be given to me by the Spirit of Jesus. My one hope and trust is that I shall never have to admit defeat, but that now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. This weighs with me so much that I feel sure I shall survive and stay with you all, and help you to progress in the faith and even increase your joy in it; and so you will have another reason to give praise to Christ Jesus on my account when I am with you again.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 41(42):2-3,5 ©

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

Like the deer that yearns

  for running streams,

so my soul is yearning

  for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

My soul is thirsting for God,

  the God of my life;

when can I enter and see

  the face of God?

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

I would lead the rejoicing crowd

  into the house of God,

amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Col3:16a,17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,

find a home with you;

through him give thanks to God the Father.

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!

Gospel

Luke 14:1,7-11 ©

Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled

Now 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.’

 

PROCLAIMING CHRIST AT ALL COSTS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Phil 1:18-26; Ps 42:2-3, 5; Luke 14:1, 7-11]

We all want to be successful in life but we lack focus and singularity of purpose.  Because we do not have any real goal in life, we give up easily, especially in times of trial and difficulties.   Indeed, without passion, we cannot expect people to persevere in what they do.  Without conviction, no one is going to sacrifice their time, energy and their life for anything.

Without conviction, there is no passion to persevere.  Indeed, this is true in everyday life; whether it is the student, worker or even a priest or religious.   When we are not passionate about what we do, or have any real convictions and dreams in life, we will just wander and drift along each day.  When nothing engages us passionately, other things in life will distract us.  Instead of studying, the student will spend time on his computer and phone, playing games and chatting the whole day.  He studies only because he is forced to; not because he enjoys acquiring knowledge, which is good for his personal development and for the service of humanity in the future.   The smarter ones are motivated to seek good grades so that they can earn the praise and acceptance of his peers, teachers and parents.   A worker without passion for his or her job, is unable to see his or her place in the company, or is not even convinced of the project or service the company is rendering, cannot be expected to contribute towards the building of the business.  At most, he or she is motivated by financial remuneration and promotion.  Even priests and religious are not exempted.  When they lack passion in their ministry, they will spend their time, or rather waste their time, doing trivial things just to kill time rather than doing something beautiful for God and His people.  Otherwise, they will carry out their ministry so as to gain recognition and love from their parishioners.

Those who are driven by such low goals will not realize the best in themselves.  Instead, the worst of them is brought out because they are motivated solely by an ambition for power, material benefits, recognition, glory and status.  This can make us competitive and ruthless, jealous and envious of others.  Instead of seeing and exploring what we can do and be creative and proactive, we are always planning, conniving and strategizing how to eliminate our opponents.   Such people are always anxious and never at peace.  They are quarrelsome, always picking faults in others and divisive.

In the first reading, we see that St Paul is very focused in his mission and ministry.  He was a man with a vision and a mission. He was focused and determined in what he was called to do.   His entire life was spent in spreading the gospel of Christ.  All he desired was to make Christ known for the salvation of humanity.  He wrote, “Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.”

What mattered to St Paul was that Christ was proclaimed in every way, regardless of situations.   It did not matter who proclaimed Christ or who sowed the seed, but that Christ was proclaimed.  It was not about himself, but about the Lord.  To the Corinthians, he said, “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”  (1 Cor 3:5-7) St Paul was very clear about his role.  He was not promoting himself in any way but he was totally focused on the proclamation of Christ.  He said, “What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way.”

In life or death, St Paul wanted to serve the Lord and was intent on making Him known and loved.  St Paul was indifferent with regard to his personal preferences.  Although he would have preferred to return to the Lord, yet he chose to be with the people because they needed him more.   “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.”   St Paul was selfless in the proclamation of the gospel.

How many of us can be like St Paul in the way we do ministry?  How many of us are unconditional in our love for our spouse, parents and children?  More often than not we serve with much egotism in us.  How else do we explain parents who apportion their love and appreciation for their children by how well they do in their studies?  Or priests and Church leaders who are welcoming and caring only for those who help them in their ministry?  Or Church members who are given privileges and access to the priests’ services because of what they do in Church?  Indeed, there is much division within the Church because we all want things our way, our voice to be heard, our plans to be endorsed and our leadership to be accepted and recognized.  It is not about Christ and the Church first, or the greater good of the community, but about our narrow interests.  This was what Jesus was talking about in the gospel.  Most of us seek honour. We like to be recognized and appreciated.  But Jesus warns us about harbouring vain desires.  Instead, we should remain humble and choose the lowest place.  

Nevertheless, what is significant is that St Paul recognized that many of us who serve Him might not have sincere or pure motives.  Yet, St Paul accepted their service and contributions as well.  He wrote, “whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.”  That was how focused St Paul was.  He did not expect his collaborators to be perfect and completely noble in service.  He knew that God will make use of us for the spread of the gospel even if our motives are not pure.  St Paul was realistic enough to know the limitations of man.  Although he himself strove to serve the Lord with pure motives, yet he did not pass judgment on others and despise those who do not.  In fact, with humility, St Paul even admitted, “I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.”  (1 Cor 4:4f)

This should be a source of encouragement for us. The truth is that many of us, even when serving the Church, do not always have sincere motives.  We are motivated by praise, recognition and appreciation.  There is the human side of us that craves for honour and praise for the good works that we do.  God accepts whatever we can offer to Him.  He will make use of whatever we can offer for His greater glory.  He is patient with us in our purification of love.  As St Peter exhorted the Christians, “Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart.” (1 Pt 1:22) So we should not be discouraged even if our services are not rightly motivated, whether out of fear, egotism or needs.

How, then, can we purify our motives?  St Peter wrote, “You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.”  (1 Pt 1:22) Only love can purify our motives and make us do everything for the one we love.  Isn’t this the way we love our children and loved ones?  Parents are willing to sacrifice all, whatever they have, money, resources and time for their loved ones.  Nothing is too difficult for us to sacrifice for those whom we love.   In the same way too, when we fall in love with Jesus, we would do anything and everything for Him.  Those who are passionate about the gospel and in announcing the Good News are not theologians but the simple people who have encountered the love of God in their hearts.  This was what drove St Paul in his ministry.  He made it clear that his desire was “to depart and be with Christ.”  Like the psalmist, we must seek the love of God instead.   “Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.  My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; when can I enter and see the face of God?”

When love of Christ and the spread of the gospel is our motive, then we will not spend too much time squabbling over positions in the Church, over the right rubrics and the application of the laws.  Indeed, some of us spend too much time fighting over such petty matters when the real work of the proclamation of the gospel is neglected and the works of charity forgotten.  What ultimately matters is that people are brought to Christ, regardless of who and how they are brought to Him; some through us and some through others; some through Mary and some through a healing service; some through the charismatic renewal and some through the Extraordinary Rite of the Mass.   In the final analysis, without love, charity and humility, all that we do are done in vain, even if we have the right doctrines and the right liturgy.  Anything that brings people to Christ is all that matters.

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

 

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Thursday, 27 October 2022

ALIGNMENT AS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVENESS IN MISSION

20221028 ALIGNMENT AS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVENESS IN MISSION

 

 

28 October, 2022, Friday, Ss Simon and Jude, Apostles

First reading

Ephesians 2:19-22 ©

In Christ you are no longer aliens, but citizens like us

You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 18(19):2-5 ©

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God,

  and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.

Day unto day takes up the story

  and night unto night makes known the message.

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard

  yet their span extends through all the earth,

  their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Te Deum

Alleluia, alleluia!

We praise you, O God,

we acknowledge you to be the Lord.

The glorious company of the apostles praise you, O Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 6:12-19 ©

Jesus chooses his twelve apostles

Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

  He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.

 

ALIGNMENT AS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVENESS IN MISSION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPHESIANS 2:19-22; LUKE 6:12-19]

In the gospel, we read of the demands made on Jesus on a typical day in His life.  Upon coming down from the mountain, “there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases.”   Jesus must have felt the pressure of attending to the needs of so many people who wanted to hear Him preach and many more sought to be cured of their illnesses or be delivered from the oppression of the evil spirits.

Jesus knew that it was not humanly possible to attend to the needs and requests of everyone.  This certainly was the context of the appointment of the twelve apostles and the sending out of the 72 disciples.  Jesus was realistic enough not to take everything upon Himself.  A good leader must learn to delegate and empower.  This was what Jesus did.  He began the process of choosing the twelve apostles as His personal ambassadors.

The greatest challenge of a leader is to appoint the right collaborators or leaders to work with him.  Many leaders delegate and empower those under their charge, but unfortunately, they never discerned properly who should be appointed as leaders.  More often than not people are appointed based on friendship, talents, capability, status and influence.  They are not chosen after prayerful consultation and discernment.  The failure to choose the right leaders and collaborators will cause us more problems in future.  They might not be able to work together.  They can be trouble-makers, individualistic, arrogant and dictatorial or worse still, dishonest, scandalous and manipulative.

Jesus knew the potential advantages and risks He was taking when He appointed the Twelve.  This explains why He spent the whole night in the hills to pray till day break.  We can be sure that it was not easy for Jesus to decide on who to bring into His team of Twelve as there were many to choose from.  This is a dilemma for every leader.   Choosing the right leaders and the right team is critical for success. If the wrong people are chosen, the team could be divided or the individuals end up building their own kingdom without regard for the leader and the team’s overall vision and strategy.  Many leaders fail because they could not find the right team to support them in fulfilling the vision of the organization.  They end up spending all their energy trying to repair damages caused by their leaders, or trying to unite the team members who are always squabbling among themselves.

Ironically, after spending the whole night in prayer, Jesus chose a motley group of apostles who were from different backgrounds, education, occupations, extreme temperaments and even political beliefs.  Most were fishermen, but there was also a tax-collector, a revolutionary and a member of a political party whose goal was to overthrow the Roman Empire.  The characters were also very different.  Yet Jesus was not afraid of such diversity in His team.  Obviously, Jesus knew that having people of different backgrounds, skills, temperaments and inclinations was helpful to Him in reaching out to the masses.

The key to success in Jesus’ mission did not just lie in appointing a right mix of leaders, but in the ability to manage them and to help them to work as a team.  We know the tension among the disciples.  James and John were competing for power and position.  Judas most likely was greedy and possibly a thief.  They would have clashed among themselves because of different political views with respect to the way they should deal with the Romans.

The secret to Jesus’ success was alignment.  He was able to align almost all of the apostles with His vision and mission.  Jesus therefore was the source of that unity among the apostles.  For this reason, St Paul says, “You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.”

How, then, can we align our leaders and collaborators to work as a team?  Firstly, we need to ground them in the right foundation, as St Paul says.  Everyone must be grounded in the Lord and in the tradition of the Church, symbolized by the apostles and the prophets.  If our leaders are not given the right foundation, the different or worldly values would destroy the mission of the Church.  So the important task of a leader is always to remind his members of the gospel as taught by our Lord and His successors.  The leader after all is the keeper of the vision of the organization.  St Peter therefore was given the key, which was not just a symbol of authority but he and his successors were to keep the vision of our Lord for His Church.  It is the constant task of the leader to remind his team members of their common vision.   In the case of the Church, it is the gospel inspired vision and the mission of the universal and local Church.  The group is as strong as its foundation.  If the team is well grounded in its foundation, especially in Christ and the gospel, then nothing can destroy the work of the organization.

Secondly, leaders must always be humble and conscious of the fact that they are disciples.  They must be aligned with Christ through ongoing discipleship. Jesus appointed the apostles from among the disciples.  In selecting them, they did not remain autonomous.  On the contrary, Jesus chose the apostles from among the disciples so that He could form them more personally, share with them His plans, concerns and help them to mature as leaders.  Hence, leaders are always disciples of our Lord.  When a leader thinks that he knows everything, he will no longer be able to lead effectively.  There is only one leader and one shepherd, that is, Christ.  So leaders must never act and behave as if they have all the answers.  But they are and will always be learners.  Of course, for Christian leaders, they must always be concerned about whether they are connected with Christ, know His mind and heart more and more each day so that in all they do, they are seeking to fulfil His vision and mission, not theirs.

Thirdly, in order to be aligned, leaders must be community- minded.  They must be team players.   A leader must always remember that he is building the household of God.  He is like the head of a family.   In the Church, all the more, we are all children of God.  We need to build ourselves into a family of God.  That is why leaders must always work in union with each other and with those under their charge.

For this reason, no effort must be spared in strengthening the bonds of those working together with us.  This is an ongoing process.  Community bonding cannot be taken for granted and will not happen if we do not keep reminding ourselves of the need to come together to pray, share, and to bond.  It would be too naïve to think that just because we are Catholics, we are united.   The unity of the members of a community does not just happen by itself.  Nay, it is the regular reminders and efforts to come together that will eventually strengthen the community.  Relationships are always fragile. We are sensitive people.  A misunderstanding, a problem, an insensitive remark, a harsh word could cause a quarrel, friction and resentment.  This is true in family life as well.  We know how difficult it is to strengthen the unity of our small family, what more an office or an organization.  Hence, we need to make efforts.  Community meetings, community meals, outings, and prayers are necessary to keep the community united in love.  We need to hold “organized” joys and compulsory gatherings so that we give people a chance to meet and share.  Otherwise, they become more distant from each other and this will result in conflicts and misunderstandings.  Therefore, we must not let up in building community life.

Work and diligence is not enough to make our organization successful.  When there is no love, trust, and genuine care and concern for each other, this will simply become a work place, not the household of God.  Then we will be like those in the corporate world, ambitious, hardworking, competitive and fighting with each other for power and position.  If that were the case, it will rob us of our joy of working.  But if the community bond is strong, there will be greater peace of mind and happiness; and work will be fruitful.

Finally, the most important way of alignment is prayer.  Jesus spent the whole night in prayer to His Father, conversing with Him about His plans and asking for the spirit of discernment.  Without prayer, leaders lack focus and end up doing their own will.  They do not acquire the Spirit of Jesus to lead others.  We are told that when Jesus came down from the hill, many came to find Him.  “People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.”  Jesus must have been so filled with the love and compassion of His Father and His conviction of His Father’s mercy that He exuded the presence of God’s mercy and love.  As leaders who are called to be ambassadors of Christ, how can we lead others unless we have first aligned ourselves with the Lord?  That is why Church workers must pray for each other and with each other every day so that we can work in unison for the greater glory of God.  In this way, we can truly sing, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.  Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message. No speech, no word, no voice is heard yet their span extends through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world.”

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

 

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