20221020 CHRISTIANITY A RELIGION OF LOVE
20 October, 2022, Thursday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Ephesians 3:14-21 © |
A prayer that faithful may know the love of Christ
This is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name:
Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.
Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 32(33):1-2,4-5,11-12,18-19 © |
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,
with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
For the word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
His own designs shall stand for ever,
the plans of his heart from age to age.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
the people he has chosen as his own.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
The Lord fills the earth with his love.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn8:12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
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!
Gospel | Luke 12:49-53 © |
How I wish it were blazing already!
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!
‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
CHRISTIANITY A RELIGION OF LOVE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPHESIANS 3:14-21; LUKE 12:49-53]
Islam prides itself as a religion of peace. The Arabic word “salaam” is derived from the same root as the word Islam. That is why, Muslims greet each other with the words of peace, “As-Salam-u-alaikum” (Peace upon you!). Buddhism is seen as a religion of compassion. This is because Buddha is associated with the Compassionate One. For this reason, it is a religion of non-violence and known for its tolerance.
Christianity does not appear to be a religion of peace. In the gospel, Jesus told the disciples, “Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Whenever the gospel is proclaimed, a decision has to be made for Christ or against Him. This is because of the nature of Christianity. Our allegiance is to Christ who is the Son of God. Therefore, the decision for Christ as the Lord would necessarily at times cause division within the family. This is particularly so when Christianity speaks for justice, honesty and for the values of the gospel. The world does not like us to speak against the selfishness of society when their interests are attacked, whether it is about a promiscuous society, marriage, dignity of human lives, the unborn babies, gambling, etc.
Indeed, the peace of Christianity is not founded on pacifism. “Peace is not merely the absence of war; nor can it be reduced solely to the maintenance of a balance of power between enemies; nor is it brought about by dictatorship.” (GS 78) The world seeks peace today as well. All are looking for world peace. But yet, there is much division within the country and among countries in the world. The peace of the world is not founded on truth and justice. It is based on personal interests. At most, the peace is based on mutual tolerance. It is a superficial peace where each group seeks to have their own private space and at the same time to expand the common space with others. Such peace of course is fragile.
If Christianity is not specifically seen as a religion of peace, it is because peace is the fruit of love and service. This is what St Paul reminds us in the first reading. The foundation of Christianity is always the love of God. The basis for unity among all peoples is the fact that God is our Father. As the Father of all, we are all members of God’s family. We all belong to each other as brothers and sisters. On this basis, we are called to love each other like brothers and sisters. “This is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name.” This is what the psalmist also declares, “The Lord fills the earth with his love. For the word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted. The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love. His own designs shall stand for ever, the plans of his heart from age to age. They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own.”
This peace is given to us through the love of Christ. “That earthly peace which arises from love of neighbor symbolizes and results from the peace of Christ which radiates from God the Father. For by the cross the incarnate Son, the prince of peace reconciled all men with God. By thus restoring all men to the unity of one people and one body, He slew hatred in His own flesh; and, after being lifted on high by His resurrection, He poured forth the spirit of love into the hearts of men.” (GS 78)
It is for this reason, St Paul urges us to contemplate on the height, depth, width, and length of God’s love in Christ. He wrote, “You will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.” Christ is the fullness of God’s love. Contemplating on His passion, death, and resurrection, we come to appreciate the inexhaustible love of God for us.
In the face of opposition in serving the truth and justice, we need to build ourselves up in the love of God. “Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love.” We need to grow in love for Christ so that whatever we do is built on love. Indeed, this is what Jesus is asking of us when He said, “I have come to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!” We need our Catholics to be on fire with the love of Christ. Unless we are fired up by love, we will not be ready to die for Christ and for love.
This faith in Christ and the experience of the width, length, depth, and height of His love could only come about through prayer. Only in prayer and faith, could the Holy Spirit come upon us and fill us with His love. Indeed, when we pray, we grow in inner strength, are filled with His love and presence, and the Holy Spirit will enable us to do more than what we can do ourselves. “Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.” This is what Mother Teresa says, “The fruit of Silence is prayer. The fruit of Prayer is faith. The fruit of Faith is love. The fruit of Love is service. The fruit of Service is peace.”
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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