Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together: February 2024

Monday 26 February 2024

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

20240227 SERVANT LEADERSHIP

27 February 2024, Tuesday, 2nd Week of Lent

First reading

Isaiah 1:10,16-20 ©

Cease to do evil; learn to do good

Hear the word of the Lord,

you rulers of Sodom;

listen to the command of our God,

you people of Gomorrah.

‘Wash, make yourselves clean.

Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.

Cease to do evil.

Learn to do good,

search for justice,

help the oppressed,

be just to the orphan,

plead for the widow.

‘Come now, let us talk this over,

says the Lord.

Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

‘If you are willing to obey,

you shall eat the good things of the earth.

But if you persist in rebellion,

the sword shall eat you instead.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23 ©

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,

your offerings are always before me.

I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,

nor goats from among your herds.

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

‘But how can you recite my commandments

and take my covenant on your lips,

you who despise my law

and throw my words to the winds,

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

‘You do this, and should I keep silence?

Do you think that I am like you?

A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me

and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt4:17

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Repent, says the Lord,

for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Or:

Ezk18:31

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks –

and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel

Matthew 23:1-12 ©

They do not practise what they preach

Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Isaiah 1:10,16-20; Ps 50:8-9,16-17,21,23; Mt 23:1-12]

The theme of today’s scripture readings is servant leadership. This is beautifully summed up by our Lord in the last sentence of today’s gospel. “The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” Humility is one of the most difficult virtues of a leader. Exaltation comes with the office. This is because a leader is always placed in the limelight. He is always taking the lead, the first place in any function. Because of his office, due recognition is given to him or to her. A leader is treated with respect and served by his assistants. His words are taken seriously and his orders are carried out. He always takes the place of honour, whether in a procession, or in a meeting, or a celebration. Because he is honoured, he is given a special address, like, Your Majesty, Your Excellency, Your Eminence, Your Grace, Your Lordship, or simply Your Honour. These are titles that are bestowed upon a leader.

Whilst such honours are given to the leader, it can lead to an over-estimation of himself. He might think of himself more highly than he should. Just because he is given honour, attention and service, he can assume an air of self-importance. He might begin to believe that he is so important and great, that everyone must treat with him respect and reverence, give him precedence in everything and listen to him. And when he does not get the attention that he thought he should be given, he reacts with anger and resentment and even threaten to punish those who do not give him the honour that he expects.

It is for this reason that Jesus warned the religious leaders of Israel of such potential pitfalls in leadership. Certainly, the scribes and Pharisees should be respected because they “occupy the chair of Moses.” But they must never forget that it is the “chair of Moses” that is respected, because it is a symbol of teaching authority. In other words, it is the office that is given honour and respect. The person who sits on the chair of Moses would be accorded the honour because of the authority the person holds. If not for the dignity of the office that must be maintained, those in office must not seek attention for themselves, unless it serves the dignity of the office. The Lord reprimanded those leaders saying, “Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honor at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.” If leaders are given special honour and position or addressed by honorific titles, it is to remind them of the dignity of their office and what is expected of them. Consequently, those addressed by such titles must live up to their calling whether we are called, “Your Excellency, Your Eminence, or Your Grace.”

However, for those who are given the position of leadership, it is not enough to teach or to instruct others what to do, but they must practice what they teach, and obey the laws that are imposed on the people. No one is above the law. Otherwise, it is hypocrisy. Leaders cannot make one set of laws for the people and exempt themselves from the laws. Leaders must show that the laws they formulate for the people are for their good, and for that reason they themselves must uphold what they impose on others. The Lord told the people, “You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they!” Some leaders rely too much on their office they hold to earn the respect of people. Leaders must earn the personal respect of others by the lives they lead. Leaders must lead the way by showing that the laws are truly good for all.

Unfortunately, one of the greatest injustices in the world is the contradiction in the way the rich and powerful are punished for the crimes and offences they commit, compared to the ordinary person, or those who are poor. The rich who steal billions of dollars from the state and society are given a light punishment whereas those who are poor and steal a few thousand dollars are given long jail sentences. The rich and powerful are often exonerated and pardoned by the State for the crimes against the people. This is true also in the international scene as well. Powerful nations get away with crimes against other nations, simply because they have military and economic powers, money and influence. They make one set of laws for other countries, but another for themselves. You can see this in the current wars that are being fought in our times. The rest of the world are helpless in the face of cruelty and injustices towards the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. There can be no true democracy and world order if powerful nations do not respect the international order.

Consequently, leaders must realize that they are equal among all others before God, if not for the office they hold. If they do not “sit on the chair of Moses”, that is, if they are not exercising the office, then they should be regarded as equal among all others. This is the implication of what the Lord said when He told them, “You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.” Truly, when we are called Rabbi, Master, Teacher, or Father, we must not forget that there is only one Rabbi, Master, Teacher, and Father. The office we hold represents God who is our only Master, Teacher and Father. This is what St Paul advised the slaves in those days. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:21-24)

Indeed, because leaders are exercising the Lordship of God, Isaiah reminded the leaders and people of Sodom and Gomorrah to exercise justice. “Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.” Those of us who are in positions of leadership, those of us who are doing well in life, rich and powerful, have a grave responsibility to do good. We must not use our power, position and money to commit evil or to enrich ourselves further. Rather, because God has blessed us with the good things of life, we should use our extra resources to “help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.” Indeed, those who are oppressed, the lowly and the ordinary people cannot defend themselves because they are without resources and influence. The orphan and the widow in those days were without financial means and often exploited. Leaders, therefore, should care especially for those who are weak, marginalized and exploited by society. They should use their influence and power, not to protect their own interests or to enrich their lives, but for the people they are called to serve. This is what ultimately servant leadership is all about.

Hence, today’s readings invite us to reflect for ourselves, what kind of leaders we are. Are we representing Christ in the way we act and talk in our lives? Are we helping people to recognize God in us when we exercise our leadership? Indeed, if we have failed, then in humility, we must turn to God and turn over a new leaf. “Come now, let us talk this over,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'” If we truly live our lives as servant leaders who serve with humility, directing people to God rather than to ourselves, carry out our office with dignity and with responsibility, then not only will we bring good to ourselves, but also to everyone else. For the Lord promised, “If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth. But if you persist in rebellion, the sword shall eat you instead.” Indeed, the Lord warns us through the psalmist, “How can you recite my commandments and take my covenant on your lips, you who despise my law and throw my words to the winds. ‘You do this, and should I keep silence? Do you think that I am like you? A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.”

Sunday 25 February 2024

RECEIVING FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

20240226 RECEIVING FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

26 February 2024, Monday, 2nd Week of Lent

First reading

Daniel 9:4-10 ©

Yours is the integrity, Lord; ours the shame

O Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and have kindness for those who love you and keep your commandments: we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and your ordinances and turned away from them. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. Integrity, Lord, is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treason we have committed against you. To us, Lord, the look of shame belongs, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God mercy and pardon belong, because we have betrayed him, and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God nor followed the laws he has given us through his servants the prophets.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 78(79):8-9,11,13 ©

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.

Let your compassion hasten to meet us;

we are left in the depths of distress.

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

O God our saviour, come to our help.

Come for the sake of the glory of your name.

O Lord our God, forgive us our sins;

rescue us for the sake of your name.

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.

But we, your people, the flock of your pasture,

will give you thanks for ever and ever.

We will tell your praise from age to age.

Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;

whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or:

cf.Jn6:63,68

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel

Luke 6:36-38 ©

Grant pardon, and you will be pardoned

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

RECEIVING FORGIVENESS AND HEALING

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Dan 9:4-10; Ps 79:8-9,11,13; Luke 6:36-38]

We are sinners and in need of forgiveness and healing. None of us can say that we have not hurt others or broken any of the commandments of God. Healing comes through forgiveness, received and given. What we all need most is forgiveness. However, not many people seek healing although they know they are wounded and hurt.

The main obstacle to people availing themselves of healing through forgiveness is because of pride. It is the lack of humility to ask for forgiveness because of the fear of shame. This is the ultimate reason why many Catholics do not go for the sacrament of reconciliation. They would give all kinds of excuses, apparently logical reasons, why they do not need the sacrament of reconciliation. They want to forgive themselves. On that count, they should have just baptized themselves as well, since baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. St James exhorts, “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” (Jms 5:16) And the Lord said to His disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (Jn 20:22f)

Then there are those who go for the sacrament of reconciliation but they also do not find real and lasting healing. As a result, some claim that going for confession is a waste of time as the healing effects of the sacrament does not last. Why is this so? This is because many do not have the right disposition when celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation. Some go for confession out of devotion and habit, but they have no intention of giving up their sins. Of course, if we are not serious about giving up our sins, the grace of absolution will not work in our lives because grace demands human cooperation. Many go for confession without any preparation, both in the heart and in the examination of their conscience. This explains why the Penitential Services held in our churches, although beautiful and meaningful in bringing the community together to celebrate God’s mercy and forgiveness, is done in haste, often without much preparation and recollection, or even the opportunity to confess one’s sin sincerely and deeply.

To address this situation, the scripture readings today can help us to prepare for a beautiful sacrament of reconciliation.

In the first place, we are called to praise God for His mercy and goodness, especially in acknowledging that His commandments are good. The prophet began by saying, “Lord, our God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and have kindness for those who love you and keep your commandments.” Unless we see that His commandments are not meant to make our lives miserable but to set us free to live a life of wisdom, we will not be able to feel sorry for breaking His commandments. Moses said, “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?” (Dt 4:7f) Even St Paul agrees on this point. “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good.” (Rom 7:14-16) By acknowledging that His commandments are just and fair, we condemn our sins. Only when we condemn our sins, will we be less likely to commit them in future. So it is important that we need to sensitize our conscience to condemn the sins we committed.

Secondly, we need to acknowledge our sins without justifying ourselves. Many of us when confessing our sins, seek to justify ourselves, and often like Adam and Eve, push the blame to others. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the Devil! Instead, true contrition of heart is to confess our sins without excuse, just as King David did when he was confronted by the prophet Nathan. He simply said without any excuse on his part, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Sm 12:13) Again, this was what the prophet Daniel confessed on behalf of his people, “we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and your ordinances and turned away from them.” That is why when we go before the priest, right at the outset, we begin by saying, “Bless me Father for I have sinned”, not that others have sinned against me! Some go for confession to confess the sins of others rather than their own!

Thirdly, we must confess our sins sincerely without hiding them in generalities. Many of us try to hide our shame by just confessing sins in a general manner. When we are not explicit in naming our sins, we cannot exorcise the demon out from us. Naming our sins as they are, calling a spade a spade is what will bring us healing. That is why those penitents who try to couch their sins by oversimplifying them often do not find real healing because they did not allow themselves to articulate their guilt and their pain. Only when we can articulate our sins the way we committed them, in all its shame, can our fear be removed completely. This was how Daniel confessed to God. “We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.”

Fourthly, we accept the judgement of God. We accept the judgement of God against sins, not our judgement of what sin is. “Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.” (Ps 51:4) True repentance and sorrow for our sins means the willingness to accept the consequences of our sins. This was what Daniel prayed, “Integrity, Lord, is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treason we have committed against you. To us, Lord, the look of shame belongs, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.” King David also accepted the punishment for his sin when his son conceived out of lust died. He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Sm 12:22f)

Finally, we turn to Him for forgiveness and pardon. We are called to trust in His mercy. Daniel pleaded, “To the Lord our God mercy and pardon belong, because we have betrayed him, and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God nor followed the laws he has given us through his servants the prophets.” With the psalmist, we pray as well, “Do not treat us according to our sins, O Lord. Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us. Let your compassion hasten to meet us; we are left in the depths of distress.” The gospel assures us that the Father is all forgiving because He is compassionate and just.

However, whilst forgiveness is given when we go for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, healing is not complete until we render forgiveness to those who have hurt us. Jesus said to His disciples: “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned.” Indeed, if we want to seek forgiveness and healing, we must be ready to forgive those who have hurt us. This is the most important condition for healing. This explains why many go for confession but are not healed. If they cannot forgive others as God has forgiven us, we continue to make ourselves prisoners of our enemies and our past. If we condemn others, we are condemning ourselves, for if we cannot forgive others for what they had done, how can we forgive ourselves in the same vein. This is why, the Lord said, “Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.” Forgiveness of others is what ultimately heals us in the end.

Saturday 24 February 2024

TRANSFIGURED IN CHRIST

20240225 TRANSFIGURED IN CHRIST

25 February 2024, Sunday, 2nd Week of Lent

First reading

Genesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18 ©

The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith

God put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he called. ‘Here I am’ he replied. ‘Take your son,’ God said ‘your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.’

When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he said. ‘I am here’ he replied. ‘Do not raise your hand against the boy’ the angel said. ‘Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son.’ Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son.

The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. ‘I swear by my own self – it is the Lord who speaks – because you have done this, because you have not refused me your son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obedience.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 115(116):10,15-19 ©

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

I trusted, even when I said:

‘I am sorely afflicted,’

O precious in the eyes of the Lord

is the death of his faithful.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;

you have loosened my bonds.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;

I will call on the Lord’s name.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil

before all his people,

in the courts of the house of the Lord,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

Second reading

Romans 8:31-34 ©

God did not spare his own Son

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt17:5

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard:

‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel

Mark 9:2-10 ©

This is my Son, the Beloved

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.

As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean.

TRANSFIGURED IN CHRIST

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [GEN 22:1-2,9-13,15-18; ROM 8:31-34; MK 9:2-10]

As we enter the second week of Lent, the Church wants us to be focused on our journey. We should not be going through the Lenten season as if it is merely an exercise of discipline in food and pleasure, or even in prayer and fasting. When we observe Lent in this manner, we will see the Lenten season as something we wish to get over quickly so that we can get back to living again. Going through it like a dreaded penance is counter-productive.

Once again, we are brought back to mind that the goal of Lent is to renew our baptismal calling, which is an invitation to be transfigured in Christ, sharing in Christ’s sonship. The transfiguration of our Lord is very much connected to His baptism. On both occasions, similar words were spoken by the Father, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.” At His baptism, Jesus encountered the Father’s call, deeply confirming His ministry and mission to make known to the people His Father’s love. As His Son, He is called to reveal the Father in His life, His miracles and teaching. But it is at the Transfiguration that the Lord once again was confirmed in His final journey to Jerusalem to establish the Kingdom of God. True sonship is revealed in one’s total obedience to the will of God in our lives.

The Mosaic Covenant God made with Israel is the setting for the Transfiguration. Mark noted that this event happened six days later, an inference to the glory of the Lord which descended on the mountain six days after Moses went up to meet the Lord. (cf Ex 24:15-17) Both events happened at the mountain which was always the place of revelation and encounter with God for Moses and Elijah. (cf 1 Kg 19:11-18) Similarly, Moses’ face was radiant with the glory of God after meeting Him. Jesus’ entire being was also transfigured. At the transfiguration of Jesus, the Old and New Covenant met. Moses and Elijah were the teacher and prophet of the Old Covenant respectively. Jesus is the New Teacher and the Prophet of the New Covenant. Just as listening to Moses and Elijah was the way to enter the Promised Land, so, too, listening to the Lord is the way to enter the New Promised Land.

Furthermore, John the Baptist is closely associated with Elijah as he was the fulfilment of the prophecy of Malachi that Elijah would come again to prepare the way for the Lord. (cf Mt 17:10-13) John the Baptist not only was the forerunner in announcing the coming of the Messiah, he was also the forerunner in the way the Messiah would die by being put to death for speaking the truth. John the Baptist foreshadowed the death and passion of our Lord. It would be the death of our Lord that would usher the Kingdom of God in His resurrection.

Indeed, the path to glory and being transfigured in Christ is through suffering. The gospel of Mark is against an epiphany Christology. St Mark is weary of focusing too much on the glory and miracles of Jesus. Noticeably, St Mark, unlike Luke and Matthew, did not mention the transformed face of Jesus but only emphasized the whiteness of Jesus’ garments. In Mark’s understanding, the divine manifestation of Jesus can only be found at the end of that journey. This explains why the disciples were bewildered when Jesus predicted His death and they were instructed to keep silent about the incident until after the resurrection.

To disclose the transfiguration before the death and resurrection of Jesus would be a wrong expression of a Christology that speaks of glory without the cross. The blatant truth is simply this: No cross, no crown! The full and final disclosure of the glory of Jesus could come only after His death and resurrection. We must be weary of a kind of spirituality that only speaks of miracles, healings, prosperity and blessings. It is a spirituality that promotes an easy life, a life of comfort without sufferings. This is a false spirituality.

Rather, suffering must precede glory, the cross before the resurrection. The sacrifice of Isaac is a type of Christ. Like Christ, he carried the wood for the sacrifice. Jesus too carried the cross to Calvary. Both sacrifices were offered at the mountain. For Isaac, he was to be sacrificed at Mount Moriah. For Jesus, it was at Calvary. Just as the Father offered the life of Christ for the salvation of all, Abraham was portrayed as the one carrying the fire and the knife. Both Fathers sacrificed their only Son, except that in the case of Abraham, his son was saved by God. God substituted it with a ram caught in the thicket. It was offered as the sacrifice in place of Isaac, but not so for God’s Son. St Paul wrote, “Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give.” Jesus revealed to us the heart of God by His death on the cross. Indeed, we can be certain of God’s mercy and forgiveness. St Paul wrote, “Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.”

Today, if we want to be transfigured in Him and share in His sonship, we too must take the path that Abraham walked. He walked in faith and this faith is manifested in obedience. He trusted in God even when he was asked to sacrifice his only son. He could not understand how God’s promise could still be fulfilled with the sacrifice of Isaac. But he had confidence that God would provide. So when Isaac asked him, “Father, the fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Gen 22:7f) Until the last moment, Abraham still believed that God would protect him and Isaac. Against all possible reasoning, God would still provide.

Similarly, Isaac trusted in his father’s assurance that God would provide the victim even as he laid on the altar for the sacrifice. Isaac, a type of Jesus, foreshadowed His obedience and trust in His Father. At the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42) On the cross, dying, which looked like a failure of His mission, He said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. (Lk 23:46) God did the impossible by raising Him from the dead and showed that love conquers hatred, life overcomes death. Indeed, as St Paul in Romans wrote, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)

Ultimately, if we want to recover our sonship, we must find our faith in Christ. To arrive at this paschal faith, we need to follow Jesus in acquiring an affective and contemplative faith. If Jesus could go through His mission, it was because of His absolute trust in His Father – a confidence that came from His intimacy with Him. It is the experience of the Father’s unconditional love that empowered Jesus to go through His the passion and death. So too for us as well. This is why, the Father invites us to listen to His beloved Son. Listening is the first step in creating trust and obedience. We need to listen anew to what God is saying about the gift of Jesus His only Son to us. But we cannot listen unless we go to the mountain where in our aloneness God is present. To listen is a necessary stage to prayer and contemplation. Only in prayer, can we be enlightened and bask in the presence of God and His love, like Jesus. When we listen and contemplate, we will be empowered. Like Jesus, when He came down from the Mountain, He went ahead resolutely to Jerusalem, the place of His passion and glory.

Empowerment comes from a deep encounter with God, an encounter that assures us personally that God loves us and is with us. Only this encounter can enable us to give ourselves to God and His will, in total trust and confidence, because we have experienced the overwhelming love of Jesus in our hearts and the enlightenment He has given to us to in our lives, having had a glimpse of the end, so to speak, of the resurrection. It is through prayer and contemplation that, like the disciples, we will see the face of the glory of God in the crucified Christ.

Friday 23 February 2024

THE HALLMARK OF CHRISTIAN LOVE IS LOVING OUR ENEMIES

20240224 THE HALLMARK OF CHRISTIAN LOVE IS LOVING OUR ENEMIES

24 February 2024, Saturday, 1st Week of Lent

First reading

You will be a people consecrated to the Lord

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.

‘You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice. And the Lord has today made this declaration about you: that you will be his very own people as he promised you, but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour he will set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to the Lord, as he promised.’

Responsorial Psalm

They are happy who follow God’s law!

They are happy whose life is blameless,

who follow God’s law!

They are happy who do his will,

seeking him with all their hearts.

They are happy who follow God’s law!

You have laid down your precepts

to be obeyed with care.

May my footsteps be firm

to obey your statutes.

They are happy who follow God’s law!

I will thank you with an upright heart

as I learn your decrees.

I will obey your statutes;

do not forsake me.

They are happy who follow God’s law!

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk8:15

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Blessed are those who,

with a noble and generous heart,

take the word of God to themselves

and yield a harvest through their perseverance.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or:

2Co6:2

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Now is the favourable time:

this is the day of salvation.

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel

Pray for those who persecute you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

THE HALLMARK OF CHRISTIAN LOVE IS LOVING OUR ENEMIES

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [DT 26,16-19; PS 119:1-2,4-5,7-8; MT 5:43-48]

Just like the Israelites, Christians are called to be the People of God. In His mercy and goodness, He has chosen us to be His people. Of course, an agreement is required on our part. This was the case of the Israelites. “Today the Lord has obtained your agreement: to be his treasured people, as he promised you, and to keep his commandments; for him to set you high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honour; and for you to be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.” (Dt 26:18f)

Holiness simply means to be set apart for the glory of God. In other words, we are called to be different. Christians must be distinguished from the world in the way we live our lives, humbly, selflessly, altruistic in our values, and in the way we treat our fellowmen – with charity and compassion. This is what the Lord means when He calls us all to be perfect. “You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Obviously, this is not a perfection in terms of power and majesty. It is the perfection in charity. The highest form of charity is to love our enemies. Jesus said in the gospel, “You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Loving our enemies is something that goes against our fallen human nature. The natural response towards our enemies is to hate them and even wish them harm. We want to destroy our enemies, hurt them as much as they have hurt us. We like to see our enemies suffer the pain we have suffered ourselves. Until we see them humiliated, destroyed and even killed, we are not satisfied. Revenge is deep in the hearts of man, although we tend to justify our vindictiveness by camouflaging it as the demand for justice. In truth we can seek justice without being revengeful. Justice is to put things right and restore the rights of all.

If we hate our enemies and seek revenge, then we are no different from the rest of humanity. Jesus said, “For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not?” Loving those who love us is the most natural thing in life. One does not need to be a Christian to love those who love us. This spontaneous response of love is deeply ingrained in our hearts. Only a few very ungrateful people will receive love without giving back. Even then, it is because they are hurt and wounded. But if we love them enough, their hearts will open up and they will also be able to respond in love.

What does it mean to love our enemies? It means that we do not condemn the person but only the sin. Our fight is not against persons per se but against evil. We must learn to distinguish between the sin and the sinner. Often the sinner is ignorant, indoctrinated with falsehood or wounded in life. Hence, he is vicious, angry and resentful of the world. Blinded by their ignorance, they see evil as good. Often, they are contaminated by the values of the world that promote individualism, me-first philosophy, selfishness and self-centeredness. This leads to the sin of pride, arrogance and materialism. So, we should not be attacking our enemies but the falsehood and evil. Like Jesus, we are called to reject sin but with respect to the sinner, we are asked to always forgive and to desire that our enemies and sinners will one day see the truth and walk in the way of authentic love. Christ has no desire to see His enemies punished. In fact, when He was on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34) He not only forgave His enemies, He prayed for them and made excuses for them. To the adulterous woman, He said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (Jn 8:11)

For this reason, all the early Christian martyrs walked the path of our Lord. They did not defend themselves or start a rebellion. They submitted to the legitimate authority who did not know Christ and the Christian Faith. St Stephen and the rest of the apostles followed after our Lord. St Stephen the First Martyr re-enacted the death of our Lord, going through all He went through, repeating the same words of our Lord towards his enemies. This is why the distinguishing mark of a Christian goes beyond mere charity and forgiveness. Christian charity is a call to love our enemies as the Lord loved them.

What is the motive for Christian suffering and forgiveness for our enemies? Firstly, it is for our salvation. Our enemies actually are our best spiritual benefactors. There is no greater way to sanctify ourselves than to suffer unjustly for the love of our Lord. This was what St Peter wrote, “For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.” (1 Pt 2:19-23)

Secondly, it is for their salvation. “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God” (1 Pt 3:18) As Christians we suffer unjustly by not retaliating against our enemies, not because we are pacifists. On the contrary, our motive is for their conversion and salvation. We pray that by our example of forgiveness, we can win over hardened hearts. Saving their souls and turning them to the path of truth and goodness is our motivation in loving our enemies. Just as St Stephen changed the heart of Saul into Paul, who then became a great apostle to the gentiles, so too when we conquer our enemies with love, we will transform them to be great apostles of our Lord.

How, then, can we love our enemies? Precisely, it is not something within our power! We need the grace of God to love our enemies. Only God can give us the capacity to love and forgive like Him through the passion, death and resurrection of His Son and through the infilling of the Spirit of His love. Indeed, love is the answer to overcome our hatred for our enemies. We need to be filled with God’s love before we can impart that love. Only through the reception of His mercy and forgiveness for our own sins can we do likewise in extending this forgiveness and mercy, especially to our enemies. As it is said, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.” Only the contemplation of God’s unconditional and triumphant love on the cross and the resurrection of Christ can give us the courage, perseverance, impetus and humility to accept the sufferings joyfully inflicted by our enemies. This is what makes us different from the world. Christians do not take revenge. “Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called – that you might inherit a blessing.” (1 Pt 3:9) St Paul urges us to leave vengeance to the Lord. (cf Rom 12:19-21)

In this way, we become truly the sons and daughters of God because we bear His image and likeness. This is what the Lord assures us, “In this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes the sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.” Since we are all made in His image and likeness, God loves everyone. Like any parent, we feel most for those children of ours who are wayward, lost, ignorant and hurting themselves. So, too, is the way God treats the prodigal son and daughter. Holiness of life is to reflect the life and love of God in us. Loving and forgiving our enemies means that we have transcended ourselves and our enemies. We have become like God who is not focused on His pain and His suffering but on ours. So to love like the Lord, we must always be contemplating on His love for us all. Indeed, we repay evil with goodness.