20240417 I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING OF ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME
17 April 2024, Wednesday, 3rd Week of Eastertide
First reading | Acts 8:1-8 © |
They went from place to place, preaching the Good News
That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.
There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.
Saul then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.
Those who had escaped went from place to place preaching the Good News. One of them was Philip who went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 65(66):1-7 © |
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
Cry out with joy to God all the earth,
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise.
Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
Because of the greatness of your strength
your enemies cringe before you.
Before you all the earth shall bow;
shall sing to you, sing to your name!’
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
Come and see the works of God,
tremendous his deeds among men.
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the river dry-shod.
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
Let our joy then be in him;
he rules for ever by his might.
His eyes keep watch over the nations:
let rebels not rise against him.
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Jn10:27 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
Or: | cf.Jn6:40 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
It is my Father’s will, says the Lord,
that whoever believes in the Son shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 6:35-40 © |
It is my Father's will that whoever sees the Son should have eternal life
Jesus said to the crowd:
‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.
But, as I have told you,
you can see me and still you do not believe.
All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away;
because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will,
but to do the will of the one who sent me.
Now the will of him who sent me
is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Yes, it is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day.’
I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING OF ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 8:1-8; PSALM 66:1-7; JOHN 6:35-40]
When the early missionaries from Europe came to the Far East and to America, they came with the conviction that the gospel as the Lord commanded must be preached to all nations. Just before His ascension, Jesus told the apostles, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7f). From that day onwards, after Pentecost, they never stopped proclaiming the Name of Jesus and His resurrection with boldness, even when they were threatened with punishment and imprisonment. Peter and the apostles continued to build the Christian community without fear. Amazingly, “they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.” (Acts 5:41f)
The persecution of the Church in Jerusalem reached its height with the stoning of St Stephen under the misguided zeal of Saul who arrested all Jewish Christians and put them in prison for abandoning the faith of their fathers. Except for the apostles, everyone “fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.” The more the Church was persecuted, the more the faith spread beyond the confines of Judea. The first reading recounts how Philip “went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them.” Clearly, the persecution of the Church did not result in her destruction but rather, was instrumental in her growth.
What could be the factors that gave rise to the expansion of the early Church in spite of opposition and persecution? Firstly, because they believed in the Risen Lord. The apostles and some of the disciples were the primary witnesses of the Risen Lord. Their personal testimonies were credible, backed up by their convicted preaching of the gospel and the many miracles worked by them, repeating the work of Jesus in healing the sick and exorcising those who were possessed. As for the others, they depended on the witnessing of the apostles. St Paul later wrote to the Romans, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Rom 10:14f)
Secondly, they were ready to believe in the testimony of the apostles. Faith is critical in encountering the power of the Risen Lord. The Lord demands of us that we have faith in Him. He said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst. But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not believe.” So, it is not true that those who saw Jesus when He was on earth were at a more advantaged position than us who do not have the privilege of walking with Jesus when He was in Palestine. They, too, were faced with the same challenges we face today, whether to believe in Him or not. They saw the miracles that He performed but their hearts remained unmoved. In fact, they accused Him of collaborating with Satan, with Beelzebub, or even mad. (cf Mk 3:20-34). Hence, St Paul asked a rhetoric question, “But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:16f)
Thirdly, for those who did not encounter the Risen Lord themselves, when they have faith in the Bread of Life, in the Word of Christ, they would have received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the apostles did. We remember what the apostles said before the Sanhedrin, “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5:31f). With the reception of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s promise that they will receive power to proclaim the gospel and also work miracles in His name was fulfilled. We see this even in the work of Philip, the deacon. “The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. There was great rejoicing in that town as a result.” With such powerful signs performed in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, their faith in the Risen Lord increased more and more.
Fourthly, the experience of the presence of the Risen Lord led them to the certain conclusion that Jesus is truly Lord and the Promised Messiah of the Old Testament and therefore salvation is only through faith in His name. When brought before the Council after healing the crippled man, “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12)
Unless we are convinced that Jesus is Lord and indeed, the Saviour of the world, we will not have the zeal like that of our forefathers who would sacrifice their lives to save souls for Christ. With relativism and syncretism, Catholics are no longer convinced that Christ is the only way, or THE way to salvation. To them, there are ways that are comparable. If such is our position, then there is no necessity to proclaim the Good News about Jesus Christ. Let each one choose the path that he or she likes. If they want to join the Catholic Church Club, they are welcome, but it is not necessary for salvation. It is a matter of preference. This clearly shows that those who subscribe to this position have no real personal conviction of Christ as the Risen Lord. Their faith is an intellectual faith, or even an ideology that could change when they like. A faith not grounded in the Risen Lord, and when His power and presence is not felt in their lives, that kind of faith lacks witnessing power.
Finally, our Lord promised us that those who believe in Him will find life not just on earth but in eternal life. Faith is all that is required for us to share in the life of Christ. The Lord said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away; because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me. Now the will of him who sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day. Yes, it is my Father’s will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and that I shall raise him up on the last day.”
Of course, faith in Jesus means faith in His Word as well. The real problem is that, today the world dissociates faith in Jesus from faith in the Word of God. There are many people who say that they believe in Jesus but they do not agree with His Word, with the gospel that is taught. They want to rewrite the bible to suit their preferences and lifestyle. This is not the faith that Jesus is speaking about. St John wrote, “Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him,’ but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, ‘I abide in him,’ ought to walk just as he walked.” (1 Jn 2:4-6). A faith that does not bring us to repentance of our sins, our old way of life, is not faith in Jesus. We must therefore, like the apostles, continue to proclaim the call to conversion of life, repentance of sins, even when the world does not like to hear!
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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