BEING A PROPHET OF DOOM IN GOOD TIMES

20240704 BEING A PROPHET OF DOOM IN GOOD TIMES

 

 

04 July 2024, Thursday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Amos 7:10-17

The Lord took me from herding the flock and sent me to prophesy

Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel as follows. ‘Amos is plotting against you in the heart of the House of Israel; the country can no longer tolerate what he keeps saying. For this is what he says, “Jeroboam is going to die by the sword, and Israel go into exile far from its country.”’ To Amos, Amaziah said, ‘Go away, seer;’ get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple.’ ‘I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhoods of prophets,’ Amos replied to Amaziah ‘I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores: but it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” So listen to the word of the Lord.

‘You say:

‘“Do not prophesy against Israel,

utter no oracles against the House of Isaac.”

‘Very well, this is what the Lord says,

‘“Your wife will be forced to go on the streets,

your sons and daughters will fall by the sword,

your land be parcelled out by measuring line,

and you yourself die on unclean soil

and Israel will go into exile far distant from its own land.”’

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 18(19):8-11

The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

  it revives the soul.

The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,

  it gives wisdom to the simple.

The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

  they gladden the heart.

The command of the Lord is clear,

  it gives light to the eyes.

The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.

The fear of the Lord is holy,

  abiding for ever.

The decrees of the Lord are truth

  and all of them just.

The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.

They are more to be desired than gold,

  than the purest of gold

and sweeter are they than honey,

  than honey from the comb.

The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.

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Gospel Acclamation

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:

2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Matthew 9:1-8

'Your sins are forgiven; get up and walk'

Jesus got in the boat, crossed the water and came to his own town. Then some people appeared, bringing him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ And at this some scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home. A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men.

 

BEING A PROPHET OF DOOM IN GOOD TIMES

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPH 2:19-22; JN 20:24-29]

In the first reading from the Prophet Amos, we read how the prophet remained true to his calling in spite of rejections and slanders from Amaziah, the priest of Bethel.  He was accused of treason because he sought to discourage the people of Israel by warning them of the fall of the Kingdom.  We can appreciate why the people, the officials and the religious institution of the day could not accept the prophecy of Amos because he was preaching to the people at a time when Israel was still relatively peaceful and prosperous.   Perhaps, if the country were going through a crisis and some poverty, people might take his prophecy seriously.  But not in good times.  Indeed, this is true even in our days.  Today, when we warn world of the catastrophe that lies ahead because of changing lifestyles, an amoral approach towards life, self-centeredness, the disintegration of family life and marriage, the confusion of gender, and the lack of moral leadership among the political leaders, people accuse us of being narrow-minded and out of touch with life.  This is true of the warnings about global warming.  It is only now, when we are experiencing the increasing backlash of weather-inducing extreme heat, cold, rain, flood, and drought, that more and more people are beginning to pay attention to the need for climate sustainability.

But not only was the message of the prophet rejected, he was also persecuted.  Amaziah saw Amos as a threat to the unity of the country.  He was afraid that Amos might sow discouragement, breed fear and division among the people.  His prophecy was perceived as potentially demoralizing for the people.  Hence, he accused Amos of seeking to destroy the Northern Kingdom, since he came from the Southern Kingdom of Judah. He twisted and exaggerated the warnings of Amos, suggesting that he went beyond merely prophesying that Israel would suffer and the people banished, but that the king would die in the battle.  Again, that is what our opponents today do as well, when the Church proclaims the truth of the human person as male or female, the true meaning of marriage between a man and a woman, the sanctity of marriage and life.  We are denounced as homophobic, sowing division among the peoples, imposing our values on others.

The prophet was accused also of being a professional prophet – wanting to make money for himself.  Amaziah said, “Go away, seer; get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple.”   Amaziah suggested to Amos that he would be able to make more money in his own Kingdom of Judah than prophesying in the north.  Amos replied, “I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhoods of prophets.  I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores: but it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'”  We, too, are also accused of all sorts of ulterior motives and of being self-serving in our desire to help our people from falling into disasters.  Of course there will be some, including priests and religious, who might make use of religion for profit, as St Paul warned in his letter to Timothy.  But of course, those who are more concerned about their own interests than that of others are not true prophets of the Lord.

Who, then, is a true prophet?  He is one who is obedient to the Word of God and seeks to carry out the Word of God without fear or favour.  Amos was a reluctant prophet sent to the Northern Kingdom.  He was good as a shepherd and a farmer looking after the sycamores.  But because the Lord called him, even though he never perceived himself as a prophet, in obedience to His Word, he prophesied to the people of Israel in and out of season.  He did so without fear, even though he knew how unpopular he was with the people who heard him.  He was totally obedient to the Word of the Lord.  This is what every true prophet must do.  We must always examine ourselves, whether we are doing what the Lord wills of us, or whether we are doing things to satisfy our own interests, for our benefit, our popularity and acceptance by society.  If we just want to use politically correct language to satisfy the appeal of everyone, we are not true to the Lord.  Even hard truths need to be spoken, although not necessarily in a hostile manner. But to compromise the truths and speak in ambiguous terms does injustice to the Word of God.

Indeed, this is what the psalmist declares.  “The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul. The rule of the Lord is to be trusted; it gives wisdom to the simple.  The precepts of the Lord are right, they gladden the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eyes.  The fear of the Lord is holy, abiding for ever. The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.  They are more to be desired than gold, than the purest of gold and sweeter are they than honey, than honey from the comb.”

In the gospel, we have Jesus who was true to His divine calling. The proclamation of the Good News is not reducible to doing good, like works of healing and mercy.  This is unfortunately what is happening in our churches today.  We are working as if we are another humanitarian organization, providing aid to the poor and the suffering but forgetting that the heart of the Good News is the forgiveness of sins, our reconciliation with God and our fellowmen.  Today, the Church dare not speak about sin and forgiveness.   We hardly remind our people about the sins that cause them misery and, most of all, separation from God.  Sin today is reducible to whether we are having a good life here and now.  Yet, the truth is that sins cause us to lose salvation in this life and in the next.  Jesus came for the forgiveness of sins and not simply to be a healer of the body.   He came to heal our souls primarily.

Consequently, when He saw the paralyzed man, His first diagnosis was that this man needed more than physical healing.  He went to the heart of his problem.   It was his sin that crippled him.  He was paralyzed by sin.  Hence Jesus, notwithstanding that there were scribes and Pharisees among the audience, said to the man, “Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.”  And at this some scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”  Jesus knew that He would be misunderstood and prejudged for imparting forgiveness to the paralyzed man.   But He was undeterred because Jesus had to be true to His mission, which was to reconcile man with God and man with man.  He came to offer us the forgiveness of God.

And so to confirm His divine power to forgive sins, He said to them, “Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts?  Now, which of these is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, pick up your bed and go off home.'”  Indeed, the latter appears to be easier, as it is more tangible to see a man restored to physical health than to believe in one’s sins being forgiven. Jesus then commanded the man to pick up his bed and walk.  In truth, forgiving sins is more difficult because only God can forgive our sins.  This was certainly what was going on in the mind of the scribes and Pharisees.   So Jesus justified His action of forgiving the sins of the paralytic – that he was able to walk also signified that his sins have been forgiven, since sickness was seen to be the consequence of our sins.

We, too, are given a great example of courage in standing up for our beliefs by the friends of the paralyzed man.  They brought him to Jesus by lowering him down from the roof as the room was overcrowded.  This was in St Mark’s account, not in Matthew’s.   But we know that it was their act that promoted Jesus to reach out to the paralyzed man to heal him.  It is a reminder that our faith in Christ will inspire others to open themselves to our Lord.  By failing to stand up for our faith in Christ, we will also lead others away from Him.  Let us therefore be courageous witnesses to our Lord like them.

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

BELONGING TO A FAITH COMMUNITY

20240703 BELONGING TO A FAITH COMMUNITY

 

 

03 July 2024, Wednesday, St Thomas, Apostle

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.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 116(117):1-2

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

or

Alleluia!

O praise the Lord, all you nations,

  acclaim him all you peoples!

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

or

Alleluia!

Strong is his love for us;

  he is faithful for ever.

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

or

Alleluia!

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Gospel Acclamation

Jn20:29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

Alleluia!

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Gospel

John 20:24-29

'My Lord and my God!'

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

 

BELONGING TO A FAITH COMMUNITY

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EPH 2:19-22; JN 20:24-29]

Many Catholics struggle in their faith even after baptism.  What is the reason?  It is because they are alone in their faith.  Fresh after baptism or a retreat, they are filled with the Spirit, but very soon their enthusiasm dies down.  This is because they do not have Catholic friends to share their faith with, and they do not belong to a faith-sharing community.  Of course some do belong to a Catholic community, such as a church organization, but most of these organizations are functional in nature.  They offer a service to the community, which in itself is noble.  But being active in church does not necessarily translate to growth in spiritual life, whether in terms of prayer or doctrinal growth.

Indeed, the lesson we can learn as we celebrate the Feast of St Thomas is that, cut off from the community, our faith is weak.  This was what happened to Thomas. When the Lord appeared to the disciples, he was not around. When the disciples told him,  “‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.'”  But when the Lord appeared to them the second time, Thomas was with the disciples. The Lord said to him, “Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.”

Thomas was able to make a confession of faith this time, not simply because Jesus appeared to him but because he was with the Twelve.  Thomas had seen the wounds of Jesus, but in His humanity, not as God.  Thomas did not believe that Jesus was Lord because he saw the wounds, but because he saw the signs and arrived at the conclusion.  Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”  So Thomas was not exempted from making an act of faith.  The wounds of Jesus in themselves were not an indication that He is Lord and God.  Confessing it requires an act of faith.  After all, He could be just a resuscitated Jesus, like Lazarus.

Consequently, if we are to grow in faith, we need to belong to a community of faith.  For this reason, St Paul wrote, “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.”  We are called to be members of the family of God.   As members of God’s household, we are called to support each other in our faith journey, like members of a family supporting each other in daily life, in good times and in bad.  It is the love of the family and their support that keeps us going each day in the hurly burly of life.  We cannot be alone.

To belong to the family of God is the way in which we align ourselves with the Lord in the way we look at life. “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.” When all of us work and walk together in faith, this is how we can withstand the secularistic climate.  It is important that we create cell groups or faith-sharing groups among our Catholics at school, at work, and in the neighbourhood, so that we will always have our fellow Catholics to lean on, to grow and to feel supported.

Why is belonging to a community so crucial to our faith?  This is because they provide us the signs of Christ’s presence.  When Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe”, He was not discounting the need for signs for credibility.  Faith in Jesus is not asking us to take a blind leap.  We have signs for believing.  Indeed, there must be a basis for making an act of faith or else it would be unreasonable.  Faith is not without reason, or worse still, irrational.   So there must be signs for faith.  St Thomas saw the signs of faith when he saw the wounds of Christ.  From that sign, he made the leap of faith to confess that Jesus is Lord.

So what are these signs that invite us to faith?  These signs come from the testimony of the Church.  Indeed, the Church as the Sacrament of Christ’s presence gives us the signs for faith.   The Church is the presence of Jesus, especially in the sacraments.  In the gospel, Jesus, breathing into them the Holy Spirit, told the apostles, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  (Jn 20:21) After the resurrection, the Risen Lord, who transcends space and time, now lives in the disciples who, having been baptized in the Holy Spirit, are now also anointed to proclaim the Good News to all creation.  (Mk 16:15)  And He further guaranteed how He would act in and through them.  “And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  (Mk 16:17f)

First, we have the teaching of the apostles and the prophets of the early Church.  These teachings of the apostles are put into the written form in the Bible.  So by listening to the Word of God as proclaimed by the apostles, we hear the Lord speaking to us and confirming His word by signs and wonders.  Indeed by hearing the Word of God we are brought to faith.  St Paul wrote, “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)

Second, the teaching of the apostles continues through the successors of the apostles, the college of bishops and through them, the priests proclaim the Word of God.  From the magisterium, we hear the official teachings of the Church on Christ and His Words.  Through the preaching of the appointed ministers, the Word of God that is proclaimed continues to give life, faith and hope to those who hear them.  Consequently, it is indispensable that preachers prepare the Word of God and those who listen are called to listen in faith.

Third, we have the witnessing of the gospel in daily life among the Catholics in the last 2000 years.  Millions had died for Christ.  Thousands were martyred for their faith. Many lived heroic lives, giving themselves for the service of God and their fellowmen.  When we think of the beautiful churches and basilicas in Europe, we can see how much Catholics had given of themselves for the greater glory of Christ.  How could Catholics today continue to give themselves so generously to the service of the Church, country and humanity, if not for the fact that Christ means much to them; and through their experience of His love through divine assistance, healing and miracles, the faith of the Church continues to testify to the living God.   

Fourth, we have our own personal encounters with the Lord. Many of us have encountered the Lord Jesus in different degrees and in different ways.  We have encountered His love through the love of the Christian community.  It is always the concrete acts of love that we experience from the Church, the pastors and the people of God that convict us of His presence and that His love is real. Many have encountered Him through intimacy in prayer, contemplation and worship.  The experience of God’s love has changed many lives and empowered them to live a life of freedom and joy.  These are the signs that He is alive and present in our midst.

Consequently, it is important that we make possible a faith community that enables us to encounter the Lord within and through each other in the community.  Parents must begin by making their family a miniature faith community.  They should gather the family, not just to pray but to share the Word of God together and to testify how God works in their daily life.  Parents must cultivate this habit of making the family members share their experience of how God is at work in their daily lives.  Unless we testify to each other how God is working in our lives, we would soon forget that He is alive in our midst, or remain unaware of the love He has shown to us each day.  From the establishment of a faith-sharing group in the family, it will then be easier to share the Word of God with the larger community of Catholics in the Church, in the neighbourhood or in our organizations.  The reason why there is a lack of sharing of the Word of God in cell groups or neighborhood groups is because the culture of giving testimony to the power of God at work in our lives has never been cultivated from young, beginning with the family.

It is critical that more of such faith-sharing communities be formed in our parishes.  When faith is not shared, it will remain individualistic and weak.  We need to hear that God is working in our lives so that those who are going through difficult times could be strengthened in their faith and be given hope.  Indeed, St Thomas teaches us that we need to stay within the Christian community if we are to see the Risen Lord.  Most of us would not have the time to attend formal lectures on the doctrinal and intellectual aspects of our faith.  But if we come together to share the Word of God, we will learn about Jesus personally and that will help to see us through the daily struggles of life.  Even if our intellectual faith does not grow as much, our personal conviction of Jesus would have grown.  And that is all that is needed to ground us in our faith till we can formally study scriptures and theology at an opportune time.   

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

PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD!

20240702 PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD!

 

 

02 July 2024, Tuesday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Amos 3:1-8,4:11-12

It is for all your sins that I mean to punish you

Listen, sons of Israel, to this oracle the Lord speaks against you, against the whole family I brought out of the land of Egypt:

You alone, of all the families of earth, have I acknowledged,

therefore it is for all your sins that I mean to punish you.

Do two men take the road together

if they have not planned to do so?

Does the lion roar in the jungle

if no prey has been found?

Does the young lion growl in his lair

if he has captured nothing?

Does the bird fall to the ground

if no trap has been set?

Does the snare spring up from the ground

if nothing has been caught?

Does the trumpet sound in the city

without the populace becoming alarmed?

Does misfortune come to a city

if the Lord has not sent it?

No more does the Lord do anything

without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets.

The lion roars: who can help feeling afraid?

The Lord speaks: who can refuse to prophesy?

I overthrew you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

and you were like a brand snatched from the blaze;

and yet you never came back to me.

It is the Lord who speaks.

This therefore, Israel, is what I plan to do to you,

and because I am going to do this to you,

Israel, prepare to meet your God!

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 5:5-8

Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.

You are no God who loves evil;

  no sinner is your guest.

The boastful shall not stand their ground

  before your face.

Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.

You hate all who do evil;

  you destroy all who lie.

The deceitful and bloodthirsty man

  the Lord detests.

Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.

But I through the greatness of your love

  have access to your house.

I bow down before your holy temple,

  filled with awe.

Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.

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Gospel Acclamation

Ps147:12,15

Alleluia, alleluia!

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

He sends out his word to the earth.

Alleluia!

Or:

Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus rebuked the winds and the seas, and all was calm

Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’

 

PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD!

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12; Ps 5:5-8; Mt 8:23-27]

God was deeply disappointed with Israel because Israel took their election for granted and abused the privileges given to them.  He said, “You alone, of all the families of earth, have I acknowledged.”  Indeed, of all the peoples on the earth, God, in His mercy and graciousness, had chosen Israel to be His own.  God told Israel, “It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you – for you were the fewest of all peoples.  It was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Dt 7:6f)  Furthermore, the Lord also said, “You are a people holy to the Lord your God; it is you the Lord has chosen out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”  (Dt 14:1)

Don’t we as well?  Don’t we take our privileges for granted in life too?  We have been blessed with good health, with a loving spouse and family, with good education, prospective career and faithful friends.  But what have we done with the blessings we have received?  Do we treasure our loved ones, make time for them and be with them?  Do we show our appreciation for what they do for us? Do we share our blessings with others?  If we are inward-looking, demanding and ungrateful for what the Lord has given to us, and use what we have for evil rather than good, for ourselves rather than for others, then the Lord will soon come and deliver His judgement on us as He did with the Israelites.

What is God’s judgement?  He will punish us with the very sins that we commit.  What we reap is what we sow.  “Therefore it is for all your sins that I mean to punish you. Do two men take the road together if they have not planned to do so? Does the lion roar in the jungle if no prey has been found? Does the young lion growl in his lair if he has captured nothing? Does the bird fall to the ground if no trap has been set? Does the snare spring up from the ground if nothing has been caught? Does the trumpet sound in the city without the populace becoming alarmed? Does misfortune come to a city if the Lord has not sent it? No more does the Lord do anything without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets.”

This is why the Lord allows us to face the storms in life.  It is not about the storms.  It is about meeting God in the storms.  We read that the disciples were in the boat and a storm developed suddenly.   Even though they were professional fishermen, we were told that it was so “violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat” and in their fear, they went to wake the Lord up saying, “Save us, Lord, we are going down!”  Like the disciples, if we are not careful, when the storms of life suddenly come, we will not be able to handle them in spite of our resources.  Wealth, power, health are all false security because all these can be taken away as we see what the Covid-19 pandemic has done to the economy in the world and the lives of many people, including the rich and powerful and wealthy.  No one is shielded from the vicissitudes of life simply because he is a somebody in life.

When the storms set in, those of us without faith will sink with the boat.  Those who are unprepared will be swept up by the storms.  This is true for many of our Catholics.  Their faith is weak.  Their knowledge of their faith is shallow.  They are hardly familiar with the bible because they only read it occasionally and superficially if at all.  Their knowledge and understanding of the doctrines is even lesser.  Their relationship with the Lord is one of utility, turning to Him only when they need Him to help them pass an exam, get a job, regain their health or to protect them from harm if they are travelling.  They have no real encounter with the Lord.

So what what happens when the trials of life set in?   They become frightened.  They lose faith.  Then they turn to other gods and other religions to secure what they seek.  Otherwise, they blame the Church or come to conclude that God does not care and therefore does not exist, all because they are not prepared for the trials ahead of them.  The Lord said to His disciples, “Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?”  When our faith is weak, we are frightened of the future.  We are afraid to surrender our lives into His hands.

But for those who have faith, God will strengthen their faith further through trials.  St Peter wrote, “In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith – being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire.” (1 Pt 1:6f) St James also said a similar thing. “Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”  (Jms 1:2-4)

Indeed, God meets us in the storm not to destroy us but to strengthen our faith further so that we can find Him in the storms of life.  This was what happened to the disciples.  When we feel down and out and helpless, this is when the Lord would step in to save us.  The reason why many of us never encounter God is because we do not really need Him.  Those who are rich and self-sufficient will have difficulties encountering God’s love and power.  This is why the Lord remarked, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mt 19:23f)  So long as they can depend on themselves, God is only a spare battery or a booster.  This is why people in the world today, because they have education, knowledge and technology, think that they can change the world without God.  Knowledge and technology are the new gods. Faith in ourselves is a misplaced faith.  Only when we are helpless, then the Lord will show us who is in charge!  This was precisely what the fishermen experienced in the gospel.  When the storm was beyond their ability to control, they turned to the Lord and cried for help.

Indeed, when God shows His mighty hand, then we come to realize that our God is truly the Lord.  In the gospel, we read, “he rebuked the winds and the seas; and all was calm again.  The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this?  Even the winds and the seas obey him.'”  Indeed, who is He that can control the winds and the storms?  This was the same question God challenged Job.  In chapters 38 and 39 of Job, the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, “‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”  (Job 38:1-4) God interrogated Job on the creation of the world, the control of the weather, the seasons, the rain, the lightning, the animals, etc.  The Lord concluded, “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Anyone who argues with God must respond.” (Job 40:2) Job’s reply at the end of God’s interrogation, “See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.  I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but will proceed no further.”  (Job 40:4f)  Indeed, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” (Mt 19:26)  Only God can calm the storms because He is Lord.

So it is critical that we ask the same question, “‘What kind of man is this?”  We need to know who Jesus is and strengthen our relationship with Him if we want to be prepared for the storms of life and the judgment of God that will come when we least expect.  Otherwise, we will succumb to the storms because we do not know Him well enough to trust Him and submit our lives under His Lordship.  Let us nurture our faith by reading the Word of God daily and receive Him in the Eucharist so that His love will always be in us.  Faith in Him alone will help us to overcome all trials in life because He says to us, “It is I, do not be afraid!”   God is ever ready to rescue us if only we turn to Him in faith and in humility.

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