Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together: 2025

Sunday, 5 January 2025

FIDELITY TO OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH IN CHRIST THE SON OF GOD

20250106 FIDELITY TO OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH IN CHRIST THE SON OF GOD

First reading

1 John 3:22-4:6

The Son of God has come and given us the power to know the true God

Whatever we ask God,

we shall receive,

because we keep his commandments

and live the kind of life that he wants.

His commandments are these:

that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

and that we love one another

as he told us to.

Whoever keeps his commandments

lives in God and God lives in him.

We know that he lives in us

by the Spirit that he has given us.

It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust;

test them, to see if they come from God,

there are many false prophets, now, in the world.

You can tell the spirits that come from God by this:

every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh

is from God;

but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus

is not from God,

but is the spirit of Antichrist,

whose coming you were warned about.

Well, now he is here, in the world.

Children,

you have already overcome these false prophets,

because you are from God and you have in you

one who is greater than anyone in this world;

as for them, they are of the world,

and so they speak the language of the world

and the world listens to them.

But we are children of God,

and those who know God listen to us;

those who are not of God refuse to listen to us.

This is how we can tell

the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 2:7-8,10-11

I will give you the nations for your heritage.

The Lord said to me: ‘You are my Son.

It is I who have begotten you this day.

Ask and I shall bequeath you the nations,

put the ends of the earth in your possession.’

I will give you the nations for your heritage.

Now, O kings, understand,

take warning, rulers of the earth;

serve the Lord with awe

and trembling, pay him your homage.

I will give you the nations for your heritage.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt4:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

The people that lived in darkness

has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.

Alleluia!

Or:

cf.Mt4:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom

and cured all kinds of diseases among the people.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk4:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

Or:

cf.1Tim3:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to you, O Christ,

proclaimed to the pagans;

glory to you, O Christ,

believed in by the world.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 4:12-17,23-25

The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!

Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,

Galilee of the nations!

The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;

on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death

a light has dawned.’

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.

06 January 2025, Monday After Epiphany

FIDELITY TO OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH IN CHRIST THE SON OF GOD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 JN 3:22-4:6; MT 4:12-17, 23-25]

St John’s exhortation to test the Spirit is even more necessarily today as we live in a world of relativism and the spread of fake news and teachings, especially in social media and internet. Why is having the right doctrine necessary? This is because the wrong doctrine will lead to wrong conduct. What we believe will be translated into actions. There is no such thing as a Christian theology without a Christian ethic. Our belief would be false if it is not manifested in the way we live our lives. St John wrote, “Whatever we ask God, we shall receive, because we keep his commandments and live the kind of life that he wants. His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to. Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God and God lives in him. We know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us.” Two inseparable commands will help us to discern whether we are listening to the right spirit.

Firstly, we must “believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ.” To believe in the name of Jesus is more than simply the name by which He is called. In many cultures, the name often signifies who we are and what we are called to do. Behind the name, is the whole nature and character of the person. That is why, it is important for us to carefully choose a name for someone. To believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God means that He shares in the being of God in a way that no other person on this earth could. It is because He shares in the life and love of God, that He could be our Saviour. He is therefore the fulfilment of God’s promises to Israel. The gospel confirms this when Matthew wrote that Jesus, after “leaving Nazareth … went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived on darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned. From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.'” So to believe in Him, is to accept Him for what He really is. He is our Lord and Saviour, the revealed and revealer of His Father’s will and His being. He is the king of kings.

Secondly, we must confess that Jesus is not only divine but human as well. St John warns us of the false prophets. “It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust; test them, to see if they come from God, there are many false prophets, now, in the world. You can tell the spirits that come from God by this: every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh is from God; but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus is not from God, but is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you are warned about. Well, now he is here, in the world.” Why is it so important to recognize the incarnation of our Lord? To deny His incarnation is to deny that Jesus can be our exemplar in living out the gospel. Jesus could only be our Saviour if He truly man, because none of us would be able to overcome sin as He did. To be a real Saviour, the Son had to identify Himself with humanity, whom He came to save.

Jesus as man shows us the way, and that is why the author of the letter of Hebrews wrote, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:1f) Again, Hebrews underscores His humanity when the author wrote, “Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:14-16)

Today, we have Christians who, in the face of Inter-religious dialogue, are making compromises that Jesus is the Saviour of all, but only one among others. This is because we have forgotten the true identity of Jesus as God and man, and that He is the Christ. Whilst we admit that others, as Vatican II tells us, could be saved through their own faith, even though they “have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life, whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel” (Lumen Gentium 16). But this does not mean that Christ is not the universal Saviour of all because He came to die for all men and He is the one mediator between God and Man. “There is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.” (1 Tim 2:5) So too, in the Decree on Non-Christian Religions, the Church teaches, “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself. (Nostra Aetate, 2)

However, as St John said, we should not be afraid to vouch for the truth of our faith in Him. We should not compromise our belief for the sake of cheap popularity and acceptance. This does not mean that we need to denigrate the faith beliefs of others. But in truth and charity, we should simply state what we believe, and at the same time respect the faith of others. However, it is a different thing to say that all religions are the same. This would not just be a lie but it also denies that all religions are unique and not the same. So as Christians, all we need to do is to remember the truth and cling to it. We should be wary of false teachers who make compromises for political gains. Indeed, we must promote inter-religious dialogue and come to appreciate those who have not yet believed in Christ. As Nostra Aetate says, there are also many goodness and beauty in other religions which we can even learn from. But this does not require us to deny our faith in Christ or to put down the faith of others.

In the final analysis, the test of truth is not just our confession of faith in Him as the Son of God; it must lead to action. Jesus the Eternal Word of the Father became man so that He could show us the way to live our life, which is the way of love. It is a love that is selfless, sacrificial, inclusive and forgiving. He demonstrated by His life and ministry. Jesus gave His life for the service of His fellowmen. And we are told “He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them.”

So too, no one will believe that we are saved and that Jesus is real unless we back up our confession with actions and charity. The way to live in the light is to be involved in the lives of our fellowmen, uplifting them from their meaningless way of life and suffering. “To believe in Jesus means to love one another the way our Lord has loved us. (cf Jn 13:34) This is the most convincing truth for those who are sceptical of our beliefs. For this reason, those of us who profess to know Christ but act uncharitably towards others should reflect on the sincerity of our profession in Christ. Salvation means that we have been transformed in Christ and be another Christ to others by our humble service, compassion, love and forgiveness.

Saturday, 4 January 2025

EMBRACING HOPE

20250105 EMBRACING HOPE

First reading

Isaiah 60:1-6

Above you the glory of the Lord appears

Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come,

the glory of the Lord is rising on you,

though night still covers the earth

and darkness the peoples.

Above you the Lord now rises

and above you his glory appears.

The nations come to your light

and kings to your dawning brightness.

Lift up your eyes and look round:

all are assembling and coming towards you,

your sons from far away

and your daughters being tenderly carried.

At this sight you will grow radiant,

your heart throbbing and full;

since the riches of the sea will flow to you,

the wealth of the nations come to you;

camels in throngs will cover you,

and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;

everyone in Sheba will come,

bringing gold and incense

and singing the praise of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,10-13

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

O God, give your judgement to the king,

to a king’s son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice

and your poor in right judgement.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

In his days justice shall flourish

and peace till the moon fails.

He shall rule from sea to sea,

from the Great River to earth’s bounds.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts

shall pay him tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba

shall bring him gifts.

Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,

all nations shall serve him.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

For he shall save the poor when they cry

and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

and save the lives of the poor.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

Second reading

Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6

It has now been revealed that pagans share the same inheritance

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery. This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt2:2

Alleluia, alleluia!

We saw his star as it rose

and have come to do the Lord homage.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 2:1-12

The visit of the Magi

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,

for out of you will come a leader

who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

05 January 2025, SUNDAY, EPIPHANY OF THE LORD (CATECHETICAL SUNDAY)

EMBRACING HOPE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [IS 60:1-6; PS 72:1-2,7-8,10-13; EPH 3:2-3.5-6; MT 2:1-12]

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. We celebrate Jesus manifested as the Son of God to the whole world, symbolized in the three Magi who were non-Jews. They, too, came to recognize the Infant King as their Lord and Saviour. “They saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Indeed, Jesus was born not just for the Chosen People of God, the Jews, but He is the Saviour of all. This is what St Paul said, “This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance.”

Today, we also celebrate Catechetical Sunday. Like St Paul and the Magi, we are called to reveal Christ as our Saviour and Lord to the world. Catechesis is more than just an instruction of the faith and on morality but it is to encounter Jesus as a friend, Lord and Saviour leading to a transformed life. This was what happened to Paul and the Magi. The Magi, after adoring the Lord, “returned to their own country by a different way.” So, too, St Paul, after encountering the Risen Lord in Damascus. “You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery.” In the words of Pope Benedict, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” (Deus Caritas Est, 1)

Indeed, catechesis is to give a reason for our hope in Christ. “Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Pt 3:15) This year, the Church is celebrating the Jubilee year of hope. We should take catechesis as the means by which we give hope to the world by giving them Christ. He is our only hope and the basis for hope. Our hope for a better world and a future life beyond this world is founded on the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord. As catechists, we are called first and foremost to offer lasting hope in Christ to our young people and to our Catechumens. He is the way to peace and justice in the world, as the responsorial psalm says.

However, it is not just the work of catechists alone but of everyone in the community. Faith is a communitarian affair. For a person to grow in faith, we need the whole village to help the person in his or her faith journey. Every one of us has a part to play in helping our brothers and sisters in their faith. Parents are the first catechists, but they need help also from the rest of the community. Besides, catechists, priests and all have a role in inspiring and forming the faith of those who seek to know Jesus, especially the young. So long as we are in this community, we can either inspire others in faith or cause them to lose faith because of scandals or the lack of charity, or simply because we do not live out our Catholic life.

We must learn from the wise men that we need to travel together in faith. The journey of faith is long and harsh. Many have a glimpse of Christ and desire to know Him. But not many persevere to the end. And even for those of us who are baptized, when the ointment dries from our head, we also become complacent and indifferent to our faith. Indeed, we have many nominal Catholics in the Church. They get lost along the way. Simply because they travelled alone. They have no Catholic friends to support them in their faith. Their friends are all non-Catholics and so we cannot expect them to help them in their faith. The three wise men walked together, sharing their resources and knowledge, and accompanied each other in the search for the Infant King of the Jews.

They sought help not just from their own studies but from those who know. Like the wise men, they were searching for the Infant King. They would have used all the resources available to them to arrive at the knowledge that the Lord could be found by following the Starthat they saw. “We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.” They were sincere in wanting to find Jesus. There was no complacency on their part. And when they lost sight of the star, they went to the priests and the scribes for information. They said, “At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.” We, too, must be humble in our search for the Lord. We need to study about Him from those who have met Him and have learnt about Him. We cannot just depend on ourselves but be humble enough to inquire about Jesus from those who know. We must help each other to strengthen our faith.

In our search for Christ, we need to look out for true mentors of Christ in our community. Some are like King Herod; they pretend to know Him but they have ulterior motives. We do not choose anyone for convenience sake. The people we choose must be disciples of our Lord and people who are passionate about Jesus. Many who offer themselves to be god-parents for baptism and confirmation are themselves not exemplary in their faith life. As the Lord warned us, “If one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” So we must be selective in those whom we choose to journey with us. Otherwise, instead of leading us to God, they can lead us to sin. That is why we need more exemplary faith believers in our community to teach, form and inspire our young people and those searching. Unfortunately, mentors are hard to find – whether it is in the RCIA or sponsors for teen confirmation. The sponsors are normally the same people who follow from one intake to another. Once they are baptized, they are normally left on their own, and often they feel lost. As a result, some eventually stray from the Church. So, too, our young people cannot find good mentors to be their sponsors. They just choose anyone, mostly relatives to stand in for them even though they themselves are poor witnesses of faith.

Knowledge about Jesus is inadequate, unless it is a personal knowledge. “When the wise men told Herod that they were looking for the infant king of the Jews, King Herod was perturbed. Later he summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.'” But he was not sincere. On the contrary, he was plotting to get rid of Him. We, too, must be sincere in our relationship with the Lord. We cannot depend on secondary testimony about Jesus. We must go and discover Him for ourselves and adore Him. As catechists, we must be able to say to those under our charge that we know Him and we have encountered Him. Catechesis is not about providing some information about Jesus, but leading them to know Jesus personally.

Finally, we must shine out to the world. We evangelize best by evangelizing ourselves. As Isaiah said in the first reading, “Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears.” Let us therefore be witnesses of our Lord, testifying to Him. We must show that our hope in Jesus has transformed our lives. Witnessing faith in life is critical. Just as St Paul and the wise men’s lives were transformed after adoring the Lord Jesus, we should be able to manifest a change of life in our attitudes towards worldly things and our relationships with others. The teachings of our Lord in the scriptures will reveal to us more and more about our identity and how we are called to live our lives meaningfully, and be at the service of God and His people. As we do, we become convinced and remain connected with our experience of the Lord. By sharing, we grow in union with fellow Catholics because it is the Lord that binds us all together. In Christ, we become one people, one body, because of the one Faith we share. Indeed, Christ is our hope, the power and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor 1:24)

Friday, 3 January 2025

LIVING A RIGHTEOUS LIFE

20250103 LIVING A RIGHTEOUS LIFE

First reading

1 John 2:29-3:6

Everyone must try to be as pure as Christ

You know that God is righteous –

then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous

has been begotten by him.

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,

by letting us be called God’s children;

and that is what we are.

Because the world refused to acknowledge him,

therefore it does not acknowledge us.

My dear people, we are already the children of God

but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;

all we know is, that when it is revealed

we shall be like him

because we shall see him as he really is.

Surely everyone who entertains this hope

must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.

Anyone who sins at all

breaks the law,

because to sin is to break the law.

Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin,

and that in him there is no sin;

anyone who lives in God does not sin,

and anyone who sins

has never seen him or known him.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 97(98):1,3-6

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,

ring out your joy.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp

with the sound of music.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

acclaim the King, the Lord.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

A hallowed day has dawned upon us.

Come, you nations, worship the Lord,

for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or:

Heb1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia!

At various times in the past

and in various different ways,

God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

but in our own time, the last days,

he has spoken to us through his Son.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 1:29-34

'Look: there is the Lamb of God'

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

03 January 2025, Friday

LIVING A RIGHTEOUS LIFE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 JN 2:29–3:6; PS 98; JOHN 1:29-34]

Why should we seek to be righteous? Because of our status and who we really are! St John reminds us, “You know that God is righteous – then you must recognize that everyone whose life is righteous has been begotten by him.” We are God’s children. This is our great privilege. “Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are.” We are more than just any other creature that God has created. We are created to share in His life and His love. When we fail to be what we are, then we are disowning our identity.

Unfortunately, not everyone acknowledges the existence of God. St John says, “Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us.” Although we are all God’s children, many in the world do not acknowledge God as their creator and Father. In a world of secularism, science and technology, man has become so proud of himself that he thinks he can do everything without God. Many have come to conclude that there is no God either. When there is no God, there is also no basis for morality. Ethics is decided by man and moral principles can change in time. This is why humanity also does not know their identity, their calling in life and their destiny. The confusion on fundamental issues like gender, marriage and family is the result of man abandoning faith in God.

For us who know God, we are confident of our identity and goal in life. Our identity and fulfilment in life is to be with God. “My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.” As St Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until we rest in Him.” Indeed, no matter how successful or rich we are, we find ourselves restless even when we have achieved great things in life. Only when we are in God, can our hearts find rest.

We must therefore seek to live out our identity as the children of God. St John exhorts us, “Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.” In Christ, we see how one should live his or her life. Jesus came to show us the Way, the Truth and the Life. We are called to imitate our Lord. St Paul wrote, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:5-8) To share in His mind is to acquire the Beatitudes that He taught. Through the Sermon on the Mount, we know the attitudes that we should cultivate in order to live a godly life. (cf Mt 5-7)

However, we cannot live this life by our own strength alone. Keeping ourselves pure and holy is not just about using one’s efforts and discipline to accomplish what the Law requires of us. Rather, we need to rely on our Lord. Only in Him can we find the strength to not simply observe the Laws but more importantly, to observe them out of love. Salvation is not so much about passing all the tests in life. God does not judge us as we judge our fellowmen. God judges not just the external actions but the inner motives of what we do. Doing good and living a righteous life must be motivated by love for God and our fellowmen. Otherwise, it becomes a burden and it takes the joy out of our life. We behave like slaves, afraid of God, thinking that He would send us to hell if we break the commandments. We must be careful not to behave like the elder son in the story of the Prodigal Son.

The gospel makes it clear that only Jesus can take away our sins. “The next day, seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.'” John the Baptist, even though he exhorted the people to repent and baptized them with water, knew that it was just an expression of the desire for God’s forgiveness. “I shall not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptizing with water.” His task was to prepare the people to receive Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Man is reconciled with God only with the atoning death of our Lord. St John says, “Anyone who sins at all breaks the law, because to sin is to break the law. Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin, and that in him there is no sin, and anyone who sins has never seen him or known him.”

But Jesus did not only take away our sins. This is but the first step towards restoration. His death has reconciled us with His Father and assured us of the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus had come for all, regardless whether we believe in Him or not. He died for all of us, even sinners, and even when we do not acknowledge Him. However, the saving death of Jesus is also to inspire us to live a righteous life out of love for Him, and for God who sacrificed His only Son. His innocent death on the cross was to bring us all into realization of the gravity of our sins. Isaiah wrote, “Just as there were many who were astonished at him – so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals – so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.” (Isa 52:14f)

Even then, it is not enough for us to overcome sins. Jesus’ death is not only to be understood as a good example for us, but His death was a prelude to the sending of the Holy Spirit upon us. John the Baptist declared, “I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.” Indeed, the capacity to live a life of holiness is through the grace of the Holy Spirit. We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life of righteousness. St Paul delineates the gifts of the Holy Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.” (Gal 5:22-25)

This is why holiness requires the cooperation of man, even though ultimately it is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is not just our decision and our will to choose holiness because we are weak and will succumb to temptations. Even with the best intentions, we would fall again into sin. So we need to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength to resist the temptations of the Evil One. Jesus, upon His death on the cross, poured out the Holy Spirit on the Church when He uttered the words, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (Jn 19:30) But it will be at Pentecost that the Holy Spirit, latent in the disciples, was activated through the Risen Lord. “He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'” (Jn 20:22f)

Truly, as the Psalmist says, “Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.” It is God who makes it possible for us to live a life of righteousness. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8f) Through baptism, we are made sons and daughters of God and given the sanctifying grace to grow in holiness.