Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together: 2025

Monday, 7 April 2025

HEALED BY THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD

20250408 HEALED BY THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD

08 April 2025, Tuesday, 5th Week of Lent

First reading

Numbers 21:4-9

If anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked up at the bronze serpent and lived

The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt the land of Edom. On the way the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.’

At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.’ Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, ‘Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 101(102):2-3,16-21

O Lord, listen to my prayer and let my cry for help reach you.

O Lord, listen to my prayer

and let my cry for help reach you.

Do not hide your face from me

in the day of my distress.

Turn your ear towards me

and answer me quickly when I call.

O Lord, listen to my prayer and let my cry for help reach you.

The nations shall fear the name of the Lord

and all the earth’s kings your glory,

when the Lord shall build up Zion again

and appear in all his glory.

Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;

he will not despise their prayers.

O Lord, listen to my prayer and let my cry for help reach you.

Let this be written for ages to come

that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord;

for the Lord leaned down from his sanctuary on high.

He looked down from heaven to the earth

that he might hear the groans of the prisoners

and free those condemned to die.

O Lord, listen to my prayer and let my cry for help reach you.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn8:12

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Or:

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

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

whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Gospel

John 8:21-30

When you have lifted up the Son of Man then you will know that I am He

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

‘I am going away;

you will look for me

and you will die in your sin.

Where I am going, you cannot come.’

The Jews said to one another, ‘Will he kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ Jesus went on:

‘You are from below; I am from above.

You are of this world; I am not of this world.

I have told you already:

You will die in your sins.

Yes, if you do not believe that I am He,

you will die in your sins.’

So they said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus answered:

‘What I have told you from the outset.

About you I have much to say

and much to condemn;

but the one who sent me is truthful,

and what I have learnt from him

I declare to the world.’

They failed to understand that he was talking to them about the Father. So Jesus said:

‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man,

then you will know that I am He

and that I do nothing of myself:

what the Father has taught me is what I preach;

he who sent me is with me,

and has not left me to myself,

for I always do what pleases him.’

As he was saying this, many came to believe in him.

HEALED BY THE WOUNDS OF OUR LORD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [NUMBERS 21:4-9; JOHN 8:21-30]

In the first reading, we read of the ingratitude of the Israelites. In spite of what God had done for them, liberating them from the harsh slavery of the Egyptians, providing them with water and bread; sheltering them from the scorching sun during the day by the pillar of cloud and providing them light by the pillar of fire at night, they were still not satisfied. We read that they lost patience with Moses and with God. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.” In not appreciating the gift of God in the manna and the graciousness of God in liberating them from their slavery, “God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel.” This perhaps was the biggest lesson they learnt about the danger of ingratitude. The truth is that ingratitude leads to many sins: envy, greed, theft and murder. Those who lack contentment in life and are not grateful for the blessings they receive from God are despising God and therefore will ultimately hurt themselves.

In the gospel, we read of the Jews who were ignorant of Jesus. In spite of the miracles He had performed, they failed to recognise that He was the Messiah and His divine origin. They continued to doubt Him and reject His message. This was because they were of the world, as Jesus said. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I have told you already: You will die in your sins.” In rejecting Jesus, they rejected the Word of God and the Light of the world, as we read in yesterday’s gospel. God is always recognised as the Light of our lives. So by rejecting the Lord, they had also rejected God. As a consequence, they died in their sins because of ignorance and rebellion against God.

Sin always has its consequences. This is the warning of today’s scripture readings. We will die because of our sins. Just like the Israelites in the first reading, they were bitten literally by their own sins. St Augustine taught that the punishment for iniquity is more iniquity because one sin leads to many other sins. Sin never comes alone but every sin gives birth to a multitude of other sins. When we sin, we are travelling on a slippery road leading to the abyss of hell. No one is happy when he or she commits sin. No one stops at one sin but seeks to cover up his or her other sins; or worse still, commits more sins because he or she has become blind, confused, hurt, wounded, insecure, angry, jealous, and consumed by pride, fear, and revenge. So the warning of Jesus is timely, “You will die in your sins. Yes, if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

So how does the Lord bring us back to the right path? Firstly, He allows our sins to punish us, as St Augustine says. We are punished by the very sins we commit. If we commit adultery, then when it is exposed, we would have to bear the consequences of division in the family, quarrels, fighting, and divorce, carrying the guilt of watching our spouse and children suffer because of our sins. This is true for those who commit crimes like stealing, cheating, reckless driving and all other offences. When we sin, not only do we suffer but our loved ones and often innocent parties are deeply hurt by our selfishness and irresponsible acts. So like the Israelites, God allowed them to suffer the pains of their sins through death, which is less severe than eternal death. By allowing them to die in their sins, the Lord hoped that they would wake up from their slumber and come to realisation, like the prodigal son in the gospel, that what they were doing is wrong and are causing others to suffer on account of their evil, self-centred and dishonest acts. For many people, by reflecting on the consequences of their sins, they would already be brought to repentance and conversion. However, not all might come to see their folly and sinfulness. This was what the Lord did. He “sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel.” The people said to Moses, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.'”

Secondly, He sought to heal our pains by having us look at His power. The command to look at the Bronze serpent to find healing is very telling of how the Lord wants us to reflect deeply and examine our conscience so that we can come to full realisation of our sins. It is significant that God commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a standard. “‘If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.’ So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.” From the point of etymology of the word serpent, we are given some clues as to how the Lord works to heal us. The angels of light and life are the messengers of God and they belong to the seraphim. The word “serpent” shares the root meaning of messengers, only that they are messengers of death. So by looking at the bronze serpent, they might repent out of fear; and come to realise that the sole source of power is God alone, not the serpent that He sent to bite them so that they could come to repentance. Through this event, it was hoped that the Israelites would then trust in God enough to allow Him to lead them through the desert providing for their needs.

However, this might not bring sinners to repentance. Then the third way is by contemplation on the mercy and love of Christ on the cross. The raising of the serpent on the standard is but a foreshadowing of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus when He was raised up on the cross. Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of myself.” And St John remarked, “As he was saying this, many came to believe in him.” In the cross of Jesus, we see the love and mercy of God our Father. Indeed, like the suffering servant, the Lord carried our sins in His body. “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:5-6) Jesus’ death on the cross was in accordance to the Father’s will. Jesus made it clear that His identity and works are identified with the Father for “what the Father has taught me is what I preach; he who sent me is with me, and has not left me to myself, for I always do what pleases him.”

But even the passion of Christ cannot bring some to faith. The last possibility is to contemplate on the resurrection of Christ. In being lifted up, we are reminded of how the Father raised up Jesus from the dead and how after His resurrection, He was lifted up into heaven to share the glory of His Father. In being lifted up, Jesus showed that His Father is identified with Him, in His words and deeds. The glorification of our Lord is at the same time the glorification of His Father. In the resurrection, we bring together the love and power of God. The death of Jesus only reveals the mercy of God, but it shows powerlessness. The resurrection of our Lord shows power, but does not show mercy. So together, the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord show that God is powerful and yet merciful; that no sin, no enemy, not even death can overcome His divine will for humanity.

So as we continue to contemplate on His passion in view of the resurrection, let us contemplate on our sins. This examination of our conscience is not meant to drive us to introspection and hopelessness, despair or fear, but to come to awareness of where we are and how much we are hurting and also hurting our loved ones. Then by contemplating on His passion, especially when we pray the Stations of the Cross, we will come to appreciate His sacrifices and love for us. May we be moved to conversion like the Israelites as they looked upon the Bronze Serpent or the Centurion who “saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’ And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.” (Lk 23:47f)

Sunday, 6 April 2025

POWER CORRUPTS

20250407 POWER CORRUPTS

07 April 2025, Monday, 5th Week of Lent

First reading

Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62

Susanna and the elders

In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim. He had married Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, a woman of great beauty; and she was God-fearing, because her parents were worthy people and had instructed their daughter in the Law of Moses. Joakim was a very rich man, and had a garden attached to his house; the Jews would often visit him since he was held in greater respect than any other man. Two elderly men had been selected from the people that year to act as judges. Of such the Lord said, ‘Wickedness has come to Babylon through the elders and judges posing as guides to the people.’ These men were often at Joakim’s house, and all who were engaged in litigation used to come to them. At midday, when everyone had gone, Susanna used to take a walk in her husband’s garden. The two elders, who used to watch her every day as she came in to take her walk, gradually began to desire her. They threw reason aside, making no effort to turn their eyes to heaven, and forgetting its demands of virtue. So they waited for a favourable moment; and one day Susanna came as usual, accompanied only by two young maidservants. The day was hot and she wanted to bathe in the garden. There was no one about except the two elders, spying on her from their hiding place. She said to the servants, ‘Bring me some oil and balsam and shut the garden door while I bathe.’

Hardly were the servants gone than the two elders were there after her. ‘Look,’ they said ‘the garden door is shut, no one can see us. We want to have you, so give in and let us! Refuse, and we will both give evidence that a young man was with you and that was why you sent your maids away.’ Susanna sighed. ‘I am trapped,’ she said ‘whatever I do. If I agree, that means my death; if I resist, I cannot get away from you. But I prefer to fall innocent into your power than to sin in the eyes of the Lord.’ Then she cried out as loud as she could. The two elders began shouting too, putting the blame on her, and one of them ran to open the garden door. The household, hearing the shouting in the garden, rushed out by the side entrance to see what was happening; once the elders had told their story the servants were thoroughly taken aback, since nothing of this sort had ever been said of Susanna.

Next day a meeting was held at the house of her husband Joakim. The two elders arrived, in their vindictiveness determined to have her put to death. They addressed the company: ‘Summon Susanna daughter of Hilkiah and wife of Joakim.’ She was sent for, and came accompanied by her parents, her children and all her relations. All her own people were weeping, and so were all the others who saw her. The two elders stood up, with all the people round them, and laid their hands on the woman’s head. Tearfully she turned her eyes to heaven, her heart confident in God. The elders then spoke. ‘While we were walking by ourselves in the garden, this woman arrived with two servants. She shut the garden door and then dismissed the servants. A young man who had been hiding went over to her and they lay down together. From the end of the garden where we were, we saw this crime taking place and hurried towards them. Though we saw them together we were unable to catch the man: he was too strong for us; he opened the door and took to his heels. We did, however, catch this woman and ask her who the young man was. She refused to tell us. That is our evidence.’

Since they were elders of the people, and judges, the assembly took their word: Susanna was condemned to death. She cried out as loud as she could, ‘Eternal God, you know all secrets and everything before it happens; you know that they have given false evidence against me. And now have I to die, innocent as I am of everything their malice has invented against me?’

The Lord heard her cry and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit residing in a young boy named Daniel who began to shout, ‘I am innocent of this woman’s death!’ At which all the people turned to him and asked, ‘What do you mean by these words?’ Standing in the middle of the crowd he replied, ‘Are you so stupid, sons of Israel, as to condemn a daughter of Israel unheard, and without troubling to find out the truth? Go back to the scene of the trial: these men have given false evidence against her.’

All the people hurried back, and the elders said to Daniel, ‘Come and sit with us and tell us what you mean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have.’ Daniel said, ‘Keep the men well apart from each other for I want to question them.’ When the men had been separated, Daniel had one of them brought to him. ‘You have grown old in wickedness,’ he said ‘and now the sins of your earlier days have overtaken you, you with your unjust judgements, your condemnation of the innocent, your acquittal of guilty men, when the Lord has said, “You must not put the innocent and the just to death.” Now then, since you saw her so clearly, tell me what tree you saw them lying under?’ He replied, ‘Under a mastic tree.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God has already received your sentence from him and will slash you in half.’ He dismissed the man, ordered the other to be brought and said to him, ‘Spawn of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has led your heart astray! This is how you have been behaving with the daughters of Israel and they were too frightened to resist; but here is a daughter of Judah who could not stomach your wickedness! Now then, tell me what tree you surprised them under?’ He replied, ‘Under a holm oak.’ Daniel said, ‘True enough! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God is waiting, with a sword to drive home and split you, and destroy the pair of you.’

Then the whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the saviour of those who trust in him. And they turned on the two elders whom Daniel had convicted of false evidence out of their own mouths. As prescribed in the Law of Moses, they sentenced them to the same punishment as they had intended to inflict on their neighbour. They put them to death; the life of an innocent woman was spared that day.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 22(23)

If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures

where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,

to revive my drooping spirit.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.

He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness

no evil would I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staff;

with these you give me comfort.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.

You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

for ever and ever.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil would I fear.

Gospel Acclamation

2Co6:2

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Now is the favourable time:

this is the day of salvation.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Or:

Ezk33:11

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

I take pleasure, not in the death of a wicked man

– it is the Lord who speaks –

but in the turning back of a wicked man

who changes his ways to win life.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Gospel

John 8:12-20

'I am the light of the world'

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

‘I am the light of the world;

anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark;

he will have the light of life.’

At this the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’

Jesus replied:

‘It is true that I am testifying on my own behalf,

but my testimony is still valid,

because I know

where I came from and where I am going;

but you do not know

where I come from or where I am going.

You judge by human standards;

I judge no one,

but if I judge, my judgement will be sound,

because I am not alone:

the one who sent me is with me;

and in your Law it is written

that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.

I may be testifying on my own behalf,

but the Father who sent me is my witness too.’

They asked him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered:

‘You do not know me,

nor do you know my Father;

if you did know me,

you would know my Father as well.’

He spoke these words in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple. No one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.

POWER CORRUPTS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [DN 13:1-9,15-17,19-30, 33-62 (or 41-62); JN 8:1-11]

The most famous quote by Lord Acton is this, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you super add the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority.” How true these words are! We see this in the history of humanity, in religion, politics and business. Human beings are weak and they will be tempted to use their power for themselves and serve their interests when there are no checks and balances. Indeed, very often power is desired only because it can be used to control people and use them to serve one’s interests. Power is often used to satisfy the lust and greed of the powerful. That is why many people in the world desire power.

What is frightening is that the more powerful one is, the greater the temptation to abuse one’s power for himself or herself. This was what happened to the corrupt judges in the first reading. Two elderly men, unworthy as they were, were appointed to be judges. These judges were not concerned with justice for the people but they used their power to satisfy their desires. So much so, the Lord said, “Wickedness has come to Babylon through the elders and judges posing as guides to the people.” Both men lusted after Susanna because she was “a woman of great beauty.” They tried to get her to sleep with them. When she refused, in order to protect themselves in case Susanna reported them, they accused her of committing adultery with another man. She was falsely accused before judges and the elders. Since those accusing her were judges themselves, they were supposedly trustworthy and credible. The rest of the judges and the people bought their story without questioning and condemned Susanna to death without a proper investigation.

Indeed, the injustice done to Susanna by the conspiracy of powerful people is perpetuated in our times. Often, the rich and the powerful silence their subordinates from reporting the truth, either by bribing them or threatening their lives or loss of employment. Otherwise, they secure the best lawyers to fight their case or buy over influential people to support them, including the media. More often than not, those who are weak, or are dependent on their superiors for survival, would collaborate with them in their injustices. This is the sad reality of life. This happens not just in the corporate and political world, but even in religion. The corruption in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church shows that not even so-called religious people are exempted from the temptations of the Evil One to use power for sex, money and self-interests.

This is where, more than ever, proper governance and accountability is necessary. We cannot trust human beings, for this is what the bible says: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” (Ps 118:8f) Jeremiah said, “Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord.” (Jer 17:5) The truth is that man, being man, is a fallen creature. Because of original sin, we suffer from darkness of the intellect and the weakness of the will. Our sinful nature will blind us to the truth of what we do. Indeed, Jeremiah said, “The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse – who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” (Jer 17:9f) Indeed, we are blinded by our own weaknesses, especially when decisions involved concern our loved ones. Hence Jesus said, “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye?”

That is why the scriptures speak of the need to have proper witnesses. ^“A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or wrongdoing in connection with any offense that may be committed. Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be sustained.” (Dt 19:15) Even in the New Testament, the Lord advised the people, “If you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” (Mt 18:16) In the case of Susanna, they had two witnesses but they colluded with each other. This is why it is better to have three witnesses. Today, we speak of a tribunal that consists of three judges in order to show impartiality.

However, having witnesses is still not enough. The truth is that using reason alone, we might not be able to see the truth of the matter because of our ignorance. Today, the so-called intellectuals of the world are proposing laws that contradict the conscience and basic reasoning of any ordinary man. They use words and arguments to convince the world that abortion and euthanasia are not killing; or that same-sex union is part of nature, or that the family is no longer defined as a man and a woman with children. This is what St Paul wrote to the Romans. “For though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.” (Rom 1:21-23)

If we seek to be true judges exercising our authority and power in a fair, impartial, just and wise manner, we should first come to the Lord who is the Light of the World. We read “Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak, he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them. Jesus said to the people: I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the light of life.'” The evangelist plays on the words, “darkness and light” and “I am.” In the mind of St John, Jesus who is the “I Am” is identified with God who revealed Himself to Moses, as “I am who am”. Jesus as the Light of the World therefore is the One who can show us the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the One that comes to enlighten all men in the truth. And Jesus does it not simply by His words but by His very life. “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (Jn 1:3-5)

Unfortunately, many of us do not know Him. This is not surprising. If our values and that of the gospel contradict the values of the world today it is because as Jesus said, “You do not know me, nor do you know my Father; if you did know me, you would know my Father as well.” The world does not believe in God but only in themselves. Man has supplanted the place of God in the world and has made himself the new god of truth based on his so-called human reasoning. However, Jesus has this to say to the world. “You judge by human standards; I judge no one, but if I judge, my judgement will be sound, because I am not alone: the one who sent me is with me; and in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I may be testifying on my own behalf, but the father who sent me is my witness too.” By His death and resurrection, the Father endorsed all that Jesus said and did, and that He is truly the Son of God, the Light of the World.

Consequently, as leaders, we must turn to Him for light and wisdom in our governance so that we will not deceive ourselves or the world in judging situations. We bear in mind the exhortation of St Paul, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” Leaders who do not pray every day as Jesus did, or read the Word of God, are not fit to lead the people of God because they will depend on human reasoning alone and they are often misguided because they are not conscious of the real desires in their hearts. We must be like Daniel, a man of God, in touch with the Spirit of God and acts with justice and wisdom.

Saturday, 5 April 2025

LETTING GO OF OUR PAST

20250406 LETTING GO OF OUR PAST

06 April 2025, Sunday, 5th Week of Lent

First reading

Isaiah 43:16-21

See, I am doing a new deed, and I will give my chosen people drink

Thus says the Lord,

who made a way through the sea,

a path in the great waters;

who put chariots and horse in the field

and a powerful army

which lay there never to rise again,

snuffed out, put out like a wick:

No need to recall the past,

no need to think about what was done before.

See, I am doing a new deed,

even now it comes to light; can you not see it?

Yes, I am making a road in the wilderness,

paths in the wilds.

The wild beasts will honour me,

jackals and ostriches,

because I am putting water in the wilderness

(rivers in the wild)

to give my chosen people drink.

The people I have formed for myself

will sing my praises.

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 125(126)

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,

it seemed like a dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter,

on our lips there were songs.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels

the Lord worked for them!’

What marvels the Lord worked for us!

Indeed we were glad.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage

as streams in dry land.

Those who are sowing in tears

will sing when they reap.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,

carrying seed for the sowing:

they come back, they come back, full of song,

carrying their sheaves.

What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

Second reading

Philippians 3:8-14

I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ

I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him. I am no longer trying for perfection by my own efforts, the perfection that comes from the Law, but I want only the perfection that comes through faith in Christ, and is from God and based on faith. All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share his sufferings by reproducing the pattern of his death. That is the way I can hope to take my place in the resurrection of the dead. Not that I have become perfect yet: I have not yet won, but I am still running, trying to capture the prize for which Christ Jesus captured me. I can assure you my brothers, I am far from thinking that I have already won. All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come; I am racing for the finish, for the prize to which God calls us upwards to receive in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Acclamation

Joel2:12-13

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –

come back to me with all your heart,

for I am all tenderness and compassion.

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Gospel

John 8:1-11

'Let the one among you who has not sinned be the first to throw a stone'

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.

The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any more.’

LETTING GO OF OUR PAST

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Is 43:16-21; Ps 126:1-6; Phil 3:8-14; Jn 8:1-11]

We all have our past. Sometimes it is our glorious past, our successes and achievements that we reminisce with pride and satisfaction. Sometimes, it is the mistakes that we look back on with remorse. Sometimes, it is the golden opportunities that we failed to seize that cause us to regret.

Remembering our past is important. That is why we need to know our history. When we cut off our history, we paralyze the future. History is more than just a record of events that happened in the past but they are lessons to be learned so that we will not repeat the same mistakes of our past and that of our forefathers. On the other hand, the achievements and heroic sacrifices of our forefathers become inspirations for us to make further progress.

But why do the scripture readings this Sunday, invite us three times to forget our past? From the prophet Isaiah, the Lord said, “No need to recall the past, no need to think about what was done before.” St Paul wrote, “All I can say is that I forget the past and I strain ahead for what is still to come.” To the adulterous woman, the Lord said, “‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and don’t sin anymore.'” Indeed, this theme of letting go of our past seems to be the focus of this Sunday’s liturgy. So, what does it mean to let go of our past?

Remembering is a two-edged sword when we remember the past in a negative way. In the first instance, remembering the past could lead people to wallow in the sad moments of their life. When that happens, instead of helping us to grow in grace and in focus, the past events cripple us. This is what happens to many people who fall into depression, who are morbid and negative towards life. They allow their past to condition them negatively and colour their vision towards life and people in a warped manner. They keep recounting their past pains and their sufferings so that the fear of the future cripples them from letting go. Some simply cannot forgive themselves and end up condemning themselves as hopeless and incorrigible. By so doing, we will also not be able to look at others positively through our hurtful eyes.

This explains why the Lord set the woman free from her past so that she could move forward in life. In the story of the adulterous woman, the Lord said to the accusers, “‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Of course, everyone has sinned and so they left one after another. The truth is that all of us have sinned and that is why it shows that we have no right to condemn others. It has been suggested that what Jesus wrote on the ground was the sins of the woman’s indicters. We are often so blind to our own faults that we focus only on others and overlook our own.

In the case of St Paul, he too kept recounting the past, but as something positive. He used his past mistakes to glorify God’s mercy and love which changed and transformed His life. He wrote, “I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Tim 1:12-15) If our past is seen as truly past, then it has no more hold over us. Instead, we become grateful for the mistakes we made because we see them as grace moments through which we learn and grow.

In the second instance, when we think of the past too much from the perspective of our achievements and successes, we can also delimit ourselves from further growth. We tend to fossilize our successes, strategies and plans that were then suitable for its time. We keep going back to the past glories of our forefathers. Indeed, there are those who take refuge by clinging to their past glories because they cannot handle the present challenges. They keep on evoking the past instead of being receptive to the new challenges ahead of them and make the necessary changes and adaptations. They are escapists and traditionalists. They will become redundant.

This was what happened to the Israelites when they kept recounting the marvellous things the Lord did for them during the first Exodus. They were hoping for a similar miraculous liberation from their exile. But the Lord said, “No need to think about what was done before.” He would be doing something even greater than what their Fathers saw at the Exodus. It would be incomparable. The Lord was going to do greater things that no one could imagine. “See, I am doing a new deed, even now it comes to light; can you not see it? Yes, I am making a road in the wilderness, paths in the wilds.” And what would this great miraculous event be?

This miraculous event is none other than the Passion, death and resurrection of our Lord. Indeed, this is the greatest miracle of all time. God who became man in Jesus at the Incarnation did not simply stop there but He 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 2:7f) Indeed, this was the new Exodus that Isaiah was ultimately referring to beyond the Israelites’ return from exile under Emperor Cyrus of Persia. With the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord, God showed us His power over life and death; evil and sin. For St Paul, encountering the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord was the key to living fully in the present for the future, with faith and confidence. He said, “I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him.”

Consequently, for St Paul to let go of his past meant that justification could no longer come from observing the law as he was taught by his forefathers. He said, “I am no longer trying for perfection by my own efforts, the perfection that comes from the Law, but I want only the perfection that comes through faith in Christ, and is from God and based on faith.” St Paul who was a true rabbi came to realize that the law could not justify him because one either cannot observe the laws completely or one observes them in a legalistic manner out of egotism, pride or fear. Using one’s efforts alone cannot make us perfect. The law cannot deliver us from sin because knowing what is right does not give us the capacity to observe them. St Paul writing to the Galatians said, “We have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.” (Gal 2:16)

So how can one be freed from his past so that he can live a new life? It is faith in Christ alone who gives us the capacity to do good because of His love and mercy for us. In Christ Jesus, we know that God always forgives us for the sins of our past. He does not take into account what we have done wrong. He is only concerned about our future. He has, as St Paul wrote, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21) And in the letter of Peter, he wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.’ (1 Pt 2:24)

Having received God’s mercy, what is now required is to reproduce Christ’s death and resurrection in our lives. St Paul wrote, “All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share his sufferings by reproducing the pattern of his death. That is the way I can hope to take my place in the resurrection of the dead.” What we are called to do is to imitate the Lord because of what He has done for us.

But we need to rely on the primacy of grace, not on our efforts alone. This is what the psalmist reminds us. “When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels the Lord worked for them!’ What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.” We can perfect ourselves with the love and mercy of God. St Paul wrote, “Not that I have become perfect yet: I have not yet won, but I am still running, trying to capture the prize for which Christ Jesus captured me. I can assure you my brothers, I am far from thinking that I have already won.”

Nevertheless, we take courage that every time we fail, we can turn to the Lord for forgiveness and seek a renewal of His love and mercy. He wants to do greater things for us through our failures. But we must leave the past behind by learning from our mistakes and that of others, so that we might use them for our growth. We must remember the past with gratitude and joy for what God has done for us by transforming our mistakes into graces for a new life. Indeed, St Paul 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)