20250612 REMOVING THE VEIL OVER OUR MINDS
12 June 2025, Thursday, 10th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1,3-6 |
The veil over their eyes will not be removed until they turn to the Lord
Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over their minds. It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit.
Since we have by an act of mercy been entrusted with this work of administration, there is no weakening on our part. If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness’, who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 84(85):9-14 |
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.1Th2:13 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Accept God’s message for what it really is:
God’s message, and not some human thinking.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn13:34 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I give you a new commandment:
love one another just as I have loved you,
says the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 5:20-26 |
Anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’
REMOVING THE VEIL OVER OUR MINDS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 COR 3:15-4:1,3-6; PS 85:9-14; MT 5:20-26]
We all want to grow in spiritual life and our relationship with God. But sometimes, even though we have been Catholics for so many years, we know that our spiritual life is still shallow and our relationship with God is immature. This is why the Lord warned His disciples, “If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” Indeed, they were supposedly faithful Jews who sought to obey the commandments of Moses. They thought that so long as they obeyed the commandments, they would be counted worthy to enter the kingdom of God. This was especially significant for the Pharisees, who considered themselves the “separated ones”, different from the world and from others.
Unfortunately, they did not look beyond mere obedience to the letter of the law. This is what the Lord said to them. “‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother ‘Fool’ he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire.” Indeed, for the Lord, it is not a matter of the act alone but the heart of the matter. The sin is not merely in the act of killing, but the anger, harsh words, and hatred that can lead to violence and even killing.
So too in our spiritual life, we must go beyond simply fulfilling the commandments of the Lord or the Church. It is not enough to abstain from meat on Fridays while indulging in a sumptuous seafood meal; or to show great reverence for the Eucharist but lack respect for our fellowmen; to give generously to the Church and the poor but neglect our loved ones and elderly parents. Some of the laws of the Church are meant to help us focus on the more important matters of life. We should not observe them blindly, forgetting the spirit behind the precepts. We need to go deeper and see how the laws can help us to love God and our brothers and sisters more.
What hampers this relationship is our short-sightedness. We cannot see beyond the surface of the laws and practices. This is what Paul said of the Israelites. “Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over the minds of the Israelites.” The obstacle for the Israelites is that they believed that the Old Covenant was complete and did not realise that the Mosaic Covenant had outlived its usefulness and that a New Covenant was needed, as prophesied by the prophets. When the Law was read, they could not fully see the glory of God because the glory of the Mosaic Covenant’s was fading. St Paul made it clear, “If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
How can this veil of ignorance be removed? Like Moses, they must turn to the Lord. Indeed, those who do not know Christ cannot see the deeper meaning of the Scriptures. This is why Paul wrote, “It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect, this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit.”
Indeed, it is Christ who enlightens all men. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He comes to show us the way to His Father and teach us the truth about life and love. He teaches us the Beatitudes and shows us how to go deeper in our spiritual life, not focusing on the superficial observance but on the spirit of the laws, by examining our motives in serving God. His teaching was not opposed to the law of Moses. Indeed, He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” (Mt 5:17f) Whether it is the observance of the Sabbath Law, the question of revenge and retaliation, or even the indissolubility of marriage, Jesus goes to the heart of the issue. He made it clear that man is not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man, and that even anger or lustful thoughts break the law. God judges not only the actions but the motives as well.
The ultimate objective of Jesus’ teaching is to set us free. This was what the Lord exhorted in the gospel as to how we can be set free to encounter the glory of God. We must first be reconciled with our brothers before the Spirit of God can enter our hearts to set us free and give us new sight. “So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.” It is better that we heal our hearts of hatred and anger, and be reconciled, rather than allow evil to grow in our hearts and cause more harm.
Indeed, when we have the Spirit of God, we can act freely without coercion or fear. This was the case of Paul when he proclaimed the gospel. Paul was clear of his responsibility arising from his personal encounter of the Risen Lord, who had set him free from his blindness in persecuting the Christians. The Lord took away the veil of ignorance that had led Paul, who was then known as Saul, to persecute the Church. Having been set free from blindness, he proclaimed with conviction, “For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness,’ who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.”
Our ministry is to give sight to the world and to present the truth plainly. There is a constant temptation in ministry to compromise the teaching of the gospel. Today, preachers and politicians would only say things that people want to hear, not what they need to hear. We are afraid of offending people’s sensitivities, or challenging them to walk the way of truth, fearing criticism and evoking hostility and displeasure from our listeners. Truly, when a preacher confronts the sins and shortcomings of his congregation, he is not going to receive applause, but rather letters of complaint and even threats. This is true even for teachers and parents and those in authority. To preach or teach in a way that serves the truth of the Gospel and glorifies Christ takes courage. Instead, many prefer to serve people’s ego – and their own. We are reminded of the anecdote about the Emperor’s invisible clothes. Everyone pretended to admire the King’s royal attire, afraid to appear foolish or hurt the King’s ego. Only a child, in his innocence, spoke the truth plainly and aloud: the King was naked.
20250612 REMOVING THE VEIL OVER OUR MINDS
12 June 2025, Thursday, 10th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1,3-6 |
The veil over their eyes will not be removed until they turn to the Lord
Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over their minds. It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit.
Since we have by an act of mercy been entrusted with this work of administration, there is no weakening on our part. If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness’, who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 84(85):9-14 |
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.1Th2:13 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Accept God’s message for what it really is:
God’s message, and not some human thinking.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn13:34 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I give you a new commandment:
love one another just as I have loved you,
says the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 5:20-26 |
Anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’
REMOVING THE VEIL OVER OUR MINDS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 COR 3:15-4:1,3-6; PS 85:9-14; MT 5:20-26]
We all want to grow in spiritual life and our relationship with God. But sometimes, even though we have been Catholics for so many years, we know that our spiritual life is still shallow and our relationship with God is immature. This is why the Lord warned His disciples, “If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” Indeed, they were supposedly faithful Jews who sought to obey the commandments of Moses. They thought that so long as they obeyed the commandments, they would be counted worthy to enter the kingdom of God. This was especially significant for the Pharisees, who considered themselves the “separated ones”, different from the world and from others.
Unfortunately, they did not look beyond mere obedience to the letter of the law. This is what the Lord said to them. “‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother ‘Fool’ he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire.” Indeed, for the Lord, it is not a matter of the act alone but the heart of the matter. The sin is not merely in the act of killing, but the anger, harsh words, and hatred that can lead to violence and even killing.
So too in our spiritual life, we must go beyond simply fulfilling the commandments of the Lord or the Church. It is not enough to abstain from meat on Fridays while indulging in a sumptuous seafood meal; or to show great reverence for the Eucharist but lack respect for our fellowmen; to give generously to the Church and the poor but neglect our loved ones and elderly parents. Some of the laws of the Church are meant to help us focus on the more important matters of life. We should not observe them blindly, forgetting the spirit behind the precepts. We need to go deeper and see how the laws can help us to love God and our brothers and sisters more.
What hampers this relationship is our short-sightedness. We cannot see beyond the surface of the laws and practices. This is what Paul said of the Israelites. “Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over the minds of the Israelites.” The obstacle for the Israelites is that they believed that the Old Covenant was complete and did not realise that the Mosaic Covenant had outlived its usefulness and that a New Covenant was needed, as prophesied by the prophets. When the Law was read, they could not fully see the glory of God because the glory of the Mosaic Covenant’s was fading. St Paul made it clear, “If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
How can this veil of ignorance be removed? Like Moses, they must turn to the Lord. Indeed, those who do not know Christ cannot see the deeper meaning of the Scriptures. This is why Paul wrote, “It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect, this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit.”
Indeed, it is Christ who enlightens all men. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He comes to show us the way to His Father and teach us the truth about life and love. He teaches us the Beatitudes and shows us how to go deeper in our spiritual life, not focusing on the superficial observance but on the spirit of the laws, by examining our motives in serving God. His teaching was not opposed to the law of Moses. Indeed, He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” (Mt 5:17f) Whether it is the observance of the Sabbath Law, the question of revenge and retaliation, or even the indissolubility of marriage, Jesus goes to the heart of the issue. He made it clear that man is not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man, and that even anger or lustful thoughts break the law. God judges not only the actions but the motives as well.
The ultimate objective of Jesus’ teaching is to set us free. This was what the Lord exhorted in the gospel as to how we can be set free to encounter the glory of God. We must first be reconciled with our brothers before the Spirit of God can enter our hearts to set us free and give us new sight. “So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.” It is better that we heal our hearts of hatred and anger, and be reconciled, rather than allow evil to grow in our hearts and cause more harm.
Indeed, when we have the Spirit of God, we can act freely without coercion or fear. This was the case of Paul when he proclaimed the gospel. Paul was clear of his responsibility arising from his personal encounter of the Risen Lord, who had set him free from his blindness in persecuting the Christians. The Lord took away the veil of ignorance that had led Paul, who was then known as Saul, to persecute the Church. Having been set free from blindness, he proclaimed with conviction, “For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness,’ who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.”
Our ministry is to give sight to the world and to present the truth plainly. There is a constant temptation in ministry to compromise the teaching of the gospel. Today, preachers and politicians would only say things that people want to hear, not what they need to hear. We are afraid of offending people’s sensitivities, or challenging them to walk the way of truth, fearing criticism and evoking hostility and displeasure from our listeners. Truly, when a preacher confronts the sins and shortcomings of his congregation, he is not going to receive applause, but rather letters of complaint and even threats. This is true even for teachers and parents and those in authority. To preach or teach in a way that serves the truth of the Gospel and glorifies Christ takes courage. Instead, many prefer to serve people’s ego – and their own. We are reminded of the anecdote about the Emperor’s invisible clothes. Everyone pretended to admire the King’s royal attire, afraid to appear foolish or hurt the King’s ego. Only a child, in his innocence, spoke the truth plainly and aloud: the King was naked.
We should not be discouraged in our ministry when we seek to serve Christ and give Him His glory. The Lord will reward us with joy and peace, even when we face rejection, because we know that we have done the right thing. St Paul himself experienced God’s mercy and knew that God’s grace will triumph in the end. He recounted, “Since we have by an act of mercy been entrusted with this work of administration, there is no weakening on our part.” Time will reveal to the world that we are right. The psalmist reminds us that “His help is near for those who fear him and his glory will dwell in our land. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven. The Lord will make us prosper and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him and peace shall follow his steps.”
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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