20251013 PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY
13 October 2025, Monday, 28th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Romans 1:1-7 |
Our apostolic mission is to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations
From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.
This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 97(98):1-4 |
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
The Lord has made known his 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.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps118:88 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Because of your love give me life,
and I will do your will.
Alleluia!
Or: | Ps94:8 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 11:29-32 |
As Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be a sign
The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them:
‘This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.’
PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Rm 1:1-7; Ps 98:1-4; Lk 11:29-32]
The theme of today’s Scripture texts focuses on privilege and responsibility. In the Gospel, Jesus chided the Jews – especially the religious leaders – for rejecting Him and His message of salvation. Instead of being grateful for the great privilege of living in the time of the Messiah – God made man, the Wisdom of God in person, and the Word of God – they were not only unreceptive but also hostile toward the Good News that Jesus brought from His Father. They were even worse than the Ninevites and the Queen of the South – with so little evidence, they responded so wholeheartedly and welcomed the prophets of God.
In the case of the Ninevites–the cruel and mighty pagans of the kingdom of Assyria–Jonah went to preach at the command of the Lord.He had no love for them and even hoped that they would not heed his call to repentance. But to his surprise and disappointment, they repented–from the ordinary person to the king and his officials. Jesus remarked, “This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.” Unfortunately, even with His death and resurrection–just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish–they remained unmoved and unrepentant. Even though Jesus came to them willingly and out of sincere love, He was repeatedly rejected by His countrymen.
To underscore how obstinate and unappreciative the Jews were, Jesus gave the example of the Queen of Sheba. During the reign of King Solomon, although she was a pagan and lived in a faraway land, she travelled “from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.” She was deeply impressed by Solomon’s wisdom, even though his immoral lifestyle was not something to boast about. Yet Jesus, who was far greater than Solomon–since He is the Wisdom and Word of God in person–was not recognized or understood by those who stood before Him.
For taking their privileges for granted, what would be expected of them? The Lord said, “On judgment day, the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them,” and likewise, “the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached, they repented.” Truly, when God grants us privileges and we abuse them or fail to be grateful for the gifts we have received, we ultimately destroy ourselves by not using them for our good and the good of others. Ingratitude is one of the gravest sins–not only against our benefactors but also against ourselves.
We must take time today to consider the privileges we have received from God and how we have responded to His grace and generosity. On the spiritual level, God has given us Jesus–the Way, the Truth, and the Life–to lead us to the fullness of life. Yet how many of us have truly accepted Jesus into our lives? Jesus is the Word of God in person, yet many of us fail to have a personal relationship with Him, to contemplate His love and mercy, His passion, death, and resurrection. We seldom read or pray with the Scriptures, though we profess that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Many of us are unaware that it took the Church many years–and often under the threat of persecution and death–to translate the Scriptures from the original languages into the vernacular because of the sacredness of the text and the fear of inaccuracy. It was once considered a crime to do so, for only the original languages were recognized, until St. Jerome produced the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible.
Jesus is also the Bread of Life. He has given us Himself in the Eucharist. Yet how many of us appreciate the convenience of attending daily Mass–a privilege not enjoyed in many parts of the world due to a shortage of priests and great distances to travel? Among us, we hardly attend Mass, even when it is less than fifteen minutes away from our homes or workplaces. Many do not receive the Eucharist because of serious sin, and fewer still frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which is a sacrament of healing and forgiveness. This sacrament is free, yet it brings deep healing to our minds, souls, and even our bodies. The same can be said of the other sacraments, such as the Anointing of the Sick or Matrimony.
Indeed, we often fail to avail ourselves of the gifts of God’s love offered through His Church. Instead of embracing what the Lord has given us–the sacraments, His priests and religious, the Church as His Body, and the sacred teachings of Scripture and Tradition–we seek wisdom from the world. We listen more readily to secular voices than to the divine wisdom of God. By neglecting the graces and means of salvation given to us since baptism, we forfeit the life that comes from God through His Son.
This is also true in our daily living. Many of us have been blessed with talents, intelligence, money, and resources, yet instead of being grateful for what we already have, we constantly lament and desire more. We are never satisfied with what the Lord has given us. Worse still, rather than using our gifts to serve God and humanity, we hide them, hoard them, or even use them for sinful, selfish purposes.
We must ask ourselves whether we are truly grateful for the privileges we have received. Do we feel blessed to be Christians–to be able to talk, eat, walk, and use our hands? Health is wealth! No amount of possessions or pleasures can replace good health of mind and body and the ability to do things. Are we grateful not only to have jobs but to be able to work at all? No one is destroyed by work, but many fall into depression when they feel useless. Do we feel privileged to serve God and others, whether as paid workers or volunteers? To be appointed to any office is a great privilege. To be called to the priesthood, religious life, or lay ministry is something we should never take for granted.
If we are truly grateful, then gratitude must be expressed through responsible service. All privileges come with responsibility. We are not chosen for our own sake but for the service of God and our fellow human beings. If we do not use the privileges we have received for the good of others, even the little that we have will be taken away.
Today, we have the example of St. Paul, a recipient of God’s grace and mercy. The context of his Letter to the Romans centres precisely on this experience. The central theme of this profound theological treatise is justification through faith in God’s grace alone. Throughout his life, St. Paul sought perfection through strict observance of the Law, but no matter how hard he tried, he failed miserably. He could not achieve righteousness or a right relationship with God through his own efforts.
Most of all, St. Paul–the former persecutor of Christians–was given the grace of a personal encounter with the mercy of the Lord. He was forgiven for his reprehensible acts against the early Church. Yet more than that, the Lord chose him to be His servant–His slave–and an apostle of the Good News to the Gentiles. He was entrusted with the mystery of God’s plan for humanity, especially the revelation that Jesus is the fulfilment of this divine plan through His incarnation and resurrection, as promised of old: “This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took, was a descendant of David; it is about Jesus Christ who, in the order of the Spirit of holiness that was in Him, was proclaimed Son of God in all His power through His resurrection from the dead.”
As a result of this profound encounter with the mercy and love of God revealed in Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, St. Paul was filled with gratitude. No longer did he strive for righteousness through the Law; instead, he simply responded to God’s love. What mattered to St. Paul was no longer what he could do for the Lord but what the Lord had done for him. This is the essence of the Good News of salvation–we are loved and forgiven unconditionally. The psalmist echoed this: “Sing a new song to the Lord, for He has worked wonders; His right and and His holy arm have brought salvation. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has shown His justice to the nations. He has remembered His truth and love for the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy!”
Flowing from this encounter with God’s mercy, St. Paul was delighted to be a servant–or rather, a slave–of Christ. He felt deeply honoured to be chosen as an apostle. To be a slave of Christ meant that he was no longer his own master, for Christ was now his Lord. To be a servant of God was already a great honour, as all the prophets were called “servants of the Lord,” but to be an apostle was an even greater privilege. Because of this divine grace, St. Paul gave his entire life to proclaiming the Good News of God’s love and mercy in Christ Jesus. He reminded us that we are all “God’s beloved, called to be saints,” and that through Christ, we receive grace and peace–not through our own efforts or strength–but purely through His love and mercy.
We too must follow St. Paul’s example, witnessing to the great things the Lord has done for us. We must once again be proud–and grateful–to be Catholics chosen by the Lord. Only when we take pride in being children of God, not because of what we have done but because of His mercy and love, can we proclaim to the whole world how privileged we are to belong to the Lord. Most of all, this great gift and privilege is offered to all, regardless of race or language, because we are all God’s beloved. Let us, therefore, use all the gifts we have received to glorify God and serve His people.
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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