WHO ARE YOU CLAIMING TO BE?

20260326 WHO ARE YOU CLAIMING TO BE?

 

26 March 2026, Thursday, 5th Week of Lent

First reading

Genesis 17:3-9

Abraham, the father of a multitude of nations

Abram bowed to the ground and God said this to him, ‘Here now is my covenant with you: you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I make you father of a multitude of nations. I will make you most fruitful. I will make you into nations, and your issue shall be kings. I will establish my Covenant between myself and you, and your descendants after you, generation after generation, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land you are living in, the whole land of Canaan, to own in perpetuity, and I will be your God.

  ‘You on your part shall maintain my Covenant, yourself and your descendants after you, generation after generation.’

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 104(105):4-9

The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Consider the Lord and his strength;

  constantly seek his face.

Remember the wonders he has done,

  his miracles, the judgements he spoke.

The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

O children of Abraham, his servant,

  O sons of the Jacob he chose.

He, the Lord, is our God:

  his judgements prevail in all the earth.

The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

He remembers his covenant for ever,

  his promise for a thousand generations,

the covenant he made with Abraham,

  the oath he swore to Isaac.

The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Jn6:63,68

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Or:

Ps94:8

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Harden not your hearts today,

but listen to the voice of the Lord.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel

John 8:51-59

Your father Abraham saw my Day and was glad

Jesus said to the Jews:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

whoever keeps my word

will never see death.’

The Jews said, ‘Now we know for certain that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?’ Jesus answered:

‘If I were to seek my own glory

that would be no glory at all;

my glory is conferred by the Father,

by the one of whom you say, “He is our God”

although you do not know him.

But I know him,

and if I were to say: I do not know him,

I should be a liar, as you are liars yourselves.

But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word.

Your father Abraham rejoiced

to think that he would see my Day;

he saw it and was glad.’

The Jews then said, ‘You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!’ Jesus replied:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

before Abraham ever was,

I Am.’

At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

 

WHO ARE YOU CLAIMING TO BE?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [GN 17:3-9; PS 105:4-9; JN 8:51-59]

“Who are you claiming to be?” This is an important question directed not simply at Jesus, but to us as individuals, as an organisation, as Church, and as a nation. The real problem today is that we do not know who we are; we are even confused over our identity as human beings. What does it mean to be human? Are we purely made of matter or spirit? What does it mean to be male or female? What is marriage to us?

Of course, some also claim to be “gods.” Atheists may say there is no God, but that we are gods ourselves since “God” is merely created in the image of man. New Age adherents suggest there is no external God because we are all part of a universal divinity. So, who are we? What is our true identity?

This was the same question posed to Jesus: “Who are you claiming to be?” Throughout His ministry, Jesus had been acting and teaching. He had healed the sick, delivered the possessed, multiplied bread for the multitude, and even raised the dead to life. He preached the Word of God with authority, unlike the scribes and Pharisees. He ate and drank with sinners and, most significantly, He forgave sins.

So, who was He? This was the question Jesus asked His disciples in Caesarea Philippi. Some thought He was “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets” (Mk 8:28). Only Peter got the answer right, and this was due to divine revelation rather than logical reasoning. Peter confessed, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). Jesus remarked, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven” (Mt 16:17).

Indeed, in the Gospel of John, Jesus alluded to His divine origin. He made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that He came from the Father. He said, “I tell you most solemnly, before Abraham ever was, I Am. Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad.” Jesus was the One Abraham had been waiting for–the realisation of the promise God made to him that he would be the “father of a multitude of nations.” Through Christ, Abraham became the father of faith for many descendants who would come to know God; and by so doing, enter into the one family of God. In Christ, all nations become one.

Jesus also underscored that His identity originated from the Father. No one can give himself glory; only God can, because everything comes from Him. As the Son, all of Jesus’ glory was conferred by the Father alone. He said, “If I were to seek my own glory that would be no glory at all; my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ although you do not know him.”

This is true for all of us: we cannot know who we are without having our reference point in God. We are not indispensable in this world; we are contingent beings. Our existence and our very lives depend on God, who is the source of life and love. To think that we are independent of God is to fool ourselves into believing we are of our own making. Before we existed, God had to bring us into this world–unlike Jesus, who was from all eternity one with the Father. The world can exist without us, but the world cannot exist without God.

Because of His divine origin, Jesus could claim that He knew God personally.  He said, “But I know him, and if I were to say: I do not know him, I should be a liar, as you are liars yourselves.”  Only Jesus who is from God, can tell us who God is.  As the prologue of John’s Gospel states: “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.”  (Jn 1:17f) Only Jesus, who originates from God and is one with Him, can reveal the Father to us.  That is why Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  (Jn 14:6)

It is not enough, however, for Jesus to simply claim He is one with the Father. The proof of His divine origin is found in His total obedience to the Father. He said, “But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word.” In the final analysis, it is not merely what Jesus said that determines His identity, but how He lived. He was one with the Father in all things, performing His works and seeking His holy will. As He explained: “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 5:30). “The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.”  (Jn 5:20) Jesus’ very “food” was to complete the work of the Father who sent Him. (Jn 4:34).

In light of these claims, how do we respond to Him? How we accept Jesus determines the claims we make for ourselves. If we truly confess that Jesus is the Son of God–both divine and human–then Jesus is for us the “true man” as well. Jesus is simultaneously the revealer of God our Father and the revealer of our own identity. Like Him, we are called to do the will of God, be in union with Him in love, so that we may serve and love like Him.

When Jesus told the Jews, “Whoever keeps my word will never see death,” He was not speaking of biological death. Rather, He was speaking of a relationship that never dies, here in this life or hereafter. Jesus reveals that the covenant made with Abraham is fulfilled in Him, because in Him, we share a common faith and become true brothers and sisters as children of God.

So, now we need to ask ourselves this question, “Who are we claiming to be?”  If we call ourselves Christians, then we must accept all that Jesus has taught us in the Scriptures.  The scandal in the world today is that many call themselves Catholic, yet their lifestyles reflect something else entirely. They do not subscribe to the teachings of Holy Scripture and tradition. They go against the teachings of the Magisterium on matters of doctrine and morality, yet still claim to be Catholics.

We are not referring here to those who struggle and fall short of what Christ is calling us to be – we are speaking of those who blatantly disagree with the teachings of Christ, the Bible and His Church. They “pick and choose” from the teachings of Christ and His Church. We cannot authentically call ourselves Catholic unless we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that the Bible is the Sacred Word of God, inerrant in teaching us the truth about God, life, and ourselves. If we do not agree with what it fundamentally means to be Catholic, then who are we claiming to be? Only when we keep His word, believe in all that Jesus had revealed to us, and walk in His footsteps, will we live life to the fullest, both here on earth and in heaven.

Not only as individuals, but also as the Church, we must ask: “Who are we claiming to be?”  If the Church is identified with Christ, then we must truly be the Sacrament of Jesus to the world.  If we obey the Church, it is because we believe that Christ rules through His appointed successors in the Apostolic College.  He has promised that He would never abandon His Church until the end of time. (Mt 28:20) So we can be confident of His guidance, for He also assured us: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18f)

Whether as individuals or as the Church, we must hear the Word of God and keep it if we are to reclaim our identity as God’s children.   Like Jesus, we must be true to our identity.  Jesus refused to deny His true identity, even in the face of trials and challenges; we, too, must not contradict our claims with a lifestyle opposed to what we believe.

Having the courage to stand up for our identity – not just in words, but in our being – will help restore the confidence of the people in the Church and in us.  But we can be consoled that God is faithful: – “He remembers his covenant forever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.”

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.

THE PERFECT SACRIFICE OF LOVE

20260325 THE PERFECT SACRIFICE OF LOVE

 

5 March 2026, Wednesday, Annunciation of the Lord

First reading

Isaiah 7:10-14,8:10

The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’

  Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:

are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men

without trying the patience of my God, too?

The Lord himself, therefore,

will give you a sign.

It is this: the maiden is with child

and will soon give birth to a son

whom she will call Immanuel,

a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’

How to listen

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 39(40):7-11

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,

  but an open ear.

You do not ask for holocaust and victim.

  Instead, here am I.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

In the scroll of the book it stands written

  that I should do your will.

My God, I delight in your law

  in the depth of my heart.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

Your justice I have proclaimed

  in the great assembly.

My lips I have not sealed;

  you know it, O Lord.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

I have not hidden your justice in my heart

  but declared your faithful help.

I have not hidden your love and your truth

  from the great assembly.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

---

Second reading

Hebrews 10:4-10

God's will was for us to be made holy by the offering of his body made once and for all by Jesus Christ.

Bulls’ blood and goats’ blood are useless for taking away sins, and this is what Christ said, on coming into the world:

You who wanted no sacrifice or oblation,

prepared a body for me.

You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin;

then I said,

just as I was commanded in the scroll of the book,

‘God, here I am! I am coming to obey your will.’

Notice that he says first: You did not want what the Law lays down as the things to be offered, that is: the sacrifices, the oblations, the holocausts and the sacrifices for sin,and you took no pleasure in them; and then he says: Here I am! I am coming to obey your will. He is abolishing the first sort to replace it with the second. And this will was for us to be made holy by the offering of his body made once and for all by Jesus Christ.

---

Gospel Acclamation

Jn1:14

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

The Word became flesh,

he lived among us,

and we saw his glory.

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

---

Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

'I am the handmaid of the Lord'

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

 

THE PERFECT SACRIFICE OF LOVE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [IS 7:10-14,8-10; PS 40:7-11; HEB 10:4-10; LK 1:26-38]

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord falls each year between the Lenten and Easter seasons. At first thought, it might seem rather inappropriate to celebrate this solemnity within the Lenten season. Yet, this feast that we are celebrating is intimately linked with the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is because both the feast of the Annunciation and those of the passion and death of the Lord celebrate the sacrificial offering of God.

Indeed, the feast of the Annunciation celebrates that moment when the second person of the Trinity–who was eternally with the Father before the creation of the world–took human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The moment Mary consented to God’s will, God the Son became man in Jesus Christ. For Jesus, it was an act of self-emptying. As the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians says, Christ Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:6-8) Indeed, Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, for twice He emptied Himself: first of His divinity, and then of His humanity on the cross by His death. By so doing, Jesus fulfilled the will of His Father, for His “will was for us to be made holy by the offering of his body made once and for all by Jesus Christ.”

Why was it necessary for Jesus to assume our human nature unto death? He assumed our human nature so that He could save us by showing us the way to do the Father’s will as a human being. In assuming our humanity, He showed us what an authentic man truly is: a man who is without sin. We must never think that to be human is to have sin; that, in truth, is a fallen man, not a redeemed man. So Jesus shows us the way to live the life of a true human being–in love, humble service, and self-giving. In assuming our humanity, having been tempted like us and having suffered emotionally and physically like us, He qualifies as the compassionate high priest to intercede for us at the throne of mercy, for He too understands our struggles against sin. As our advocate before the Father, He intercedes for our forgiveness, just as He did when He was on the cross, excusing and praying for the forgiveness of others.

But not only are we celebrating the perfect sacrifice of Christ; we are also celebrating the perfect sacrifice of the love of the Father. For the Father to give Himself in His Son was also an act of perfect self-emptying. The Father did not reserve the Son to Himself but gave Him up for us all. St. Paul wrote, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?” (Rom 8:32) Such was the generosity of God. Again, St. John wrote, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) Together with Jesus, the Father sacrificed Himself for the love of humanity. In both instances, it was an act of self-emptying.

The Scripture readings of today make it clear that the perfect sacrifice is to offer oneself to God. The Letter to the Hebrews says, “Bulls’ blood and goats’ blood are useless for taking away sins, and that is what Christ said, on coming into the world: ‘You wanted no sacrifice or obligation, but you prepared a body for me. You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin; then you said, just as I was commanded in the scroll of the book, ‘God here I am! I am coming to obey your will.'” God does not need our external sacrifices alone. The psalmist echoes this: “You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear. You do not ask for holocaust and victim. Instead, here am I.” All other sacrifices we offer are but an expression of the giving of oneself, yet they are often just a small part of what we have. Few of us are like the widow who gave all she had to the Temple treasury.

What we are called to imitate in today’s celebration is the total self-giving of God the Father in Christ Jesus. Mary is our perfect exemplar of what it means to give oneself totally to God in faith and trust. The sacrifice of God is matched by the sacrifice of Mary. God wants to give Himself completely to humanity by assuming our human flesh, but He requires our cooperation. Mary was asked to cooperate with God to bring forth the Saviour. In spite of her fears, anxieties, and the lack of clarity regarding her future, she said “yes” to God without hesitation: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.” By so doing, she gave her body and soul to God in obedience to His divine will.

Doing God’s will is more than just saying a single “yes.” This first answer required Mary to conform to God’s will at every moment of her life. This is true of every vocation, whether it is marriage, priesthood, or a commitment we make to someone. Saying “yes” is not so difficult, but living out that “yes” at every moment of the day and year is daunting and challenging. To say that we offer ourselves to our spouse, the Church, or society is much easier said than done; it calls for a total and daily dying to self.

Saying “yes” is a lifelong commitment. Jesus reminds us, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 16:24-25) That is exactly what Mary did from the moment of the Annunciation. She gave herself to each moment that followed: from Joseph’s discovery of her pregnancy to the birth of Jesus; through His public ministry when He was misunderstood; and finally, to His death on the cross at Calvary. At every moment, Mary’s heart said, “Thy will be done.”

Today, we are called to follow Mary’s example by giving ourselves to the Lord by doing His holy will. The author of Hebrews reiterates this truth: “You did not want what the Law lays down as the things to be offered, that is: the sacrifices, the oblations, the holocausts and the sacrifices for sin, and you took no pleasure in them; and then he says: ‘Here I am! I am coming to obey your will.'” This means we must be ready to say “yes” to God in all we do. We must not be like King Ahaz, who insisted on doing things his way despite the warning of the prophet Isaiah. In his fear that his kingdom would fall to the combined forces of Israel and Syria, he made an alliance with Assyria. Even when offered a sign from God that it would not be so, he refused out of arrogance. Hence, the Lord said, “Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience with men without trying the patience of my God, too? The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’.”

Doing His will is, of course, impossible without faith. We all face many challenges in life each day. Many of us are often at our wits’ end, trying to resolve financial woes, the incorrigible ways of loved ones at home, office politics, or scandals within our organisations. This is why we need faith to do the will of God. Mary shows us what true faith is all about; it was this faith that gave her the confidence to believe in the impossible. As the angel assured her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people call barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.” Faith means allowing God’s grace to work within our lives.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation, let us contemplate the obedience of Jesus and Mary to God’s will and their offering of themselves to the service of God and the plan of salvation. We can do this most effectively by reflecting on their lives, which are so deeply intertwined. There are two well-tested devotions in the Church have inspired lives and moved hearts toward union with the Lord and our Blessed Mother.

Firstly, we have the Stations of the Cross. This is a powerful devotion; as we contemplate His love for us on the Cross, our hearts are moved to love Him and our fellow human beings–especially our enemies–just as He did. The second devotion, of course, is the Holy Rosary. St. John Paul II even wrote an apostolic letter encouraging us to contemplate Christ alongside our Blessed Mother by praying the Rosary. To make the contemplation of their sacrifices complete, he wisely added the Luminous Mysteries.

Only by contemplating the face of our Lord and the life of Mary can we find the strength to offer ourselves completely to the Lord, doing His will at every moment in our lives. Therefore, together with Jesus and Mary–especially during this Lenten season–let us renew our commitment to the Heavenly Father: “In the scroll of the book it stands written that I should do your will. My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart.”

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.