BE A GOOD MENTOR

20161104 BE A GOOD MENTOR

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

First reading

Philippians 3:17-4:1 ©

My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.

  So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 121(122):1-5 ©

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

  ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

  within your gates, O Jerusalem.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

Jerusalem is built as a city

  strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up,

  the tribes of the Lord.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

For Israel’s law it is,

  there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgement

  of the house of David.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

Gospel Acclamation

2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

Or

1Jn2:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 16:1-8 ©

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”

  Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”

  ‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’

BE A GOOD MENTOR

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [  PHILIPPIANS 3:17-4:1; LUKE 16:1-8 ]

St Paul wrote, “Be united in following my rule of life.  Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us.”  It is courageous for anyone to say to another, imitate me.  For us to say this, it means that we must be living an exemplary life.  Most of us are teachers in words.  We tell our children what to do and our workers what must be done. Priests tell their people to be forgiving, obedient, humble and prayerful but they do not live out what they preach.  Medical personnel tell patients to eat healthily and exercise but they themselves do not follow the advice they give to others.  Parents instruct their children not to fight or cheat or steal but they themselves are doing all these things.  To such Christians, St Paul says, “I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ.  They are destined to be lost.”  If we are lost ourselves, we cannot lead others to God or to walk the way of truth and love.

Indeed, as Pope Paul VI says, “What we need today is not teachers but witnesses!”  We need people who walk the talk.  We need mentors that can inspire us in life.  Young people today are looking for icons to imitate.  Unfortunately, the only icons available to them are from the Entertainment world.  They are movie stars, pop-singers, actors and actresses; and successful entrepreneurs and businessman in the world.  But all that they can offer is a messy lifestyle, a confused life and a life of pleasure without joy.  They cannot offer them meaning, peace and lasting love.  What the world promotes is power, status, money, pleasure and sex.  Our people are unconsciously imitating these stars in their lives.  But have they ever asked, behind all this glamour, are they really happy?  What is their love life like?  What is happening in their relationships?  Are they doing well in their marriage and family life?  Are they at peace?

This was the case of the dishonest steward and those Christians who were living counterfeit lives.  We are told that he was irresponsible with his stewardship.  He mismanaged the wealth and property of the rich man.  Similarly, St Paul also reprimanded those Christians who were living shameful lifestyles, counter witnessing to Christ.  They were worldly in their thinking and sought are the same pleasures of the world.

What does it take to be a mentor? Firstly, we must exercise self-discipline.  The dishonest steward lacked discipline and caused his master’s wealth to be diminished.  He was more concerned about himself and his own affairs.   Self-discipline must begin with oneself, especially with the use of one’s body.  Many of us lack self-control when it comes to disciplining our body.  If we have no control over our body, how can we control our mind?  Thus, St Paul reprimanded those Christians who “make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful.”  Like them, we lack discipline over our food intake.  We drink excessively and we do not respect our body.  Some of us sleep too much and idle our time away.  No one can be a great leader without mastering self-discipline with respect to his food, time and responsibilities.

Secondly, a good mentor is one who knows what truly matters in life.  He is not one who seeks worldly goods, unlike worldly people.  St Paul observed that “the things they think important are earthly things.”   Rather, we must value what is eternal and what really lasts in life; not the transient and passing things of life.  The pleasures of this world are short term and they can be destructive in the long term!  Those who commit sins of infidelity, for a small pleasure, they might either have to go for an abortion or risk destroying their marriage and family. The people of this world are short-sighted.

St Paul reminds us that “our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.”  We do not simply live for this life but for the life hereafter.  As the psalmist says, ultimately after this short sojourn on earth, we are called to dwell in the House of God.  “I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.”

Thirdly, we must be shrewd in dealing with the matters of this world.   In spite of the steward’s dishonesty and botched management of the rich man’s property, Jesus praised him for his initiative and proactive approach to solving problems in life.  To be a good mentor, we must be like this dishonest steward, creative in our thinking and resourceful. Indeed, Jesus remarked, “For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.”  We must use all our energy to bring about what is truly good for everyone.  We must use what we have for the good of humanity.

Fourthly, we must learn from the dishonest steward, the truth of which he found out a bit too late, which is to use all our resources to build friendship.  He thought to himself when he was told that he was to be dismissed from his job, “Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”  Whatever we do in life must be for the building of communion among men, the promotion of life and love, the fostering of relationships and harmony.  This is what a foretaste of heaven is all about.  Whether it is our work, our wealth or our health, all must be employed for the good of humanity.  When we give ourselves in love and service to others, we find life meaningful, fulfilling and joyful.  As we give ourselves to others, we also grow in affectivity, compassion and as a person whose potentials are being fully explored.

In the final analysis, to be a good mentor is to show that we are good stewards of God’s gifts to us.  We have all been blessed with many gifts of which we have taken for granted.  We have been given relatively good health, a good IQ and EQ,  talents, money, wealth, position, friends, a community to belong, etc.  Most of all, God has given us time as well.  How we manage all these gifts from God determine whether we are good stewards.  If we are to be good mentors and inspire others, we must show how we maximize these gifts and use them for the glory of God and the service of our fellowmen.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved

BRINGING BACK THE LOST SHEEP

20161103 BRINGING BACK THE LOST SHEEP

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Philippians 3:3-8 ©

We are the real people of the circumcision, we who worship in accordance with the Spirit of God; we have our own glory from Christ Jesus without having to rely on a physical operation. If it came to relying on physical evidence, I should be fully qualified myself. Take any man who thinks he can rely on what is physical: I am even better qualified. I was born of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents, and I was circumcised when I was eight days old. As for the Law, I was a Pharisee; as for working for religion, I was a persecutor of the Church; as far as the Law can make you perfect, I was faultless. But because of Christ, I have come to consider all these advantages that I had as disadvantages. Not only that, but I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 104(105):2-7 ©

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

or

Alleluia!

O sing to the Lord, sing his praise;

  tell all his wonderful works!

Be proud of his holy name,

  let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

or

Alleluia!

Consider the Lord and his strength;

  constantly seek his face.

Remember the wonders he has done,

  his miracles, the judgements he spoke.

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

or

Alleluia!

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.

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

Alleluia!

Or

Mt11:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,

and I will give you rest, says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 15:1-10 ©

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

  ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

  ‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

BRINGING BACK THE LOST SHEEP

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [  PHILIPPIANS 3:3-8; PS 104:2-7; LUKE 15:1-10 ]

The Catholic Church as a single Christian Church is the biggest in the world with more than one billion members.   In Singapore too, we have about three hundred and eighty-eight thousand people who claim to be Catholic.  While it is great to know that we have so many adherents to the Catholic Faith yet not many are practising their faith or even attending church services.

The irony of the Catholic Church is that we have quantity but we lack quality.  Many are not well formed in the faith.  Most do not have a sense of community or belong to any Catholic group, formal or informal.  Some do not even have Catholic friends to share their faith with, or have someone to journey with them in their faith.

Without encouragement and support, they either drop out of the faith or become nominal Catholics, coming for services only on special occasions.  They do not have any real relationship with the Lord other than uttering some formula prayers that they had learned.  Of course, when it comes to praying the scriptures, it is totally alien to them.  They are easily swayed by the arguments of other faith denominations when challenged on the Church’s doctrines, as they are not able to explain what they believe.  Unable to deal with the secularistic and relativistic views of the world, they fall easily into the snares that the world presents to them as sources of happiness in life, pleasure, money, power and status.

Indeed, negligence will lead to indifference and then hostility.  We find this situation happening before our very eyes but many of us chose to turn a blind eye to this reality.  We know that many young people leave the Church after the sacrament of confirmation.  Without ongoing formation in their faith, how can they ever grow in maturity in faith?  Without being involved in the Catholic community, who can give them support, especially for those who come from non-Catholic families?

Why are we indifferent to the stark reality in the Catholic Church?  Why is it that we cannot feel with the sadness of God and with Christ for those who are lost?   

Firstly, it is because we cannot identify with the pain, the suffering and the loneliness of our fellow Catholics.  We cannot feel with them in their struggles.  Some feel marginalized and rejected, especially those with same sex orientation, those who are divorced and those who are struggling with sins.  They feel judged, condemned and ostracized. We do not empathize with them when they feel the absence of God or when they feel the community had abandoned them.  Indeed, do we understand what it means to be lost and confused and rejected?  We only need to put ourselves in the position of the lost sheep.  How would the sheep be feeling, all alone, wandering, looking for direction home, and anxious over the wild animals hunting them for food?  How would a young boy who lost his mother feel?  Surely, we all have the experience of being lost and confused!  And worst of all, there is no one who is willing to give us direction, to help us or to show us that they care.

Secondly, we do not feel with the shepherd who lost one of his sheep or the woman in today’s parable who lost one of her drachmas.  When we lose something or someone whom we love dearly, it always brings us much pain and anxiety.  So we can imagine how worried the shepherd must have been, and the woman as well.  Those of us who have lost things know how frustrating it is when we cannot find them, especially when something is of great sentimental value.  The drachma might not have been worth much in monetary value but in terms of beauty and joy, it is worth everything.

So if we have not done anything to bring back the lost sheep, it clearly shows that we do not know the heart of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  If we do, then we would quickly help to find the lost sheep as well.  It is natural for us to love those whom our loved ones love.  This is because we seek to do anything that can make our loved ones happy.  If we love Jesus as we claim, then we should also be loving all our brothers and sisters; especially those who have left us and are lost in their faith and direction in life.   To do nothing to bring them back to Jesus means that our love for Jesus is not sincere.  We only love ourselves and what Jesus can do for us, not what we can do for Jesus.

Thirdly, we do not make our brothers and sisters our own.   Our mentality is that they are not ours.  They belong to Jesus and so it is not our responsibility.  What if the one who is lost is our own child, would we not search for that child?  Every parent loves his or her child.  Even if there are twelve children, and if one is missing, the parent would feel anxious and look for the child till he or she is found.   The truth is that we always give attention to the weakest.   If a parent has ten children and one is weak because of illness or physical mobility, it is natural that the parent would give that particular child more attention, not that the others are not important but that child needs more help.  So too, when there are wounded sheep, lost ones, confused and led astray, these are the ones we have more responsibility towards rather than just taking care of only the healthy and strong ones.  Sadly in our community, we tend to care only for those who are active and neglect those who do not contribute to the church or do not come because they do not add value to our lives.  We cut them off like dead branches instead of attempting to reach out to them and help to revitalize their faith.

Today, the gospel invites us to go out and actively search for the lost members of our family.  They could be your immediate loved ones, your friends, your colleagues or former members of your church ministry.  With tact and compassion, we need to reach out to them, not so much to convert them but to give them the love of Jesus, to offer them the fullness of life and love in Jesus.  They are seeking for true meaning in life.  We who have Jesus can offer them the greatest of all gifts, faith in Him who is our life.

How can we do this?  We begin by being friends with them.   We need to connect with them and hear them out, their pains, struggles and aspirations.  When possible, we can invite them to join our Catholic community for fellowship.  Like Jesus, we must welcome sinners and tax collectors.   Like Jesus, we do not judge, condemn or label them.   We can encourage them as we get to know them better by sharing our personal faith with them, what Jesus means to us and how He has been a source of inspiration and strength in our lives.  When the occasion permits, gently invite them to join our renewal and conversion or healing retreats.  The last thing we should ever do is to approach them with doctrines and the laws or use threats.  St Paul tells us in the first reading that the laws could not save him.  It was the love of Jesus, His mercy and forgiveness.

Indeed, the joy of bringing someone back to the Lord and to the right path is worth the sacrifices.  That was how St Paul felt when he said, “But because of Christ, I have come to consider all the advantages that I had as disadvantages.  Not only that, but I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”   To give life and hope to someone is what is desperately needed in our times.  St James tells us, “if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”  (Jms 5:19f)  The truth of course is found in Jesus.  Conversion is not just a change of opinions but to come to Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved

CONFIDENT HOPE IN SALVATION

20161102 CONFIDENT HOPE IN SALVATION

Isaiah 25:6-9 ©

On this mountain,

the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples

a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,

of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.

On this mountain he will remove

the mourning veil covering all peoples,

and the shroud enwrapping all nations,

he will destroy Death for ever.

The Lord will wipe away

the tears from every cheek;

he will take away his people’s shame

everywhere on earth,

for the Lord has said so.

That day, it will be said: See, this is our God

in whom we hoped for salvation;

the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

Psalm 26(27):1,4,7,8-9,13-14 ©

The Lord is my light and my help.

or

I believe that I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

The Lord is my light and my help;

  whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

  before whom shall I shrink?

The Lord is my light and my help.

or

I believe that I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

  for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

  all the days of my life,

to savour the sweetness of the Lord,

  to behold his temple.

The Lord is my light and my help.

or

I believe that I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

O Lord, hear my voice when I call;

  have mercy and answer.

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;

  hide not your face.

The Lord is my light and my help.

or

I believe that I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

  in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

  Hope in the Lord!

The Lord is my light and my help.

or

I believe that I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

Second reading

Romans 5:5-11 ©

Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

Gospel

Luke 7:11-17 ©

Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.

CONFIDENT HOPE IN SALVATION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [  IS 25:6-9; PS 26; ROM 5:5-11; LK 7:11-17 ]

The departure of a loved one always brings sadness.  More so when we lose someone we love in this life.  More difficult still when that someone is so dear to you or one whom you depend much on.  This was the case of the widow in today’s gospel who lost her only son.  We can feel with her the pain of loss, not simply because he was dear to her but also because he was her security.  We can therefore understand and appreciate Jesus’ spontaneous response in reaching out to help her.  He felt sorry for her.  So will we, when we come across such incidents.   It is a human response to human tragedy.

Losing our loved ones is just the first experience of pain. In our quiet moments, we think of them and wonder where they are now.  Are they happy?  Do they still exist?  Are they alive?  Or are they gone forever?  Or are they suffering in loneliness, wondering around like hungry and restless ghosts?  For Christians, we are fortunate because we believe in the immortality of the soul and resurrection of the body.  For us, therefore, life continues after death.  Life is changed, not ended.  With the psalmist, our final hope is to be with God.  “I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.  Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!”  People without faith are most pitiable because they have only this life to live.  Once dead, they are gone forever, extinguished from the face of creation.

What is the basis and certainty of Christian Hope in the future life if not in Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life?  Christ is our resurrection and our hope.  In the gospel today, Jesus presented Himself to be a life-giver, one who has the power even to grant life to the dead man.   This is the work of God.  By His death and resurrection, He showed us what our future life would be.  Because of His resurrection, we are confident that we, too, will be raised like Him. “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.”  (1 Cor 15:20f)

But why is it that many of us Catholics still live in fear of death and doubt about our salvation, even though we believe in the resurrection of the dead?  The truth is that when we look at ourselves, many of us know that we are not saints.  We have much imperfections and selfishness in us.  Regardless how much we try, we keep falling into sin.  We feel guilty and many of us condemn ourselves.  We feel so ashamed of our sins and count ourselves unworthy to enter into the presence of God.  Because of the emphasis on merits, many labour under the false doctrine of salvation by good works, which teaches that we can be saved only when we do good.  This explains why those converted to the Lord, or those who do evil, seek to do some good works to redeem themselves and pay back for all the wrongs they have done.  If we think we can save ourselves by good works, then none of us can ever make ourselves worthy before God.  Even St Paul himself said, “I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.”  (1 Cor 4:4f)

What the gospel wants to proclaim is that salvation is the grace of God.  It is not based on good works but on faith in Him as our Lord and savior.  It is this faith in His love and mercy that is the cause of our salvation.  This is what St Paul reminds us in the second reading.  “We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.”   Good works must spring from the fact of being loved by Christ and His death for us.  It is our response to His love; not the basis for salvation.  Of course, if we truly believe that God loves us, we would want to love Him in return freely, not out of obligation.  This is how we act in daily life.  When people love us, it is natural for us to love them in return.

Consequently, we should not fear death and punishment but trust in His mercy and love.  St Paul urges us, “Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son?”   Indeed, we are to be “filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.”

Yesterday when we celebrated All Saints Day, we were reminded of the great multitude of people who were saved by the blood of the Lamb.  It is a great consolation and hope for us as well.  What is positive about Christian Hope is that the Church lives in hope that all will be saved.  That is why, whilst the Church has declared that so many have gone to heaven, she has never declared that anyone has gone to hell, except for the devil and the fallen angels.  We can never understand or fathom the mercy and love of God for sinners.  So as St Paul says, it is not for us to judge but to leave judgment to the Lord.  But because the Lord is mercy and compassion, and His desire, as He said, is to save all, we can pray with confidence that the Lord will give us all the grace of repentance.  He said, “It is my Father’s will, says the Lord, that I should lose nothing of all he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day.”  And St Paul also said, “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.”  (Rom 5:15)

Of course, the assurance that we will finally get there does not mean that we do not need to purify ourselves, either in this life or in the next, which we call purgatory.  St John reminds us, “Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”  (1 Jn 3:2f)  Purification however is an ongoing process.  There are many degrees of holiness.  No one can ever be holy like God.  What is necessary is for us to undertake the path to purification of love here and now; and if still not perfected, there is still opportunity after death in purgatory.

In truth, purgatory is another act of God’s mercy.  It is good for us to take note that purgatory is totally unlike hell.  Purgatory is not the half way mark to enter heaven.  On the contrary, purgatory is heaven possessed as hope and promise.  Those in purgatory are not suffering like those in hell who are totally incapable of love but only hatred.  The souls in purgatory are very much closer to God, but until the last residues of selfishness, unforgiveness and fear is removed, they cannot yet enter into the fullness of life.  This is because heaven is a state of love where all the saints live in an exchange of love.   This explains why in the first reading, heaven is portrayed as a banquet of love and life. “On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.  On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever.” Souls in purgatory know that heaven is waiting for them.  But they need our prayers to help them let go of their selfishness and attachment to the world; and especially their unwillingness to forgive and to let go of those who have hurt them on earth.  Only when they are no longer attached to the earth negatively, are they ready to be united with God and the communion of saints.  Because we are in communion with them, we are to pray for them to accept humbly the unconditional love of God, to forgive themselves and trust in His mercy.

What we are saying is not a pie in the sky, as some people think.  St Paul made it clear that “Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.”  Indeed, those of us who have been purified in some degree already experience greater freedom, joy and love.  We also have experienced how the love of God in our hearts, through the Holy Spirit, enables us to live a life of peace, love and joy.  Our hope is in God’s mercy, not on ourselves.  “The Lord is my light and my help. O Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face.  I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.  Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!”

Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved