Thursday, 4 February 2021

THE TRAGEDY OF POSTPONEMENT

20210205 THE TRAGEDY OF POSTPONEMENT

05 February, 2021, Friday, 4th Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

Hebrews 13:1-8 ©

Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and will be for ever

Continue to love each other like brothers, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are being badly treated, since you too are in the one body. Marriage is to be honoured by all, and marriages are to be kept undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers will come under God’s judgement. Put greed out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing: what can man do to me?

Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 26(27):1,3,5,8-9 ©

The Lord is my light and my help.

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.

Though an army encamp against me

my heart would not fear.

Though war break out against me

even then would I trust.

The Lord is my light and my help.

For there he keeps me safe in his tent

in the day of evil.

He hides me in the shelter of his tent,

on a rock he sets me safe.

The Lord is my light and my help.

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

hide not your face.

Dismiss not your servant in anger;

you have been my help.

The Lord is my light and my help.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Lk8:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are those who,

with a noble and generous heart,

take the word of God to themselves

and yield a harvest through their perseverance.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 6:14-29 ©

The beheading of John the Baptist

King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’

Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

THE TRAGEDY OF POSTPONEMENT

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [HEB 13:1-8; PS 27:1,3,5,8-9; MARK 6:14-29 ]

The life of King Herod was really tragic. He was an unhappy man, despite his power and wealth. He lived in deep guilt and regret. He lived in fear for what he had done, the sins he had committed, especially the sin of killing God’s prophet, continuing what previous kings of Israel had done. And therefore, that sin came back to haunt him when he heard about Jesus. “Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah;’ others again, ‘he is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.'”

We, too, often live in regret as well when we look back at our past. We cannot forgive the mistakes we made, especially the way we raise up our children. We cannot forgive ourselves for breaking beautiful relationships because of human weakness and infidelity. We cannot forgive ourselves for the greed and envy in us that led us to commit crimes. We wish we could turn back the clock. But it is all too late. Our spouse and even our children have left us. We have lost our reputation and respect. We hide ourselves from people in shame because of our past.

King Herod was however given the grace to repent. In spite of his weaknesses, God gave him the grace of a conscience that was still seeking for truth in his life. He had arrested John partly because of his insecurity, fearful that he could be a threat to his rule as king by his denouncement of corruption and sin; and most of all, by his reprimand of his adulterous marriage with Herodias, causing him to lose face before the people. But still, deep in his heart, he was dying to hear the truth and enjoyed listening to the preaching of John the Baptist because John spoke to him, the truth that no one dared to speak to him. No matter how wicked we are, there is a part of us, our conscience, seeking for truth. This explains why “Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.” Even though Herodias “was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to” because Herod gave him protection.

Unfortunately, he did not seize the opportunity. He allowed the grace of God to slip him by. He listened to John the Baptist but he failed to act. He kept on listening but he did not do anything with the grace of truth that he had received. As a result, evil overcome him. He allowed his insecurity over his throne to destroy his enemies cruelly. He sought acceptance by trying to please people and buy them over with his wealth and power. And so, when the day came, Herodias seized the opportunity to do evil by getting her daughter to dance before him. She knew the weakness of man and of Herod especially. Herod could be strong with regard to his enemies but she knew he had one weakness, that of sensuality and lust. Knowing how insecure he was and his need to prove himself, she used her daughter as a bait to trap him into beheading John. Herod fell into the trap because he did not want to compromise his decision and show himself to be weak. He reluctantly gave his assent for the head of John the Baptist to be brought on a dish.

This is a good lesson for us as well. No matter how wicked and evil we are, God’s grace is with us always. The problem is that we are too blinded by our fears, insecurity, pride and selfishness to recognize the presence of grace in our lives. God in His mercy continues to send us messengers to warn us of what lies ahead of us. Just as He sent prophets to warn His people, God sends our loved ones, our friends, our guardians, teachers and priests to guide us in walking the way of truth and love. But we ignore the voice of God and His messengers.

When we keep postponing our decision to accept the grace of God, we will end up like King Herod. Either we seize the opportunity of grace or the devil will seize the opportunity to weaken us further. We can be attending Mass, reading the Word of God and praying regularly, but if we do not put into practice what we have heard, it will do us no good. St James urges us, “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act – they will be blessed in their doing.” (Jms 1:22, 25) Jesus also warns us, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell – and great was its fall!” (Mt 7:26f)

Indeed, this episode of the death of John the Baptist is sandwiched between the sending out of the Twelve for mission and their return was to underscore the importance of accepting the Word of God preached to us. The failure to do so would cause us to end up the same way as Herod. Rejecting God’s servants is ultimately our loss. This is what the Lord said earlier on when he was rejected by His own folks in His village (cf Mk 6:1-6) and His advice to His disciples that “if any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mk 6:11)

This is why the author of Hebrews reminds us that if we truly accept Jesus as our mediator of the New Covenant, then our life of faith in Him must be expressed in a life of love and charity. “Continue to love each other like brothers, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Love of our brothers/sisters and charity for strangers are the hallmarks of a Christian. He is supportive of his own loved ones and members of the Christian community. But his love is not exclusive just to those of his own kind. Christian love must be inclusive and given to all, including strangers, as the Lord taught us in His parable of the Last Judgment. He said, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Mt 25:34-36)

In a special way, we are called to give support to our fellow Christians, especially those who seek to proclaim the gospel. The stranger would include itinerant preachers and missionaries, and those who suffer persecution. “Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are being badly treated, since you too are in the one body.” We must feel with them and for our brothers and sisters who are suffering in the world because of their faith. Very often, although as Christians we call ourselves brothers and sisters, we do not see ourselves truly as members of the same family and the body of Christ as we do not care when our brothers and sisters are persecuted for their faith and for speaking out for Christ. We leave them alone to face the onslaught of the world, their criticism and hostile assaults on them.

We must stand up together to defend our faith in a world that is hostile to our gospel values. And this is particularly true when it comes to the Christian teaching on marriage. The author reminds us, “Marriage is to be honoured by all, and marriages are to be kept undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers will come under God’s judgement.” Indeed, we must not be like the rest of the world, always greedy and seeking for material things. The author says, “Put greed out of your lives and be content with whatever you have.” Instead, we must put our confidence in God for He Himself has said, “I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing: what can man do to me?” With this faith, and in imitation of our leaders who have preached the Word of God to us, and reflecting on the outcome of their lives, we cling to our faith that “Jesus Christ is the same as he was yesterday and as he will be forever.” He will be faithful to us as to our forefathers.

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

HEAVENLY JERUSALEM

20210204 HEAVENLY JERUSALEM

04 February, 2021, Thursday, 4th Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

Hebrews 12:18-19,21-24 ©

You have come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. The whole scene was so terrible that Moses said: I am afraid, and was trembling with fright. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 47(48):2-4,9-11 ©

O God, we ponder your love within your temple.

The Lord is great and worthy to be praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain rises in beauty,

the joy of all the earth.

O God, we ponder your love within your temple.

Mount Zion, true pole of the earth,

the Great King’s city!

God, in the midst of its citadels,

has shown himself its stronghold.

O God, we ponder your love within your temple.

As we have heard, so we have seen

in the city of our God,

in the city of the Lord of hosts

which God upholds for ever.

O God, we ponder your love within your temple.

O God, we ponder your love

within your temple.

Your praise, O God, like your name

reaches the ends of the earth.

With justice your right hand is filled.

O God, we ponder your love within your temple.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn15:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

I call you friends, says the Lord,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mk1:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand:

repent and believe the Good News.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 6:7-13 ©

'Take nothing with you'

Jesus made a tour round the villages, teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

HEAVENLY JERUSALEM

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [HEB 12:18-19, 21-24; PS 47:2-4,9-11; MARK 6:7-13 ]

Humanity has lost sight of its ultimate destiny and goal in life simply because of the loss of faith in God. We are plunged into despair and hopelessness because we only care about this life and what we do and how we live here. We do not have a vision beyond this earth, which means that all that we do will not last beyond our life. Whatever achievements, sacrifices and good works we have done are all left behind. Whether we are good or evil, whether we live for ourselves or for others, all of us suffer the same outcome. There is no justice on earth and life is unfair. So we leave this world bitter, resentful and miserable.

The letter of Hebrews presents to us the glorious end to which we will come if we accept Jesus as our “mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.” Indeed, this New Covenant that Jesus brings is much greater than that of the old covenant that God established with Moses and the Israelites. The Old Covenant was but a preparation for the new and eternal covenant. In the Old Covenant, when the law was given at Mount Sinai, God’s presence was met with terror and fear. It came like “a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them.” (cf Ex 19:12-19) Anyone who stepped on the mountain or even touch it would die. The people were even afraid to hear the voice of God themselves and hence Moses had to go and bring God’s message to them. (Dt 5:23-27; 9:19) God was unapproachable because of His majesty, and seeing Him would mean death. The author remarked, “The whole scene was so terrible that Moses said: I am afraid, and was trembling with fright.”

In contrast, in the New Covenant, the distance between God and man is bridged by Christ who is the God-man. In Jesus, through the forgiveness of our sins brought upon by His blood shed on the cross for us, we are now able to approach God with a clear conscience. Unlike the blood of Abel which demanded justice and revenge, the blood of Jesus purifies us so that we can approach God with confidence, knowing that He has forgiven us in spite of our sinfulness. We will stand before God as our judge who forgives us. “You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge.” But we will not stand with fear before the judgement of God because we have Jesus as our advocate with the Father who “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 Jn 2:2)

Indeed, how great would be our joy to come to “Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Unlike in the Old Covenant, where the law was given at Mount Sinai, we are now able to meet God in the heavenly Jerusalem. This city of the living God is eternal and there will be no more suffering. “Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” (Rev 21:4) There we will not only meet God face to face but we will also be reunited with our brothers and sisters. The heavenly Jerusalem is “where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven.” We will be welcomed by the angels and all of us will be a first-born son in Christ sharing in his inheritance and faithful citizens of heaven.

We will be “placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect”, which commentators interpret to be the spirits of those who died before Christ came and those of Christian martyrs and missionaries. This is also an affirmation of the Church’s constant teaching of the immortality of the soul, the doctrine of the intermediate state, that after death, before the resurrection at the end of time, we will immediately go to heaven, hell or purgatory. This is why we pray to the saints in heaven and for the souls in purgatory. The truth is that some of them have already reached heaven even though not resurrected just like the Good Thief, for the Lord said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk 23:43) This thought of our loved ones already in the company of the saints and angels in heaven should give us much consolation when we lose our loved ones. Indeed, their presence in heaven already is underscored by the author using the present perfect tense, “what you have come to”, meaning that some of them have arrived and are there waiting for us to join them. This doctrine of the intermediate state is further substantiated by the dogma of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother who is already glorified in heaven, probably with Elijah and Enoch, whom we are told went straight to heaven without dying. (cf Gn :24; 2 Kg 2:12)

Indeed, if this is our hope, then what must we do? St John puts it succinctly, “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 Jn 3:3) Hence, the call for repentance. This is the pre-requisite. The apostles were sent out “to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.” The message of repentance is paramount. Negatively, repentance is to turn away, to turn around from sin, selfishness and idolatry. Positively, repentance is to turn to Christ who shows us the way to live the life of God, the life of truth and love. If we are to meet God face to face, then we need to be spotless before Him. But how can this be possible because we are sinners?

To be worthy for admittance to the heavenly Jerusalem, we must therefore be totally dependent on Christ because as the letter of Hebrews say, “He is our mediator.” This is what the Lord told His apostles whom He sent out “in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.'” This means that Christ must always be the center of our life. In other words, they must be totally dependent on Christ for the mission. They were sent out, which means that they were commissioned by our Lord and authority was delegated to them to preach only what the Lord had spoken to them. This is why preachers and missionaries must not be proclaiming their own philosophy or ideas and ideology but to proclaim only what the Lord has taught us and spoken to us. We are not to preach ourselves but to preach Christ, as St Paul said. (cf 2 Cor 4:5) In all that we do and say, we must always ask ourselves: is this what Christ would do, is this how He would think, is this how He would act? We must live and breathe in Him like St Paul who said, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:19f)

This is why we need, according to our state of life, to practise the evangelical counsels of poverty, obedience and chastity. When Jesus told His disciples to carry only the staff, it is because He wanted to remind them that the work of shepherding requires total dependence on Him. Hence, they should depend on divine providence and not allow the things of this earth to make them greedy and insecure. Obedience to the Lord is paramount for Him to work in and through us. And charity and inclusive love is lived out as seen in Jesus sending the apostles out in two, working in pairs, which require giving, receiving and collaboration.

But this does not mean that whilst preparing to enter the new Heavenly Jerusalem, we must disdain the things of this world. God continues to show us His love and mercy through the ordinary things of this life. Hence, they were instructed to cast out the devils and anoint the sick with oil to cure them. Until we arrive in heaven, the Church needs sacramentals like the earthly liturgy, the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacraments, and sacramentals like oil, water, incense, salt, medals and statues to give us the assurance of His presence. Of course, the power does not lie in the things themselves but Jesus only. Nevertheless, He understands that we are not yet pure spirits but with a body. Through such tangible things of this world, He continues to act through His ministers to bring His healing grace, His forgiveness, His presence and His love to us all. Let us therefore avail ourselves to His grace.

Tuesday, 2 February 2021

HOLINESS THROUGH DISCIPLINE AND GRACE

20210203 HOLINESS THROUGH DISCIPLINE AND GRACE

03 February, 2021, Wednesday, 4th Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15 ©

God is training you as his sons

In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death.

Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly; but do not get discouraged when he reprimands you. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons. Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? Of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, and far from pleasant; but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness. So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread;then the injured limb will not be wrenched, it will grow strong again.

Always be wanting peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a whole community.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 102(103):1-2,13-14,17-18 ©

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

all my being, bless his holy name.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

and never forget all his blessings.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

As a father has compassion on his sons,

the Lord has pity on those who fear him;

for he knows of what we are made,

he remembers that we are dust.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting

upon those who hold him in fear;

his justice reaches out to children’s children

when they keep his covenant in truth.

The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

Gospel Acclamation

Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 6:1-6 ©

'A prophet is only despised in his own country'

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

HOLINESS THROUGH DISCIPLINE AND GRACE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [HEB 12:4-15; PS 103:1-2,13-14,17-18; MARK 6:1-6]

Man cannot find happiness until he sees the face of God. The first reading tells us that if we want to see God, we must “seek peace with all people, and holiness.” Psalm 24 asks “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.” Indeed, we cannot find peace unless we are at peace with ourselves, with our brothers and sisters and at peace with God. This peace comes about when we live a holy life, a life in accordance to the commandments of God. In this way, we come to share in the holiness of God, which is a life that is expressed in integrity, justice, mercy, compassion and love.

To attain holiness of life, we need discipline. Because of original sin, we have become wayward, rebellious and disobedient as we have lost control over our will and our body. Concupiscence, which is a disorientation of the will, makes it difficult for us to exercise control over our sensual needs and desires of the flesh. Pride makes us arrogant, egoistic and self-centered. This is why the author of Hebrews underscores the necessity of discipline. He said, “Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? If you were not getting this training, as all of you are, then you would be not be sons but bastards. Besides, we have all had our human fathers who punished us, and we respected them for it; all the more readily ought we to submit to the Father of spirits, and so earn life.” St Paul himself is an example of imposing self-discipline. He said, “So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.” (1 Cor 9:26f)

Discipline is not enough. We need perseverance. As the author also wrote, “perseverance is part of your training.” Many of us undertake commitments to make time for prayer, study of the scriptures, fasting and abstinence from alcohol and smoking or do works of charity. But such promises do not last for long. The resolutions which you made at the beginning of the year would have been broken by now. Goodwill is not good enough. We need to persevere in a life of discipline, waking up early to pray, day after day, be committed to our work, our family and in relationships. Bad habits, unlike good habits, are not easy to break. Cultivating a way of life takes years of discipline and perseverance.

But holiness is not just a question of discipline and perseverance, using one’s own efforts to become holy. Ultimately, holiness is a grace of God. We are not Pelagians who subscribe to the teaching that we save ourselves through a life of good conduct. We depend much on the grace of God. So it is necessary that we must be receptive to His grace. The author to the Hebrews wrote, “Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God.” We must seize the grace of God that is made available to us and we must also not deprive others of the grace of God that God is offering to them.

Unfortunately, this was the case of the townsfolk of our Lord when He returned to His hometown. They rejected the grace of God. They could not accept that their boy from the village is now a man, gifted with God’s wisdom, eloquence and power to heal and perform miracles. They were resentful of how Jesus, the son of a carpenter, the son of Mary, of low status, could be given such wisdom. They asked, “‘Where did the man get all this?’ And they would not accept him.” As a consequence of the lack of faith in Him as God’s personal representative, “he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them.” They had deprived themselves of God’s grace.

How, then, does the grace of God come to us? God’s grace comes to us firstly through the proclamation of the Word of God. This was why the first thing Jesus did was to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to teach in the synagogue. St Paul in his letter to the Romans said, “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10:14,15,17) Proclamation of the Word through God’s servants is the first step.

Secondly, God’s grace comes to us through works of wonder as seen in works of mercy, healing and miracles. Jesus did not only preach the Word of God or the Good News of the Kingdom. He demonstrated by His works of mercy, reaching out to sinners, healing the sick, liberating those under the bondage of Satan and even raising the dead back to life. We, too, have all received God’s grace through His divine providence for us and most of all, His messengers to help us especially in our trials and difficulties. Many of us have experienced the healing grace of God, His unconditional mercy and forgiveness. We have witnessed the power of prayer and God’s intervention in our lives.

Thirdly, God’s grace comes to us through our mistakes. As human beings, we are not perfect, neither in moral living nor in wisdom. We all make mistakes in life. No one is infallible. We are all weak in different areas of our life. This is why the author of Hebrews urges us, “My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his training, for the Lord trains those he loves, and chastises every son he accepts.” We must not allow our ego to hinder us from learning through our mistakes. Only by humbly acknowledging them when corrected, even by our enemies, and often harshly, can we benefit most from them. By rejecting the correction of the Lord, we will only deprive ourselves of growth.

Fourthly, God’s grace comes to us through our suffering. It is in suffering that we grow most in life, even if some of this suffering comes from the mistakes we have made. Sufferings are not meant to break us but to strengthen us. They are meant to push us beyond our comfort zone and to stretch our potentials to the limit. We never know how much potential the Lord has given to us until we are tested. So all kinds of suffering, whether through the pain of learning, studying and growing; or through afflictions from sickness and rejection, humiliation and injustices, we are purified in our motives, strengthened in our resolve and, most of all, learn compassion for others. This was what happened to our Lord. In the gospel, they called Him the son of Mary, which was an indication that Joseph, His foster father, died young. Perhaps for this reason, Jesus had to stay back till He was thirty years old to earn His keep and look after His mother before setting out for the ministry. But through His suffering, He came to appreciate bereavement and poverty.

Finally, God’s grace comes to us through the community. The author says, “In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of bloodshed.” Indeed, we have examples of faithful Christian living in our midst. They have shown us that such a righteous and holy life is not impossible to live and strive for with God’s grace. They persevered and struggled for holiness to the point of suffering a cruel death for the love of Christ. Conversely, the author warns us that we must be watchful “that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a large number.” Truly, as he exhorted us, “So steady all weary hands and trembling knees and make your crooked paths straight; then the injured limb will not be maimed, it will get better instead.” By living a good and holy life, disciplined in His commandments and strengthened by His love, we will walk the path of holiness and we will get stronger and better each day. But not just for ourselves, we will also influence others to walk the way of truth and love today. We need the community to journey with us on the path to holiness. If holiness is so difficult today, it is because we lack mentors in our community to influence us for good. Instead we allow the world to lead us astray.

Monday, 1 February 2021

PRESENTING GOD

20210202 PRESENTING GOD

02 February, 2021, Tuesday, The Presentation of the Lord

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

When a Feast of the Lord is celebrated on a weekday there is only one reading before the Gospel, which may be chosen from either the first or second reading.

First reading

The Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple

The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old.

Responsorial Psalm