GODLY LEADERS ARE COURAGEOUS

20220203 GODLY LEADERS ARE COURAGEOUS

 

 

03 February, 2022, Thursday, Week 4 in Ordinary Time

First reading

1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12 ©

David's dying exhortation to Solomon

As David’s life drew to its close he laid this charge on his son Solomon, ‘I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe the injunctions of the Lord your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments, his customs and his decrees, as it stands written in the Law of Moses, that so you may be successful in all you do and undertake, so that the Lord may fulfil the promise he made me, “If your sons are careful how they behave, and walk loyally before me with all their heart and soul, you shall never lack for a man on the throne of Israel.”’

  So David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the Citadel of David. David’s reign over Israel lasted forty years: he reigned in Hebron for seven years, and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.

  Solomon was seated upon the throne of David, and his sovereignty was securely established.

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Responsorial Psalm

1 Chronicles 29:10-12 ©

You, Lord, are the ruler of all.

May you be blessed, O Lord,

  the God of Israel, our father,

  for ever, for ages unending! 

You, Lord, are the ruler of all.

Yours, Lord, are greatness and power,

  and splendour, triumph, and glory. 

  All is yours, in heaven and on earth.

You, Lord, are the ruler of all.

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;

  you are supreme above all.

  Both honour and riches come from you.

You, Lord, are the ruler of all.

You are the ruler of all,

  from your hand come strength and power;

  from your hand come greatness and might.

You, Lord, are the ruler of all.

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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!

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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.

 

GODLY LEADERS ARE COURAGEOUS

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 KGS 2:1-4, 10-12; 1 CHRON 29:10-12; MK 6:7-13]

Both scripture readings today are instructions on shepherding.  In the first reading, we have King David laying down his final instructions to Solomon who had succeeded him.  David was now an old man lying in bed, weak and feeble.  His days were ending.  And so, he felt the need to give some instructions to the young King so that the kingdom would continue to be prosperous, united, secure and lasting.  The king in those days was seen as the anointed one of God.  He was to act in the place of God in guiding, protecting and uniting His people.  But to do that, the king had to be in communion with God, taking orders and instructions from Him.

Hence, we must ask what charge David laid on his son Solomon. “I am going the way of all the earth.  Be strong and show yourself a man.”  What does it take to be strong and be a man?  Surely, it could not only mean physical strength, courage and fortitude in dealing with one’s opponents and enemies or achievements and power over others.  What David meant was godly manhood, and the rest of the virtues of manhood would follow.  Accordingly, he elaborated what it took to be strong.  “Observe the injunctions of the Lord your God … that so you may be successful in all you do and undertake.”  The invitation to be strong is to be steadfast mentally, physically, and spiritually, (Dt 31:7, 23) and to act manfully.

It is obedience to God’s word that makes a man, especially a leader, godly.  This explains why David instructed his son to walk in God’s ways which are found in “his laws, his commandments, his customs and his decrees, as it stands written in the Law of Moses.”  It is not wrong for a leader to be ambitious but a leader must put all his pursuits in the right perspective.  This is why a leader must be connected with God, always inquiring from Him the decisions that He is making.  Solomon’s kingship had to be founded on God’s word, His laws and His instructions.  He was not to be a rule unto himself because God’s law is above him.  He was after all ruling the people on behalf of God.  Indeed, the promise of God to David was that “If your sons are careful how they behave, and walk loyally before me with all their heart and soul, you shall never lack for a man on the throne of Israel.”

We, too, as leaders must be guided by God’s word at every step in our leadership.  This is the surest way to know that we are ruling with wisdom, in truth and in compassion.   The psalmist says, Happy are those whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.  In all that they do, they prosper.”  (Ps 1:2f) It does not mean we will not suffer but we will experience His blessings in other ways, empowering us, enriching us and helping us to be fruitful in our vocation.  The Lord Himself has assured us, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.”  (Mt 7:24) Jesus also told His disciples, “You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”  (Jn 15:3f)

But what ultimately defines that we are doing God’s work is when we express our lives in humble and selfless service.  It is significant that St Paul, after urging the Christians to be strong, urged them to demonstrate it in love.  “Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.”  (1 Cor 16:13) When we do everything for the good of others without self-interests, we know that we are doing God’s words and His works.  This is what it means to walk before the Lord in truth and in charity.  This is what walking wisely entails.  When we conduct our life before the Lord, God will walk with us.

In this context, the gospel shows us concretely what shepherding involves.  Firstly, they were told to preach the gospel of repentance.  It calls for a turning away from sin and turning to the Lord.  Proclaiming the gospel will be met with persecution because few would be welcoming of the call to repentance.   Most would react when we say things that threaten their lukewarm faith or challenge their convenient lifestyles.  No one wants to be told that they are wrong because people are individualistic and self-righteous.  Proclaiming the Word may invite those who are threatened to destroy us.  Being messengers of truth will not always earn us praise but often criticisms and threats of death.

Secondly, it is better that we work as a team.  Jesus sent out the apostles two by two to proclaim the truth about Jesus and the gospel. They were to go as servants. They must be humble to depend on each other and not think they could do this work alone.   When they suffer together, it is much easier than to suffer alone.  This is much safer and wiser because they would be amongst wolves.  Lone rangers are easy preys of the Evil One.  When under attack, they would be stronger if they are supported by each other.  They were not to compromise their message even if it brought rejection and persecution. Only when they work together, could they face their persecutors with courage.

Thirdly, Jesus gave the apostles His authority.  To assume office, we must be appointed.  We cannot appoint ourselves and give authority to ourselves.  Authority is given by God, or by His people.  The apostles were appointed representatives of Christ and therefore shared in His authority over demons and unclean spirits. That is why they are called apostles, to be sent, to be ambassadors for Christ.  As shepherds we, too, do not own the sheep but are shepherds after the heart of Christ.  We speak and act not on our own authority but always in the name of Christ.  As leaders, we must be conscious that we do not usurp the place of God and impose our views on doctrinal and moral issues on His sheep.  We can only speak what the Lord has instructed us.  In other words, as David reminded Solomon, we must be obedient to His Word and carry out what the Word instructs us to do.

Fourthly, this authority is not merely juridical authority.  It must include personal authority displayed in one’s conduct and lifestyle.  This explains why they were to travel lean, and only with the essentials.  All non-essentials must be left behind partly because the mission was urgent and they had to travel light; and partly because they had to show themselves to be totally dependent on the Lord for everything, His divine providence, as much as they depended on His Word in proclaiming the gospel.  The emphasis is faith in God alone.  True service and mission of the apostles draw from Jesus’ authority and God’s providence alone.  The apostles had to learn to trust in Jesus and God who would meet their needs.  (cf Phil 4:19) Consequently, they were to take nothing with them except a staff for them to lean on when they travelled far and for protection from wild animals.  

Fifthly, the Good News is never imposed on others who are not receptive.  Although, the messengers of the Good News must exercise their authority to preach the gospel of repentance, they do not impose on their listeners.  Jesus told the apostles to stay where they were welcomed and to share the Good News with them; but to move on when the people rejected them. In the final analysis, it is their personal responsibility and they will face the judgment of God.  On our part as shepherds and missionaries of Christ, we have done our part and we should have a clear conscience.  

Finally, the gospel is not merely words or a call to repentance.  It is an invitation to receive integral healing from God, not just spiritually but emotionally and spiritually.  “They set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.”  Spiritual repentance should also bring about a corresponding healing of the mind and heart and even the body.  We are set free to love and to serve in return.  When we obey the injunctions of the Lord, we will be strong in the Lord.

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

KEEPING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST BURNING

20220202 KEEPING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST BURNING

 

 

02 February, 2022, Wednesday, The Presentation of the Lord

First reading

Malachi 3:1-4 ©

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.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23(24):7-10 ©

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

O gates, lift high your heads;

  grow higher, ancient doors.

  Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

Who is the king of glory?

  The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,

  the Lord, the valiant in war.

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

O gates, lift high your heads;

  grow higher, ancient doors.

  Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

Who is he, the king of glory?

  He, the Lord of armies,

  he is the king of glory.

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

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When a Feast of the Lord falls on a weekday, there is no reading after the Psalm and before the Gospel.

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Gospel Acclamation

Lk2:32

Alleluia, alleluia!

The light to enlighten the Gentiles

and give glory to Israel, your people.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Luke 2:22-40 ©

My eyes have seen your salvation

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

  Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,

just as you promised;

because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see,

a light to enlighten the pagans

and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’

  There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

  When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.

 

KEEPING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST BURNING

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [MALACHI 3:1-4; HEBREWS 2:14-18; LUKE 2:22-40]

Today, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, we have the blessing of candles.  At Christmas we celebrate Christ as the light of the world.  At Epiphany, we celebrate His manifestation to the Gentiles.  At His baptism, we celebrate His consecration for the mission of proclaiming the Good News.  As such, the Feast of the Presentation reminds us of our baptismal commitment when we were given the lighted candle of Christ, reminding us to shine brightly for the world to see.  For religious sisters and brothers, it is their day of consecration to the Lord when they profess or renew their religious vows.  By extension, we also use the candle to symbolize consecration and commitment to a ministry, an organization, a mission, or even now, widely used as para-liturgy for married couples who hold two candles to light one candle, symbolizing their flames of love becoming one big flame for others to see.

But how do we keep our light burning?  Israel was chosen to be the light of the nations.  “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” (Isa 42:6f) But that light was extinguished gradually.  Prophecy died after the death of the last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi.  We too could be like them as well, whether we are speaking about our life as disciples of Christ, or our Christian commitment to our vocation, as married couples, priests or religious.  We started well and were full of energy and zeal.  But over the years, we have become jaded, perhaps disillusioned, or complacency has set in.  We have taken our status for granted and forgot the privilege and blessings that the Lord has bestowed upon us.  We have forgotten our mission.  The light too has become dimmed for us.

This is why we need to be reignited.  Hence, the prophet Malachi prophesied how the Temple of the Lord would once again be purified.  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.  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.”  Indeed, like the Israelites, we need to be purified, so that we can re-consecrate ourselves to God.  Perhaps we have been negligent in our prayer life because we have been so focused on our work.  Perhaps, we have been so ambitious that we forgot that people are more important than our success.  Perhaps, we have lost our passion and allowed the passion for worldly pleasures to consume us.  It is our sins, negligence and complacency that have snuffed out the light of Christ in us.

Jesus our High Priest shows us the way back to God.  He is the one who makes our offering perfect.  As the High Priest, He is our mediator, our bridge to God.  He is our bridge in the sense that He shows us the way.  As He said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”  (Jn 14:6) For this reason, He assumed our humanity.  “For it was not the angels that he took to himself; he took to himself descent from Abraham. It was essential that he should in this way become completely like his brothers so that he could be a compassionate and trustworthy high priest of God’s religion, able to atone for human sins. That is, because he has himself been through temptation he is able to help others who are tempted.”  Jesus, who is truly man and identified with us, shows us how we too can overcome our sins and temptations of the world and the Evil One.  In Jesus, we have a compassionate High Priest who knows our struggles and our weakness.  Although He Himself did not sin, yet He empathizes with us in our struggles against sins.  So we can be sure of His mercy and compassion because He understands us.  As the letter to the Hebrews further on added, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Heb 4:15f)

Secondly, He is our sacrifice for our reconciliation as well.  The author says, “Since all the children share the same blood and flesh, Christ too shared equally in it, so that by his death he could take away all the power of the devil, who had power over death, and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.”  By His death on the cross, He has conquered sins by conquering death.  Through His death, He showed us that love is stronger than hatred, life is stronger than death.  This is what helps us to be reconciled with the Father because we no longer need to sin because of fear of death.

So today, we are called to welcome the King of Glory, our Lord Jesus Christ who entered the Temple with Mary and Joseph.   Like Simeon and Anna, we must be ready to welcome Him when He appears.  Both of them were watchful.  They stayed at the Temple waiting for the messenger of the Lord to appear.   True enough, Simeon who had purified his life was able to hear the prompting of the Spirit.  The evangelist remarked, “He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required.”  Simeon was able to recognize the Lord only through the help of the Holy Spirit.  So the first step to re-consecrate ourselves to the Lord is to give up our sins and listen to the Holy Spirit attentively.

Secondly, Anna a perfect example of a contemplative religious, was a woman who became a widow after seven years in marriage, and now eighty-four years old had “never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.”  She too was rewarded with the gift of revelation and could see in Jesus, the One who would save Israel.  The Church also needs contemplative people who could show us the way, and with prayer and fasting help the Church to grow in faith and in wisdom.  This is why the Church can never do without the contemplative religious in the monastery praying and doing penance for the Church and her mission.

Indeed, like them, we must rediscover the joy of meeting the Lord in the Temple if we were to renew our commitment to the Lord.  When Simeon saw the Lord, “he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said: ‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.'”  Our faith and passion will once again be reignited if we see the Lord and most of all, the salvation promised to us already taking place in our times.

Too often, because of the lack of faith or disillusionment, we cannot see that God is at work in our lives, often in unseen ways, but He is making use of the imperfect instruments we are to shine forth His light and glory in the world.  But let us remember the words of Simeon to our blessed Mother, “You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.”  We too, like our Lord, will have to suffer for being a light in the world and rejected because of the Good News we profess.  But like our Lord, we must never be afraid to continue to be that sign in the world.  Even when our hearts are broken, we can take consolation in the Lord that He is with us.  After all, as the responsorial psalm says, “Who is the king of glory? The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, the Lord, the valiant in war. He is the King of Glory! O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors.  Let him enter, the king of glory!”

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

SEEKING HAPPINESS IN LIFE

20220201 SEEKING HAPPINESS IN LIFE

 

 

01 February, 2022, Tuesday, Chinese New Year

Numbers 6:22-27

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 

24 The Lord bless you and keep you: 

25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: 

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. 

27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

 

Psalms 90:1-17

1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place^* 

in all generations. 

2 Before the mountains were brought forth, 

or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, 

from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. 

3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, 

and sayest, “Turn back, O children of men!” 

4 For a thousand years in thy sight 

are but as yesterday when it is past, 

or as a watch in the night. 

5 Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, 

like grass which is renewed in the morning: 

6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; 

in the evening it fades and withers. 

7 For we are consumed by thy anger; 

by thy wrath we are overwhelmed. 

8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, 

our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 

9 For all our days pass away under thy wrath, 

our years come to an end^f like a sigh. 

10 The years of our life are threescore and ten, 

or even by reason of strength fourscore; 

yet their span^g is but toil and trouble; 

they are soon gone, and we fly away. 

11 Who considers the power of thy anger, 

and thy wrath according to the fear of thee? 

12 So teach us to number our days 

that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

13 Return, O Lord! How long? 

Have pity on thy servants! 

14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, 

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

15 Make us glad as many days as thou hast afflicted us, 

and as many years as we have seen evil. 

16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, 

and thy glorious power to their children. 

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, 

and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, 

yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

 

James 4:13-15

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain”; 14 whereas you do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that.”

 

Matthew 6: 31-34

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.

 

SEEKING HAPPINESS IN LIFE

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [NUM 6:22-27; PS 90:1-17; JAMES 4:13-15; MT 6:31-34]

We all desire to be happy.  No one seeks sadness and misery in this world.  We are created to be happy, to live in paradise where there is plenty, without suffering and misery; and where there is love and intimacy; meaningful and supportive relationships with our fellowmen.  Our disagreements and confusion lie in where true happiness is found. Most of us tend to associate happiness with wealth and luxury.  For the Chinese particularly, Lunar New Year is full of symbols depicting wealth and prosperity.  Of course, the symbols of Chinese New Year are not only concerned with wealth, but they are also concerned with progress, longevity, good health and posterity.   Regardless, most of the aspirations pertain to happiness in this world.  It involves comfort and security in life.

Of course, it is not wrong to hope for such earthly blessings in this life.  We are all averse to suffering.  We cannot be happy if we are sickly, anxious and deprived of the basic needs of life.  However, earthly blessings can only do so much.  Even if we have all the material needs of life, wealth, position and even good health, we will still not be happy.  We may be healthy and have plenty, but these only cater for the body. We have a soul that seeks for more aesthetic and spiritual values.  We seek love, friendship, beauty, truth, meaning and spiritual fulfilment.  Without which, our life will have no meaning and purpose.  Material things and achievements can only provide us with material comfort and security.

At any rate, we know that such things do not last.  We know that life is fragile.  The responsorial psalm reminds us, “You sweep men away like a dream, like grass, which springs up in the morning.  In the morning it springs up and flowers; by evening it withers and fades.”  Our life is short when compared to eternity. Of God, the psalmist remarked, “You turn men back into dust and say: ‘Go back, sons of men’. To your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a watch in the night.”  St James also warned us about the unpredictability of this life when he wrote, “Here is the answer for those of you who talk like this: ‘Today or tomorrow, we are off to this or that town; we are going to spend a year there, trading, and make some money.’ You never know what will happen tomorrow; you are no more than a mist that is here for a little while and then disappears. The most you should ever say is: ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we shall still be alive to do this or that.'”

The book of Ecclesiasticus also gave us some words of wisdom with regard to security and happiness in life.  Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, come from the Lord. One becomes rich through diligence and self-denial, and the reward allotted to him is this: when he says, “I have found rest, and now I shall feast on my goods!” he does not know how long it will be until he leaves them to others and dies.  Do not say, “I have enough, and what harm can come to me now?” (Sir 11:14,18,19,24) This reminds us of the parable of the rich fool who said to himself, “‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’  But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” (Lk 12:19-21)

True happiness is found when we find peace in our hearts because we live a life of justice.  Jesus said to His disciples, “Do not worry; do not say, ‘What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?’ It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts in his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'”  Indeed, living a righteous and upright life in truth and charity is what brings happiness.

Let me narrate to you a story which someone sent to me about this wealthy entrepreneur and billionaire.  When Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola was asked by a radio presenter, “Sir what can you remember made you a happiest man in life?” Femi said: “I have gone through four stages of happiness in life and finally I understood the meaning of true happiness. The first stage was to accumulate wealth and means. But at this stage I did not get the happiness I wanted. Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realised that the effect of this thing is also temporary and the lustre of valuable things does not last long. Then came the third stage of getting big projects. That was when I was holding 95% of diesel supply in Nigeria and Africa. I was also the largest vessel owner in Africa and Asia. But even here I did not get the happiness I had imagined.

The fourth stage was the time a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchairs for some disabled children. Just about 200 kids. At the friend’s request, I immediately bought the wheelchairs. But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him.  There I gave these wheel chairs to these children with my own hands. I saw the strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting on the wheelchairs, moving around and having fun.  It was as if they had arrived at a picnic spot where they are sharing a jackpot winning. I felt REAL joy inside me. When I decided to leave one of the kids grabbed my legs. I tried to free my legs gently but the child stared at my face and held my legs tightly. I bent down and asked the child: Do you need something else?  The answer this child gave me not only made me happy but also changed my attitude to life completely. This child said: ‘I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I will be able to recognise you and thank you once again.'”

Indeed, happiness ultimately is never about oneself but about others.  It is when we care for others, especially those who need our assistance, when we defend the poor and those who are oppressed, when we reach out to those who are lonely, when we are encouraging and supportive of people, when we have good and faithful friends to support us.  In other words, as the first reading urges us, when we show the face of God to others.  When God instructed Moses to bless His people, Moses was to say, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.”  God uncovers His face to us not only at prayer, in worship, but most of all in our fellowmen whom Jesus our Lord identifies with, calling us His brothers (Heb 2:11), especially those who are in need when He remarked, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  (Mt 25:40 NIV)

This Lunar New Year, we celebrate the year of the Tiger. The characteristics of the Tiger is one of confidence, speed, courage, tenacity and ambition.  Such positive assets can also be destructive when used negatively.  Those born under this zodiac sign are said to have a tendency to be rebellious, impetuous, impatient and irritable with those who are slow and weak.  Like the Tiger, we need to be adventurous and be open to new challenges ahead of us, yet, we must not allow our independence and strong self-esteem to make us lose our human touch and sensitivity to those who are weak.  Instead, let us use our boundless energy to do good, to build a more just world, to touch lives, to change society to be more humane, gracious and kind.

This is what the Lord means when He asks us to set our hearts on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.  We should not be too worried about how rich we are or what positions we have in life.  At the end of the day, all gifts are meant for service.  What matters most is that we find happiness not just in this life but eternal happiness with God when our days come to an end.  Let us not live a life of regrets like so many rich and powerful people who unfortunately found their meaning in life only in their later years when they have conquered the world, only to find that the world cannot give happiness.  Only God can give us ultimate happiness.  Only love and service can give us meaning and true joy.  Only God can give us our assurance of security in this life.  Happy Lunar New Year!  May you be happy in the Lord!

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