REBUILDING THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

20230928 REBUILDING THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

 

 

28 September 2023, Thursday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Haggai 1:1-8 ©

'Rebuild the House'

In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, high commissioner of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as follows, ‘The Lord of Hosts says this, “This people says: The time has not yet come to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. (And the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows:) Is this a time for you to live in your panelled houses, when this House lies in ruins? So now, the Lord of Hosts says this: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you. You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, put on clothes but do not feel warm. The wage earner gets his wages only to put them in a purse riddled with holes. So go to the hill country, fetch wood, and rebuild the House: I shall then take pleasure in it, and be glorified there, says the Lord.”’

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 149:1-6,9 ©

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord,

  his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in its Maker,

  let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let them praise his name with dancing

  and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.

  He crowns the poor with salvation.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

  shout for joy and take their rest.

Let the praise of God be on their lips:

  this honour is for all his faithful.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

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Gospel Acclamation

Ps118:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider

the wonders of your law.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn14:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;

No one can come to the Father except through me.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Luke 9:7-9 ©

'John? I beheaded him; so who is this?'

Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.

 

 

REBUILDING THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Hag 1:1-8; Ps 149:1-6, 9; Lk 9:7-9]

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, King Cyrus of Persia granted permission to 50,000 Jews exiled in Babylon to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.  Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and Joshua the high priest, they tried to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem.  During the second year of their return, they managed to lay the foundation of the temple.  The altar was re-established but the work of rebuilding the temple was slow because they faced opposition from the Samaritans.  As a result they were unable to finish their work as their enemies hindered the reconstruction.   For the next 15 years, no further work was done on the Temple.  The people felt disheartened and discouraged.  They became spiritually apathetic and gave up on the project.

It was within this context that God dispatched two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people to put more effort, time and resources into the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem.  Haggai challenged the people to keep their focus right.  He asked them, “Is this a time for you to live in your panelled houses, when this House lies in ruins?”  Indeed, how could the people live in luxury whilst the Temple of the Lord was in ruins?  Instead of rebuilding the Temple of the Lord, they were only interested in rebuilding their homes.   Their own houses were adorned with beautiful cedars while the Temple was lying in ruins.  This was inexcusable because the Temple was supposed to be the centre and focal point of their relationship with God.

As a consequence, the Lord warned the people for not putting God as the centre of their lives and their priority.   “Reflect carefully how things have gone for you.  You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, put on clothes but do not feel warm.  The wage earner gets his wages only to put them in a purse riddled with holes.”   Because God was not the centre of their lives, as seen in their priorities in allocating their resources and time, what they did were not successful.  Their hard work did not produce the fruits that they expected.  No matter how much they ate or earned, they could not have their fill.  This was because the foundation of their lives was missing.

This is true for us even today.  How many of us put God as the centre of our lives?  Is God the most important consideration in all that we do or say?  Is He the foundation of our life?   Have we taken seriously what the Lord said, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  (Mk 12:29f) If God were the centre of our lives, then we would give Him preference above all other things.  But the truth is that other things and people take precedence over the Lord.  We give priority and importance to our loved ones, spouse and children.   We take care of our own material needs and comfort before thinking of our Lord.  We pay lip service to our love for God.  We claim that He is the most important person in our lives, but we hardly spend time to worship Him, pray to Him or listen to Him.   He seems to be the last person in our lives.   We come to Him only when we are in need or in trouble.  Otherwise, God is far from our hearts.

Even in giving an external place to God, many of us fail to show that respect and consideration.  Many of our churches are in ruins and in a sorry state, but many of our Catholics do not care about the church, the House of God, even though they are living in luxurious houses. They contribute little of their money to build the church but spend millions on their homes.  They spend much money decorating their house but they do not give prominence to the altar in their homes.

When we do not put God as the centre of our lives, then this is where all our problems begin.  By failing to teach our children to honour God as the foundation of everything, they begin to worship their studies, their achievements, their jobs and careers.  They put their enjoyment, pleasures and interests before their spiritual life.  When God is out of the picture and worldly values take over, they can never be truly successful in life. They might be doing well materially, have a great career and possess many things of this world, but their lives are empty.  There is division in the family, because of the lack of Christian values being promoted by their parents. They do not speak about forgiveness, tolerance, compassion, understanding and generosity.   Instead, they speak of their rights and having things their own way.

When God is not the centre of our lives and the gospel has no place in our relationships and family life, the world’s values will take over.  For this reason, as the prophet says, we too will be like the Jews who lost the blessings from God because they were living self-centred and worldly lives.  They showed little interest in the vision of God for the world.  When God has no influence in our lives, at home or at work, then we can expect to lose the blessings of God in all that we do.  However hard we work, we will have less because greed and selfishness will destroy whatever we have gained.  When God is not the centre of our lives, even with all our material wealth, we will find life rather empty and unfulfilling.  Caring for our physical needs whilst neglecting our relationship with God will ruin our happiness in life.

However, if we put God as the centre of our lives, then we can expect to receive His blessings.  With God, we learn how to appreciate all things in perspective.  We come to value things as means for love and service and not as ends in themselves.  We will put relationships above achievements and success.  Unless we put God’s work and His Kingdom as the highest priority in our lives, we will not be able to enjoy life properly.  That is why the Lord taught us, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.   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.”  (Mt 6:31-34) What we set as our priority manifests how much we love God, not so much in words but in actions.

We must take a page from Herod.  He did not put God as the centre of his life.  Instead, he put Herodias as the centre of his life.  Caught in his adulterous relationship with Herodias, he lost his focus and ended up doing things against his wishes, like killing John the Baptist.  For that, he was haunted by his conscience for killing a holy man of God.  Thus, when he heard “about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled.”  Then “some people was saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life.”   The mention of John the Baptist unsettled him.   “But Herod said, ‘John?  I beheaded him.  So who is this I hear such reports about?’  And he was anxious to see Jesus.”

If we do not want to live with a guilty conscience and with doubts about Jesus, then we must search for Jesus and come to know Him.  We must make Jesus the goal of our life.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Instead of hearing rumours about who Jesus is, we are called to find out for ourselves.  How can this be done unless we rebuild the House of God in our hearts?    The Lord said, “So go to the hill country, fetch wood, and rebuild the House: I shall then take pleasure in it, and be glorified there, says the Lord.”   In other words, let us put Him first in our hearts once again.  Let all we have be used for the glory of God, whether it be used to build a physical House of God, or the spiritual house of God or for the extension of His kingdom on earth.  All that we have must be returned to the Lord and be used for His glory, His mission and for the salvation of humanity.  In this way, we will be blessed in and through Him for we will find true peace, joy and love.  He will then provide us our deepest needs, that which will truly make us happy and fulfilled in life.

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Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

 

MARY THE ICON OF DISCIPLESHIP

20230926 MARY THE ICON OF DISCIPLESHIP

First reading

Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20 ©

Darius king of Persia pays for the rebuilding of the Temple of God

King Darius wrote to the satrap of Transeuphrates and his colleagues: ‘Leave the high commissioner of Judah and the elders of the Jews to work on this Temple of God; they are to rebuild this Temple of God on its ancient site. This, I decree, is how you must assist the elders of the Jews in the reconstruction of this Temple of God: the expenses of these people are to be paid, promptly and without fail, from the royal revenue – that is, from the tribute of Transeuphrates. May the God who causes his name to live there overthrow any king or people who dares to defy this and destroy the Temple of God in Jerusalem! I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be obeyed to the letter!’

  The elders of the Jews prospered with their building, inspired by Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished the building in accordance with the order of the God of Israel and the order of Cyrus and of Darius. This Temple was finished on the twenty-third day of the month of Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. The Israelites – the priests, the Levites and the remainder of the exiles – joyfully dedicated this Temple of God; for the dedication of this Temple of God they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs and, as a sacrifice for sin for the whole of Israel, twelve he-goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. Then they installed the priests according to their orders in the service of the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as is written in the Book of Moses.

  The exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Levites, as one man, had purified themselves; all were pure, so they sacrificed the passover for all the exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

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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.’

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Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ps129:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

My soul is waiting for the Lord,

I count on his word.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk11:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy are those 

who hear the word of God

and keep it.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

Luke 8:19-21 ©

'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God'

The mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’

 

 

 

 

MARY THE ICON OF DISCIPLESHIP

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20; Ps 122:1-5; Lk 8:19-21]

The gospel text of today must be seen in the context of the earlier episodes in chapter 8 of St Luke’s gospel if we are to draw out its full significance.  Right from the outset, we read that some women accompanied Jesus in His ministry and many “provided for them out of their resources.”  (Lk 8:3) The women were disciples of Christ.  Following this episode, St Luke inserted the teaching of Jesus on the parable of the Sower.  It speaks of the different reception of the Word of God.  Those seeds that fell “in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.”  (Lk 8:15) And then He taught about how putting a lamp under a jar or under a bed defeats its purpose.  We must put “it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.”  (Lk 8:16) The concluding words of Jesus were, “Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.” (Lk 8:18)

It is within the context of the disciples of Jesus “who hear the Word of God and put it into practice” that St Luke draws our attention to the mother of Jesus.  He wrote, “The mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd.  He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.’  But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.'”  In these words, the Lord honoured His mother because she was the perfect disciple of the Lord.  She was Jesus’ mother only because she was first and foremost a disciple of His.  Mary conceived the Lord in her heart before she conceived Him in the flesh.

She was a hearer of the Word in the fullest sense of the term.  In the gospel, St Luke portrayed Mary as one who was always pondering over the Word of God.  When the shepherds adored the Infant child, “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19)   When Simeon praised the child, “the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.”  (Lk 2:33) When she found Jesus in temple and Jesus told her, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:48) And we read that “But they did not understand what he said to them.”  (Lk 2:50) Hence, “His mother treasured all these things in her heart.”  (Lk 2:51b)

This is what discipleship is all about.  We begin by hearing the Word, by receiving the Word of God with all humility because it is from God.  There are many things in life our finite mind cannot comprehend but because we accept the Word of God as it really is, as God’s words, the Word of God will take effect in our lives.  (cf 1 Th 2:13) Faith in the Word of God is critical to its power at work in us.  We are invited to accept the Word of God as it really is.  Like Mary, even if we do not agree and we do not understand, we must keep the Word of God in our hearts.  In the meantime, whether we like it or not, we do whatever the Word of God requires of us in faith and trust.  The Lord will reveal to us through the events and encounters of our lives.  In hindsight, and allowing time to unfold, we will see the truth of God’s word being unfolded against the foolishness and the impracticability of the world’s so-called pragmatic decisions that are short-sighted, causing untold problems in the future.

But Mary was not just a hearer of the Word, she was a doer.  Her immediate response to the Word of God was an act of obedience.  She was surely aware of her future; but perhaps not the full implications.  She would have thought through how she would have been embarrassed; the disbelief of her people with regard to her pregnancy through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit; how her fidelity to Joseph would be placed in doubt and most of all, her life would be at stake.

We too are called to be like Mary, to respond effectively to the Word of God and to allow the Word to rest in us.  Only those who put the Word of God into practice, as Jesus said, are those who build their house on rock.  “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.”  (Mt 7:24-27) Indeed, we see Mary living out the Word of God in a life of charity and compassion towards others, whether it was Elizabeth her cousin, who was pregnant in her old age and needed someone to look after her; or the Wedding couple who ran short of wine for the celebration; or simply standing beneath the cross of Jesus in shame whilst forgiving her Son’s enemies.

In all these instances, Mary hardly spoke and was always never in the limelight.  Mary was contented to be a silent helper and supporter of the Lord because she did not want any attention from our Lord to be diverted to her.   She knew her task was to let the light of Christ shine among the peoples.  All her life she just wanted to draw others to her Son, Jesus.  Her words to all who came to the Lord were simply, “Do whatever He tells you!”  (Jn 2:5) And when the time came to support the disciples of the Lord after His ascension, Mary gathered with them in prayer, awaiting the descent of the Holy Spirit.  She was truly the mother of Jesus in spirit, and as a biological mother, but also our spiritual mother.

However, most of all, in doing God’s will, not only do we become God’s adopted children, but we also become members of God’s family.  When we obey His word, we share in a new kind of relationship which is even stronger than biological ties.  Sharing the same mind and heart brings us closer to each other than just physical or biological ties.  Indeed, our ties with the family of God are dependent on how much we all share in common.  What should bind us together is our common faith in Christ and obedience to His word.   This is what baptism does for us.  It makes us children of God and members of the Christian family because we share in the common spirit of God.  This is why Jesus said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” This was what Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra and Nehemiah did when they worked on the reconstruction of the Temple of the Lord.  They faced much opposition and constraints.  But in faith, they brought it to completion.

This was certainly the case even of Kings Cyrus and Darius.  They obeyed the Word of the Lord.  God inspired King Cyrus to decree that the Temple of Jerusalem be rebuilt and that all the captured treasures of the Temple be returned to them; and that the royal revenue given by them should be used for the restoration of the Temple.  Although they were pagans, they held reverence for the God of Israel.   When King Darius discovered the decree of King Cyrus, he said, “Let it be obeyed to the letter!”  Indeed, because of the benevolence of these two pagan kings, the Temple was restored in accordance with the order of the God of Israel and the order of Cyrus and of Darius.”  The Word of God through the Word of the kings were obeyed and carried out accordingly.  God works wonders for those who trust in His mighty power.  They too should be included among His children and family as well because they heard the Word of God and did it.

Only then can we rejoice together as we enter God’s House, as the responsorial psalm says, “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.   Jerusalem is built as a city strongly compact.  It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord.  For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name.”   Through worshipping together as one family, hearing His word in every Eucharistic celebration, we depart to live the Word of God.  In this way, we show forth that we are God’s children. We bring joy to God’s House wherever we are, not just in church but whenever Christians live like brothers and sisters in their families, in the offices and in their communities.

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Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

 

GOOD LEADERSHIP

20230927 GOOD LEADERSHIP

 

 

27 September 2023, Wednesday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Ezra 9:5-9 ©

'God has not forgotten us in our slavery'

At the evening sacrifice I, Ezra, came out of my stupor and falling on my knees, with my garment and cloak torn, I stretched out my hands to the Lord my God, and said:

  ‘My God, I am ashamed, I blush to lift my face to you, my God. For our crimes have increased, until they are higher than our heads, and our sin has piled up to heaven. From the days of our ancestors until now our guilt has been great; on account of our crimes we, our kings and our priests, were given into the power of the kings of other countries, given to the sword, to captivity, to pillage and to shame, as is the case today. But now, suddenly, the Lord our God by his favour has left us a remnant and granted us a refuge in his holy place; this is how our God has cheered our eyes and given us a little respite in our slavery. For we are slaves; but God has not forgotten us in our slavery; he has shown us kindness in the eyes of the kings of Persia, obtaining permission for us to rebuild the Temple of our God and restore its ruins, and he has found us safety and shelter in Judah and in Jerusalem.’

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Responsorial Psalm

Tobit 13:2,4,6-8 ©

Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

God punishes, he also has mercy,

he leads men to the depths of the grave,

he restores men from the great destruction.

No man can escape his hand.

Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

It is he who scattered us among the nations.

Among them must we show forth our greatness

and exalt him in the presence of all living;

for he is our Lord and our God,

our Father and our God for ever.

Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

Now think what he has done for you,

give thanks to him with all your voice.

Give praise to the Lord for his justice

and exalt the king of all ages.

Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

In this land of exile I will thank him,

  and show forth his greatness and might

  to the race of sinful men.

Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

Sinners, come back to him,

  do what is right before him.

  Who knows but he will receive you with pity?

Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

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Gospel Acclamation

cf.Col3:16a,17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,

find a home with you;

through him give thanks to God the 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

Luke 9:1-6 ©

'Take nothing for the journey'

Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.

 

GOOD LEADERSHIP

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Ezra 9:5-9; Lk 9:1-6]

The scripture readings today enlighten us in the way leaders should lead.  In the gospel, Jesus, our great leader and teacher, gives us a few tips on how to be an effective leader.

Firstly, to be a leader one must be a visionary and a dreamer.  A leader who simply maintains the status quo is not a good leader.  A leader without a vision will eventually stifle and kill the organization under his charge.  Either his followers will die a natural death, or join another group that can give life.  Both Ezra and Jesus were certainly visionaries in their days.

Ezra was a great visionary.  He wanted to rebuild the community by prohibiting mixed marriages with the pagans.  He knew that once the faith of the people was weakened by such inter-faith marriages, the people would lose their single-mindedness in serving God.  In many ways, there is truth in the concerns of Ezra.  Mixed marriages pose tremendous challenges for couples seeking to share life with each other because of different values and faith. This causes division and often misunderstandings. At its best, it results in compromises and both parties could lose their faith after some time as they seek to accommodate each other.  Hence, Ezra’s insistence on fidelity to the Law in his time helped the people to stay united, especially when they were persecuted later on during the time of the Maccabees.  But such an attempt to shield the purity of the faith of the people also bred an elite society, leading to tensions and isolation from peoples of other faiths and cultures where pagans were seen as outcasts. So, whilst Ezra’s vision was understandable in the context of illegitimate inculturation, it had its limitations.

Hence, it is not enough to be a visionary.  The vision must be broad and inclusive.  The vision of Jesus has this character.  He came to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, not for the healthy, as He said in the gospel yesterday, but for the sick.  He came to share the unconditional love and mercy of the Father for all, including sinners and tax collectors.  He did not restrict the Good News from the Gentiles. He purposefully reached out to the Samaritans.  Such was the breath, length and depth of Jesus’ vision and dream for His people. The Kingdom belongs to all and is not territorial, but it is the reign of God in our hearts.

Jesus’ vision was not only inclusive but holistic as well.  He instructed the disciples to “proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.”  Jesus did not preach a “pie in the sky” brand of gospel.  He came not only to preach the salvation of the soul but also to heal the body.  Preaching without healing is too abstract and no one can feel God’s love by just hearing the words.  Preaching must be accompanied by healing and by works of mercy as God comes to touch our hearts through the body.  On the other hand, healing without preaching will reduce the gospel to another social ideology or humanitarian program.  God comes to save both soul and body.  That is why He became man in Jesus Christ.  But salvation is not merely of the body, it includes the healing and enlightening of the mind and the heart.  His vision of salvation and restoration therefore was of an integrated person.

Secondly, a leader must choose carefully from among his disciples those he wants to appoint as apostles.  In the gospel, we read that Jesus did not keep the dream for Himself but He “called the Twelve together.”  This act of calling is important.  In choosing the Twelve, Jesus intentionally chose a motley crowd.  He did not choose all with the same mindset or skills or character.  The apostles were all so different from each other.  Some were more educated, like St Matthew.  All were from different trades and backgrounds.  Some were revolutionaries.  A proactive leader is one who knows who to choose to share his dreams and then gets the disparate group to work together and complement each other in skills, knowledge and strength.  Having the charism to tap each individual’s strengths whilst overlooking their weaknesses and rallying them to work together is a necessary attribute of a great leader.

Thirdly, once chosen, the leader must delegate and empower those under his charge.  In the gospel, Jesus not only chose them but “gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases.”   The failure of leaders to delegate is the cause of inefficiency.  When a leader chooses to do all things by himself, he micromanages.  As a consequence, his vision and mission become very narrow.  This is often the result of insecurity.  Such leadership is often authoritarian.

But delegating is only the first step.  Delegation comes with empowerment. It is not possible to delegate without at the same time bestowing power on those whom we delegate.  This is the other mistake of leadership.  Some leaders do delegate but they would override the decisions of their subordinates who have been assigned to do the task.  This causes the subordinates to lose respect and credibility among their peers.  They lose authority and effectiveness. Thus, it is important that those whom we delegate must be given the necessary power and authority to carry out their tasks.   When choosing us to be His instruments or messengers, Jesus never fails to equip us for the tasks just as He empowered the disciples.

Fourthly, the leader must instruct and give specific guidelines to his disciples.  Pope Francis reminds us very often that we are neither disciples nor missionaries but always at the same time, missionary disciples.  We are disciples for the mission.  We cannot be apostles of Christ unless we are His disciples. This missionary discipleship is an ongoing process because Christ is the only teacher and master.  It is notable that Jesus took pains to instruct His apostles for the mission.  He gave them specific instructions as to what needed to be done.  He did not leave them to decide for themselves.  Leaders must give the directions whilst allowing those under their charge to find their own creative ways to bring about the vision.

So, what did Jesus instruct them?  The first principle in mission is to trust in divine providence.  This is the work of God, not ours.  We are His servants.  He wants us to rely on His strength, not ours.  This explains why He instructed His disciples not to take anything on their journey except what is absolutely necessary. Only when we are totally dependent on God rather than our own resources do we know that God is great and He is the living God.  Otherwise, we think success is the work of our hands rather than by the power of God’s grace.

Secondly, we must not take things into our own hands.  This is what Jesus instructed the disciples.  “As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.”  Indeed, success in the ministry is the work of God. There is no need to be angry or resentful when our love and kindness or the Good News is rejected.  So long as we have done our part, we can move on in peace to another place that welcomes us.  The loss is theirs, not ours.  As the psalmist says, “It is he who scattered us among the nations. Among them must we show forth our greatness and exalt him in the presence of all living; for he is our Lord and our God, our Father and our God for ever.”

Thirdly, we must travel light and fast because the mission is urgent.  This is the other reason why the Lord told the disciples not to take too many things.  If they were bogged down by material things, they would not be able to travel fast.  In mission, we need to understand the urgency of the Good News.  We cannot delay any longer.  But in whatever we do, we must not be burdened or held back by non-essentials.  Many churches spend too much time squabbling over structures, rules and discipline whilst forgetting that many are leaving the Church.  Many feel that the Church treats them harshly and often juridically without compassion and sensitivity.   The inflexibility of the application of the rules put many Catholics off.  Sometimes, too much attention is paid to the frills and the real mission of the Church is not carried out.

Fourthly, they must travel far by having someone to accompany them.   Jesus, we are told, would send out the disciples two by two.  Without teamwork and fraternal support, we can travel fast but not far because of our limitations.  So, having someone to accompany us in our mission will help us to do beyond what one person can do.  Team ministry works more effectively.  We must never work alone but always with others.  The mission of the Church must be accomplished in communion since it has the mission of bringing communion.

Finally, a good leader would review with his subordinates regularly as Jesus did with His disciples.  After the return of the 70 disciples, Jesus called them to share with each other the success, the joys and the setbacks in their ministry.  It is important that with delegation there must also be review and feedback.  Delegation without supervision, evaluation and accountability would end up with each person building his or her own kingdom or cause the whole team to malfunction.   Hence, Jesus would call the disciples together to share their experiences and then have them pray together, thanking God for their success in the ministry and for His continued assistance and blessings.  (Cf. Lk 11:17-24)

Above all, before one can lead, the necessary prerequisite is that the leader must first experience the mercy of God through a conscious acknowledgement of one’s own sins and that of the community he belongs to.  This was the case of Ezra who not only confessed the sins of the community but his share of the sins as well.  By confessing our sins humbly, we become more aware of our own inadequacies and, as a consequence, a greater appreciation of God’s love and mercy.   Like the psalmist, our experience must also be that of His mercy and forgiveness.  “God punishes, he also has mercy.  He leads men to the depths of the grave.  He restores men from the great destruction. No man can escape his hand.”  A leader is inspired to reach out to his broken people only when he himself has been in that situation and rescued from it.  So, it is always the mercy of God that spurs us on to reach out to others whom we can identify with in their pains and bondages.

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Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. 

 

WHAT MARVELS THE LORD WORKS FOR US

20230925 WHAT MARVELS THE LORD WORKS FOR US

 

 

25 September 2023, Monday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Ezra 1:1-6 ©

Cyrus king of Persia frees the Jews to return to Jerusalem

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfil the word of the Lord that was spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom: ‘Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah to build the Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, wherever he lives, be helped by the people of that place with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, as well as voluntary offerings for the Temple of God which is in Jerusalem.”’

  Then the heads of families of Judah and of Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, in fact all whose spirit had been roused by God, prepared to go and rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem; and all their neighbours gave them every assistance with silver, gold, goods, cattle, quantities of costly gifts and with voluntary offerings of every kind.

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 125(126) ©

What marvels the Lord worked for us.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,

  it seemed like a dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter,

  on our lips there were songs.

What marvels the Lord worked for us.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels

  the Lord worked for them!’

What marvels the Lord worked for us!

  Indeed we were glad.

What marvels the Lord worked for us.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage

  as streams in dry land.

Those who are sowing in tears

  will sing when they reap.

What marvels the Lord worked for us.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,

  carrying seed for the sowing:

they come back, they come back, full of song,

  carrying their sheaves.

What marvels the Lord worked for us.

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Gospel Acclamation

James1:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

By his own choice the Father made us his children

by the message of the truth,

so that we should be a sort of first-fruits

of all that he created.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt5:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your light must shine in the sight of men,

so that, seeing your good works,

they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Luke 8:16-18 ©

Anyone who has will be given more

Jesus said to the crowds:

  ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light. So take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.’

 

WHAT MARVELS THE LORD WORKS FOR US

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SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Ezra 1:1-16; Ps 126; Lk 8:16-18]

In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist says, “When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream.  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels the Lord worked for them!’  What marvels the Lord worked for us!  Indeed, we were glad.”  We can imagine the sentiments of the Israelites when Cyrus, the King of Persia liberated them from Babylon by allowing them to return to Jerusalem, and even more, to help them to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord.  He decreed, “Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him!  Let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah to build the Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem.  And let each survivor, wherever he lives, be helped by the people of that place with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, as well as voluntary offerings for the Temple of God which is in Jerusalem.”

But the great marvel was not simply that they were allowed to return to their homeland to rebuild their lives and their Temple, but that God did the most unimaginable thing.  We read that “the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom:  ‘Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah.”‘  God inspired Cyrus to understand the wisdom of allowing the Israelites to return to their homeland.  Rather than holding them prisoners in exile, Cyrus’ magnanimous policy of showing them goodwill would earn their trust and loyalty to his administration.  God showed him the light.  As a consequence, he took that prompting from the Spirit to help the Israelites to rebuild their lives, their Temple and their houses.

This is such a wonderful example of what God can do what we cannot even think of.  Indeed, St Paul in his amazement of God’s graciousness, wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”  (Eph 3:20f) Truly, our God is great.  Faithful to the promise He made to Jeremiah, when the time came, He fulfilled that promise in a way that no Israelite would expect to happen in that manner.

This is also a lesson for us.  God can work in many ways for the good of His people.  God does not always work through Christians.  He can work through people of other faiths as well.  As St Paul wrote concerning the gifts of the Spirit, “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.” (1 Cor 12:4-7, 11) Indeed, we must recognize that God in His power and wisdom is able to do things beyond our narrow understanding.  St Paul remarked, “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” And paraphrasing from the Prophet Isaiah, he said, “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him to receive a gift in return?”  (Rom 11:33-35)

What is critical for us is that if God has blessed us with resources and with wisdom, we must use them for the good of others.  This was the way King Cyrus saw his power and influence.  He said, “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah.”  He was humble and responsible.  In truth, he might not know the true God in Israel but he acknowledged a more powerful being than himself.  He made it clear that it was God who gave him the kingdoms of the world.  He was not carried away by his military might and the gains that he had made from wars and military expeditions.  He saw everything he had as given to him by God.  And because it was given by God, he had to use whatever that was given to him for the good of his people.

King Cyrus, although a pagan, was a great king.  He sought to govern his people with magnanimity and with love, including all those peoples in the land he conquered.  His utmost concern was the wellbeing of his people.  Even though he did not know the God of Israel, he respected that people of other faiths must not be prevented from practicing their faith.  He could be seen as the father of interreligious dialogue.  He did not impose his own religion on the peoples that he had conquered.  He not only respected those from other faiths but even supported them.  Such was the greatness and goodness of King Cyrus.  Indeed, he is a good example of one who received the light but did not “cover it with a bowl or to put it under the bed.  No, he puts it on a lamp stand so that people may see the light when they come in.”

This, too, is our challenge today.  The Lord is reminding us that we who are supposed to have received that light should also do the same.  The Lord warns us, “So take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.”  It is important that we be as attentive as King Cyrus to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  The real reason why many are not doing anything with what the Lord has blessed them with is because they are not receptive to His Word and to His voice.  Many Catholics do not pay attention to the Word of God or take the Word of God seriously into prayer and contemplation.  Even at Mass, they are not attentive to the Word of God proclaimed and preached.

Truly, the words of the Lord are clear.  “For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and bought to light.”  In other words, our failure to listen attentively to the Word of God will be shown in our life.  If we hear the Word of God, and believe it as St Paul said to the Thessalonians, “We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.”  (1 Th 2:13) Otherwise, as the Lord cited the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn – and I would heal them.”  (Mt 13:15)

Consequently, let us be grateful for our Lord and for the Word of God given to His Church.  Let us with docile and attentive heart listen to His Word, not just with our intellect and pure reasoning alone, but with a heart of humility and love.  We must grow in intimacy with the Lord so that His words can make sense to us in our minds and heart.  The author of Hebrew speaks of the power of the Word of God, “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.”  (Heb 4:12f) With the psalmist we must say with conviction, “I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  (Ps 119:15,16, 105) Let us not forget the words of our Lord, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  And 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.” (Mt 7:24,26)

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Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.