Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together

Wednesday, 3 January 2024

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

20240104 WHAT DO YOU WANT?

04 January 2024, Thursday

First reading

1 John 3:7-10 ©

No-one sins who has been begotten by God

My children, do not let anyone lead you astray:

to live a holy life

is to be holy just as he is holy;

to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil,

since the devil was a sinner from the beginning.

It was to undo all that the devil has done

that the Son of God appeared.

No one who has been begotten by God sins;

because God’s seed remains inside him,

he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.

In this way we distinguish the children of God

from the children of the devil:

anybody not living a holy life

and not loving his brother

is no child of God’s.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 97(98):1,7-9 ©

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Let the sea and all within it, thunder;

the world, and all its peoples.

Let the rivers clap their hands

and the hills ring out their joy

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

at the presence of the Lord: for he comes,

he comes to rule the earth.

He will rule the world with justice

and the peoples with fairness.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or:

Heb1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia!

At various times in the past

and in various different ways,

God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

but in our own time, the last days,

he has spoken to us through his Son.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

A hallowed day has dawned upon us.

Come, you nations, worship the Lord,

for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 1:35-42 ©

'We have found the Messiah'

As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.

One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 John 3:7-10; Ps 98:1,7-9; John 1:35-42]

When John the Baptist pointed out to his disciples, “Look, there is the lamb of God”, two of them upon hearing this, followed Jesus. “Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, “What do you want?” Jesus went straight to the point. He did not want them to waste their time following Him. This is the same question we need to ask ourselves for following Jesus. “What do you want?”

The truth is that people follow Jesus for different motives, even in His days. Some chose to follow Jesus simply to get temporal favours, particularly miracles of healing and exorcism. Some followed Jesus because of His popularity, and it was safe to be among the crowd even though they did not know much about Jesus. Some thought Jesus would be a revolutionary and a potential messiah to deliver them from the occupation of the Roman Emperor and restore the glory of the Kingdom of David. In our days too, Jesus has many followers, but mostly in name. Some are simply happy to be numbered as Catholics. Others because of the benefits they get from being a member of the church, such as getting priority in registering their children in a Catholic School. Others seek His blessings for success, good health and even prosperity. Jesus seems to be the panacea for every ill in life.

So we must also ask ourselves, what do we seek by following Jesus? What do we hope to gain by following Him? Whilst it is not wrong to follow Jesus so that we will be among the blessed, even for temporal favours like seeking His help to heal us of our sicknesses, obsession and struggle against evil, if our attitude towards Jesus is merely utilitarian, then our relationship with Him is an I-It relationship. The apostles who followed Him initially also had ulterior or low motives like most of us. They wanted power, position and glory. If we seek Jesus simply for the things of this world, then we do not really love Him or care for Him but ourselves. We are His followers only so long as Jesus is of use to us.

But Jesus is not interested in having followers but in making us His disciples. Indeed, in His time, there were many followers but there were few disciples. The call to discipleship entails sacrifices and total commitment. Like the call of the apostles, we are called to drop everything to follow Him. He said it in no uncertain terms, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?” (Mt 16:24-26) A blessed life is to live the beatitudes and the sermon on the Mount. (cf Mt 5-7)

In other words, as St John tells us, we are called to holiness of life. “My children, do not let anyone lead you astray: to live a holy life is to be holy just as God is holy; to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning.” St John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation at the beginning of the third millennium says that holiness is the goal of every Christian. To seek baptism is to seek holiness; to belong to Jesus not just in name but in fact. To belong to Jesus is to allow Jesus to take control of our life and to walk the path He has shown us. It implies living a life of truth and love, for only such a life distinguishes us as children of God. St John said, “anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God’s.” Holiness of life is a holistic life, not being a mystic.

What makes us truly happy is when we are holy, that is, when we are one with God, living a life of honesty, integrity, generosity, inclusivity, kindness, compassion and service. Happiness in life has to do with right, meaningful and loving relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters. Wealth, power, status and good health are means to an end, not the end itself. Just having plenty of money, fame, power, position and health will not make us happy. If it were so, then those who are rich and successful will be happy but some of them are among the most unfulfilled people in the world. Their lives are in a mess and they have many enemies. Greed and fame overcome them. They go through many failed relationships because like Jesus, people are their friends for their own selfish motives. Nothing in this world can fulfil them because we get tired with the things of this world easily, even nice food and luxuries. What makes us happy is having beautiful, loving and sincere friendships with people. What makes us happy is when we know we can make a difference in the lives of others, giving them hope and putting a smile on their faces.

For this reason, the disciples of John asked Jesus, “where do you live?” in response to His question, “What do you want?” The disciples were seeking the fullness of life. They were not simply interested to see His miracles or even to hear what He had to teach. They wanted to be with Him. They wanted intimacy with Him. They were interested in the person of Jesus. We are transformed and moved not just by what a person says or does, but by the very life of that person. So spending time with Jesus, living with Him, knowing Him as a person and not just externally by what He says and does, is the basis of a relationship with Him. The Lord understood the desire of the disciples and so He invited them to “Come and see.”

Being with the Lord is the ultimate joy of being a disciple. We find happiness not so much in doing things for others or with others, but just being in the company of someone we love. This is the secret of discipleship. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, understood this as she sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him. Indeed, with someone we love, we find great joy simply being in their presence, listening, sharing, enjoying each other’s company, even if it were in mere silence. In fact, the gospel never said that Jesus did anything or gave long discourses on the Kingdom of God when he was with the two disciples. All that was said was, “they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day.” This is the joy of discipleship, spending time with the master. For us too, spending time with our loved ones, whether in silence, chatting, sharing, eating, or walking, makes us happy because it does not require effort or the need to put on a show to win acceptance.

Being with Jesus, seeing Him living His life was sufficient to transform them and make a mark in their lives. Indeed, they remembered distinctly that “It was about the tenth hour.” Furthermore, those who met Him had their lives transformed, as we read of Peter having his name changed to Cephas, meaning rock. Those who spend time with Jesus will have their lives transformed. This is true in human relationships, what more in our relationship with Jesus. We imbibe in someone’s values unconsciously, as we get to know the person more intimately and personally. A person who makes time for Jesus, feeling with Him and thinking with Him, will also be transformed into another Christ. This is what St John meant when he wrote, “No one who has been begotten by God sins; because God’s seed remains inside him, he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.” When Jesus lives in our hearts, we will act like Him.

So let us not turn discipleship into a tedious and tiring journey with the Lord. Jesus wants us to enjoy His company. We do not have to earn His love because He gives us His love freely. We do not have to do good works to please Him. Jesus just wants us to enjoy His company and His love. He wants to bless us with His presence. Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist, when we adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament, when we read the Word of God, when we spend quiet time with Him. He is also present with us in common worship and when we share the Word of God together. Like Andrew, we can introduce Jesus to others by just inviting them to spend time with Jesus. Andrew did not say much except that they had found the Messiah and he took Peter to Jesus. Getting to know Jesus and spending time with Him in intimacy is what gives us the strength each day to live out the demands of discipleship, not in an extraneous manner but a love and passion coming out from our relationship with the Lord. It is a faith that expresses itself in love. Holiness of life is not a matter of living out the commandments but more an expression of our union with Jesus, sharing His life and love that we have received from Him, out of joy and the desire to bring others into fellowship with Him. Giving Jesus to someone is the best gift we can give.

Tuesday, 2 January 2024

PRIVILEGES, RESONSIBILITIES AND UNIMAGINABLE POSSIBILITIES

20240103 PRIVILEGES, RESONSIBILITIES AND UNIMAGINABLE POSSIBILITIES

03 January 2024, Wednesday

First reading

1 John 2:29-3:6 ©

Everyone must try to be as pure as Christ

You know that God is righteous –

then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous

has been begotten by him.

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,

by letting us be called God’s children;

and that is what we are.

Because the world refused to acknowledge him,

therefore it does not acknowledge us.

My dear people, we are already the children of God

but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;

all we know is, that when it is revealed

we shall be like him

because we shall see him as he really is.

Surely everyone who entertains this hope

must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.

Anyone who sins at all

breaks the law,

because to sin is to break the law.

Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin,

and that in him there is no sin;

anyone who lives in God does not sin,

and anyone who sins

has never seen him or known him.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 97(98):1,3-6 ©

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,

ring out your joy.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp

with the sound of music.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

acclaim the King, the Lord.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

A hallowed day has dawned upon us.

Come, you nations, worship the Lord,

for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or:

Heb1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia!

At various times in the past

and in various different ways,

God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

but in our own time, the last days,

he has spoken to us through his Son.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 1:29-34 ©

'Look: there is the Lamb of God'

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

PRIVILEGES, RESONSIBILITIES AND UNIMAGINABLE POSSIBILITIES

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 JN 2:29-3:6; PS 98:1,3-6; JOHN 1:29-34]

John the Baptist was specially chosen by God to be the forerunner of His Son. Whilst in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, he was already sanctified by the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, leaping for joy. John the Baptist was always aware of this great privilege. But he was also conscious that such privileges he received were never for himself but for the greater glory of God. This explains why his entire life was lived in gratitude by offering himself as the voice crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord. He knew that he was only the bridegroom’s friend. He was contented to hear Him. His joy was to see our Lord increase whilst he decreased. John the Baptist did not ask for more.

He showed his humility by confessing that his knowledge of the Messiah was from God’s revelation, and not by his efforts. He admitted that he did not know Him, but enlightened by God, he said, “This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I shall not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptizing with water.” Again, he rendered testimony to Him, “I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.”

John the Baptist was not just humble but gracious. So when the time came, he was quick to point out Jesus to His disciples. “Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Then we read further on, “The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.” (Jn 1:36f) True to his words, he was not afraid that his disciples would leave him for our Lord. He was happy to bring them to the bridegroom. He found peace when his job was done. He did not keep Jesus away from them for fear of losing his place and popularity among the people of God.

Consequently, today, we need to consider how we live out our sonship in Christ. In Him, we become children of God. This is what St John wrote, “to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn 1:12f) This is a great privilege. To be called children of God through the anointing of the Holy Spirit is truly grace. None of us is worthy to be God’s children. But as St John wrote, “Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are.” Many of us fail to see this as a great privilege. We do not cherish the fact that we are not just creatures of God like the rest of creation but we are His children.

Perhaps, the reason is that deep in our hearts, we do not know Him. As St John remarked, “Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us.” If we do not acknowledge God as Father, the corollary is that we cannot see ourselves as His children. Indeed, because the world refuses to acknowledge God, they cannot see that we are all brothers and sisters. The world discriminates people according to race, language, religion and nationality. Some people are given greater respect, recognition and treatment than others. This explains why human rights are only applied to some people but not for all. Those who champion human rights are blind to the injustices they commit against those whom they do not judge to be in the same class as others. We cannot speak of human rights unless we recognize that our lives are different from animals and that we have dignity by the fact that we are human beings, created by God and recognized as His children.

However, for those of us who recognize ourselves as children of God, we will live a righteous life. “You know that God is righteous – then you must recognize that everyone whose life is righteous has been begotten by him.” As children of God, we are called to reflect the life of God in us. By our conduct and life, we indirectly give glory and honour to our parents and ultimately to God who created us. Jesus in the gospel exhorts us to live this way when He said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:16) Isn’t this what seek when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in heaven, holy be your name”? We pray that our lives might sanctify the name of God. We who claim to be God’s children must therefore live the way our Father lives.

Jesus, for us, is that exemplar of what it means to be a son of God. This is why we are called to be sons in the Son. We are adopted sons and daughters in Christ, unlike Jesus who has always been the Son of the Eternal Father, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. By His incarnation, He lived as the son of Mary. Through the Holy Spirit given to us by Jesus at our baptism, we are made sons and daughters of God. Through His humanity, He pointed to us His Father as John the Baptist did for Jesus. He said to Philip, “To see me is to see the Father.” (Jn 14:9) “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.” (Jn 14:10f)

This is a great privilege indeed. To be known as God’s children. But this privilege comes with responsibility. St John wrote, “Anyone who sins at all breaks the law, because to sin is to break the law. Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin, and that in him there is no sin, and anyone who sins has never seen him or known him.” We can claim that we know Jesus if we seek to be as pure as Him. “Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.” As children of God, we seek to be identified as His children. No children would want to shame their parents. Every child wants to bring honour to his or her parents. Every child wants his or her parents to be proud of them.

But being a child of God is not just a matter of privilege and responsibilities but unimaginable possibilities. “My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.” In truth, we do not know fully the future that is in store for us. The possibilities ahead of us is more than we can imagine. Our future is with God and this future is beyond our imagination. We all know that life will be complete when we are in God. We describe this life as heavenly, when we live in communion with all our brothers and sisters in unity and love, and in union with the Blessed Trinity.

Unlike those who do not believe in God, their only hope is in this world. But such people, St Paul says, are hopeless. What is life if our life ends in this world? What is the meaning and purpose of life, all our struggles, our sacrifices for the future of humanity, our achievements and successes? When we die, all these would mean nothing to us. Oh, we do not have to wait until death. Those of us who are elderly, retired, sickly, immobile have already lost the meaning and will to live. What is life when one is abandoned, even when we are rich, to live alone? What is life when we cannot go out, eat as we want, enjoy the gifts of creation? What is life when we feel pain here and there, unable to walk, to eat, to sleep, to read, or even to see? What is life when everything we have done seems futile at the end of the day?

However, because we know we are children of God, like the psalmist, we say with joy, “Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy. Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord.” God is our ultimate goal in life. We shall be like Him and share in His life and love.

Monday, 1 January 2024

DISTORTED TRUTHS IS THE CAUSE OF DIVISION

20240102 DISTORTED TRUTHS IS THE CAUSE OF DIVISION

02 January 2024, Tuesday

First reading

1 John 2:22-28 ©

The anointing he gave you teaches you everything

The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ –

he is the liar,

he is Antichrist;

and he is denying the Father as well as the Son,

because no one who has the Father can deny the Son,

and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.

Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning:

as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you,

you will live in the Son

and in the Father;

and what is promised to you by his own promise

is eternal life.

This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray.

But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you,

and you do not need anyone to teach you;

the anointing he gave teaches you everything;

you are anointed with truth, not with a lie,

and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.

Live in Christ, then, my children,

so that if he appears, we may have full confidence,

and not turn from him in shame

at his coming.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 97(98):1-4 ©

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The Lord has made known his salvation;

has shown his justice to the nations.

He has remembered his truth and love

for the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,

ring out your joy.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or:

Heb1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia!

At various times in the past

and in various different ways,

God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

but in our own time, the last days,

he has spoken to us through his Son.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

A hallowed day has dawned upon us.

Come, you nations, worship the Lord,

for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.

Alleluia!

Gospel

'One is coming after me who existed before me'

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness:

Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

DISTORTED TRUTHS IS THE CAUSE OF DIVISION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 JOHN 2:22-28; JOHN 1:19-28]

It is said that half-truths are worse than lies. It is more insidious because falsehood is rejected outright but apparent truths are often mistaken as the full truth. This is also the case of relativism. Community is divided because of such half-truths. It creates confusion, distrust and misleads members, pitting them one against another. That is why the world is also so divided because of half-truths about life.

This was the case of the early Church. It is significant that the division started as early as the foundation of the Church. St John was battling against the heresies that were spreading among Christians. Heresies are precisely half-truths. They were saying that Jesus was not the Christ. Some said that Jesus was the Christ but that He was only human. Others said that He was only divine but not human. The half-truths therefore surrounded the identity of Jesus, the “who” and the “what” of Jesus. To doubt the divinity and humanity of Jesus will affect our salvation because if Jesus were not God, then we would never know God. If He were not man, then we cannot follow Him in doing the will of God.

And sad to say, such half truths originated from among the Christians. The most dangerous enemy is never outside the Church but within. They sow seeds of division by confusing and misleading others. This is true of any organization. Many organizations and communities are destroyed by enemies from within; not from without. This is true also of the Church.

Hence, St John made it clear that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Anything less will not do. Profession of faith is nothing less than this. That is why today’s celebration is a continuity of the Solemnity of the Mother of God, which is clearly designed to underscore that Jesus is one Divine Person with a full human nature, distinct and unmixed. Jesus is truly God and truly man in one person. And this person is the Divine Word. The baby Jesus is important to us not because He is simply a man but the Son of God. Because of Him, we know the Father and share in His life.

St John reiterates, “The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ – he is the liar; he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well. Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you, you will live in the Son and in the Father; and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life.”

Only then can we, with the psalmist, say we have seen the salvation of our God. “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.”

Consequently, we must ask ourselves, ‘who is Jesus to us’? Is He still unknown to us, as in the time of Jesus when the Pharisees asked John the Baptist his identity? Jesus is clearly the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. “Now these men have been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal strap.’ This happened in Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.”

Only in believing in the divinity of Jesus can we know the Father and be given the Holy Spirit. This is the anointing that St John spoke about. Only the Holy Spirit can help us to remain in Jesus. “This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray. But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything; you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.” Only the Holy Spirit can enlighten us with the grace of God.

Let us be like John the Baptist in being the light and witness of Christ in proclaiming the truth. He could have cheated the people using his popularity. But he did not confuse them and spoke the truth. “This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared , but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ’. ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.'” We too must found our faith in Him so that we can be a witness to the Lord. Can we say that He is the one whom we have touched with our hands, and seen with our own eyes, and heard with our ears?

PONDERING OUR SONSHIP AND DAUGHTERSHIP

20240101 PONDERING OUR SONSHIP AND DAUGHTERSHIP

01 January 2024, Monday, Mary, the Holy Mother of God

First reading

They are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Say this to Aaron and his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:

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.”

This is how they are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.’

Responsorial Psalm

O God, be gracious and bless us.

O God, be gracious and bless us

and let your face shed its light upon us.

So will your ways be known upon earth

and all nations learn your saving help.

O God, be gracious and bless us.

Let the nations be glad and exult

for you rule the world with justice.

With fairness you rule the peoples,

you guide the nations on earth.

O God, be gracious and bless us.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

May God still give us his blessing

till the ends of the earth revere him.

O God, be gracious and bless us.

Second reading

God sent his Son, born of a woman

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.

Gospel Acclamation

Heb1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia!

At various times in the past

and in various different ways,

God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

but in our own time, the last days,

he has spoken to us through his Son.

Alleluia!

Gospel

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the baby lying in the manger

The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

PONDERING OUR SONSHIP AND DAUGHTERSHIP

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [NUMBERS 6:22-27; GALATIANS 4:4-7; LUKE 2:16-21]

In today’s gospel, when the shepherds “saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Indeed, today is the end of the Octave of Christmas where we are called to ponder on the meaning of the Incarnation. What an appropriate way to help us contemplate on the Incarnation in the light of the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God.

That Mary is the Mother of God is the first of the important implications of the Incarnation. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, and has taken flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, then have two persons in Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Mary. To maintain the integrity of the person of our Lord, the Church, after 431 years, declared as dogma that Jesus is one person with two natures, divine and human. Jesus is not two persons – divine and human – but both natures in one person. To underscore this point, Mary was declared to be the Mother of God – not of the Trinity – but of Jesus who is God and also truly man. Since Mary is the mother of Jesus, she is also called the Mother of God, since Jesus is divine.

In the same vein, in calling Mary the mother of God, it underscores the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, is truly human and not God taking a human shell as a guise. Rather, Jesus is truly God who has taken on human flesh and a human nature. Indeed, Jesus who was born in the manger, was truly a man, and assumed all of our humanity, except sin. The letter to the Hebrews sums it so beautifully, “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)

But that is not all. Jesus is truly human because He suffers the effects of sins that He did not commit. St Paul goes further to say, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21) In other words, Jesus truly shares with us the effects of our sins and the sins of humanity. St Peter captures His identification with us in our sins when he wrote, “When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” (1 Pt 2:23-25)

Indeed, it is for this reason that Jesus is the perfect High Priest and mediator for us. As the gospel made it clear, “when the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.” Jesus was circumcised and so was truly a member of the Chosen People of God, a descendent of King David; and given the name Jesus, which means “God saves.” Jesus was chosen among the People of God to be the saviour of humanity. It is for this reason that the Secular Calendar Year takes its cue from the Christian calendar. In the past, before secularism set in, history was divided simply into AD, in the year of our Lord, and BC, namely before Christ.

So, Jesus has come to make us all a new creation, the New People of God, born again in the Holy Spirit. In the letter of St Paul to the Galatians, he wrote, “When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons.” God the Son came to us, sharing in the limitations of our humanity and our vulnerability to pain. Only by so doing could He be our leader in perfection and obedience, as Hebrews says, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb 5:7-10)

But knowing that by our own strength we cannot rise to our true identity as the sons and daughters of God, He gives us the Holy Spirit. St John wrote, “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn 1:12f) Hence, St Paul wrote, “The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave anymore; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.” It is through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we become conscious of His love in us. It is the same Holy Spirit that made possible for Jesus to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin.

Recognizing our sonship and daughtership in Christ is what makes us a new creation, a new humanity. We share in God’s image and likeness. We are His sons and daughters. This is what it means to see the face of God. To see God’s face means that we recognize God is our Father and we are the brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, the Lord instructed Moses to say to his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: 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.” Indeed, God’s face is revealed to us in a special way in Christ. The acclamation reminds us, “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.” (Heb 1:1-3)

Consequently, it also means recognizing our fellowmen as our brothers and sisters. This is the key to world peace, which is what we celebrate today as well. The first day of the year is dedicated to World Peace. This peace can only come about when we recognize the face of God in each other, and see Jesus in our fellowmen. We are brothers and sisters regardless of our race, language or religion. If we realize this, then we would not hurt each other. We are all human beings sharing the same aspirations in life, love, unity, peace, a proper shelter, a loving family, meaningful work, financial stability, good health and loving relationships. No one wants to be treated like a slave or an outcast. So if we truly realize what we all share in common, we will work together for the good of each other.

Truly, today as we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, we also recognize that because we are members of the mystical Body of Christ, and since Mary is the mother of Jesus, whole and entire, she too is our spiritual mother as well. We can turn to her and also learn from her how to be truly a daughter and son of God. We pray that like her, we will never forget our identity as sons and daughters of God, and that we are called to show the face of God to all whom we meet each day. We must live out our identity so that those who do not know God or His love may encounter Him through us. With Mary, therefore let us always contemplate on the love and mercy of God in our lives, search for His divine will and ponder His word in our hearts. Let our prayer every day be that of the psalmist. “O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him.”