Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together

Thursday, 5 December 2024

ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

20241205 ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

First reading

Isaiah 26:1-6

Open the gates; let the upright nation come in

That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

to guard us he has set

wall and rampart about us.

Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,

she, the faithful one

whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,

because she trusts in you.

Trust in the Lord for ever,

for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;

he has brought low those who lived high up

in the steep citadel;

he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,

flings it down in the dust:

the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor

trample on it.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 117(118):1,8-9,19-21,25-27

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

Alleluia.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

for his love has no end.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in men;

it is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of holiness:

I will enter and give thanks.

This is the Lord’s own gate

where the just may enter.

I will thank you for you have answered

and you are my saviour.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

Alleluia.

O Lord, grant us salvation;

O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord

is he who comes.

We bless you from the house of the Lord;

the Lord God is our light.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation

Is40:9-10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Shout with a loud voice, joyful messenger to Jerusalem.

Here is the Lord God coming with power.

Alleluia!

Or:

Is55:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,

call to him while he is still near.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 7:21,24-27

The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

05 December 2024, Thursday, 1st Week in Advent

ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Is 26:1-6; PS 118:1,8-9,19-21,25-27; MT 7:21,24-27]

The season of Advent focuses on the Coming of Christ. In the first part of Advent, the focus is on the Second Coming of Christ, for that is what we are truly awaiting. Only in the later part of Advent do we speak of His First Coming. But between the First and Second Coming, we need to speak of His Third Coming, which is His existential coming. All these three comings are related because the First Coming gives us the preview and possibility of welcoming the Lord in the Second Coming. Until that happens, we are already living in the eschatological time, which is what the third coming, the existential coming of Christ, is all about.

The reading from the prophet Isaiah anticipates the Day of the Lord. It was the hope of Israel that she would be strong again, after having been ravaged by their enemies, especially the Babylonians. They had learnt their lesson for not trusting in God. The Israelites in their confrontation with their enemies had turned to their pagan neighbours for help, notwithstanding the warnings of the prophets. The kings, however, would not listen but went ahead to make alliance with the pagan kingdoms such as Assyria. This spelt disaster for them in the long run as the influence of their neighbours resulted in the importation of all the pagan practices which corrupted the faith and morality of Israel.

In the light of this tendency to compromise their faith, the Prophet Israel appealed to the King and the people to trust in God instead, for Yahweh is the faithful one. With God, their city would be strong. As the Prophet says, “We have a strong city; to guard us he has set wall and rampart about us.” But the Lord would only defend us if we remain steadfast in our faith in Him. Again Isaiah exhorts us, “Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in, she, the faithful one whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace, because she trusts in you. Trust in the Lord for ever, for the Lord is the everlasting Rock; he has brought low those who lived high up in the steep citadel; brings it down, brings it down to the ground, flings it down in the dust: the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor trample on it.”

Without trusting in the Lord, we will destroy ourselves. This is the real situation in the world today. The world does not believe in God. The world does not trust in God today. They believe they can bring peace, prosperity and unity to the world through science, technology and power when it is so obvious that whilst science and technology are useful tools to help us harness the gifts of God in creation, without proper use of them, they destroy humanity and creation. Indeed, with the advance of Artificial Intelligence and all the technological advancements, every nation hungers for power and control over other nations. There is a pursuit not simply for the advancement of science and technology, but to use them to dominate other peoples and nations, to enrich themselves at the expense of the rest of humanity. Such hostile and selfish competition will lead to wars and destruction of humanity because powerful nations use technology to make more powerful weapons to destroy their enemies. There is no trust among nations, and even when there is an apparent alliance, it is a marriage of convenience for national interests. We have no real friends in this world.

Yes, remaining steadfast in our faith in God is the only way we can find peace and true freedom. We must put our total confidence in the Lord, not in men. This same theme is echoed by the psalmist. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. The Lord is God, and he has given us light.” Only when nations come to the Lord, and walk in His path, will there be true and lasting peace. Isaiah’s vision is that “In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa 2:2-4)

But how can we find faith and trust in the Lord today if not in Christ who is the Everlasting Rock? Jesus, precisely, is the fulfilment of how all of us can arrive at the Mountain of the Lord. We must come to Jesus who is the Rock of the Church, the Cornerstone rejected by man.Yes, the Word of God spoken by the prophets has now come in the person of Jesus. He is the Word of God made flesh. This happened at His First Coming in the incarnation when He came in human lowliness. By His life and words and works, He revealed to us the love, mercy and compassion of His Father. He came to show us the way. Most of all, He taught us the way to live the life of the kingdom. This is what the gospel reminds us in the parable of Jesus, which is the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount. He has given us the blueprint summed up in the Beatitudes and then elaborated it over the three chapters of Matthew’s gospel. He showed us how to live a blessed life, of trust and faith in God; and love and compassion for our brothers and sisters, and most of all, not being judgmental and always forgiving and loving our enemies.

But it is not enough to hear the Word of God; we must carry it out. This is what the gospel is warning us. Jesus said to His disciples, “It is not those who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Jesus Himself led the way when He told us to pray that His will be done on earth as in heaven. He Himself accepted the Father’s will at the Garden of Gethsemane. So, finding salvation is more than just being identified as a disciple of Christ but truly living one’s discipleship in God. This is what the Lord asks of us. “Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!”

Obedience to the Word of God and His teachings therefore is the key to entry into the Kingdom of God and to live a blessed life. Even when the rain comes down, floods rise, gales blow and hurl against us, we can stand firm so long as we build our house on rock. With Jesus as our rock, we can overcome all our enemies and all the trials of life. This is why it is necessary for us to make time for Jesus and deepen our personal relationship with Him. Jesus has come to us as the Word of God incarnated. We must read the Word of God, listen to His Word, meditate on it and believe in Him. As we mediate on His Word, we will receive encouragement and strength. We will find light in darkness, hope in failure, strength in weakness. What better way for us Catholics to prepare for the season of Advent than to give more time to the Word of God daily in prayer and meditation in watching? After all, Advent is to keep vigil for the coming of the Lord. And to crown it all for us Catholics, we have a real encounter of the Word made flesh when we receive Him in the Eucharist. He is truly hidden but truly present in the Eucharist. It would most appropriate to prepare ourselves for Christmas by trying to attend daily Mass.

Indeed, strengthened by the Word of God, we will be able to judge what is truly good for us and for humanity. Isaiah said of the Day of the Lord, “He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa 2:4) In Jesus, we will be able to put away our selfishness, anger and fears. In Jesus, we will find the wisdom and conviction to translate His words and teachings into a living faith that manifests itself in love and service. So let our prayer then be that of the psalmist. “Open to me the gates of holiness: I will enter and give thanks. This is the Lord’s own gate where the just may enter. I will thank you for you have answered and you are my saviour.” We pray in faith, “O Lord, grant us salvation; O Lord, grant success.”

Wednesday, 4 December 2024

PREPARING FOR THE SECOND ADVENT

20241204 PREPARING FOR THE SECOND ADVENT

First reading

Isaiah 25:6-10

The Lord will prepare a banquet for every nation

On this mountain,

the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples

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

of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.

On this mountain he will remove

the mourning veil covering all peoples,

and the shroud enwrapping all nations,

he will destroy Death for ever.

The Lord will wipe away

the tears from every cheek;

he will take away his people’s shame

everywhere on earth,

for the Lord has said so.

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

in whom we hoped for salvation;

the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

We exult and we rejoice

that he has saved us;

for the hand of the Lord

rests on this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 22(23)

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures

where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,

to revive my drooping spirit.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness

no evil would I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staff;

with these you give me comfort.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

for ever and ever.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Gospel Acclamation

Is33:22

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord is our judge, the Lord our lawgiver,

the Lord our king and our saviour.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Look, the Lord will come to save his people.

Blessed those who are ready to meet him.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 15:29-37

The crowds praised the God of Israel

Jesus reached the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and he went up into the hills. He sat there, and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel.

But Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them off hungry, they might collapse on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a crowd?’ Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said ‘and a few small fish.’ Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and he gave thanks and broke them and handed them to the disciples, who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full.

04 December 2024, Wednesday, 1st Week in Advent

PREPARING FOR THE SECOND ADVENT

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Is 25:6-10; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 15:29-37]

As we enter the season of Advent, most of us have our eyes fixed on Christmas. This is understandable because we feel the Christmas spirit in the air. Shopping centres are all geared up for Christmas with decorations and sentimental carols being played. Offices and organisations are planning their Christmas or end-of-year celebrations. Some are using this festive occasion to do good, by reaching out to the poor and the vulnerable. Unfortunately, many are switching from traditional carols to secular Christmas music which focuses on fun, merry-making, and dancing, with no mention of Christ or the reason why Christmas is a season of giving. In fact, the usual greeting, “Merry Christmas and a happy New Year” has been replaced by “season’s greetings” or “compliments of the season.” This is an attempt of a very secularised world to cancel out Christ completely. When history is denied, the celebration of Christmas becomes emptied of its meaning and purpose.

For this reason, during the first two weeks of Advent, the Church focuses on the final goal of life, which is to find fulfilment in God. She prepares us for the second coming of Christ – the second Advent – which is the reason for us to celebrate the first Advent, that is, the first coming of Christ at Christmas. Accordingly, the Scripture readings foretell of a messianic banquet when the Lord comes. The prophet Isaiah said, “On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wine, of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his peoples shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so.” The mountain refers historically to the earthly Jerusalem, which is but a foreshadowing of the heavenly Jerusalem.

The ultimate hope of every human person is not just temporary peace, or a passing joy on earth. For those who celebrate Christmas merely as a social festival, their joy and happiness will last only as long as there is merry-making. But at the end of the celebration, we will experience emptiness when we are once again alone, when we have to continue carrying the crosses of life, when our friends and relatives no longer have time to visit us, and when we face hunger, abandonment, and loneliness. This is not the case for those who celebrate Christmas with the anticipation of a lasting celebration in heaven. When we arrive at the heavenly Jerusalem, there will be communion and sharing, not just of food, but of love and life. It will not be about the transient enjoyments and pleasures of life. Rather, we will celebrate the giving and sharing of love and life.

Most of all, death will be overcome forever, which man fears most, and is the cause of human selfishness and sin. With death overcome and suffering vanquished, there is no more reason for self-centeredness and killing of our brothers and sisters as is happening in the world today. There is nothing else for us to fear when death is destroyed. Protectionism, greed, stealing, grabbing, violence, envy, and pride will have no place in the new heaven and the new earth. When we die to sin, death loses its sting over us, as St Paul wrote, “When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is indeed where the real cause of the celebration of Christmas lies, that we will gain victory over sin and death through Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection.

Jesus as the Messiah comes to heal our broken lives. St Matthew portrays Jesus as the hope of the nation. “Jesus reached the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and he went up into the hills. He sat there, and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb, and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them.” Jesus is like Moses who came to teach and to heal and to feed the people of God. Jesus, we know, is truly the Messiah because the people saw in Him the presence of God. “The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel.” This healing of the lame, the crippled and the blind and the dumb refers to all of us who are limping in faith and life, crippled by our sins, blinded by our pride, and dumb because we have been deaf to God’s word. But there is hope, if only we reach out to Him.

Indeed, Christmas would be meaningless if we are not celebrating the birth of Christ, the Messiah and Son of God. The joy of Christians at Christmas comes not from receiving presents, but from celebrating the fulfilment of our hope. With the first coming of Christ at Christmas, we are now assured of His second coming at the end of time, which began the moment we accepted Jesus into our lives. This is why the second coming of Christ is underscored in the first two weeks of Advent to help us to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of the Messiah. He is the One that can bring fulfilment in our lives.

Thus, the Gospel depicts Jesus celebrating, in anticipation, the messianic banquet in the miracle of the multiplication of loaves. When the Lord fed the five thousand, not counting the women and children, He was seen as the One who came to offer the messianic meal to all who came to Him. He was able to multiply seven loaves and a few small fish to feed the crowd. What is significant is that “they all ate as much as they wanted and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full.” The symbolism intended by our Lord in feeding the multitude is to reinforce His messianic office. The Messiah is the one appointed by God to bring salvation to His people. And when the Lord feeds us, it will be more than we can consume. In other words, there will be complete and full satisfaction and no one will be hungry for more, whether for food, or love, or acceptance, or recognition. We will also attain the fullness of life and love.

Hence, by celebrating Christmas, the Church invites us to reflect on what Jesus will do for us. There would be no Christmas celebration indeed, if not for the fact that Jesus died and rose for us. If we had not known that Jesus is the Son of God by His life, passion, death and resurrection, there is no reason to celebrate Christmas. It is because of His paschal mystery, the offering of Himself as a gift for the salvation of the world, that we can appreciate the gift of God’s only Son to us all. As the People of God, we can also exclaim, “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his peoples shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day, it will be said: See, this is our salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us; for the hand of the Lord rests on this mountain.”

On the basis of this hope, we can now live in hope as well. We can reach out in life and service to others. Instead of being inward-looking, exclusive, or parochial-minded, we are embracing and inclusive. We do not just care for ourselves, but think of others and seek to share what we have. In anticipation of the heavenly banquet, we will begin to live as a community of love, sharing with, and forgiving each other. By so doing, we are already having a foretaste of living in the house of God. Like the psalmist, we say, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing. Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.” And like our Lord, we will reach out to the nations to share with them the joy of knowing the Lord and of the Lord walking with us when we are in the valley of death.

THE JOY IN PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL

20241203 THE JOY IN PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL

First reading

1 Corinthians 9:16-19,22-23

I should be punished if I did not preach the Gospel

I do not boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it! If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands. Do you know what my reward is? It is this: in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free, and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me.

So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could. For the weak I made myself weak: I made myself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost; and I still do this, for the sake of the gospel, to have a share in its blessings.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 116(117):1-2

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

Alleluia!

O praise the Lord, all you nations,

acclaim him all you peoples!

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

Alleluia!

Strong is his love for us;

he is faithful for ever.

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Mt28:19,20

Alleluia, alleluia!

Go, make disciples of all the nations.

I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 16:15-20

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

03 December 2024, Tuesday, St Francis Xavier

THE JOY IN PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Ps 117:1-2; Mk 16:15-20]

In his apostolic encyclical, Pope Francis spoke of the joy of the gospel. Those who encounter Jesus and receive the gospel fill their hearts with joy and they are set free from sin, loneliness and emptiness in their lives. The gospel always gives hope and meaning to those who receive it. This joy must constantly be renewed because our involvement in the world, with all its pleasures and preoccupations can cause us to lose the voice of God so that His love is no longer felt and the desire to spread the Gospel also fades.

However, equally important for Pope Francis is that the proclaimers must first be filled with joy. He is wearied of evangelizers who lack joy and enthusiasm, as if they had just come back from a funeral. If we evangelizers are dejected, discouraged, impatient and anxious, we will become counter witnesses. Hence, today, we need to recover and deepen our enthusiasm by entering into the joy of St Paul, the missionary zeal of St Francis Xavier in the proclamation of the Good News.

St Paul in the first reading asked, “Do you know what my reward is?” Indeed, in a world where the subject is given priority, many ask “what is in it for me if I do this or that?” In other words, what do I get out of this job or work or service? We need to explain why we are doing what we are doing. Why does a person choose the priesthood? Why does a person choose to serve in the ministry? Why does a person enter into public service? What reward do you expect for your sacrifices?

Perhaps, in the first place, as Christians, we should not be speaking about rewards. The word “reward” is too worldly, secular, materialistic and self-serving. Rather, it would be better for us to think in terms of meaning, purpose and fulfilment. Of course, there are some who are worldly, thinking in terms of power, glory, status and even material gains from the ministry. They will only destroy themselves. St Paul wrote, “There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.” (1 Tim 6:6-9)

Secondly, St Paul made it clear that he does not even “insist on the rights which the Gospel gives me.” This is a reference to his right to material needs. We know that at one point, he was working as a tent maker to pay for his own ministry. Later on, he depended on the generosity of others but he was always contented with what he had, without insisting on his rights as he rightly wrote to the Philippians, “Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.” (Phil 4:11f) This is so unlike the world today when we all speak of rights all the time. Whilst we certainly must be just to everyone yet this preoccupation of our rights certainly compromises the proclamation of the gospel as a free gift to be given freely to others without counting the cost.

The principle of finding joy in the proclamation of the gospel is derived from the fact that it is freely received and therefore freely given, without any strings attached, unconditional and pure. This is the starting point of St Paul’s attitude towards his ministry. His reward is that in his preaching he is “able to offer the Good News free.” Jesus instructed the disciples, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay.” (Mt 10:8)

How, then, can such an attitude of selfless joy be attained? What attitudes must we have? Firstly, we must see ourselves as servants and apostles. Our ministry is a calling. St Paul said, “I do not boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it!” It is a responsibility placed on us. As servants of God, we are slaves, like St Paul. We have nothing that is ours because all belong to God. “So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could.”

At the same time, as apostles, we are sent. We do not send ourselves and hence it is a vocation, a calling. We do not take it upon ourselves but we have been entrusted with the message of salvation for all. Just as the Father sent Christ, as apostles Christ sends us. We are always dependent on Him and we act on His behalf and never in our own capacity. Our task is not to proclaim ourselves but Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We are to proclaim the gospel, the Good News of God’s love, mercy and justice.

Secondly, this duty and privilege must be done out of gratitude. St Paul says, “If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands.” Unless we are grateful for the Good News we have received, we will not understand the responsibility that comes with it. Good News is always meant to be shared, not to be kept. Thus, the commission to announce the Good News is addressed to the disciples who have encountered the Risen Lord. “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:15) Are we grateful for our vocation or do we take it up with reluctance?

So we need to get back to the question, ‘what is our reward?’ St Paul said, “I still do this, for the sake of the Gospel, to have a share in its blessings.”

Indeed, the first great reward is sharing in the joy of Christ who came to give Himself freely for humanity and our salvation. The greatest joy in giving is when we give freely and for free. When we are able to free ourselves from our own needs and focus on the needs of others, we experience the joy of freedom and the joy of pure love and pure giving. It is a joy that no one can explain. This is the joy of those who help the poor. This is the joy of St Teresa of Kolkata. This, too, is the joy of the priesthood and religious life; that we are not paid for our services. Indeed, the beauty of Christian ministry is that we are not paid like workers so that we can render our services freely without discriminating people.

Secondly, it is the joy of being one with our fellowmen in their pains, struggles and joys. St Paul wrote, “For the weak I made myself weak. I made myself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost.” Feeling with our brothers and sisters and journeying with them help us to remain human, for joy flows from a man who is compassionate and sensitive to the sufferings and joys of his fellowmen. Indeed, as a priest, my great joy is to let people know that I am with them in their journey of life, in their struggles. Many times, I cannot do much for them, but in supporting them morally and in whatever ways I can, I know I bring hope and joy to them. This joy is a liberating and fulfilling.

In a nutshell, the only way to share in the blessings of the gospel is to share the gospel with others. In giving the gospel to others, in giving hope, meaning, love and life to others, we, too, in the process partake of their joy and happiness. As we give ourselves in service to others, we receive the same blessings as well. When I preach the gospel, I preach first and foremost to myself. When I heal others, I heal my own wounds. When I hear confession, I hear my own sins. When I give kindness to others, I grow in kindness and mercy. This is what the gospel says, “These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.” In restoring others to health and life, we receive faith and life ourselves because we see the power of God at work in us, like the early apostles who, “going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by signs that accompanied it.”

Consequently, today, as we celebrate the Feast of St Francis Xavier, I invite all Christians to renew their personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer, in repentance, in conversion, in ministry and in service to the poor. No one should ever think that this invitation is not for him or her as no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord. If, like St Francis, we are willing to risk our lives for Him, He will not disappoint us. Let us take the words of our Lord seriously, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” (Mt 16:25f) This was the text that changed the life of St Ignatius of Loyola. What about us?

Sunday, 1 December 2024

YEARNING FOR PEACE

20241202 YEARNING FOR PEACE

First reading

Isaiah 2:1-5

The Lord gathers all nations together into the eternal peace of God's kingdom

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come

the mountain of the Temple of the Lord

shall tower above the mountains

and be lifted higher than the hills.

All the nations will stream to it,

peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the Temple of the God of Jacob

that he may teach us his ways

so that we may walk in his paths;

since the Law will go out from Zion,

and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’

He will wield authority over the nations

and adjudicate between many peoples;

these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,

their spears into sickles.

Nation will not lift sword against nation,

there will be no more training for war.

O House of Jacob, come,

let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9

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.’

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.

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.’

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:

‘Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

in your palaces, peace!’

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

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: ‘Peace upon you!’

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

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

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ps79:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

God of hosts, bring us back:

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 8:5-11

'I am not worthy to have you under my roof: give the word, and my servant will be healed'

When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.’

02 December 2024, Monday, 1st Week in Advent

YEARNING FOR PEACE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ISAIAH 2:1-5; MATTHEW 8:5-11]

As we come to the end of the year, things are slowing down as many will be going on vacation. If one were in Europe, the weather will also influence us to slow down, as it is cold, snowing and raining, the trees are withered, all are clad in warm clothing, and the sun rises late and sets early. Most people would prefer to stay indoors rather than go out in the cold and be wet. Locked in our coziness of our house, the ambience is set for a pensive and reflective mood. Indeed, whenever we can find time to slow down and get away from the hurly burly of the world, we will be able to listen to the longings and deepest desires of our hearts.

Indeed, what matters most in the end? What is it that each and every man is longing for? It is peace. This was what the Israelites also prayed for. The psalmist in the responsorial psalm prayed, “For the peace of Jerusalem pray: ‘Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!’ For love of my brethren and friends, I say: ‘Peace upon you!” For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.” This, too, was the hope of the Prophet Isaiah when he spoke of the vision that the Lord gave to him. “These will hammer their swords into ploughshares, their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war.” This scripture text is inscribed on the plaza in the front of the United Nations’ headquarters in New York. This is what the United Nations is supposed to do, to bring about world peace through dialogue, strengthening of trust and mutual cooperation for the good and prosperity of all.

But finding peace is not easy. We are all tired and exhausted because every day, there is so much fighting, misunderstandings, quarrels, disagreements, competition, politicking and division in our midst, whether in family life, among friends and loved ones, in the work place, or in business. We spend so much time trying to mediate and settle conflicts, problems and divisions. Among nations, there is great distrust of each other, each perceiving the others as threats to their peace and prosperity. All that we see today, trade wars, military wars, territorial disputes, etc is because of a lack of trust, the failure to be inclusive and see each other as brothers and sisters in God’s family.

Indeed, like the servant of the Centurion, we are “lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.” We feel so helpless in the face of a society that is so fragmented. We see demonstrations in many parts of the world. We see our own family divided because of greed, selfishness and self-centeredness. The world is no more a safe place to stay, no matter where we are. Terrorist activities can strike anywhere at any time. Even going to the temple, church or mosque to worship is not safe. So many of us feel like giving up fighting for peace. We are tired and burnt out. Instead of finding the world, our society and families more at peace, there is greater division than at any time in world history. The irony is that secularism is supposed to be the panacea for the world’s problems, especially division. But we know it is a lie. The truth is that there is a vacuum in leadership because the world is without God. Now, everyone claims to be God and he or she has the absolute answer. The modern, scientific and technological savvy man says he knows best. He knows what to do. He does not need anyone or any god to help him.

Indeed, if there is no world peace, it is simply because we do not have the truth or the answers without God. World peace can only come about when as the prophet says, “House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” There can be no peace and unity when we do not walk in truth and in love. This is what it means to walk in the light. The prophet makes it clear, only God can judge justly. “He will wield authority over the nations and adjudicate between many peoples.” God is our judge, not human beings. All judgements of man are flawed because we are ignorant and we do not have the truth in us. We are biased, subjective, constrained by our lack of knowledge and understanding. Our judgment often is influenced by our fears and insecurity. The world unfortunately is telling us there is no objective truth because the truth cannot be found. We are doom to ignorance!

But we are saying, Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. (cf Jn 14:6) He is the One who can lead us to salvation. He comes to proclaim to us the truth about God and about life, our identity, calling and destiny. The truth He came to proclaim is encapsulated in the Sermon on the Mount. The teachings of Christ are founded on the fact that we are God’s children, called to share in His life and love. Because we are all God’s children whom He loves, we are called to treat each other with justice, generosity, compassion, unconditional forgiveness, love and tolerance. Jesus always preached about non-violence, no killing not even anger. The truth of life is always in giving ourselves in humble, selfless and unconditional service to God and to our fellowmen. Indeed, Jesus came precisely, “to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Lk 4:18f) St Matthew summed up His ministry by saying, “he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.'” (Mt 8:16f)

Jesus did not come just for Christians or Jews but He came for all. In the healing of the Centurion’s servant, Jesus demonstrated His love and mercy regardless of race, language or religion. So long as he had faith in Him. Furthermore, because it was a request not for himself but for the well-being of his servant, the Lord without hesitation agreed to go to his house to heal the servant. The gospel of Christ, therefore, is directed to all in the world, regardless whether the world knows Him directly or indirectly, has full faith in Him or some other faith. This is what the prophet Isaiah envisioned as well. “In the days to come the mountain of the Temple of the Lord shall tower above the mountains and be lifted higher than the hills. All the nations will stream to it, peoples without number will come to it.” The gospel of Christ transcends all religions but it is a message of peace for all. All religions advocate peace and compassion.

But how does Christ come into our lives today if not primarily by the Word of God? When the Lord wanted to go to the Centurion’s house, his reply was “Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.” Christ comes to us through His Word. Like the Centurion, we only need to say to the Lord, “Say your word and your servant will be healed.” Truly only when we come to the Lord in faith and trust, accepting His word in humility, can we walk in the truth. Isaiah exhorts us all, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways so that we may walk in his paths; since the Law will go out from Jerusalem.”

So if we feel like giving up in our pursuit for peace, then we must turn to the Lord for guidance and inspiration. Like the Centurion, we must reach out to like-minded people to help us build peace in the world by promoting justice and compassion. Hence, inter-religious dialogue leading to cooperation in the work of justice and peace would be the way forward to give hope to a world that seeks independence from God, relying on themselves than God’s wisdom, truth and love. “I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.”