UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST: INTEGRATION AND INCLUSIVITY

20150927 UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST: INTEGRATION AND INCLUSIVITY

Readings at Mass

First reading

Numbers 11:25-29 ©

The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with Moses, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again.

  Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. The young man ran to tell this to Moses, ‘Look,’ he said ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ Then said Joshua the son of Nun, who had served Moses from his youth, ‘My Lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses answered him, ‘Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!’

Psalm

Psalm 18:8,10,12-14 ©

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

  it revives the soul.

The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,

  it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The fear of the Lord is holy,

  abiding for ever.

The decrees of the Lord are truth

  and all of them just.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

So in them your servant finds instruction;

  great reward is in their keeping.

But who can detect all his errors?

  From hidden faults acquit me.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

From presumption restrain your servant

  and let it not rule me.

Then shall I be blameless,

  clean from grave sin.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

Second reading

James 5:1-6 ©

An answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart’s content. It was you who condemned the innocent and killed them; they offered you no resistance.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:

consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48 ©

John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

  ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

  ‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out.’

UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST: INTEGRATION AND INCLUSIVITY

SCRIPTURE READINGS: NBR 11:25 – 29; PS 18:8, 10, 12-14; JAMES 5:1 – 6; MK 9:38 – 48

The most obvious phenomenon in the world today is globalization. With technology, science, easy communication and information availability, the world has become a global village.   This is why migration is becoming a norm as people all over the world search for a better place to live.  Some seek for wealth, others for security, some for tranquility and peace; some for better climate, etc.  So migration is due to many reasons.   All of us are seeking for a better life.

Is migration a boon or a bane to humanity?  Positively, migration helps to bring about globalization.  Where once we did not know much about other countries, their cultures and religions, we are now made aware of them.  With greater consciousness, there is also a greater appreciation and understanding.  With greater cooperation and mutual respect more could be done for the development of the world and of humanity.  As such, we can imagine and hope that one day, humanity would be one big family united in love.  Indeed, isn’t this the hope of the Church whose mission is communion?  Our mission is to unite the whole world in love under one family of God.

However, this remains a dream and a hope because we know that humanity remains divided because of selfishness, fear and self-interests.   Every country has so called, “national interests.”  In other words, it is the duty of the nation to protect the interests of her citizens before all others.  It is natural for everyone to be defensive of their interests because of fear and selfishness. Indeed, this protectionist mentality is everywhere. This happens also within the Church and every parish community.  So often, organizations compete with each other and see each other as a threat instead of partner.   Within organizations, members fight over positions or insist on having their way over others.   Therefore, whilst the ideal is to build a family of nations united in love and caring for each other, sins will prevent us from attaining true unity and peace.  This however should not prevent us from working towards greater peace and unity, whether in our society or within the parish community and the Church at large.

How, then, can we promote and strengthen the human bond amongst all peoples, especially among migrants themselves and with the citizens of the host country; and members of organizations and inter-organizations within the parish?

Firstly, on the side of the migrants, it is important for them to be sensitive to the fears of the local citizens.  Whilst it is not right, yet, it is natural to be fearful that our rights or our privileges would be compromised.  Not all are ready to share their wealth with others.  We can understand the sentiments of Singaporeans who are not happy with the influx of migrant workers, permanent residents and new citizens.  We can appreciate the anger and resentment of Singaporeans, especially when they are displaced from the work force or unable to compete with the lesser demands and salaries of foreign workers.   In their suffering, someone has to be blamed.

However, this is only one side of the picture.  Unfortunately most people only see and understand their own narrow perspective of the situation.  They do not have an overview of the place of migrants in society.

The truth is that migrants not only share the wealth of the country, but they also contribute to the wealth of the nation.  Without their contribution, the economy would not be able to expand, houses would not be built; restaurants would not have waiters and waitresses, businesses would suffer.   So it is necessary to recognize the contribution of migrants to the country as the bible asks of us.   Migrants have much to share in terms of their culture, religions and values.  We have much to learn from them, just as they have much to learn from us.   As Jesus says in the gospel, the man who tries to save his life will lose it, but the man who loses his life for His sake will save it.  Instead of blaming the migrants, we are called to work with and learn from them so that we too can grow and become more successful and competent.  This is what Jesus instructed, “You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.”

Secondly, wealth and power is not everything.  Some migrants only care to make money for themselves.  They can become unscrupulous and do anything to become rich, sometimes even through cheating and fraud.  This is what St James warns us.  “Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body.”  Beyond just acquiring wealth and property, it is more important that we live meaningful lives in love and service to the community we are in.

In the same vein, those of us who are employers must not cheat the migrant workers who are often at our mercy.  St James warns unjust employers who do not treat their workers with respect and most of all with justice.  He said, “Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”  Jesus said, “If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.”

But at the same time, we must be conscious that we do not become presumptuous of our rights and thinking.  Whilst condemning others, whether the migrants or the citizens of the host country, we must not fall into the sin of presumption.  This is what the psalmist said, “From hidden faults acquit me. From presumption restrain your servant and let it not rule me. Then shall I be blameless, clean from grave sin.”

So what is needed is to seek integration of migrants into our society.  It is important that migrants do not create ghettos or enclaves, alienating themselves from the larger society.  There is this need for immersion with the larger community, otherwise such communities become potential forces for misunderstanding and threaten the peaceful coexistence of the rest of the members of the community.  Migrants must bear in mind that in Rome, they should do as the Romans do.  Creating pressure groups will only divide the nation.   So it is the duty of migrants to learn the culture of the host country and adapt accordingly and not impose their cultures on the rest of the nation.

Yet, we want to underscore that integration is not assimilation.  We are not saying that migrants must give up their cultures.  Rather whilst retaining their cultures, they must not just remain where they are but also embrace the new cultures around them.  In other words, their cultures need to be enriched by the cultures of the host country.  Similarly, citizens of the host country could learn much from the cultures of the migrants and adopt those values that are good for nation building, for strengthening of family life, and universal values that help people to be respectful, caring, loving and united in love and charity. When we learn from each other’s cultures and adopt what is best, we will all be enriched by each other.

In the final analysis, what we are seeking is inclusivity not exclusivity.  No one should be excluded from participating in the life of the community or in a particular organization and most of all in the Church.  We must respect the distinctions and particular cultures and practices of the migrants but at the same time, migrants need to respect the local cultures.  It is in the marrying of these cultures that a new and enriched culture is born.  Indeed, Christianity has always transcended cultures.  She has always been able to adapt the same message of the gospel that is unchanging to new situations, new lands and cultures.  Truth is always the same even though it could be given different clothing. Hence, we must encourage everyone to participate in the life of the nation and the Church.  No one should be marginalized simply because they are of different cultures.  So long as we have the same goal which is to build up the family of God, then we are all one in Christ.

What is said of the migrants in general must be applied to the parish community as well. It is important that all organizations work together as one body of Christ.  The mission is communion and therefore we must accomplish this mission in communion.  No organization or members must be seen as a threat to the other, rather all must work in union with each other for the greater good of the community, contributing his or her particular resources or skills.   We must seek to build an inclusive parish where everyone feels at home.  But it must not rest here.  The parish must be inserted into the larger archdiocese, for we are but one Church. Just as all organizations must be aligned with the parish’s direction, so too every parish must be aligned with the archdiocese and not work in silos as if they are a Church of their own.  This is not even the case of the archdiocese.  We belong to the universal Church and therefore must be aligned with the Roman Pontiff even though we retain our distinctive flavor as the Catholic Church in Singapore.  Only unity in diversity and inclusivity can ensure the unity of the body of Christ.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved

BREAKING OUT OF OUR MYOPIC UNDERSTANDING OF GOD

20150926 BREAKING OUT OF OUR MYOPIC UNDERSTANDING OF GOD

Readings at Mass

First reading

Zechariah 2:5-9,14-15 ©

Raising my eyes, I saw a vision. It was this: there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out her breadth and her length.’ And then, while the angel who was talking to me stood still, another angel came forward to meet him. He said to him, ‘Run, and tell that young man this, “Jerusalem is to remain unwalled, because of the great number of men and cattle there will be in her. But I – it is the Lord who speaks – I will be a wall of fire for her all round her, and I will be her glory in the midst of her.”’

Sing, rejoice,

daughter of Zion;

for I am coming

to dwell in the middle of you

– it is the Lord who speaks.

Many nations will join the Lord,

on that day;

they will become his people.

Canticle

Jeremiah 31:10-12,13 ©

The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

O nations, hear the word of the Lord,

  proclaim it to the far-off coasts.

Say: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,

  and guard him as a shepherd guards his flock.’

The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,

  has saved him from an overpowering hand.

They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion,

  they will throng stream to the blessings of the Lord.

The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Then the young girls will rejoice and will dance,

  the men, young and old, will be glad.

I will turn their mourning into joy,

  I will console them, give them gladness for grief.

The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ac16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Or	cf.2Tim1:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death

and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 9:43-45 ©

At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.’ But they did not understand him when he said this; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about what he had just said.

BREAKING OUT OF OUR MYOPIC UNDERSTANDING OF GOD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: ZECH 2:5-9. 14-15; LK 9:43-45

The Jews had just returned from exile in Babylon.  Both the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah were tasked to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem.  They were commanded by the Lord to stir up the enthusiasm and commitment of the Jews in the reconstruction of the Temple of the God. When asked to rebuild the Temple, it was only natural for them to consider the old Temple as the standard by which any other Temples were to be built, for that was the most glorious days of the Kingdom of Israel.  Indeed, like the Israelites, we all tend to live in nostalgic times.  We often reminisce the past, we want to take flight and return to the good old days, especially during trying times. Whilst we should be grateful for the past and all the wonderful times and achievements we have had, yet, looking to the past as the model for the future would only hamper our growth, for we would then just be reliving history.  The truth is that we are not called to relive history but to make, create and change history.  This calls for courage, foresight and the will to think out of the box.

That was what the prophet was challenged to do.  “Raising my eyes, I saw a vision.  It was this: there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.  I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out her breadth and her length.’”  That was the conventional thing to do, as the New Temple was meant to be a mere replica of the old Temple.  However, we read, “And then, while the angel who was talking to me stood still, another angel came forward to meet him. He said to him, ‘Run, and tell that young man this, ‘Jerusalem is to remain unwalled, because of the great number of men and cattle there will be in her.  But I – it is the Lord who speaks – I will be a wall of fire for her all round her, and I will be her glory in the midst of her.’”   The truth is that God does not want a mere Temple as in the days of old.  The New Temple would not be simply a physical Temple but it would be a Temple that accommodates not just the Jews but all of humanity, without any exclusions. It would be accessible and open to all regardless of race, language or culture. Such a Temple envisaged would therefore permit no walls.  Since in the New Temple God will dwell within His People.

Similarly, we are reminded of the same kind of naivety of St Francis of Assisi when he too was instructed by the Lord to rebuild His Church.  Thinking that the church in his village was in ruins, he quickly went to rebuild the church, only to discover later that the Lord wanted him to rebuild the faith of the people.   The real Church is the People of God, not so much a physical structure or an edifice.  In the New Covenant, God lives in man, for by assuming humanity, Jesus had become the God-Man.  Jesus, who is the Immanuel, God in man, is the New Temple of God’s presence.  And He intended that we all, too, will become the Temple of the Holy Spirit.  This is realized by His death and resurrection when He poured forth His Holy Spirit on the Church, the People of God.

Such a new perception of the Temple as the People of God requires us Christians to make a radical shift in the way we think and conceive of God’s Temple.  It calls for a change of paradigm and mindset, no longer thinking the way we think but the way God thinks.  As the prophet Isaiah says, ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” (Isa 55:8) The inconceivable way the Lord works is manifested especially in Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection.   This explains why the disciples could not accept Jesus’ prophecy regarding His death.  “At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.’”  We can be sure that the disciples were too shocked for words to respond to Jesus’ prophecy, for Jesus’ ministry was apparently so successful and He was drawing crowds by His charismatic teaching and healing.

The wisdom of God however is not the wisdom of man.  Success for God is not to be measured in human terms.  The death of Jesus might be a tragedy for the disciples but it was the way God would manifest His power.  The paradigm of God is that paradoxically, life comes through death, victory through failure, and the crown through the thorns.  What the world sees as foolish, God sees as wisdom.  The fact is that like the disciples we have been conditioned by society, whether we like it or not, by our own parents and the people around us to quantify success in terms of material achievements and the trophies we win.  Our lens is certainly conditioned by our culture and society.  So much so that we tend to consciously or unconsciously subscribe to the values offered to us by the world without investigating the truth of what is being offered. We presume that just because everyone accepts it, then it must be the way to find happiness.

Perhaps we are afraid to be penalized and so we follow blindly what has been passed down to us.  This is very true even of religious traditions and practices in our days.  How many of us truly understand the liturgy of the Church or the practices of the Catholic Faith and the doctrines?  Although many of us are great academicians and intellectuals, when it comes to understanding our faith, we fall into apathy!  No wonder many of our Catholics are lukewarm in their faith, since they have no real inner conviction or understanding of what they are doing or believing.  Fear for the truth is a real reason for not asking because it means change.  Sometimes, deep within, we might not really want to know the truth.  In fact that was what happened when the disciples, although puzzled by what Jesus said about His imminent death, were afraid to even clarify with Him.

If we want to find fullness in life, we must be courageous like Jesus to think out of the box and challenge the values of the world that have been passed on to us.  Jesus precisely challenged the status quo of the day, especially the way religion was practised by the religious leaders with so much hypocrisy and legalism.   As far as Jesus was concerned, when religion does not bear fruits of charity and compassion, such ritualistic worship is not acceptable to God.  Today, let us take courage and think more deeply about our faith and the values we hold in our lives.  We must not be afraid to ask.  We must not be afraid to see everything from the eyes of God.  We can learn from Zechariah to see life this way.  Instead of feeling disheartened by the devastation of the Temple, he saw beyond the broken and demolished walls of the temple of the city, a golden opportunity and a call to break down all barriers between all humanity.  They must learn to welcome foreigners so that one day, they too will come to worship the Lord.  Setting up walls was not the way to create peace.

This is what the responsorial psalm is assuring us.  He said, “The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. The Lord shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings.”  Most of all, God will turn our mourning into joy, for He “will console and gladden them after their sorrows.”  This can happen only if we do not allow our current predicament to lead us to pessimism about life.  Rather, we should use every occasion, especially setbacks and failures to forge new grounds and new ways to grow and rebuild ourselves, breaking from the chains of the past.  All our sorrows can be transformed to joy and hope.  For Jesus too, it was out of the reality of death that hope for the resurrection became clearer and stronger.  So we need not be afraid to seek the wisdom of God, to think from His perspective instead of our narrow confines about life.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

© All Rights Reserved

RESTORING LOST GLORY AND FORTUNES

20150925 RESTORING LOST GLORY AND FORTUNES

Readings at Mass

First reading

Haggai 1:15-2:9 ©

In the second year of King Darius, on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows, ‘You are to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the high commissioner of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people. Say this, “Who is there left among you that saw this Temple in its former glory? And how does it look to you now? Does it seem nothing to you? But take courage now, Zerubbabel – it is the Lord who speaks. Courage, High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak! Courage, all you people of the country! – it is the Lord who speaks. To work! I am with you – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks– and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid! For the Lord of Hosts says this: A little while now, and I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations and the treasures of all the nations shall flow in, and I will fill this Temple with glory, says the Lord of Hosts. Mine is the silver, mine the gold! – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks. The new glory of this Temple is going to surpass the old, says the Lord of Hosts, and in this place I will give peace – it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks.”’

Psalm

Psalm 42:1-4 ©

Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.

Defend me, O God, and plead my cause

  against a godless nation.

From deceitful and cunning men

  rescue me, O God.

Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.

Since you, O God, are my stronghold,

  why have you rejected me?

Why do I go mourning

  oppressed by the foe?

Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.

O send forth your light and your truth;

  let these be my guide.

Let them bring me to your holy mountain,

  to the place where you dwell.

Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.

And I will come to the altar of God,

  the God of my joy.

My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,

  O God, my God.

Hope in God; I will praise him still, my saviour and my God.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Ep1:17,18

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

enlighten the eyes of our mind,

so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.

Alleluia!

Or

Mk10:45

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Son of Man came to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 9:18-22 ©

One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God’ he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.

  ‘The Son of Man’ he said ‘is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’

RESTORING LOST GLORY AND FORTUNES

SCRIPTURE READINGS: HAG 1:15-2:9; LK 9:18-22

When we look at our lives, some of us cannot but feel depressed when we see how much we have deteriorated, what we were then and what we are now.  Some of us cannot help feeling sad when we reminisce that once we were ‘somebody’ at work, or in society, when we were used to being served and receiving all the adulation from our subordinates and those who depended on us for a living.  But today, we are just ‘nobody’, stripped of our office, power and wealth, reduced to a state where no one actually bothers much about us. Some of us were wealthy, living a good life but now, because of business failure or retrenchment, we have to eat humble pie and downgrade from living in landed property to a HDB apartment.  Finally, perhaps the most devastating feeling is to know that we are no longer young and strong, when we could then work long hours and perform well.  As age catches up, we find ourselves easily tired and can no longer remember things as well as before, or capable of thinking as profoundly and creatively.  Truly, if we are in such a situation, we cannot but feel discouraged.

This was the case of the Jews in exile.  They too became rather discouraged when they saw the state of the Temple.  It was in ruins.  It was a most pathetic sight, so much so the prophet asked, “Who is there left among you that saw this Temple in its former glory? And how does it look to you now?  Does it seem nothing to you?”  Obviously those who remembered the First Temple would have been disheartened.  Indeed some of us too, when we compare the state of our present lives with our past, are inclined to condemn ourselves and give up.  We say to ourselves that we cannot ever pick ourselves up.  We feel defeated and think that it is impossible to restore our lost fortunes and recover all that we had owned.  When our life is in a mess like that of the ruined Temple, it is difficult to imagine that we can ever live normal and happy lives again.

The message of today’s scripture readings is to give those of us in such a despondent situation hope.  God can work miracles in our lives beyond our expectations and imagination. We only need to believe Him.  In the Israelites’ state of discouragement, God dispatched the prophet Haggai to give them hope also.  “But take courage now, Zerubbabel – it is the Lord who speaks.  Courage, High Priest Joshua son of Zehozadak! Courage, all you people of the country! – it is the Lord who speaks. ”

Similarly, the psalmist teaches us to trust in God in the face of our problems.   He, too, was struggling against the attacks of “deceitful and impious man.”  And even though he felt the absence of God, he still invites us to “Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.”   In his desolation, he could still, in confidence, cry out to God to seek justice for him, for God is His strength.  At the end of his prayer, he believed that he would “go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God!”

This is because, as the prophet declared, God is ultimately in charge.  He announced the restoration of a greater temple. He said, “Do not be afraid! For the Lord of hosts says this:  A little while now, and I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.  I will shake all the nations and the treasures of all the nations shall flow in, and I will fill this Temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts.  Mine is the silver, mine the gold! It is the Lord of hosts who speaks.  The new glory of this Temple is going to surpass the old, says the Lord of hosts, and in this place I will give peace – it is the Lord of hosts who speaks.”  God will deliver His judgment eventually.  Indeed, God is greater than we can imagine.  He will surpass what He did before.  Even when we, in our limited perspective, feel that our best efforts seem to produce meager results, or that all our sacrifices seem to be done in vain, God knows how all things will finally end.  He is in control of our destiny.  Our task is to do all that we can and leave the rest to Him.

Yet, history also shows that Haggai’s prophecy of a more glorious temple, although not fulfilled in his time, was realized by Herod the Great when he rebuilt the Temple on a much grander scale.  Although the Second Temple was rebuilt in the chaotic aftermath of the Babylonian exile, it was just a pale shadow of the First Temple constructed by King Solomon at the height of Israel’s glorious achievements. But the real Temple that was rebuilt goes beyond the physical Temple. The Temple of Jerusalem was but a foreshadowing of Jesus who is the Temple of God.  In the plan of God, the fuller meaning of the prophecy refers to Christ, the New People of God.  In St John’s gospel, Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”  “They replied, ’It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”  (Jn 2:19-23)

Jesus is the New Temple of God and the place of God’s presence to us.  He is the Emmanuel because God lives in Him and in Him, we see God.  This truth is reiterated in today’s gospel when St Peter declared Jesus as the “The Christ of God.”  St Peter identified the Messiah as the fulfillment of the Old Testament hopes.  However, immediately following the confession of faith, Jesus gave them “strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.’The Son of Man’ he said ‘is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’”  By so doing, Jesus prophesied His imminent passion and resurrection, through which we will be saved.  At the same time, it is a clear reminder that the Messiah and His kingdom would not be a political or physical one but a spiritual one.  He did not come to use force and might to establish a political kingdom, as was the popular expectation even of His disciples, but to establish the reign of God in the hearts of every man.

Faith in Christ as the Son of God must also be the basis of the foundation of our faith today.  In situations when we feel hopeless, discouraged and fearful, we must find strength in the passion and the resurrection of the Lord.  We too must be ready to undergo suffering to enjoy the new life.  This faith presupposes that, like St Peter, we know who the Lord is.  Only this immoveable faith can help us withstand the trials and challenges of life, a faith that even the underworld cannot overcome.

So let us be open to the Holy Spirit.  Let us take heed of what God said to the Prophet, which is realized for us even more fully because His Spirit now lives in us by virtue of our baptism.  He said, “To work! I am with you – it is the Lord of hosts who speaks – and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid!”  God’s Spirit is with us.  We are not going to do all these alone.  We will fail but His Spirit is with us to make all things possible.  If the Spirit could raise Jesus from the dead, He too can raise us to a new life in Him and restore all that we have lost.  All we need is to continue to work with God by cooperating with His grace, whether the work assigned to us is at home, in the office or in the Church.  Like the Israelites, when faced with discouragement, we must apply all our energy into building the city of God in this world.  With God in us, we can accomplish all things through and in Him.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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