Wednesday, 27 January 2021

STIRRING UP OUR FAITH

20210128 STIRRING UP OUR FAITH

 

 

28 January, 2021, Thursday, 3rd Week, Ordinary Time

First reading

Hebrews 10:19-25 ©

Let us keep firm in the hope we profess

Through the blood of Jesus we have the right to enter the sanctuary, by a new way which he has opened for us, a living opening through the curtain, that is to say, his body. And we have the supreme high priest over all the house of God. So as we go in, let us be sincere in heart and filled with faith, our minds sprinkled and free from any trace of bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us keep firm in the hope we profess, because the one who made the promise is faithful. Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works. Do not stay away from the meetings of the community, as some do, but encourage each other to go; the more so as you see the Day drawing near.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23(24):1-6 ©

Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

  the world and all its peoples.

It is he who set it on the seas;

  on the waters he made it firm.

Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?

  Who shall stand in his holy place?

The man with clean hands and pure heart,

  who desires not worthless things.

Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord

  and reward from the God who saves him.

Such are the men who seek him,

  seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Ph2:15-16

Alleluia, alleluia!

You will shine in the world like bright stars

because you are offering it the word of life.

Alleluia!

Or:

Ps118:105

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is a lamp for my steps

and a light for my path.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 4:21-25 ©

A lamp is to be put on a lampstand. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given

Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’

  He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’

 

 

STIRRING UP OUR FAITH

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Heb 10:19-25; Psalm 24:1-6; Mark 4:21-25 ]

One of the threefold aspects of our vision is to build a vibrant church so that we can be evangelizing and missionary.  Vibrancy would mean that our Catholics are fervent in their faith and alive “in love and good works.”  Without a spirit-filled community, this goal cannot be realized.  The question as the first reading asks of us is, how to stir a response from our Catholics.  The truth is that most of our Catholics are nominal Catholics who only attend Sunday Mass.  Many attend Mass only occasionally and are more like baptized pagans.  The reality is that because the Church is tolerant and patient with members who are lethargic and indifferent, such members can also influence the rest of the community adversely.  Indeed, statistics have shown that in many mixed marriages, when the faith of the Catholic party is weak, and/or the other non-Catholic party is stronger in his/her own faith, there is a greater likelihood that the entire family would drop out of the Catholic faith eventually.

Complacency is what the gospel is warning us.  In the first parable, Jesus said to His disciples, “Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light.”   Many Catholics do just that.  They have received the gift of faith, the light of Christ.  Instead of shinning out for the world to see whom and what they believe, some Catholics are secret disciples.  They are ashamed of their faith for fear of being ridiculed.  They hide their faith from their friends, colleagues and business clients.  No one knows who they stand for or what faith they believe in.  Those of us who are secretive about our faith will eventually lose it.  Indeed, this is what secularism seeks to do, to keep faith out of public space so that eventually we forget about our faith and keep God away from our daily life.

Secondly, the gospel warns us of the danger of indifference.  Twice, after or before each of the parable today, the Lord urged us to pay attention to the Word of God.  He said, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.” These two parables must be seen in the context of the first parable of the Sower and the Seed.  There are two things that will cause us to lose faith.

Firstly, by not listening to what is spoken to us.  Like the seed that fell on the pathway and the rocky ground, we could deprive ourselves of the Word of God.  Some of us are just not able to listen to God anymore.  We come to Church on Sunday but we do not participate in the Church service actively or hear the Word of God that is proclaimed.  If we come without due preparation or docility to learn from the Word of God, we will not gain much.  When people complain that the Church is boring, they forget that they are part of the worshipping community.  Everyone has a part to make the worship an anointed experience and the community a loving fellowship of Christians.

Secondly, we lose faith by not giving due attention to what has been heard.  The Lord said, “Take notice of what you are hearing.”  Many of us, like the seed that fell among thorns, are so distracted by the world and preoccupied with our problems and anxieties that we cannot hear the Word of God.  When we sing, we are not interiorizing the words of the hymn.  Our lips are moving but our heart and mind are far away.  We are saying prayers or singing or even reading the Word of God, but it is done in a perfunctory manner, having no effects on us.  We are not moved or touched because we have not given our heart and mind to what we are doing.  We are tempted to just go through the rituals, superstitiously treating them as if they are magic; saying the formula prayers, reciting them like parrots.  When we do not love the Lord with our heart, soul and strength, we will receive little.

As a consequence, whatever little faith we have is taken away from us.  The Lord said, “The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  When we have not grown in our faith or deepened our personal relationship with the Lord, we have nothing much to share.  When there is nothing to share with others, our faith becomes weaker because it means that God has nothing to do with our life.  But if we have something to share, the principle of life is that the more we share, the more we grow in knowledge, understanding, clarity and conviction.

So what must we do to stir up our faith once again?  The author of the letter to the Hebrews at the conclusion of his thesis on the Priesthood of Jesus Christ reminds us that Jesus revealed to us the face of God through His body.  It was His body that “opened for us, a living opening through the curtain.”   Indeed, His body concealed the divinity of God and also revealed it.  This was why the Lord said to Philip, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. (cf Jn 14:9f) Most of all by His death on the cross, “through the blood of Jesus we have the right to enter the sanctuary”, He revealed to us the mercy and forgiveness of our sins. The unconditional mercy and forgiveness of God is made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross so that justice is served and our sins are forgiven.  Contemplation of His passion, death and resurrection will underscore that Jesus is truly the supreme High Priest of our faith, and the sacrificial victim for our salvation.  As High Priest, Jesus is our bridge to the Heavenly Father.

Secondly, we must renew our baptismal commitments, not just verbally, but relive our promises to the Lord when we were baptized.  The author invites us to the house of God, just as on the day we were baptized.  “So as we go in, let us be sincere in heart and filled with faith, our minds sprinkled and free from any trace of bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Just as the Old Testament priests had to wash themselves clean before offering the sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood on the altar to purify it, we are washed clean by the waters of rebirth by immersion or sprinkling.  Renewing our baptismal vows would necessarily mean to return to that time when we fell in love with the Lord, just as we renew our marriage vows.  Over the years, just like marriage, our spiritual life can become soiled and lack luster because of complacency.   We have taken our faith for granted. Going for the sacrament of reconciliation and confessing our sins sincerely would be the first step to regain our peace of mind that comes from a bad conscience.

Thirdly, we must strengthen the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.  The author says, “Let us keep firm in the hope we profess, because the one who made the promise is faithful. Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works.”  Indeed, these three virtues ground our relationship with God and our faith.   Our faith in Christ must be founded on the hope that is promised to us.  What is this hope if not to be in union with God at the end of this life?  The author wrote, “the more so as you see the Day drawing near.”   It is because of this certain hope of sharing in Christ’s resurrection and glory, that we remain firm in our faith in Him and in the gospel.  This faith is then expressed in love and in charity.   It is a love for God because of His goodness to us and our love for our brothers and sisters, because we are all called to the same hope and destiny.

Finally, because of this common faith, hope and love, then all the more, if we want to be firm in our faith and hope, we must begin by loving our own Christian family while not excluding those outside the Christian community.  The reason why Catholics drop out of the Church is simply because often they do not belong to a faith community even though they might be attending church as a lone visitor.  But we are not alone.  We must come together to worship, share the Word of God and our faith with each other. This is what the author exhorts us, “Do not stay away from the meetings of the community, as some do, but encourage each other to go.”  Unless, we come together regularly to meet, to pray, share the Word of God together and be friends with one another, we will lose our faith during trials and persecutions.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved. The contents of this page may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission from the Archbishop’s Office. This includes extracts, quotations, and summaries.

 

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Tuesday, 26 January 2021

UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HEART

20210127 UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HEART

 

 

27 January, 2021, Wednesday, 3rd Week, Ordinary Time

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading

Hebrews 10:11-18 ©

Jesus achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying

All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him.By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. The Holy Spirit assures us of this; for he says, first:

This is the covenant I will make with them

when those days arrive;

and the Lord then goes on to say:

I will put my laws into their hearts

and write them on their minds.

I will never call their sins to mind,

or their offences.

When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 109(110):1-4 ©

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

The Lord’s revelation to my Master:

  ‘Sit on my right:

  your foes I will put beneath your feet.’

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

The Lord will wield from Zion

  your sceptre of power:

  rule in the midst of all your foes.

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

A prince from the day of your birth

  on the holy mountains;

  from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.

  ‘You are a priest for ever,

  a priest like Melchizedek of old.’

You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.

Gospel Acclamation

1S3:9,Jn6:68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;

whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 4:1-20 ©

The parable of the sower

Jesus began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’

  When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’

  He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’

 

UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HEART

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Heb 10:11-18; Ps 110:1-4; Mark 4:1-20]

The question that bothered the disciples of Christ, both during His time and in the early Church is the same question we ask, how is it that when the Word of God is preached, some accept and some would not?  Has the reception of the Word of God got to do with understanding or something else?  If it is pure understanding alone, then how do we explain why there are many great intellectuals and brilliant people in the world, politicians, scientists and doctors who accept the gospel and yet as many reject it?  Indeed, the disciples of Jesus must have felt discouraged because the teaching of Jesus on one hand drew many people but it also drew much opposition from the authorities, the supposedly intelligentsia of society, well instructed in the Law and knowledge of God.

This puzzlement seems to be made even more complex with the Lord saying to His disciples, “To you is granted the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and look, but never perceive; listen and listen, but never understand; to avoid changing their ways and being healed.”  (cf Isa 6:9f) Why would God instruct Isaiah to, “Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed”?  (Isa 6:10)

The answer is clearer than we think.  The message of the kingdom and God Himself is not meant to be understood with our minds.  It is meant to be felt in our hearts.  Closing our eyes, ears and minds help a person to enter deeper into himself and his heart.  This explains why Jesus taught in parables.  By communicating in parables rather than giving a discourse on the Kingdom of God, Jesus drew His listeners to identify themselves with the realities conveyed through the stories taken from their daily life which they could immediately associate with.  One does not need to think to identify with the story because they are living the story every day in their life.  So, the parables bring about an immediate response of the heart when the story is heard.  They would be able to see themselves in that story.

This way of communicating God to the common and ordinary people was much more effective than giving a theological discourse on God and His kingdom.   From the earthly, Jesus brought them to understand the heavenly realities.  God cannot be described but can only be experienced.  No amount of theological exposition on God can replace a personal encounter with Him.  This was why St Thomas Aquinas at the end of his long intellectual pursuit in theology, after almost completing the Summa Theologica, said after his encounter with the Lord in the Eucharist, “The end of my labours has come.  All I have written appears like straws compared to what has been revealed to me.”  The Lord therefore wants us to go beyond our intellectual inquiry to the understanding that comes from the heart.

In other words, the crux of the matter is whether we are ready to surrender our minds and open our hearts to receive the gospel.  As long as we hold on to our intellectual knowledge, we will never be able to arrive at the realities because such theological knowledge are shadows of the heavenly realities.  Understanding the concept of love is different from falling in love personally.  This explains why personal experience and personal contact, especially in critical and heart-wrenching events, changes our perspective of people, situations and suffering.  It is easy to give a dogmatic explanation of moral doctrines, expounding on what can be done and what cannot, but when we are faced with a real-life situation, and when our loved ones are involved, it is a different story all together.  Like parables, we are not dealing with abstruse and abstract truths but concrete truths and events in our life.  We need to ask how we should deal with it specifically, especially when it affects our heart and pains us.

The parable of the sower shows how different people respond to the Word of God differently.  Of course, right from the outset, it is true that the preacher or teacher has an important part to play in the communication of the truths.  It depends how we sow the Word.  If we follow the way of our Lord, that is, if we know how to communicate the Good News effectively, perhaps, more people would be able to identify with our message, open their hearts and receive it.  So we cannot dismiss the role that good teachers and preachers play in helping their listeners to hear their message.  Such teachers and preachers are rare today.  To be able to connect with the life struggles of our people, their aspirations and their struggles, requires the preacher to be in touch with himself and in touch with God.

But the preacher can only do so much, as St Paul said, “But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?'” (Rom 10:16) And the reason given is this, disobedience!  “Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, ‘I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.’ Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, ‘I have been found by those who did not seek me.’  I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.’ But of Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.'” (Rom 10:18-21)

The key to understanding the mystery of the Kingdom is not an intellectual understanding but a reception of the heart in faith.  This explains why the seed that fell on different soils had different reception.  The seed that fell on the pathway symbolizes those who are totally disinterested in the gospel. They have more important pursuits in life.  And this happens so often today.  Many put their ambition in politics, money, power, business and fame before God.  So their hearts are not ready for the gospel.  Then there are those whose hearts are hardened by the sufferings and trials of life.  This is the rocky ground where the seed was sown.  So wounded are they, because of betrayals, failures, abuses and injustices, that they have hardened their hearts towards God and people.  They are often very skeptical of goodness and truth, especially when they have experienced only evil and hypocrisy.   Thirdly, the seed that fell among thorns and got choked by them.  This is the group of people who have allowed their preoccupations of daily life, their struggles, their anxieties over work, money, health, business and family, to take away their time for God.  They feel so torn and exhausted attending to the demands of daily life that they have no more energy for God.

Finally, we have the seed that fell on rich soil.  “They hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”  It is significant what the Lord said.  Firstly, they heard the Word and then accepted it. On all these levels, the Lord was not speaking about understanding the Word or the mystery of the Kingdom.  He had been underscoring that hearing is obeying.  Obedience is our response to the Word of God.  St Paul put it succinctly, “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”  (Rom 10:17) When we accept the Word as it is, not some human thinking, it will have its immediate effect on us.  (cf 1 Th 2:13) So what is required of us is to accept not because we agree with what the Word of God says, or even understand what it is saying.  But we only have to accept in faith because it is God’s word.  This is the only answer why some can accept the gospel and our Lord and others cannot accept.  It has nothing to do with intelligence but with the disposition of the heart and the mind.

Indeed, Jesus in the first reading is the perfect example for us of what it means to be obedient to the Word of God.  Jesus is the perfect high priest and “has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his seat for ever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting till his enemies are made his footstool.”  This is made possible because Jesus surrendered Himself to His Father by undergoing the passion and His death.  By so doing, the Father raised Him to new life and He gives us the Holy Spirit which is written no longer on tablets but on our hearts.  Our sins are forgiven with the perfect sacrifice of Christ and no more sin offerings are needed, except that we must now in turn offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, “holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  (Romo 12:1)

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

 

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WORTHY LIEUTENANTS

20210126 WORTHY LIEUTENANTS

 

 

26 January, 2021, Tuesday, Ss Timothy and Titus, Bishops

First reading

2 Timothy 1:1-8 ©

Fan into a flame the gift God gave you

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

  Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers; I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness. Then I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have; it came first to live in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I have no doubt that it is the same faith in you as well.

  That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 95(96):1-3,7-8,10 ©

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

O sing a new song to the Lord,

  sing to the Lord all the earth.

  O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

Proclaim his help day by day,

  tell among the nations his glory

  and his wonders among all the peoples.

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

Give the Lord, you families of peoples,

  give the Lord glory and power;

  give the Lord the glory of his name.

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’

  The world he made firm in its place;

  he will judge the peoples in fairness.

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

Gospel Acclamation

Lk4:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 10:1-9 ©

Your peace will rest on that man

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’

 

 

WORTHY LIEUTENANTS

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 TIM 1:1-8 OR TIT 1,1-5; PS 96:1-3,7-8,10; LK 10:1-9 ]

In the gospel, Jesus commissioned 72 disciples “and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit.”  These 72 were to prepare the way for the Lord to preach the gospel.  In the meanwhile, they were to prepare the ground for the Lord by proclaiming the message of peace.  He said, “Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house!’. And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.”  But it was more than just a nice greeting of peace, they were to cure those who were sick and say to them, “The kingdom of God is very near to you”.

Besides these 72 who were to assist the Lord in the preaching of the gospel, the Lord had earlier on also appointed the Twelve to be His lieutenants.  (cf Lk 6:12-16) It is not sufficient to have soldiers, manpower and ground force but we need leaders to guide, lead, form, inspire and unite them so that all will be focused on a shared vision and mission.  Indeed, the success of a leader is very much dependent on the lieutenants he has to assist him in the work and mission he has been entrusted.  No leader can work alone, not even Jesus!  We need to have a collaborative team of leaders that are supportive of the principal leader.  Without good lieutenants, the soldiers would be ill-formed, misguided and poorly equipped for battle.  Goodwill is not good enough but we need to harness the goodwill of everyone before we can succeed.

This is why St Paul always mentioned in his letters that he was a true apostle of the Lord, to make clear his authority to proclaim the gospel.   His letter to Timothy began thus, “From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus.”  Again, to Titus, the alternative first reading for today’s celebration, St Paul asserted his apostleship when he wrote, “From Paul, servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ to bring those whom God has chosen to faith and to the knowledge of the truth that leads to true religion.”  St Paul left no doubt that he was the chosen apostle of the Lord and therefore given the authority to proclaim the gospel.

In his passion for the spread of the gospel, St Paul established many Christian communities in Philippi, Corinth, Macedonia, Ephesus and other cities.  After he left the place, he would appoint leaders or overseers or bishops like Timothy and Titus to look after them.  Timothy was the bishop of Ephesus and Titus, the bishop of Crete.  Both were great lieutenants of St Paul in ensuring that the gospel which he planted and the Church which he established would continue to grow.  St Paul knew that he could not do this work alone.  Right from the start of his missionary trips, St Paul was conscious of the need to find the right collaborators for his work.   He had some unpleasant working relationship with John Mark. So in the second missionary trip, he took Silas, splitting with Barnabas who took John Mark with him.   (Acts 15:40) Choosing the right persons for the team is essential for the success of the mission.  Hence, after a sharp disagreement, the split was inevitable.  But it was for the good of all because leaders must be able to work together in unity.

For St Paul, it was not just about appointing leaders to assist him, but he was ever ready to mentor and encourage them.   The weakness for most leaders is that they are so busy getting their plans to materialize, attending to the many challenges and difficulties they face each day, that they have no time to mentor their leaders working for them.  They are appointed and left on their own.  St Paul always found time to mentor and encourage his leaders, as we can see in the letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus, encouraging them to be strong leaders, reminding them their duties, and encouraging them when under trials.

Indeed, when we read St Paul’s letter to Timothy, we see the fatherly figure in St Paul, who by now was a prisoner for the Lord.  He addressed Timothy as a “dear child of mine” and in the first letter, he called, “Timothy, my loyal child in the faith.”  (1 Tim 1:2). He expressed how he always remembered him in his prayers.  “I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness.”  He encouraged him to stand firm in the faith and “fight the good fight, having faith and a good conscience.”  (1 Tim 1:18f) Most of all, St Paul led by example.  He wrote to him, “As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day.”  (2 Tim 4:6-8)

What is said of Paul’s fatherly concern for Timothy is also true for Titus as well.  In the alternative reading, St Paul also addressed Titus, “true child of mine in the faith that we share, wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our saviour.”  Titus was a Gentile and most likely came to faith through St Paul’s preaching at Iconium. St Paul did not want Titus to be circumcised to underscore that the gospel is for the Gentiles as well.  St Paul took Titus with him to Jerusalem to attend the Apostolic Council, where it was agreed that the Gentile Christians were freed from the constraints of the Mosaic Law.   St Paul exhorted him to be faithful to the faith.  “I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone.”  (Tit 3:8) St Paul found him to be potentially a good leader because he was well formed in the faith and had the gift of dealing with difficult and explosive situations.  St Paul sent him to the Church in Corinth with his letters to deal with the disunity and immorality there.  (2 Cor 2:3-4, 13; 7:6-16; 8:16-24) He was also dispatched to Crete to continue the work that Paul had started in Crete by putting the structures in place.   St Paul wrote, “The reason I left you behind in Crete was for you to get everything organised there and appoint elders in every town, in the way that I told you.”

Although it is true that St Paul mentored the young bishops to take over from him, yet, credit must also go to them because they cooperated with St Paul.  Timothy was a docile follower of St Paul.  He became Paul’s close friend and confidante.  He was always supportive of St Paul.  When Paul was forced to flee from Berea, he stayed behind and later was sent to Thessalonica to encourage the Christians who were under persecution.  He was most likely with Paul when he was imprisoned in Caesarea and later in Rome.  He was a great consolation to St Paul.  Titus too was a great blessing to Paul.  He called him his brother (2 Cor 2:13) and “partner and co-worker.”  (2 Cor 8:23) They were ready collaborators.  They were willing to take instructions from St Paul and looked to him as their father, mentor and leader in faith.

Unfortunately, this is not the case today, whether in the political, corporate or even religious world.  Junior leaders driven by ego and ambition are working not for their leaders or even in union with them, but for themselves.  Such leaders can be talented but they divide the community and undermine the authority of their leaders.  They are more concerned about their position, their power and their prospects than really being a help to their leaders.   This results in politicking, jealousy, competition and protectionism.  They lack loyalty and humility.

Finding the right collaborators who are intelligent and gifted and yet able to work with and for the leader is truly a great challenge today.  Like Jesus, we need to spend the whole night in prayer to look for potential lieutenants whom we can mentor and journey to take over from us.   We need to be on the look-out for potential leaders, and once they are found, to be ready to guide and form them instead of leaving them on their own.  Selecting the right lieutenants, mentoring them and being a father and friend to them is the key to ensuring that they will continue the legacy and the faith tradition that is handed on to them.

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

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Sunday, 24 January 2021

THE WORD OF GOD

20210124 THE WORD OF GOD

 

 

24 January, 2021, Sunday, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time

First reading

Jonah 3:1-5,10 ©

The people of Nineveh renounce their evil behaviour

The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.

  God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 24(25):4-6,7b-9 ©

Lord, make me know your ways.

Lord, make me know your ways.

  Lord, teach me your paths.

Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:

  for you are God my saviour.

Lord, make me know your ways.

Remember your mercy, Lord,

  and the love you have shown from of old.

In your love remember me,

  because of your goodness, O Lord.

Lord, make me know your ways.

The Lord is good and upright.

  He shows the path to those who stray,

He guides the humble in the right path,

  He teaches his way to the poor.

Lord, make me know your ways.

Second reading

1 Corinthians 7:29-31 ©

The world as we know it is passing away

Brothers: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.

Gospel Acclamation

Mk1:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand:

repent, and believe the Good News.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 1:14-20 ©

I will make you into fishers of men

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’

  As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.

  Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

 

THE WORD OF GOD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [JONAH 3:1-5,10; 1 COR 7:29-31; MARK 1:14-20 ]

In today’s world, the sophisticated man is very skeptical of anything that could be from God.  Having debunked the existence of God, how could he subscribe to the Sacred Scriptures, whether of the Christian Faith or any religion?  In his mind the so-called Sacred Scriptures are man-made.  They are no better than any philosophical books written by great people.  Hence, he reads them as if they were just another book.  This is why someone said, “I do not want to be a Christian because I do not agree with certain parts of the Bible.”  So he is telling us that unless the Word of God agrees with him, the Bible is wrong. He knows better than the Bible and he has all the answers.  He is wiser than God and hence if the bible were to be true, it must measure up to his understanding and opinions.  This is why St Augustine remarked, “If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

Indeed, in the gospel we read how the first disciples responded to the Word of God.  In the first place, it must be noted that the evangelist underscored the importance of time with regard to the Good News.  He began by noting that Jesus proclaimed the Good News from God by saying, “The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand.”  And then further on we read that when the Lord called His first disciples, “at once” they followed Him.  Then further on, after exorcising the man with the unclean spirits, we read that “at once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.”  (Mk 1:28) And then “Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.”  (Mk 1:30)

We must therefore enquire why there is a sense of urgency in Mark’s gospel.  It has to do with what Jesus said and did.  In today’s gospel, Jesus announced the Good News from God.  The response to this Good News must of course be immediate because it is the Lord who spoke and God who announced the Good News of salvation.  Since “the kingdom of God is close at hand”, the response was urgent as the King was arriving.   “Repent, and believe the Good News.”  There is no time to wait as “the Kingdom of God is near”, meaning it is already here.

Secondly, with respect to the calling of the disciples and the exorcism of the man with unclean spirits, and similarly with respect to the healing of Peter’s mother in law, Jesus issued a command, not a request.  He told Simon and Andrew, “Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.”  “Come, follow me” is in the imperative mood.  So too, the call, “Repent and believe the Good News!”  It will be the same way Jesus commanded the evil spirit, “Be silent, and come out of him!”  (Mk 1:25) In other words, we are not dealing with just any messenger of the Good News.  We are dealing with someone who takes the place of God and commands immediate and absolute obedience.

The question of what kind of time St Mark was thinking about, goes back to the beginning of his gospel when he wrote about Jesus’ baptism.  “And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  (Mk 1:10f) In view of Jesus’ authority as the Son of the Father, vested with divine authority, the command of Jesus overwrites the duties of sons and daughters to their parents.  (cf Ex 20:12) This explains why the first four disciples immediately left their nets and their parents to follow Jesus without delay.  By so doing, the first four disciples acted out what the Lord commanded earlier, “Repent and believe the Good News.”  They believed and gave up their careers and livelihood, turned away from their parents and embraced the Lord totally.

In other words, the kind of faith we are called to render is the obedience of faith.  (cf Rom 1:5; 16:26) Our response to the Word of God when proclaimed must be immediate and instant.  It must be obeyed without question and without doubt.  It is a faith that requires total commitment, not just a passing or emotional faith.  Faith must produce good works in the one who believes.   A saving faith requires obedience to the Word of God, which is to believe in the gospel.  It is this faith in the Good News and in Jesus that will be seen in our obedience to the commandments of God.  Jesus said, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.”  (Jn 14:23f) Vatican II says, “‘The obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:26; see 1:5; 2 Cor 10:5-6) is to be given to God who reveals, an obedience by which man commits his whole self freely to God, offering the full submission of intellect and will to God who reveals, and freely assenting to the truth revealed by Him.”  (Dei Verbum, 5)

Hence, our response in faith to the Word of God ultimately is more than the words in the bible but to Jesus Himself who is the Word of God in person.  Before the sacred scripture was written, there was just the oral tradition of passing on the teaching of Christ through the apostolic preaching.  For this reason, St Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, said, “We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers” (1 Th 2:13)  The Word of God is only effective when we believe it as such.  When we regard the Bible as just another book which we choose to agree or disagree with, the bible would not have much effect in our lives.

In the first reading, we hear that even pagans who believed in the Word were saved.  When Jonah was sent to preach to the Ninevites, albeit reluctantly, “the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour. And God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.” Indeed, faith in His word expressed in obedience is what makes the Word of God a saving word.  This was why St Paul urged the Corinthians to give priority to the Lord because “the world as we know it is passing away.”  Only in the light of the gospel and salvation, can we see our daily life and its struggles in perspective.  The Word of God, as the psalmist says, makes known to us the way of God, teaches us His part and guides us in the truth.

The Word of God goes beyond the written word and the proclaimed word, but also the preached word and catechesis.  Those responsible for communicating the Word of God must learn to communicate it effectively so that the people would have a coherent explanation of the Word of God and not what the priest thinks or opines.  Many of our lectors can read well, but how many of them know what they are reading or have interiorized the Word of God?  Proclamation of the Word is more than just reading well and eloquently, but to be convicted by the Word of God and to proclaim from their hearts and not just with their lips only.

Today, it is appropriate that the Church celebrates the Word of God Sunday.  This Sunday was instituted by Pope Francis so that Christians may recover their contact with the Word of God and see the “great value that the Word of God has in its daily existence.”  It is also unfortunate that most of our Catholics listen to the Word of God exclusively only when they attend Mass on Sundays.  If they own any bibles, they are for display on the bookshelf.   The Word of God Sunday is intended to help our Catholics to appreciate the importance and relevance of the Word of God in their lives.  Pope Francis wrote, “It would be opportune that every community, in a Sunday of the Liturgical Year, be able to renew the commitment for the diffusion, knowledge and further reflection on Sacred Scripture: a Sunday dedicated entirely to the Word of God, to understand the inexhaustible richness, which stems from that constant dialogue of God with His people…”  (Aperuit Illis) We must make the Word of God known and loved.

Indeed, the Word of God Sunday is more than just restoring a love for the Word of God; it is necessary for the work of the New Evangelization.  Without a deep love and understanding of the Word of God, the scriptures and a personal encounter with the Lord in contemplation and prayer, our testimony to the Lord would be weak and even false at times because we would end up teaching our opinions and our viewpoints and not the Lord’s.  Let us pray that through this celebration of the Word of God Sunday, there will be a renewed love for the Word, study and sharing of the Word of God in faith among Christian communities.

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

 

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