A VIBRANT, EVANGELIZING AND MISSIONARY CHURCH

20210428 A VIBRANT, EVANGELIZING AND MISSIONARY CHURCH

 

 

28 April, 2021, Wednesday, 4th Week of Easter

First reading

Acts 12:24-13:5 ©

'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart'

The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them.

  In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

  So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 66(67):2-3,5-6,8 ©

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

O God, be gracious and bless us

  and let your face shed its light upon us.

So will your ways be known upon earth

  and all nations learn your saving help.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Let the nations be glad and exult

  for you rule the world with justice.

With fairness you rule the peoples,

  you guide the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

  let all the peoples praise you.

May God still give us his blessing

  till the ends of the earth revere him.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.

or

Alleluia!

---

Gospel Acclamation

Jn20:29

Alleluia, alleluia!

‘You believe, Thomas, because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.

Alleluia!

Or:

Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

John 12:44-50 ©

I, the light, have come into the world

Jesus declared publicly:

‘Whoever believes in me

believes not in me

but in the one who sent me,

and whoever sees me,

sees the one who sent me.

I, the light, have come into the world,

so that whoever believes in me

need not stay in the dark any more.

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully,

it is not I who shall condemn him,

since I have come not to condemn the world,

but to save the world.

He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already:

the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.

For what I have spoken does not come from myself;

no, what I was to say,

what I had to speak,

was commanded by the Father who sent me,

and I know that his commands mean eternal life.

And therefore what the Father has told me

is what I speak.’

 

A VIBRANT, EVANGELIZING AND MISSIONARY CHURCH

---

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Acts 12:24-13:5; Ps 67:2-3,5-6,8; Jn 12:44-50]

Our vision of the local Church is to form ourselves into a vibrant, evangelizing and missionary Church.  The model of a vibrant, evangelizing and missionary Church is that of Antioch in the Acts of the Apostles.  In the first place, evangelization requires us to sow the seeds of faith.   In the previous chapter, we read of the persecution, “some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.”  (Acts 11:20) These men were the first missionaries to Antioch.  And it is significant that they were not the apostles or the leaders of the Church but simply disciples of Christ who went to Antioch and sowed the seeds of faith. (Acts 11:21) The disciples grew in strength and number because of the work of evangelization of these persecuted Christians.

Secondly, for the Church to continue to grow, it was important that they remained in contact with the apostles.  Accordingly, when “news of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.”  (Acts 11:22) The founding of the Church by the disciples of Christ is similar to the founding of the Catholic Church in Korea.  Like the Church in Antioch, it was not started by the apostles, but by the laity.  It was only when the Church began to grow in number that the Catholics began to search for the foundation of their faith.  Only then were priests and religious missionaries brought in to sustain the faith of the people.  It was so for the Church in Antioch.  Having sown the seeds of faith, the apostles dispatched Barnabas a Jew to Antioch to have oversight of the developments.

Thirdly, Barnabas was sent to Antioch not simply to oversee the incipient Church but to help them to nurture and grow in their faith.   This explains why building a vibrant local Church is the key to an evangelizing and missionary Church. Unless our Catholics grow in discipleship, we cannot speak of evangelization or mission as they would not be ignited or filled with the Holy Spirit enough to desire to bring the gospel to others.  Barnabas was not reactive or controlling or judgmental, as many of the new members were Gentiles and Greek-speaking Jews.  Although himself a Jew, he did not allow his Jewish customs to close the gospel to those who were Gentiles.  Instead “he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion.”  (Acts 11:23f)

It was the receptive and collaborative approach of Barnabas and his encouragement that helped the Church to grow.  And this is always true when we have a leader who is an encourager like Barnabas.  When leaders are legalistic, conservative and judgmental, the community loses its vibrancy and dynamism.  This was the case of Judaism.  Indeed, when our parishes are on maintenance mode, when services and worship are undertaken out of mere routine, when there are no new initiatives and desire to grow further, it is a sign of a Church that is dying.  There is always this constant temptation to remain a maintenance Church, not to rock the boat, not to make any changes so that no one is disturbed, not to challenge our people to do more.  Protectionism will cause the Church to degenerate.

Fourthly, it was a Church of discipleship.  St Luke tells us that “Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the Church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”  (Acts 11:25f) The members of the Church were ever ready to understand and grow in their faith.  They were keen to listen to Barnabas and Saul.  They were the teachers of faith. They were keen to learn.  Unless our Catholics make time to study the Word of God, attend courses to deepen their understanding of Church doctrines and sacraments, avail themselves regularly for retreats and prayer, we cannot call ourselves disciples.  To be disciples means to always learn and discover our faith.  Even Barnabas did not feel that he knew everything and, in his humility, he recruited Saul to share the work of teaching and formation.  He too had something to learn from others. We are disciples and teachers always, sheep and shepherd.

Fifthly, mature discipleship is seen in our communion with the universal Church.  When one of the prophets, Agabus who came down from Jerusalem prophesied a severe famine all over the world, especially in Judea, “the disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”  (Acts 11:29f) Indeed, Christians belong to one Church, one body of Christ.  Christians are brothers and sisters in the Lord.  When one part of the body suffers, the entire body suffers as well.  So when they heard of the suffering of their fellow brothers and sisters in Judea, they sent aid to them through Barnabas and Saul. 

In today’s first reading, we read that as a consequence, “the word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them.”  We can see how Barnabas recruited more leaders and teachers to help him to grow the community.  He did not do it by himself but was always ready to find new leaders to help him form the community.   For the Church to grow, we must always be finding new leaders to collaborate with us in the work of formation and evangelization.  We cannot be doing everything ourselves for fear of the loss of power and popularity.  Indeed, Barnabas was only concerned about the spread of the gospel.  He was not interested in being known as a leader.  In fact, by chapter 13 of Acts, instead of “Barnabas and Saul”, Luke would give the leadership to “Paul and Barnabas.”  Barnabas was ready to play the second fiddle when he saw Paul as a more dynamic leader.

The end product of a vibrant Church is a Church that is cosmopolitan.  It encompasses all races.  We are not only Christians but we are Catholic.  The Church is universal.  We are told that “in the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.”  The Church’s leaders in Antioch were not only spiritually gifted with prophets and teachers but they were diverse multiculturally and socio-economically. Yet, they were truly Catholic because they worked together and collaborated for the greater good of gospel, living in communion and unity with each other.

But the cream of such a vibrant Church is a Church that is praying and truly missionary.  “One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” What a wonderful example of being a missionary Church.  They could have kept Barnabas and Paul for themselves to continue to develop the Church further.  But they did not.  They sacrificed their best teachers and leaders for the spread of the gospel.  This spirit of mission certainly is the hallmark of the Antioch Church.  It was in prayer, in union with the Holy Spirit that they could respond generously to the voice of God asking them to send Barnabas and Paul for mission.

We, too, would have the desire to reach out and spread the Good News to all if we have a vibrant faith, connected with the universal Church, a Church that prays and fasts, a Church that nurtures and is being formed all the time, and a Church that reaches out to all regardless of race and culture.  As the Lord says, “I, the light, have come into the world, so that whoever believes in me need not stay in the dark any more.”  Like Jesus, we too must proclaim what we have heard.  “For what I have spoken does not come from myself; no, what I was to say, what I had to speak, was commanded by the Father who sent me, and I know that his commands mean eternal life.  And therefore, what the Father has told me is what I speak.”

---

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

THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THE PROTAGONIST IN EVANGELIZATION

20210427 THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THE PROTAGONIST IN EVANGELIZATION

 

 

27 April, 2021, Tuesday, 4th Week of Easter

First reading

Acts 11:19-26 ©

They started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Lord Jesus

Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.

  The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.

  Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 86(87) ©

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

On the holy mountain is his city

  cherished by the Lord.

The Lord prefers the gates of Zion

  to all Jacob’s dwellings.

Of you are told glorious things,

  O city of God!

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

‘Babylon and Egypt I will count

  among those who know me;

Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,

  these will be her children

and Zion shall be called “Mother”

  for all shall be her children.’

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

It is he, the Lord Most High,

  who gives each his place.

In his register of peoples he writes:

  ‘These are her children,’

and while they dance they will sing:

  ‘In you all find their home.’

O praise the Lord, all you nations!

or

Alleluia!

---

Gospel Acclamation

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 

says the Lord, 

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

John 10:22-30 ©

The Father and I are one

It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied:

‘I have told you, but you do not believe.

The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;

but you do not believe,

because you are no sheep of mine.

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;

I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life;

they will never be lost

and no one will ever steal them from me.

The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,

and no one can steal from the Father.

The Father and I are one.’

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THE PROTAGONIST IN EVANGELIZATION

---

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1-7; John 10:22-30 ]

We are all called to the work of evangelization.  We know that bringing Jesus to people who do not know Him or knew Him but have given up on Him is a very difficult task.  We face lots of opposition or indifference.  Like Jesus in the gospel, the people too were rather skeptical of Him.  We can appreciate the reservations of the Jews about Jesus for He was like any ordinary man.  For them to believe that Jesus is God or the personal representative of God would be too much for them to accept.  This was because Jesus was claiming to be one with the Father.  They kept asking questions instead of believing.   “The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied: ‘I have told you, but you do not believe.  The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness; but you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine.”

What could be the reasons for people not accepting Jesus?  There are many reasons, and these do not always spring from intellectual disagreement.  Some cannot accept Jesus because they cannot understand.  But often, the failure to understand comes from the sin of pride.  We want everything to satisfy our mind.  In this sense, no one in this world can agree about anything even when facts are given because, we have differing interpretations.

So when it comes to faith in Jesus, we need receptivity and openness.   The Jews were asking questions not to clarify their doubts but to find reasons to reject Him.  There are those people who right from the start have no intention to believe in Jesus.  They are just finding reasons to reject Him, and not to try and understand Him.  They do not approach the Lord with an open mind but with a prejudiced and closed mind.  For such people, no matter what we say, they are not going to be convinced because they have already decided against Jesus.  All discussions are just to find reasons to object whatever grounds that are put forward to justify claims about Jesus.  It is like in a debating team, where the opposing or the proposing team members by hook or crook try to justify their positions, rather than to find common ground.

Besides pride, sin is the other major obstacle in coming to faith in Jesus.  Whilst the most serious sin is pride, the other capital sins of envy, anger, greed, lust, sloth and gluttony also hinder a person from coming to faith in Jesus.  Because of anger and envy, their hurts and wounds prevent them from wanting to come to God because they cannot let go.  Their pain and anger hinder them from seeing life from the perspective of God.  Often, they are angry with God and blame Him for their woes and misery.  Others, because they are tempted by the world – for power, wealth and status. Having made these their gods, they have no place for the Lord in their lives since worldly things and fame are more important.  For others, the sin of lust and gluttony, which are the sins of the flesh, make them unable to reconcile with the moral teachings of the Church, or be disposed to the spiritual life.  They want to continue with their sinful way of life that is in contradiction with the gospel.  Since the teachings of the Lord do not agree with them and cause them guilt, the only way is to leave the faith and allow their ego and selfish needs to determine how they want to live their life.

Because there are so many obstacles in coming to know the Lord, we should not be surprised that some are not able to hear the voice of God.  Hence, some are worried whether their loved ones will turn to the Lord or whether our children who have strayed from the Lord in their teens will come back to Him.  Like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we seek to bring the lost sheep and those who do not know Him back to the Lord. But at times we feel helpless in reaching out to them.  If we are feeling anxious about the outcome of attempts to bring Jesus to others, then the scripture readings remind us that it is the Lord who in charge.

Indeed, in the first reading we read that the work of evangelization was primarily inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Right from the onset, the apostles were asked to bring the gospel to the ends of the world.  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Jesus also said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  (Mt 28:19f) Although the command was given, proclamation of the Good News was limited to their own fellow Jews.  They were still thinking of limiting the Good News to Jews.

But God had His ways.  He would not wait for the Christian Jews to reach out. He forced them to go beyond Jerusalem to the countryside and to the Greek cities as well.  He used the enemies of the Christian Faith as instruments to make the Christians think out of the box and go beyond their confines.  And so with the persecution of the Christians resulting in the martyrdom of St Stephen, they “travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch.”  Yet they still did not understand that the gospel for was meant for all, including the Gentiles.  As Luke noted, “they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well.”

Truly, we see the hand of God at work in the spread of the gospel.  The Christians were not so much the protagonist but it was the Lord in the Holy Spirit.  It was the Holy Spirit that showed the Christians where to evangelize.  It would be the Holy Spirit that led St Paul and Barnabas to embark on missionary trips.  We read, “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’  Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”  (Acts 13:2f) In the second missionary journey we read how the Holy Spirit directed them in their trip.  “They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.  When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.  During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’  When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.”  (Acts 16:6-10)

Furthermore, we read that their success was not due to their efforts but through divine assistance.  “The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.”  Indeed, it was the grace of God and not so much their work.  They made it clear that the work of evangelization was not about what they did but how they allowed God’s grace to work in and through them.  They were like good sheep who listened to the voice of the Shepherd.  The words of the Lord could be applied to them, “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me. The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father.  The Father and I are one.”  Indeed, we read that “the church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace.”

As shepherds, we need to inspire people in faith as well.  Although it is God who works, yet, without good shepherds, people will have no access to the Good News.   The people were certainly inspired by Barnabas.  “He urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.”  It was Barnabas’ passion and faith that also gave impetus for the people to grow in faith.  With Paul’s collaboration, they “were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people” helping them in their faith.

---

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

 

REACHING OUT TO GOD-SEEKERS

20210426 REACHING OUT TO GOD-SEEKERS

 

 

26 April, 2021, Monday, 4th Week of Easter

First reading

Acts 11:1-18 ©

God can grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life

The apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that the pagans too had accepted the word of God, and when Peter came up to Jerusalem the Jews criticised him and said, ‘So you have been visiting the uncircumcised and eating with them, have you?’ Peter in reply gave them the details point by point: ‘One day, when I was in the town of Jaffa,’ he began ‘I fell into a trance as I was praying and had a vision of something like a big sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners. This sheet reached the ground quite close to me. I watched it intently and saw all sorts of animals and wild beasts – everything possible that could walk, crawl or fly. Then I heard a voice that said to me, “Now, Peter; kill and eat!” But I answered: Certainly not, Lord; nothing profane or unclean has ever crossed my lips. And a second time the voice spoke from heaven, “What God has made clean, you have no right to call profane.” This was repeated three times, before the whole of it was drawn up to heaven again.

  ‘Just at that moment, three men stopped outside the house where we were staying; they had been sent from Caesarea to fetch me, and the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going back with them. The six brothers here came with me as well, and we entered the man’s house. He told us he had seen an angel standing in his house who said, “Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon known as Peter; he has a message for you that will save you and your entire household.”

  ‘I had scarcely begun to speak when the Holy Spirit came down on them in the same way as it came on us at the beginning, and I remembered that the Lord had said, “John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” I realised then that God was giving them the identical thing he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; and who was I to stand in God’s way?’

  This account satisfied them, and they gave glory to God. ‘God’ they said ‘can evidently grant even the pagans the repentance that leads to life.’

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4 ©

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

or

Alleluia!

Like the deer that yearns

  for running streams,

so my soul is yearning

  for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

or

Alleluia!

My soul is thirsting for God,

  the God of my life;

when can I enter and see

  the face of God?

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

or

Alleluia!

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.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

or

Alleluia!

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.

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life.

or

Alleluia!

---

Gospel Acclamation

Jn10:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;

I know my own sheep and my own know me.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel

John 10:1-10 ©

I am the gate of the sheepfold

Jesus said:

  ‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’

  Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.

  So Jesus spoke to them again:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

I am the gate of the sheepfold.

All others who have come

are thieves and brigands;

but the sheep took no notice of them.

I am the gate.

Anyone who enters through me will be safe:

he will go freely in and out

and be sure of finding pasture.

The thief comes

only to steal and kill and destroy.

I have come

so that they may have life and have it to the full.’

 

REACHING OUT TO GOD-SEEKERS

---

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 11:1-18; PS 42:2-3,42:3-4; JOHN 10:1-10]

Just like the Conversion of St Paul, which was narrated three times in the Acts of the Apostles, (Acts 9:1-19; Acts 22:6-21; Acts 26:12-18) so too is the story of Peter and Cornelius. (Acts 10:1.48; 11:1-17; 15:7-11) By so doing, Luke, who was writing for the Gentiles and the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles, considers these two events as critical in opening the Church beyond Judaism to the whole of humanity.  Indeed, the gospel is not just directed at the Jews, nor even to Christians, but to all.  In the gospel further down, the Lord said, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”  (Jn 10:16)

Where are the sheep that do not belong to Him yet?  They are the God-seekers.  Who are the God-seekers?  They are the agnostics, the religious unaffiliated, those already in religions including nominal Catholics.  In world’s statistics, atheists, humanists and agnostics are somewhere between 18% to 22%.  But within this group itself, there are various degrees of faith.  Some are staunchly atheists who disavow all religions.  But this is a minority.  Most of them, even if they do not believe in God, believe in some kind of sacred or supernatural reality which they cannot identify with.  They know that something is missing in their life and that life is more than just enjoying oneself or going for adventures.  Although they do not believe in eternal life, they sense that there is something that lives on beyond death.

Of course, we have many who do not belong to any particular religion, but they have a general sense of faith in some ultimate principle.  They believe in “God” in general and the need to live a moral life according to their conscience.  They are represented in the person of Cornelius who was a God-fearing man. “He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God.”  (Acts 10:2) Indeed, there are many people such as Cornelius who, deep in their hearts, acknowledge God but do not know Him.  For such God-seekers, Vatican II in Lumen Gentium teaches, “Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life.”  (LG 16) Indeed, St Peter concluded, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”  (Acts 10:34f)

But this does not mean that we leave the God-seekers alone.  On the contrary, Lumen Gentium says, “whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.  She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator. Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, ‘Preach the Gospel to every creature’, the Church fosters the missions with care and attention.”  (Ibid) The first reading reminds us that we should not keep the gospel to ourselves but to reach out to those outside our confines.  It was indeed tempting for the early Church to keep Christ just for the Jews alone and with some concessions to the Gentiles.  However, it was because of Peter who prepared the way for Paul, that the gospel could be preached to all Gentiles and be baptized and accepted as Christians without the necessity of adopting Jewish customs and practices.

The gospel makes it clear that Jesus is the Gate to the sheepfold.   “I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold.  All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them.  I am the gate.  Anyone who enters through me will be safe: he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.”  Jesus, we believe, is the One that holds the key to the meaning of the riddles and mystery of life.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  (Jn 14:6) Jesus said, “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (Jn 14:7)

The Father stands for the Ultimate Principle of Life, the Creator and Originator.  In Him, we find ultimate fulfillment.  In Christ, we see the Father because He reveals to us the Father.  (Jn 14:9-12) In the Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, the Council affirms, “The Church firmly believes that Christ, who died and was raised up for all, can through His Spirit offer man the light and the strength to measure up to his supreme destiny. Nor has any other name under the heaven been given to man by which it is fitting for him to be saved. She likewise holds that in her most benign Lord and Master can be found the key, the focal point and the goal of man, as well as of all human history. The Church also maintains that beneath all changes there are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, Who is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.”  (GS 10)

This is why, we must enter the sheepfold by the gate that brings us to fullness of life.  We need to be weary of “thieves and brigands” who claim to lead us to life to the fullest, when their path only brings selfishness and death.  We must ask honestly whether the values of the world are leading us to live life to the fullest on earth and after this life, when we are fulfilled not just physically or materially but affectively and spiritually.  We must be watchful and alert to such false philosophy of life that give us half-truths and mislead us.  Indeed, the gospel is a warning against listening to false shepherds.  In His days, Jesus made reference to the Israelite leaders as denounced by the Prophet Ezekiel in chapter 34 and the hypocritical religious leaders in His days.  These false leaders sought their own interests and personal gains, not the well-being of the people. They used all kinds of methods and tactics, social pressure, publicity, media, entertainment industry and even bought over government and corporate leaders to propagate their ideology.  This is why the Lord urges us, if we are good sheep, then we should take no notice of them, better still, flee from them.

But this calls for discernment to be able to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd.  Jesus is more than just the Gate.  He is our Good Shepherd as well.  In other words, He is not just the Way and the Truth, He is our Life.  He is one whom we are called to have a relationship with.  Jesus did not come just to impart to us some esoteric knowledge of eternal life or to gain spiritual power like some New Age Spirituality.  Jesus came to offer us a personal relationship with Him.  He looks after us and leads us in the right path as our responsorial psalm says. 

What is needed therefore is the docility to be receptive to His voice calling us to eternal life.  Jesus the Good Shepherd is calling us to follow after Him. Jesus said, “The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.”

But listening is not sufficient, we must follow Him.  This is the crux of the matter.  Discipleship is to follow after Jesus in the way we live our life and in our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters.  This demands that we are always attentive to Him in prayer, devoting ourselves to praying and studying the Word of God and modelling our life after Him in the way we see time, money, people, pleasures and the priorities of life.  When we see everything from the perspective of Christ, then life makes sense and we can live joyfully.

---

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