03-12-2012, 10:11 PM
Scripture Reflections
11 March, 2012, 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B
ENCOUNTERING GOD AND HIS LOVE IN THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST
SCRIPTURE READINGS: EX 20:1-17; 1 COR 1:22-25; JN 2:13-25
Where do we encounter God today? Today, the liturgy speaks of encountering God through the daily events in our lives, especially in our relationship with our fellowmen. This is certainly important today because in the light of secularization and materialism, many people are feeling the absence of God in daily life, which leads them to live a life not only without a belief in God but a life without morals and ethics as well.
In the first reading, the command to observe of the Ten Commandments is to remind us that God is found in daily living. The Commandments given by God through Moses are of course helpful guidelines to build our relationship with God and with our neighbours. However, observance of these commandments alone cannot help us to encounter God when these are observed in a legalistic manner. It does not help us to become more loving people. Instead, we can either become self-righteous and proud if we are able to fulfil the laws, thinking that we deserve special treatment from God; or disheartened if we break the laws, leading to self-condemnation. At any rate, just following the Ten Commandments, which incidentally are negative in propositions, would only lead to a minimalist behaviour where we are more concerned with what we should not do than what we should do. Not having done anything wrong does not mean that we have done anything good. Thus, a legalistic consideration of these commandments can lead to complacency and sin of omission, which can at times be even more harmful than the sin of commission. Furthermore, a law-based Christianity will ultimately make us hate God, since we have to earn His love or else He will punish us. We feel that God is our policeman and therefore to be truly free, we must be emancipated from Him.
If God is not found in the mere observance of the Laws, then where is God to be found? Perhaps, God is found in the Temple and at worship. That is what most people think, and they are not wrong. The Temple for the Jews was the place where they could meet God. In the Old Testament, God dwelt in the Temple at Jerusalem, especially in the Ark of the Covenant kept in the Holy of Holies. It was the place where worshippers expressed their devotion to God by offering sacrifices. It was here that they experienced the grace, mercy and love of God and were assured of their prayers being heard.
Unfortunately, during the time of Christ and even before Him, the Temple was no longer a place to encounter God. Because in the Temple, the priests were making a good profit out of their worshippers by charging exorbitant fees for the animals they sold for sacrifices in the temple, or short-changing their secular money for the temple money. Indeed, it became a place where people, especially the poor, were cheated of their money. Furthermore, we know that the Temple was divided into a few courts, beginning with the most inner court, the Holy of Holies, then the court of the priests, then the Israelites, then the women and finally the Gentiles, which was the outermost court. It was simply impossible to have any real contact with God at the outer court as it was a market place. At any rate, religion became reduced to mere offering of sacrifices without any relationship with God or with their fellowmen since there was no justice in the way they lived their lives.
If God is not found in the Temple, where else can we find Him? Perhaps in miracles and blessings! Today, there are Christians that preach a prosperity gospel. They seek miracles, just like the Jews in today’s second reading, or knowledge, which is power, like the Greeks. They say that if you become a Christian, God will give you all the material blessings in this life. For example, if you give money to the Church, you will be given tenfold back in return. If you pray for a physical or psychological healing or whatever sickness, you will definitely recover. Miracles will happen. There is no need to see a doctor. Just have faith. And if your prayers are not granted, it is because you have no faith. So, come to Jesus and there will be no more sufferings, you will have prosperity, wealth, power and health.
But this kind of prosperity gospel is so unlike Jesus in the gospel. AsSt Paul says, we preach the crucified Christ. Last Sunday Mark wrote that upon coming down from the Mountain, Jesus prophesied about His imminent passion and death. Indeed, Jesus never sought publicity and sensation in His work and miracles. He healed the poor and the sick simply out of compassion and love and not to put up a spectacular show to impress people. It had nothing to do with a show of power. Notably, St John mentions that, “during his stay in Jerusalem for the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he gave, but Jesus knew them all and did not trust himself to them.” Clearly, Jesus did not want to win us over by power and might but only by love. For this reason, Jesus carried our infirmities upon Himself. He endured sufferings for and with us. He never promised us that if we follow Him, there will be no more sufferings. On the contrary, He says that whoever wishes to follow Him must pick up his cross and follow after Him.
So, if God is not found in the observance of the Commandments or in the Temple or in material blessings, then where can we find God? He is found in Jesus the Crucified and Risen Christ who is the presence of God in person. This is the privileged place of our encounter with God. This is the central message of today’s liturgy. St Paul urges us to contemplate on the face of the Crucified Christ. For in the Crucified Christ, we see the “power and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” St John says He is the New Temple of God in His resurrection.
How is the power and wisdom of God shown in the crucified Christ? Precisely, when we contemplate on Christ Jesus crucified, we will understand the depth of God’s love and mercy for us. Christ did not die for us because we are saints and law abiding people, but He died for us weaklings and sinners. In His death on the cross, He shows us that real power is love, not the power of the world. Such is the incomprehensible wisdom of God. For in His weakness and death, Jesus reveals the power of God which is the power of love. Only those capable of making themselves vulnerable are able to love and feel with others. The paradox of life is that those who are truly strong are those who can accept weaknesses in life. Those who cannot accept failures are those who are truly weak.
And so, as we enter into the Third Sunday of Lent, the liturgy invites us to recognize that Jesus is the New Law, the New Moses replacing the Old Law. As the new law, it fulfills all the Old Testament laws, for in the final analysis, there is only one law, which is the law of love. He is the New Temple replacing the Old Temple. He is the embodiment of God’s unconditional mercy and love. This is what St John wants to teach us. In Jesus, who is the New Temple of God, we encounter God in Him. And because He is the new Temple of God, the Church becomes the embodiment of His presence. As the crucified and resurrected Christ, He lives in the Church, not simply as a building, but in His body, the new people of God. Thus, we see Jesus truly as the Wisdom and Power of God in human lowliness, especially in human sufferings and vulnerable love.
So what is needed? Simply faith! Faith in Jesus as the revelation of God’s love and mercy! We must surrender in faith. Twice in today’s gospel, we read, “when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said” and “during his stay inJerusalem for the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he gave.” This is what is asked of us at Lent. Truly, we experience the power and mercy of God not so much through rituals and observances of commandments but through a personal encounter with the crucified and risen Lord. Yes, this is what we are called to do so that we can truly encounter God, not only in the Transfiguration but in the crucified Christ. It is in and through our sufferings with Christ that we will encounter Him.
Certainly, the Lord in His mercy also graces us with a strong experience of Him similar to the Transfiguration experience, but such experiences are brief. At any rate, it is given in order to prepare us to meet the harsh trials of life, especially in our sufferings. Indeed, Pope Benedict said that no one lives “on Tabor” while on earth. That is why we have to walk by faith, not by sight; through sufferings, by carrying our cross with Jesus to find eternal life. It is our confidence in Christ Jesus, crucified and risen, and through our contemplation of Him that will give us the strength to love and overcome all trials and to find Him in our daily lives, especially in times of suffering as we struggle against sins, temptations and our human frailties. For by suffering and dying with Jesus, we share in the New Life of the Resurrection.
Written by Rev. Fr. William Goh
Spiritual Director, Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)
© All Rights Reserved
11 March, 2012, 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B
ENCOUNTERING GOD AND HIS LOVE IN THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST
SCRIPTURE READINGS: EX 20:1-17; 1 COR 1:22-25; JN 2:13-25
Where do we encounter God today? Today, the liturgy speaks of encountering God through the daily events in our lives, especially in our relationship with our fellowmen. This is certainly important today because in the light of secularization and materialism, many people are feeling the absence of God in daily life, which leads them to live a life not only without a belief in God but a life without morals and ethics as well.
In the first reading, the command to observe of the Ten Commandments is to remind us that God is found in daily living. The Commandments given by God through Moses are of course helpful guidelines to build our relationship with God and with our neighbours. However, observance of these commandments alone cannot help us to encounter God when these are observed in a legalistic manner. It does not help us to become more loving people. Instead, we can either become self-righteous and proud if we are able to fulfil the laws, thinking that we deserve special treatment from God; or disheartened if we break the laws, leading to self-condemnation. At any rate, just following the Ten Commandments, which incidentally are negative in propositions, would only lead to a minimalist behaviour where we are more concerned with what we should not do than what we should do. Not having done anything wrong does not mean that we have done anything good. Thus, a legalistic consideration of these commandments can lead to complacency and sin of omission, which can at times be even more harmful than the sin of commission. Furthermore, a law-based Christianity will ultimately make us hate God, since we have to earn His love or else He will punish us. We feel that God is our policeman and therefore to be truly free, we must be emancipated from Him.
If God is not found in the mere observance of the Laws, then where is God to be found? Perhaps, God is found in the Temple and at worship. That is what most people think, and they are not wrong. The Temple for the Jews was the place where they could meet God. In the Old Testament, God dwelt in the Temple at Jerusalem, especially in the Ark of the Covenant kept in the Holy of Holies. It was the place where worshippers expressed their devotion to God by offering sacrifices. It was here that they experienced the grace, mercy and love of God and were assured of their prayers being heard.
Unfortunately, during the time of Christ and even before Him, the Temple was no longer a place to encounter God. Because in the Temple, the priests were making a good profit out of their worshippers by charging exorbitant fees for the animals they sold for sacrifices in the temple, or short-changing their secular money for the temple money. Indeed, it became a place where people, especially the poor, were cheated of their money. Furthermore, we know that the Temple was divided into a few courts, beginning with the most inner court, the Holy of Holies, then the court of the priests, then the Israelites, then the women and finally the Gentiles, which was the outermost court. It was simply impossible to have any real contact with God at the outer court as it was a market place. At any rate, religion became reduced to mere offering of sacrifices without any relationship with God or with their fellowmen since there was no justice in the way they lived their lives.
If God is not found in the Temple, where else can we find Him? Perhaps in miracles and blessings! Today, there are Christians that preach a prosperity gospel. They seek miracles, just like the Jews in today’s second reading, or knowledge, which is power, like the Greeks. They say that if you become a Christian, God will give you all the material blessings in this life. For example, if you give money to the Church, you will be given tenfold back in return. If you pray for a physical or psychological healing or whatever sickness, you will definitely recover. Miracles will happen. There is no need to see a doctor. Just have faith. And if your prayers are not granted, it is because you have no faith. So, come to Jesus and there will be no more sufferings, you will have prosperity, wealth, power and health.
But this kind of prosperity gospel is so unlike Jesus in the gospel. AsSt Paul says, we preach the crucified Christ. Last Sunday Mark wrote that upon coming down from the Mountain, Jesus prophesied about His imminent passion and death. Indeed, Jesus never sought publicity and sensation in His work and miracles. He healed the poor and the sick simply out of compassion and love and not to put up a spectacular show to impress people. It had nothing to do with a show of power. Notably, St John mentions that, “during his stay in Jerusalem for the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he gave, but Jesus knew them all and did not trust himself to them.” Clearly, Jesus did not want to win us over by power and might but only by love. For this reason, Jesus carried our infirmities upon Himself. He endured sufferings for and with us. He never promised us that if we follow Him, there will be no more sufferings. On the contrary, He says that whoever wishes to follow Him must pick up his cross and follow after Him.
So, if God is not found in the observance of the Commandments or in the Temple or in material blessings, then where can we find God? He is found in Jesus the Crucified and Risen Christ who is the presence of God in person. This is the privileged place of our encounter with God. This is the central message of today’s liturgy. St Paul urges us to contemplate on the face of the Crucified Christ. For in the Crucified Christ, we see the “power and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” St John says He is the New Temple of God in His resurrection.
How is the power and wisdom of God shown in the crucified Christ? Precisely, when we contemplate on Christ Jesus crucified, we will understand the depth of God’s love and mercy for us. Christ did not die for us because we are saints and law abiding people, but He died for us weaklings and sinners. In His death on the cross, He shows us that real power is love, not the power of the world. Such is the incomprehensible wisdom of God. For in His weakness and death, Jesus reveals the power of God which is the power of love. Only those capable of making themselves vulnerable are able to love and feel with others. The paradox of life is that those who are truly strong are those who can accept weaknesses in life. Those who cannot accept failures are those who are truly weak.
And so, as we enter into the Third Sunday of Lent, the liturgy invites us to recognize that Jesus is the New Law, the New Moses replacing the Old Law. As the new law, it fulfills all the Old Testament laws, for in the final analysis, there is only one law, which is the law of love. He is the New Temple replacing the Old Temple. He is the embodiment of God’s unconditional mercy and love. This is what St John wants to teach us. In Jesus, who is the New Temple of God, we encounter God in Him. And because He is the new Temple of God, the Church becomes the embodiment of His presence. As the crucified and resurrected Christ, He lives in the Church, not simply as a building, but in His body, the new people of God. Thus, we see Jesus truly as the Wisdom and Power of God in human lowliness, especially in human sufferings and vulnerable love.
So what is needed? Simply faith! Faith in Jesus as the revelation of God’s love and mercy! We must surrender in faith. Twice in today’s gospel, we read, “when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said” and “during his stay inJerusalem for the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he gave.” This is what is asked of us at Lent. Truly, we experience the power and mercy of God not so much through rituals and observances of commandments but through a personal encounter with the crucified and risen Lord. Yes, this is what we are called to do so that we can truly encounter God, not only in the Transfiguration but in the crucified Christ. It is in and through our sufferings with Christ that we will encounter Him.
Certainly, the Lord in His mercy also graces us with a strong experience of Him similar to the Transfiguration experience, but such experiences are brief. At any rate, it is given in order to prepare us to meet the harsh trials of life, especially in our sufferings. Indeed, Pope Benedict said that no one lives “on Tabor” while on earth. That is why we have to walk by faith, not by sight; through sufferings, by carrying our cross with Jesus to find eternal life. It is our confidence in Christ Jesus, crucified and risen, and through our contemplation of Him that will give us the strength to love and overcome all trials and to find Him in our daily lives, especially in times of suffering as we struggle against sins, temptations and our human frailties. For by suffering and dying with Jesus, we share in the New Life of the Resurrection.
Written by Rev. Fr. William Goh
Spiritual Director, Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)
© All Rights Reserved