05-18-2014, 05:00 PM
MISSION FLOWS FROM OUR PROFOUND UNITY WITH THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 13:44-52; JN 14:7-14
http://www.universalis.com/20140517mass.htm
The first reading speaks of the apostolic mission to the Jews and the Gentiles. Initially, the message was addressed primarily to the Jews. But its rejection by the Jews became the turning point for its proclamation to the Gentiles. Indeed, this was what Paul and Barnabas said, “We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’”
But what is inspiring is that in the face of opposition and rejection, they did not become discouraged. Instead, they used the obstacle as an opportunity to spread the Good News to the Gentiles. Indeed, we read at the end of the first reading that they “went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” For the apostles were so filled with the zeal to proclaim the Good News that nothing could stifle their enthusiasm.
What about us? The truth is that in the Church, there is politics. Within our ministries, we face opposition from our fellow members when we try to do good – for any number of reasons: jealousy, fear, differences in opinions and approaches to tackling problems and situations, as was the case with Jews in the first reading. As a consequence, some of us become so disheartened that we give up all our ideals and passion for the Church. Indeed, many have given up serving the Church because they became disillusioned with the lack of affirmation and support from their fellow ministry members.
But the truth is that when we give up because of opposition, then it clearly shows that what we are doing is not from God or for the glory of God. Our motives are not pure. We do good works so that people will glorify us and say nice things about us. We do not do them for the glory of the Father or out of love for Him. We cannot say with Jesus “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.” For if the Father is working in and through us, then we will never give up simply because we are not appreciated. So long as the Father is happy with us, we will do everything for Him. So instead of being discouraged in the face of opposition, we must use such occasions to purify our motives and review our strategies.
To remain firm in our commitment to the Lord, we must be clear of our mission so that we know our goal. The origin of this mission must come from the Father. This explains why Philip made the request to Jesus saying, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Indeed, the Father is the origin of life and our goal as well.
Christian mission comes from Christ who Himself was sent by the Father. It was Jesus’ deep union with the Father that was the basis for His mission. Jesus’ authority to proclaim and reveal the Father came from His intimate relationship with Him. It was Jesus’ profound unity with His Father that gave Him the impetus and zeal to proclaim the Good News in and out of season.
Consequently for us, an efficacious mission is dependent on our union with Jesus. Indeed, this is the key to our mission. We are called to lead people to the Father. The Father is our destiny. So our purpose in mission is that people will come to know God as Father and glorify Him in their lives. For by glorifying God and recognizing Him as the source and goal of their lives, they are sanctified.
But how can we truly glorify the Father if not through Jesus? That is why He proclaimed Himself earlier as the Way, the Truth and the Life. We glorify the Father by recognizing Jesus as the Son of the Father. For we will never know who the Father is unless we recognise Jesus as the incarnation and the sacrament of the Father’s love and mercy in His death on the cross. Thus, in the paschal mystery, the Father is revealed.
We also glorify the Father through Jesus by sharing in His paschal mystery, especially when we face rejection in the course of proclaiming the gospel. Just like the apostles who suffered rejection and persecution, we glorify the Father by our confidence in His grace by willingly accepting trials and tribulations in our vocation. We must accept sufferings in our lives and die with Jesus so that we can experience the power of His resurrection through the divine intervention of God in moments of our helplessness. By having to depend and rely on God alone, we know the work we do is not of human origin and strength but comes from God and is of God.
Believing in Jesus makes it possible for Him to work in and through us. We are now called to be docile to His work in us. But we can glorify Jesus only in the power of the Holy Spirit, for Jesus said, “Amen, amen I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.” Indeed, we cannot glorify Jesus without the help of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the early disciples proclaimed the Word of God confidently in the power of the Spirit even in persecution because of their identification with Christ in the Spirit.
As we enter the fifth week of Easter, the Church will focus more and more on the Holy Spirit, as it is only through the Holy Spirit that the mission of the Church can be realized. In truth, Christian mission is Trinitarian in structure. It flows from the Father through Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Let us realize that following this order, in the Spirit, we come to Jesus and through Him we are brought to the Father, our goal and our satisfaction.
WRITTEN BY THE MOST REV WILLIAM GOH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 13:44-52; JN 14:7-14
http://www.universalis.com/20140517mass.htm
The first reading speaks of the apostolic mission to the Jews and the Gentiles. Initially, the message was addressed primarily to the Jews. But its rejection by the Jews became the turning point for its proclamation to the Gentiles. Indeed, this was what Paul and Barnabas said, “We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’”
But what is inspiring is that in the face of opposition and rejection, they did not become discouraged. Instead, they used the obstacle as an opportunity to spread the Good News to the Gentiles. Indeed, we read at the end of the first reading that they “went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” For the apostles were so filled with the zeal to proclaim the Good News that nothing could stifle their enthusiasm.
What about us? The truth is that in the Church, there is politics. Within our ministries, we face opposition from our fellow members when we try to do good – for any number of reasons: jealousy, fear, differences in opinions and approaches to tackling problems and situations, as was the case with Jews in the first reading. As a consequence, some of us become so disheartened that we give up all our ideals and passion for the Church. Indeed, many have given up serving the Church because they became disillusioned with the lack of affirmation and support from their fellow ministry members.
But the truth is that when we give up because of opposition, then it clearly shows that what we are doing is not from God or for the glory of God. Our motives are not pure. We do good works so that people will glorify us and say nice things about us. We do not do them for the glory of the Father or out of love for Him. We cannot say with Jesus “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.” For if the Father is working in and through us, then we will never give up simply because we are not appreciated. So long as the Father is happy with us, we will do everything for Him. So instead of being discouraged in the face of opposition, we must use such occasions to purify our motives and review our strategies.
To remain firm in our commitment to the Lord, we must be clear of our mission so that we know our goal. The origin of this mission must come from the Father. This explains why Philip made the request to Jesus saying, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Indeed, the Father is the origin of life and our goal as well.
Christian mission comes from Christ who Himself was sent by the Father. It was Jesus’ deep union with the Father that was the basis for His mission. Jesus’ authority to proclaim and reveal the Father came from His intimate relationship with Him. It was Jesus’ profound unity with His Father that gave Him the impetus and zeal to proclaim the Good News in and out of season.
Consequently for us, an efficacious mission is dependent on our union with Jesus. Indeed, this is the key to our mission. We are called to lead people to the Father. The Father is our destiny. So our purpose in mission is that people will come to know God as Father and glorify Him in their lives. For by glorifying God and recognizing Him as the source and goal of their lives, they are sanctified.
But how can we truly glorify the Father if not through Jesus? That is why He proclaimed Himself earlier as the Way, the Truth and the Life. We glorify the Father by recognizing Jesus as the Son of the Father. For we will never know who the Father is unless we recognise Jesus as the incarnation and the sacrament of the Father’s love and mercy in His death on the cross. Thus, in the paschal mystery, the Father is revealed.
We also glorify the Father through Jesus by sharing in His paschal mystery, especially when we face rejection in the course of proclaiming the gospel. Just like the apostles who suffered rejection and persecution, we glorify the Father by our confidence in His grace by willingly accepting trials and tribulations in our vocation. We must accept sufferings in our lives and die with Jesus so that we can experience the power of His resurrection through the divine intervention of God in moments of our helplessness. By having to depend and rely on God alone, we know the work we do is not of human origin and strength but comes from God and is of God.
Believing in Jesus makes it possible for Him to work in and through us. We are now called to be docile to His work in us. But we can glorify Jesus only in the power of the Holy Spirit, for Jesus said, “Amen, amen I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.” Indeed, we cannot glorify Jesus without the help of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the early disciples proclaimed the Word of God confidently in the power of the Spirit even in persecution because of their identification with Christ in the Spirit.
As we enter the fifth week of Easter, the Church will focus more and more on the Holy Spirit, as it is only through the Holy Spirit that the mission of the Church can be realized. In truth, Christian mission is Trinitarian in structure. It flows from the Father through Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Let us realize that following this order, in the Spirit, we come to Jesus and through Him we are brought to the Father, our goal and our satisfaction.
WRITTEN BY THE MOST REV WILLIAM GOH