[stephenkhoo]

CHRISTIANITY AT A CROSS ROAD
SCRIPTURE READINGS: JOS 24:1-2, 15-18; PS 33:2-3,16-23; EPH 5:21-32; JN 6:60-69

The world is changing rapidly because of globalization and mass communication.  The world today has become a village.  With greater interaction among cultures, religions and the exchange of ideas and knowledge, we are swamped with so many world views and philosophies of life, so much so that the average person is confused and at a loss as to what is true or right.  Society is no longer homogenous and in a world of secularism and relativism where values are no longer rooted in absolutes but in personal preference, it is extremely difficult to hold society together.

For this reason, making a commitment is difficult, whether in marriage, relationship, religion or politics.  We are paralyzed with so many opinions confronting us, our fundamentals in life have become blurred.  Views are changing so often that we are no longer sure who man is, what is his identity, his origin, his destiny.  We are confused over time memorial values like marriage and the protection of life.  What was unthinkable in the past is now acceptable as there is no basis for anything that could be held in common.  In such a situation, most of us just follow the crowd and adopt a herd mentality.  And those who speak the loudest get heard and quite often because they speak so loudly, the majority begins to believe that that is the truth.  Indeed, the tragedy today is that truth is decided by consensus and by democracy and polling.  Truth is purely subjective and has no objectivity.

Such a secularized climate has also impacted our Catholics.  Although we have more than a billion Catholics in the world, yet how many of us are committed to the Faith?  Although all are baptized in Christ, not all are followers of Christ.  Although all claim to be Catholics, we do not subscribe to Catholic beliefs.  Many of us are nominal Catholics.  In life and in values, we have their own views which are often contrary to the Catholic Faith.  Indeed, many of us are selective Catholics.  We choose what we want to believe and what we like.  Those teachings that we do not agree with, we discard or just ignore.  Indeed, many of us subscribe to divorce, abortion, contraception, euthanasia, same sex union, etc.  St Augustine has this to say to those of us who treat our Catholic Faith in this manner.  “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.”

Today, the scripture readings challenge us all to make a radical decision for our Lord.  This was what Joshua told his people.  “If you will not serve the Lord, choose today whom you wish to serve, whether the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are now living.” In a similar vein, the Lord posed the same challenge to the Twelve, “What about you, do you want to go away too?”  Indeed, we are confronted with a choice, whether to accept God as our Lord, Christ as our Saviour or to choose the false gods and the worship of self.

One thing is certain; there is no question of compromise.  This was always the temptation of the Israelites. Although they said that they belonged to the God of the Covenant and accepted Him as their Lord and God, yet in reality, they also worshipped the gods of the land, the pagan gods of the Amorites.   They wanted the best of both worlds.  It was true in the time of Christ.  They wanted Jesus to be their king because He could perform miracles, heal the sick, cast out demons and provide food for them.  They saw Jesus in terms of their liberator.

What does it mean when we say with Joshua, “As for me and my House, we will serve the Lord.”?  To serve the Lord means that we will put Him as first in everything.  We will act only in accordance to His will.  All that we do will serve to glorify Him and fulfill His divine plan for humanity and creation.  We will put ourselves to His service.  This is what we mean when we say that we will serve the Lord.  It is not an empty word, but we truly consider ourselves as the servants of God.

To serve the Lord means submission in obedience to faith. Indeed, St Paul urges us to render obedience to Christ, and it is this obedience to Christ that determines the relationship between husband and wife.  What is said about marriage must be extended to our submission in obedience to the Church and those appointed by the Lord because they represent and act in the name of Christ.

As servants of God, we must obey all teachings, especially those that are difficult for us to accept.  If the teachings of Christ are so logical, then faith is not needed.  Indeed, the teachings of Christ are in contradiction to the values of the world.  The beatitudes are the reversal of the attitudes of the world.  The message of forgiveness versus revenge, grace over merit, the importance of one lost sheep over many that are saved; the question of indissolubility of marriage, including Jesus’ reiteration in today’s gospel that the bread of life is His flesh given for the world…it was already abominable for the Jews to take blood; not to speak of eating flesh. Understandably, many of the followers of Jesus were scandalized, saying, “This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?”

To accept the teachings of Christ, faith is required.  This faith is faith in Christ as the Son of the Living God.  Without faith, we cannot obey and serve the Lord.  Faith goes beyond reason.  If faith is reduced to reason, then faith is not required.  Hence, Jesus told the people, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” St Peter, on behalf of the Twelve, likewise responded in faith to the challenge of Jesus, “What about you, do you want to go away too?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Faith in Christ’s teaching must extend to faith in the authoritative, authentic and definitive teaching of the Magisterium, the Holy Father and the bishops, who are the successors of the apostles.  One cannot take faith in his or her own hands.  Our faith is the faith of the Church not a subjective and individualistic faith.  No one can determine the objects for belief except those that have been determined and taught by the Magisterium.  Of course, every Catholic must interiorize what the Church teaches subjectively in faith even if we cannot agree intellectually. The surrender of the mind and heart to the authoritative teaching of the Pontiff and the Magisterium presumes faith in Christ who has appointed His successors to preserve the deposit of faith given to the Church through Christ; and which is continually being guided by the Holy Spirit.  We must therefore be in union with the Magisterium and the Holy Father in doctrines and morals.

We cannot be in union with Christ if we are not in union with His Church, which is His body. Indeed, the Body of Christ which we receive in communion is not just Christ Himself but also a reference to the Church as the Body of Christ.   St Paul urges us to be in union with Christ because Christ has died for the Church. Our union with Christ is analogous to Christian marriage between husband and wife.

This requires that we stand up for Christ just as He died for us.  Are we ready as Catholics to uphold our faith confidently even when the world is against us?  Are we willing to suffer for our beliefs and faith like the prophets of old?  Or do we as Catholics allow ourselves to be so secularized that we lose our identity and our values, making us no different from the rest of the world?  We must die for Christ and His Church even in times of difficulties.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore
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