[stephenkhoo]

Scripture Reflections
Saturday, 31 March, 2012, 5th Week of Lent
SACRIFICING ONESELF FOR A GREATER CAUSE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: EZEKIEL 37:21-28; JOHN 11:45-56

We are a divided people. We are divided not only in society but also at home. At the root of it all is that we are alienated from God. We are like the Israelites in today’s first reading. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had been destroyed by the Assyrians because of the people’s infidelity to Yahweh. The Southern Kingdom of Judah had just fallen into the hands of the Babylonians and many were exiled to Babylon. It was the hope of the Israelites that one day they would be restored to their former glory under King David, when Israel was one Kingdom and were great and glorious. Like them, we too are lost and divided. Deep in our hearts, we wish for reconciliation, not only with God but with our loved ones. Even if we are estranged from our spouse, parents, children or siblings, deep in our hearts, we do miss them and wish it were otherwise. We wish we could make up with our friends.

So how can such reconciliation take place? Who can be the agent of reconciliation if not Christ alone? This is what the High Priest, Caiaphas prophesied in today’s gospel, “You don’t seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” The evangelist commented, saying, “He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God.” Jesus indeed is our reconciler. St Paul in his letter to the Colossians wrote, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col 1:19f) And in his letter to the Ephesians, St Paul reiterated, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” (Eph 2:14-16)

Jesus, as the scripture readings affirm, is our Good Shepherd. He is the one who will lead us from the worship of idolatry to the true worship of God. He is the one who will rid us of our filthy practices and our sins. Indeed, Jesus is the fulfillment of what the prophet said, “I shall rescue them from all the betrayals they have been guilty of; I shall cleanse them; they shall be my people and I will be their God. My servant David will reign over them, one shepherd for all; they will follow my observances, respect my laws and practise them.”

However, the price of reconciling humanity into one with each other and with God cost the life of Jesus. His death was necessary to bring about the forgiveness of sins and the conversion of heart as man sees the suffering love of God. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:5f) To bring about reconciliation demands the blood of Jesus. Hence, we must never take the suffering and death of our Lord lightly as it grieves not only the heart of Jesus but most of all, the heart of the Father, to see His only Son receiving the rejection of men in spite of His sacrificial love for them.

Today, the Church is called to be the Sacrament of unity and love. Vatican II in the “Constitution of the Church in the Modern world” teaches that “the Church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race.” (Lumen Gentium No. 1) This is reiterated in article 9, “So it is that that messianic people, although it does not actually include all men, and at times may look like a small flock, is nonetheless a lasting and sure seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race. Established by Christ as a communion of life, charity and truth, it is also used by Him as an instrument for the redemption of all, and is sent forth into the whole world as the light of the world and the salt of the earth … God gathered together as one all those who in faith look upon Jesus as the author of salvation and the source of unity and peace, and established them as the Church that for each and all it may be the visible sacrament of this saving unity.” So, as Church, we are called to be peace makers and reconcilers of the whole of the human race. St Paul was conscious of his role when he wrote, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:18) We too must be ready to reach out to people who are divided from us. We must be ready like the Good Shepherd to look out for lost sheep, those who have left the Church, those who are wounded by the Church, those brothers and sisters of ours who are estranged from us. Like Jesus, we are called to be the Good Shepherd and lead all men back to Him.

Wherever we are, whether at home, at work, or in the Church, we are to become agents of reconciliation. Whether we are parents, spouse, children, employers, bosses or workers, we must be peacemakers. Making this world a more loving and united place to live in is the whole message of the gospel. As St Francis in that beautiful song says, “Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring your love. Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord. And where there’s doubt, true faith in you. Oh, Master grant that I may never seek, so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light. And where there’s sadness, ever joy. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving to all men that we receive. And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.”

However, like Jesus, becoming an ambassador of Christ’s reconciling work involves a heavy price to pay. The prayer of peace is easier said than done. How many of us are ready to be the sacrificial lamb, to suffer unjustly, be taken advantage of and for granted, to be ridiculed and misunderstood? In a nutshell, how many of us are ready to be the sacrificial lamb to die so that others might live? Which one of us would dare to speak the truth and for justice, especially when we see discrimination, wrong-doings and injustice committed in our offices at the price of losing our job or losing favor with our bosses? Which one of us would dare to speak to our parents on behalf of our siblings, relatives etc without fearing that we might lose our standing before our loved ones?

Indeed, to die for the sake of the nation, as what Jesus did, is not an easy decision. It is not easy for one to give up his or her family to become a priest or a religious so that he or she could solely be given to the people of God for service. It is not easy for a priest to keep on giving and giving without receiving anything in return, especially to be taken for granted day in and day out, 24 hrs a day. It is not easy for a mother to keep on giving and giving to the children and the spouse and the family without having any appreciation. It is not easy for anyone to give himself to voluntary service whether in Church or non-governmental organization without appreciation and recognition. What is most disheartening is not just the giving, but the total lack of appreciation and of being misunderstood for our good intentions.

So how can we continue to give and give and die to self so that others might be able to live? How can we continue to be selfless, forgiving and generous to those who are constantly cheating us, betraying us, and making use of us? How can we continue to be patient with those who are unreasonable and making demands on us? We must turn to the Lord our Good Shepherd to strengthen us. We are called to meditate as we draw closer to the passion of our Lord on His fidelity to the Father and His self-emptying unto death. Let us deepen our meditation on the Lord’s passion to find inspiration and strength to remain devoted to the people of God. Only when we are inspired by His love for us, can we do the same. As St Paul wrote, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Cor 5:14f)

Finally, like the psalmist we must trust in God our Good Shepherd to vindicate us. “The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock. The Lord shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings: The grain, the wine, and the oil, the sheep and the oxen. Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.” Indeed, only the Lord can rescue us from our foes and give us the strength to persevere till the end.”