Gospel Reflection 2020/2021

What is hope?

Like ‘love’, ‘hope’ is a loosely-used word. In a disturbed, distressed, depressed and divided world, ‘hope’ is nothing more than an emotional feeling, a psychological condition or a superstitious belief.

However, for us Christian, hope is bigger and greater than that. Our Christian hope is not to be reduced to a superficial feeling or flimsy desire for something to happen. It must never be confused with just having a positive attitude or being optimistic. Neither is it built on human words nor assurances.

Our Christian hope is our total reliance on God’s Word and His promise of salvation and eternal life. For St Paul, hope is a person, it is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself [1 Tm 1: 1]. We dare to hope because of Jesus Christ.

On this 13^th Sunday in the Ordinary Time, the Gospel reading shares two ‘hopeless’ cases:

(1) A woman who suffered hemorrhage for 12 long years.

The woman must have gone around seeking medical treatments and alternative solutions. She must have tried every possible means and ways; yet she had been disappointed time and again – her health condition did not improve. It must have taken a toll on her – affecting her life and her livelihood – even her emotional, psychological and social well-being was at stake. She trusted and she hoped in Jesus – through her faith in Jesus, she was restored to health.

(2) Jairus’ little daughter who died of severe sickness.

Jairus’ little daughter was severely ill. He went to beg with Jesus, hoping that Jesus would come and heal his daughter. Like every parent, Jairus would be more than willing to die for his own daughter. But before Jesus could reach the house, the daughter had already died. The stinging words of the crowd “Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?” would crush the toughest spirit of a parent. For Jairus, his heart sank, and all his hope dashed. In the midst of ‘total hopelessness’, Jesus assured Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only have faith.” Hope sprang alive when Jesus raised the girl to life.

The First Reading [cf. Ws 1-13-15, 2: 23-24] reminds us that death is not God’s doing, He does not rejoice in the destruction and extinction of the living. God has infused health (not poison) in all creation… It is the devil and our collusion with the devil that has opened the floodgate of death...

Death may be an unfathomable mystery and an inevitable reality. Yet, death is not to be feared! Death is not ‘the End’ or the ‘Ultimate Hopelessness’ because death does not have the final say! Our Lord Jesus has conquered sin, death and the devil once and for all!

It is said that life is ABCD: life is A journey from Birth to Death. And between Birth and Death are Choices. Our life is a matter of choices: make the right choices and our life cannot go far wrong.

But for us Christians, our life should be ABCDE: in All things, we must always choose Christ, Christ must be at the centre of of our life. To choose Christ is to choose life – Jesus is our navigator through the deaths and decays around us. With Christ, we can live to the full our earthly life from Birth to Death; and our Christian life does not end in Death for beyond death, we have Eternal Life in Christ.

Last Sunday, Jesus revealed Himself as the Master of the wind and the sea [Mk 4: 35-41]. This Sunday, Jesus reveals Himself as the Lord of life and death. He who has Christ has life because “God has given us eternal life, and this life is His Son. Whoever has the Son has life.” [1 Jn 5: 11-12] Yes, Jesus Christ is our hope and our life. Putting all our hope in Jesus, let us always live hope and give hope.

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ, increase my faith and strengthen my hope in You.”