Gospel Reflection 2021/2022

Time flies.

Nature teaches us much on times and seasons. When we see the changing colours in nature, when we feel the changing temperature and humidity, when we observe the changing of light and darkness, we know that the season is changing and the time is slipping by. Our mood is somehow changed or affected. And we are reminded of our human frailty and the transient of this passing world.

Immersing ourselves in the Liturgical Calendar of the Catholic Church, we could feel the passing of time even more. With or without us realising it, we are already entering the 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – we are only 8 Sundays away to the Season of Advent – Christ has come and Christ will come again! Even the Gospel readings these Sundays are already preparing us for the end which is nearer to us than we think.

We will be dismissed.

In the Gospel reading this Sunday, the Master called the steward [Lk 16: 2], “Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.”

As Christians, we are reminded that we are not masters of the universe, but rather, we are mere stewards of God’s creation:

• • The world that we live in – the air, water, light, land, seas, the flora and fauna, the natural beauty and all its resources, the very planet and the physical conditions that enable life and sustain life – they are nothing but gifts from God.

• • Our prized possession, our greatest human achievement, our fullest potential, our health and wealth, our family and friends, and valued relationships – they are nothing but grace from God.

• • Our body, our mind, our soul, our intellect, our will, our wisdom and our strength – they are nothing but God’s blessings to us. Even our life, our every breath and our very existence – they are nothing but willed by God.

• • Whatever we have, whoever we are, whatever we will be – all belong to God alone and we depend on His Divine Providence.

• • We are fragile beings: nothing is within our total grasp, nothing is within our complete control, nothing is within our full comprehension. We have nothing to call our own. By our own effort, we _‘cannot add a single hour to our span of life’_ [cf. Mt 6: 27]; neither can we save our own souls.

At the end of our lives, we will be dismissed from our earthly stewardship. It is then we are expected to return everything to God and give a full account of our stewardship to our Lord and Master.

Every disciple must be fruitful in the Lord. WHAT FRUITS ARE WE BEARING? DO WE BEAR THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.) [Ga 5: 22-23] Be warned for Jesus has told us [Lk 12: 48], “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”

Naked I came; naked shall I return. [cf. Jb 1: 21]

In the past, from the Egyptian pharaohs to the Chinese emperors, they were buried with their treasures, possessions, armies or even their wives and concubines… so that they may continue to reign in the afterlife.

Even today, many still burn paper money and other paper effigies such as houses, cars and clothes to the dead so that the dead may enjoy a prosperous afterlife.

However, this is not the case for us Christians. When the Lord dismisses us at the end of our lives, all of us will return to the Lord ‘naked’. With all our earthly possessions, we cannot buy salvation or secure a happy afterlife; salvation is in God alone.

Jesus has clearly taught us [Lk 16: 12], “No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.”

It is timely for us to reflect and examine ourselves: WHOM DO WE REALLY WORSHIP? WHOM DO WE REALLY SERVE?

Prepare to die. Hope to die.

Someone told me that: the life of a Christian is to prepare to die. Indeed, our faith always reminds us that we are only pilgrims on a journey: ‘our world as we know it is passing away’ [1 Co 7:31], and we do not live here forever. It is also said in a very crude and morbid way that, “the unstoppable marching of time is slowly guiding us all towards an inevitable death.”

‘Prepare to die’ reminds us that we do not live forever. We are mere pilgrim on this journey of life, and we are only stewards – not masters – of this passing world. We are to return to the Lord ‘naked’ and to give Him a full account of our stewardship.

‘Hope to die’ reminds us of that death is not our final destination. Rather, our physical death is the gateway to eternal life in Christ – the final glory of our resurrection – if and only if we live our earthly lives in Christ as good and faithful stewards.

St Ignatius of Loyola: for the greater glory of God!

St Ignatius in the Principle and Foundation of his Spiritual Exercises advises us that all the created things in this world are not an end in itself, but they are a means to an end (God), and we should use the created things wisely, astutely and indifferently to reach the end (God).

“Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.

And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created.

From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it… desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created.”

Imitating St Ignatius of Loyola, may we be good and faithful stewards – use all the created things wisely, astutely and indifferently for God’s greater glory – and prepare ourselves to give a full account of our stewardship when the Lord finally summons us.

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ, I want to love You and serve You above all things: help me be Your good and faithful steward.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.