05 May 2024 – 6th Sunday of Easter (Year B)

by Fr Stephen Lim

Being alive is our greatest gift. Do you think so?

But it is also our greatest life-perplexing complex. Isn’t it? Life is good but living it every day is no walk in the park. Strange but true.

Circumstance brings the unexpected and this is where the challenge comes because in spite of the most noble intention and great effort, cannot ensure a satisfactory result. Feeling short changed in life. Because the more I seek happiness, that includes connection with God, the more all eludes me.

So in life, I am not just frustrated that things are different, that nothing is fulfilling so I am disappointed, very angry and very empty. Isn’t it emptying? When I want to be with God, looking for Him, have me ended up so empty, wondering then if life is a gift? Is connection with God so important? If it is, tell me how can seeking connection with God can be so tiring, so disappointing and so emptying?

You know having had enough, even in coming to church, I don’t know whether you ever feel that, I do especially in coming to this Cathedral. Because every time I celebrate Mass, Andrew is behind me. And now we have Fr Fabian and God have mercy, my scripture professor, Fr Francis Anthony. It brings me back to those times in College General, Jalan Kelawai, where I have to sit for all testament. He failed me three times and made me resit five times. So can someone ask him not to let me resit this time? Can you see how anxious living our life fully can be?

And now here comes Jesus. He said: This is my command to you, love one another. Are you happy? I am not. I have two huge impossible difficulties.

Number 1: When Jesus said love one another, He is not telling us to love those who love us. That is not a problem. You don’t need command for that. We all know, isn’t it? When He said love one another, it means those who drive you up the wall every time. You know loving those who drive you up the wall once in ten years is all right. But the very sight of him will drive you up the wall, love him. Are you happy that God said love one another?

I am not because I know what He meant. And He said what He meant. I am not supposed to love those who love me. I am supposed to love those whom I cannot love, who are unloving towards me. Is that a difficulty for you? For me, it is. A huge difficulty. And then this is a command. When Jesus says it is a command, it is not a joke. Command us to love, especially those whom I find difficulty in loving. When Jesus says I command you to love, I can’t tell him ‘Excuse me, Lord. I cannot love this enemy number one but can I know a cat? Or a dog?‘

You know what Jesus will tell me? ‘That cat, that dog, is your favourite?‘ I said ‘Yes’. Then He will tell me ‘Look for the cat that drive you up the wall. Love that cat.‘ There is no option. So love one another. Is it simple? Are you happy?

Would it disappoint us when Jesus asks us, command us? He is telling us something that is profound. Would it disappoint us if we hear Him whispering. To me: Stephen, for your circumstance to change, you must change first. Would you be happy to hear the Lord telling: For things to change, I, not God, not others, not my enemy, I must change first? And it is here the challenge of this command appears. Isn’t it? 

Let us get back to basic. As Christians, why do we love? I remember in catechism, I must be happy and loving and kind to all those around me, including my teachers who punish me all the time. Do you have difficulty like that? Now why must I love those who irritate, who add tension and pressure to my life? Basic catechism tell us we do this because that is what God wants.

But is it true that God wants us to love our enemies or love one another because that is what He wants? I think that is the greatest problem for people in our world. To look at God with suspicion. That God is so selfish He wants us to live our life for His own good. And that is why for circumstance to change, I must change first. 

What is this change?

To admit, to realise that when God, when Jesus asks me to love those whom I have difficulty with, it is not for the good of God. (Good morning.) It is not for the good of those whom I dislike. It is good for nobody but for me. (Good morning.) For circumstance to change, I must change first. It is only when I see and realise that my God asks me to love, not because it is good for God, that is selfish. God asks me to love because it is the best thing for me.

For things, for circumstance to change, I must change first. And it is true that when God asks us to love, He is not asking for a favour. He asks us to love for one single reason alone – because it is the best thing for me. Now what is the challenge? Do I trust Him? Do I trust Him that He asks me to love because it is the best thing for me?

To this truth, I like to refer to the most famous Asian Noble Laureate of the 20th century, Tagore. And this is what he wrote:

Life is given to us. We own it by giving it. (Good morning.)
Life is given to us. We own it by giving it.

Tagore, we know, comes from India. His background is not Greek Roman Christian tradition. It is of the vedic tradition. Yet he understood what Jesus meant when He said: My command to you is to love one another. 

Brothers and sisters, this truth cannot be explained because the more we explain, the more ridiculous it sounds. It is for you and me to experience in my life. That we trust in Him, everything He asks of me is for my good. What a transformation.

If I believe and know that what I am doing is the best for me, don’t you think that I will always give my best? Isn’t it true? This morning, He is here. In your daily living, in your daily struggle, can you take this step in trust?

Lord, life is difficult. Disappointing and even empty. Can You let me experience You being with me so that I can trust all that You ask of me is the best for me?

You and I can experience His affirming love for one single reason alone. You want to know? Simple lah. You and I can experience His affirming presence because He is a loving Father.  To this loving Father, we praise and thank Him.

And I would like you to listen to the words of this hymn, to allow these words to stay:-

YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You
I will trust in You
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord

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