The question of faith in the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body is critical to how we live our life today. Indeed, if we do not have faith in the immortality of the soul and the resurrection, it has an impact on our ethical life. When we do not have faith in an after-life, it is more difficult to tell someone to make sacrifices, deny himself, and suffer for the greater good of others.

If we are created in the image and likeness of God and share in Christ’s sonship, our relationships with God and our fellow men cannot be one of isolation and alienation. We are called to relate to God in a personal way. It also means that if we were to find fulfillment and meaning in life, we must be like the Holy Trinity, to live for each other, with each other, in each other and by each other. There is no other way to find meaning in life unless we are conscious of our individuality like the three persons, distinct from others, and yet at the same time, such individuality does not make us separated from others.

In the final analysis, the authority that comes from God is not just by appointment to an office or through study and research in the world of academia, but a personal authority, which could encompass both legitimate appointment and intellectual competency. But we cannot restrict authority to a mere exercise of an office or claim to intellectual reliability. It must be seen in our life, in our way of teaching, doing and living. This is true wisdom, as Sirach wrote in today’s first reading. Wisdom is not just knowing the truth but to walk a straight path and to put into practice what is good, which is summed up in the perfection of the Law. Can we then live our lives in a way that can gain respect and acceptance of others?

Not all of us leave a legacy behind when we leave this world. Indeed, this is tragic because it means that we have not lived a fruitful life. We have not made this world a better place when we leave. More tragic still if we have caused the world to be in a worse shape than before we were born. Truly we are all called to be fruitful. People will not remember us for our achievements and our successes. But they will remember how we have touched them, helped them when they were down and out, when we were there for them when they needed help most, when we have made a difference in their lives and they are what they are today because we have been there for them. So to ensure that we are living a life of wisdom, truth and charity, we must pray with faith and total receptivity to His will. Can we then pray with faith and live a virtuous life in order to allow God to make us fruitful?

Many of us claim to know Jesus and have seen Him, and yet in truth we have not. We are, as the gospel says, blind disciples of Christ. We cannot see Jesus because we do not seek Jesus. We are not clear why we want to follow Jesus. Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” This is the question we need to ask ourselves sincerely. For the blind man, that question of our Lord seems redundant. But in truth it was not. Why did he want to see? Was he ready to pay the price of recovering his eyesight? When we are blind or sick, we can depend on others to look after us. But once we are well, we need to rely on ourselves and even to be of service to others. The question “What do you want me to do for you?” requires an honest and a definite answer. What is ours today?

What does it mean to celebrate the 200th Pentecost in Singapore? Although the Church has grown in number, most members have not grown in depth in their love for God. Indeed, something is missing in the lives of many baptised Catholics. More than ever, we need to be reignited in the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to receive the Holy Spirit anew, like the early Christians in the Acts of the Apostles, before we can shine in society and in the world. When the Holy Spirit descends on us, we will be lighted by the fire of love and truth. How can I reignite my faith through the renewal and love of the Holy Spirit?

To speak of hope is to have a vision for the future. We might be tempted to give up because we have so many constraints in the work of evangelisation as society seeks to marginalise Christianity and religions from public space. We must do what Paul did, which was to do what he could. He never complained about the situation he was in. He would work and proclaim the gospel within the constraints he was in. So too, whether it is the secular world or the limitations imposed by Covid-19, we must be resourceful and creative in proclaiming the gospel to the ends of the earth. We can do this only if we keep our hope alive, our vision of a new heaven and a new earth. We must follow the example of Peter and John in testifying to the Lord in God’s way. Can we thus follow in their footsteps to proclaim hope to humanity?

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus asks Simon Peter three times whether he loves Him. This process of asking was both redeeming (for the three times Simon Peter denied Him prior), and purifying. Like Peter, we too are asked if we really love the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul. If we do, then we should not be too preoccupied with success and achievements. Loving the Lord should come first, before any doing or service. It is a humble love, expressed in obedience. What is our response to Jesus when he asks us today, "Do you love me?"

Sometimes when we look back at the decisions we have taken, we wonder whether they were the best and right decisions, or whether our judgements were flawed. In today's first reading, we see the shortcomings of St Paul in his trial before the Sanhedrin. Nevertheless, human mistakes will not hinder the divine plan of God being fulfilled. As we read in Romans 8:28, “we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Even when we think of the division of the Church, we see that God works in ways beyond our understanding. Today, many are touched by God and by the gospel differently in different traditions, whether they are Catholics, evangelicals or main-stream churches. Can we entrust all our decisions into God's hands, knowing He can make all things work together for our good?

If the Church is in disarray today, it is simply because we have failed to take heed of the advice of St Paul to be on guard for ourselves as leaders of the Church. We must have a deep relationship with the Lord, spending time with Him just as our Lord spent time with His Father in close intimacy when He was on earth. Can we follow the example of St Paul by living a holy and exemplary life in truth and in charity, in total giving of ourselves entirely to the People of God and for the glory of our heavenly Father?