DEDICATION OF THE CATHEDRAL OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Blessed Sunday to all. As we continue to revel in the joy of the Lunar New Year, our Liturgy today celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Indeed, this is a glorious day as we recall this wonderful blessing for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
The 1st reading from Ezekiel 47 shows vividly the graces of the Temple that is filled with the presence of God. The water that flowed from the right side of the temple shows the action & dynamism of the Holy Spirit. The water from the sanctuary continued to flow until it became a huge river, with plentiful fish living in the river. Furthermore, fruit trees lined the banks of the river that produced new & tasty fruit every month & leaves that have medicinal & healing properties. Indeed, as Ezekiel 47:9 says, “For wherever the water goes it brings life, and life teems wherever the river flows.”
Think about our Church here in Singapore – since the dedication of our Cathedral more than 200 years, the life-giving water of the Holy Spirit has continued to flow, with 31 parishes having been established, bringing the new life of Christ through baptism to countless number of people (vibrant & teeming with life), schools, hospitals and other institutions that care for the people of Singapore (evangelizing, missionary & fruitful), & the health, healing, conversion & restoration that many have received through the grace of the Sacraments (healing). We are indeed blessed & we give praise & thanks to God.
Beyond the physical structure of the Church, today’s Feast reminds us, in Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John 2 that “the sanctuary is Christ’s Body.” (cf John 2:21) And, as St Paul states in 1 Corinthians 12:27, “Now you together are Christ’s body, but each of you a different part of it.” What’s more, we are also “God’s temple and the Spirit of God is living in us.” (cf 1 Corinthians 3:16), as given in our 2nd Reading.
What an awesome privilege! We are all parts in the Mystical Body of Christ! By our Baptism, the Holy Spirit dwells in us as in a temple!
Today’s Feast, then, invites us to celebrate that we are One with Christ, that we are bonded together with our brothers & sisters in the Lord in Unity & Love, & we have a deep and lasting intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
What are some ways we can live this out in our daily lives at Catholic Christians? Can we be warmer & more welcoming in Church as we gather for the Eucharist? How about recognizing the gifts & talents that God has given us & using them to serve family, friends & others in our community, so that we can be more fruitful for Jesus? Perhaps we can daily be more conscious & aware of the deep, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit by repeating this simple prayer “Come, Holy Spirit’? And as we connect more with the Holy Spirit, can we let His Divine Presence in our lives flow outwards to others, bringing joy, peace, comfort, healing & love?
Here's a beautiful worship song called “Fill This Temple”. May this be our heartfelt prayer today.
https://youtu.be/N3obtW-RkzM?si=G58Np6D0qGSRj4ec
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead