25 October, Friday — Do you want to be saved?

Friday of Week 29 in Ordinary Time

Eph 4:1-6
Lk 12:54-59

There is one Lord, one faith,  one baptism, and one God who is Father over all…

On a recent Friday night at around 8pm, I walked around a Shell petrol station along Paya Lebar Road. As an insurance agent, I was doing a road show to prospect for clients. Near an EV charging station, I spied a well- dressed gentleman sitting quietly and reading. I thought, “Maybe I could interest him in car insurance?”

I walked over and asked, “Excuse me, what are you reading?” He looked up and said, “I am doing my bible study before going for cell group meeting across the road”. I was intrigued and promptly sat down. He showed me his ipad and opened an impressive document entitled Watch Tower. Turns out that he is a Jehovah Witness. “Do you want to be saved and have eternal life with Jehovah? You will have mansions in heaven”. I told him I was Catholic, and he said that I still could be saved! 

In today’s first reading of St Paul to the Ephesians, he reminded all believers that they belong to one body and should strive to achieve unity in faith. There is only one body, one spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ONE GOD and Father. All must believe that God is the head of us all, and we must put him first.

Without any doubt, my Jehovah Witness friend is a better Christian than I am. He puts God first in everything he does. I do not. I can see he prays fervently every day. He also talks to strangers daily about his faith. I listened to him explain his core teachings that rejects the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity. There is no mystery of ONE God who exists as three distinct persons. To him, there is only one God who is Jehovah. Jesus is the son of God, but he is not equal and the Holy Spirit is the force of God.

I recalled the clear conviction in his eyes and voice when he explained his beliefs. I also felt for him when he told me about his difficult three years and three months in a detention barracks for being a conscientious objector to National Service. Now, at age 47, he finds life lonely as it was difficult to find someone who accepts his faith to marry and raise a family. Yet he has no regrets. He takes solace in Jehovah, his daily bible study and community. Best of all, he even had sympathy for me as he knows what rejection is!   

To conclude, I believe that unity in Christian faith will never happen. St Paul would have been devastated to see Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah Witnesses and many others have irreconcilable differences in doctrines. Nevertheless, all is not lost. There can still be a unity of conviction and practice.

I am proud to be Catholic and also grateful to have met a Jehovah Witness. I might not agree with his teachings, but he does inspire me to have more conviction in my faith and how I should practice it! From now on, I will strive to put God first in my life. This means setting aside more time to pray daily, study the bible and talk openly about my faith.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Andrew Sia)

Prayer: Jesus, my good shepherd, guide me to deepen my faith in you always.

Thanksgiving: Thanks be to Jesus, who brings goodness and kindness all the days of our lives.