A Truly Successful Person Seeks Not His Own But Sacrifices For The Common Good Of All

KOTA KINABALU(CS).- A Lunar New Year Message from Archbishop John Wong

 

Time flies and the new Lunar Year is round the corner. Here’s wishing you a joyous and a grace-filled New Year.

 

The Church has organized various spiritual activities in conjunction with the Year of Faith, which was proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI, to re-discover, to re-live and to re-proclaim faith.

 

As the New Year begins, the traditional Chinese greeting of “Gong Xi Fai Cai”, in the context of faith, reminds us to aspire for eternal wealth – that is to remain steadfast in faith, the most precious and assured treasure which would never be lost and would bring us true and eternal happiness.

 

This lunar year is the year of the horse and in compatibility with horse, wishes of success would be greeted upon each other. I believe everyone nurtures the hope of becoming a successful person.

 

However, the word “success” holds a different meaning to different people. For example, to the world, high academic achievement, power, and status is the yardstick to measure success.

 

For Christians, we are not to take gaining in wealth as the yardstick of success, but rather making prayer, keeping the commandments, engaging in works of mercy and charity, and living out the Word of God as the standard of success.

 

A person who is truly successful does not rely on how much he owns but how much he gives.

 

A truly successful person does not seek his own benefits but sacrifice his own to seek the common good of all.

 

Jesus is our best model, the most successful person in the world. Many had forsaken popularity, status, power and wealth to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Jesus has been adored from generation to generation because He does not think of Himself but sacrifices His life for the redemption of the whole world.

 

In the eyes of God, success is not limited to people with great achievements and popularity but it includes ordinary people who love God and people, live in the grace of God, work diligently for the love of their families without grudges, and builds society.

 

Mother Teresa said: “We do not live for great achievement but achieve small matter with great love. Hence we become great as we participate in the unlimitedness of God with small matters.”

 

Another Chinese saying “An old horse knows the way” implies one who is familiar with the place or the way.

 

Jesus once said, “I am the way.” If we become the old horse of Jesus, to bring people to His Way, then we need to reflect on how much we really know His Way. We would need to study the Scriptures more and to forge a prayer life so as to know Him better; otherwise, how are we to know His Way if we do not know the Word of God? How do we become the old horse to lead people to His Way if we do not know the Way ourselves?

 

A New Year is filled with hope, and Jesus is our greatest Hope. Let us place our whole year’s plan, aspirations, labourings, studies, and our families into His Hand and ask for His blessing and guidance.

 

Wishing all of you a New Year of peace and firm faith.