William Cardinal Goh The Shepherd's Voice

Today’s readings contrast two responses to God’s call. The people of Nineveh repented immediately when Jonah preached to them. Yet in the Gospel, many demanded signs from Jesus Christ but still refused to believe. The problem was not lack of evidence but a  lack of receptivity. When the heart is closed, no sign is enough. When the heart is open, even a simple word can lead to conversion. 

In a world that prizes neutrality and postponement, Jesus calls us to be decisive. Discern carefully, pray deeply, reflect wisely but after all that, take the leap of faith. Repentance and belief require a decision of the heart. The real question is this: Are our hearts open and how will we respond today?

Reflection Question: What in my heart is preventing me from truly repenting and surrendering more completely to Christ today?

On this First Sunday of Lent, as we recall the temptations of Christ, we are reminded that the struggle between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of God continues in our world and in our own hearts.
Jesus teaches us the only way to stand firm: prayer. He gives us the Lord’s Prayer, the perfect prayer. It is not about many words, but about trust. When we say “Our Father,” we pray as children. When we say “Your will be done,” we surrender. When we ask for daily bread and forgiveness, we depend on His grace.
Let us stop reciting the prayer mechanically and start to live it from our heart.

Reflection Question: When I pray the Lord’s Prayer, do I truly surrender to the Father’s will as His child, and where might He be inviting me this Lent to let His Kingdom reign more fully in my heart?

Why do we fast? In the Scriptures, God reminds us that fasting is not about gaining His attention, impressing others, or earning spiritual “points.” God does not delight in our misery. Instead, true fasting draws us closer to Him and transforms our hearts.

Jesus reminds us that fasting is meaningful only when it flows from love and longing for God. Authentic fasting disciplines our desires, softens our hearts, deepens prayer, and leads to concrete acts of charity. It moves us from self-focus to self-giving. With prayer and charity, fasting becomes transformative.

Reflection Question: When I fast, does it draw me closer to God and make me more patient, charitable, and attentive to others?

As we journey into Lent, the Scriptures confront us with a fundamental question: What does your life consist of? Moses sets before us two choices: life and prosperity, or death and disaster. While we all desire life, we often mistake it for wealth, power, and worldly success. Yet Jesus challenges us: What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and lose oneself?
True life is not found in possessions or status, but in loving God, listening to His voice, serving others, and embracing even the crosses of daily life. When we live for others and make a difference in their lives, we discover a joy no money can buy. True life is found not in what we accumulate, but in how we love.

Reflection Question: In my daily choices, what truly defines my life and how is the Lord be inviting me this Lent to choose a deeper, more lasting kind of life?

In today’s fast-paced world, many people feel unheard, the elderly, the young, even those closest to us. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals the deaf man not with a distant command, but with personal care. He takes him aside, touches him, sighs in prayer, and says, “Ephphatha.”
Jesus shows us that true healing begins with sensitivity and respect. In contrast, the division of the kingdom after Rehoboam refused to listen to his people reminds us that when leaders fail to hear the cries of those entrusted to them, relationships fracture and communities break apart.
Whether it is the elderly repeating their stories, the young struggling to articulate their fears, or colleagues nursing silent frustrations, unheeded pain does not disappear, it deepens. To listen is not a waste of time; it is an act of restoration. It is how Christ continues to heal hearts through us.

Reflection Question: Whom in my life might the Lord be inviting me to truly “take aside” and listen to with patience and compassion this week?