William Cardinal Goh The Shepherd's Voice

Even as believers of God, we can be self-righteous. This shows when we are judgemental, legalistic, blind to our own sins, as well as lacking in mercy and compassion for those who sinned. Let us be mindful that we are all sinners, made righteous only by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To enter the kingdom of God simply means that we need to put relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters before everything else. It is beautiful relationships that make life meaningful and happy. Happiness is not about how much money we have, what positions we hold in life, how powerful we are, what glory and honour people bestow upon us, what achievements we have made and the trophies...

The truth is that Mary is the most blessed amongst all women simply because she carried Jesus not just in her womb but in her heart. She had the heart of our Lord in doing God’s will, listening to His Word and carrying them out in her life. She had a heart of thanksgiving, gratitude and compassion. She lived a life of detachment and humility, just contented to be the handmaid of the Lord. She did...

It is not enough to say that I am with Jesus but remain passive in the face of evil. When we do not evangelize the world, the world will more than secularize us but demonize us. So there is truly no neutrality. The best way to keep ourselves protected is by doing good works and strengthening our faith. Being defensive will not be sufficient to protect us from our enemies. We must be proactive in c...

The Rosary is truly a gift to the Church. When we contemplate on the Mysteries of the Rosary, we not only deepen our relationships with Jesus and Mary, we grow by becoming more like them.

In Luke's Gospel, the Lord’s Prayer begins with the word, "Father". This is the fundamental attitude of a disciple’s relationship with God. The word, "Father" connotes the combined sentiments of respect and intimacy. When authority is rooted not in fear but in reverence, it leads to intimacy. So Jesus is asking us to cultivate an attitude of respect and awe when we pray to our Father, but knowing...

The real crisis in marriage and divorce and the family as well, is not just a social, psychological or moral crisis but fundamentally a crisis of faith. If today even our Catholics are shaken with regard to these fundamental questions of marriage and family, it is simply because their faith is weak. Indeed, as Catholics, we must be more compassionate and non-judgmental with respect to those who ar...

The Guardian Angels are creatures of God who protect, guide, and intercede for us. They are intermediaries between God and humanity, reflecting the presence of God. We too must also be guardian angels to each other by being messengers of Good News, hope and love.

It does not matter where we are sent to love, or whom we are called to love. What is critical is that we must do everything out of love. As St Therese made it clear, “I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realised that lo...

Proclamation without tangible signs of the Good News remains merely words without action. We cannot proclaim the gospel merely by indoctrinating people but they need to experience the concrete signs of unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness and healing in our Catholic community. Proclamation and Healing therefore sums up the basic proclamation of the gospel. The mission is completed but...

Today’s Feast of the Archangels reminds us that we do not fight alone. We fight with all the archangels and the angels in our battle against sin, evil and darkness. St Michael is our protector, St Gabriel our messenger of Good News, and St Raphael our healer of souls and body. Let us implore their assistance.

Today, as we celebrate Migrant Sunday, let us be conscious that our power, our gifts, talents, wealth and blessings are not just meant for us, whether as individuals or even as a nation. There can be no world peace or progress unless we seek greater cooperation with one another, empowering and enriching each other. The dangerous trend today is for some of us, and some countries, to be narrow-minde...

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus warned the disciples not to be overly taken up or be impressed by worldly success, recognition and power because these do not last. If we want to seek true and lasting glory, there is no escape from the cross. May we live with simplicity, docility in faith, and trust, knowing God is with us always.

When we look at our glorious past, we can either become disheartened or we find strength to rebuild ourselves. The truth is that by always lamenting about the past, we give up hope when we look at our failures and pathetic situation today. Throughout the history of Israel since the days when God spoke to the Patriarchs, it was always the same assurance, “I am with you.” These same words were spoke...

Today, through the Prophet Haggai's words in the first reading, the Lord is asking us if our main priority is to glorify Him. Is God at the centre of our lives? Or have we become self-centred, inward-looking, alienated from others and from God? Are we in our own comfort zones, ignoring the needs of others who are suffering?

Today, let us be messengers of mercy and compassion to all by being credible witnesses of the Lord and not just teachers of faith. “So they set out and went from village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.” We too must find all opportunities to spread the gospel, using our personal authority, living a life of faith, love and trust in God. Hence, let us be grateful if the Lord has app...

The truth is that in the eyes of God, we are all great. Greatness does not lie in what we do or what we achieve. We cannot make ourselves greater than what God has made us to be. The greatest thing on earth is not to be known as the Prime Minister or the President or the CEO but to be a child of God. Jesus guided His disciples to look at people in a new way, not by the standards of the world. All...

We need to hear the Word of God, and practise it, so that it is firmly established in our hearts. We practise by talking about it, and putting it into action. If one does not use it, one will lose it.

True happiness in life comes from building meaningful and loving relationships with God and our fellowmen. It also comes from being contented with what we have. It does not mean that we should be lazy, or not seek to excel in what we do in life. No, it means we are called to do our best and be contented with our best.

One cannot be a leader and yet not be criticised. Nevertheless, may we heed Saint Paul's advice to Timothy: "Do not let people disregard you because you are young, but be an example to all the believers in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity."

When we reflect on the seven sorrows of Mary, we wonder where she got the strength to carry all these pains in her heart. The answer lies in love. She carried her pain with the love of God in her heart. When there is love for God and for her fellowmen, including her enemies, she could accept the innocent and unjust suffering of her Son. She knew that the suffering she carried with her Son would no...

Catholic education is not just for students, it is meant for all. It is an on-going process of being formed in the faith, and growing as holistic individuals. Whether in schools, church or at home, we need a Catholic ambience for individuals to personally encounter the love of Jesus.

When we discern whether a person is good or not, it must not just be based on what the person does now, but we need to observe the beginning, the middle and the end. It is constancy in the person’s words and actions that we come to know his character. Reputation is made in a few moments but character requires a whole life. This is why Jesus gave us an analogy of a tree because a tree needs time to...

The Lord knew that Paul was persecuting the Christians out of ignorance, but once enlightened, he would use the same zeal for the spread of the gospel. The conversion of St Paul would be an inspiration for everyone who are sinners and ignorant like him. If Christ could change St Paul so radically from a persecutor to a great apostle, He too can change and transform our lives, if only we allow Him....

If we can truly from our hearts claim that what we do is what God wants us to do, and that we are doing it in His name, and are able to praise and thank God for what we have done, then we should find peace in our moral decisions. However, if we cannot truly say from our hearts that what we are doing gives glory to God and inspires lives, brings true love in what we do, promotes peace and justice,...