1 Cor 2:10-16 / Luke 4:31-37
A country like Singapore depends very much on its economy for its sustenance and survival.
And for Singapore to go on growing and developing, it depends heavily on a particular form of economy.
Singapore depends heavily on a knowledge-based economy, and from that springs skills and services, research and development.
Yet as Singaporeans are weaned and raised with the emphasis on knowledge, yet there is another aspect that is calling for attention.
The social framework of the nation is calling for attention as social problems start to come out in the open from the aged to the young.
Hence besides a knowledge-based economy, our country needs to develop a value-based society.
As the 1st reading puts it, there is a spiritual dimension to life, i.e. there is the spirit of the world, and yet there is also the Spirit that comes from God to teach us to understand the gifts that He has given us.
It is with the Spirit of God that we are able to continue the mission of Jesus in proclaiming the Good News of repentance and to deliver and heal the world of evil.
As we heard in the gospel passage, the possessed man who was shouting at the top of his voice against Jesus could be conveniently seen as one who was deranged and mad and hence to be sent to a mental institution.
Yet Jesus came to proclaim the kingdom of God and hence he delivered the man of his evil possession and healed him with love.
Yes, with the values of the Kingdom of God, our lives will bring about more astonishment and amazement than just having a good economy.