1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 / Matthew 16:13-19
Today the Archdiocese of Singapore celebrates the dedication of the Cathedral.
The Cathedral is dedicated to Jesus the Good Shepherd, hence it is called the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.
The story behind that name is that in 1821, an MEP priest, Fr. Laurence Imbert was sent to Singapore to see if there was a possibility of opening a missionary station in the island. He spent about a week here and he could have been the first priest to celebrate Mass on the island.
In 1837, after being ordained bishop, he crossed secretly from Manchuria to Korea. During this time, Korea was going through a period of Christian persecution.
He secretly went about doing his missionary work, but the authorities found him out and before they captured him, he wrote a note to two other fellow missionaries.
He urged them to give themselves up to the authorities because he believed in doing so, the flock will be spared from persecution, and he wrote that a good shepherd must give up his life for his sheep.
So eventually the three of them were captured and tortured and beheaded. They were canonized in 1984.
When the Cathedral was to be dedicated, the name "Good Shepherd" was chosen in memory of Fr. Laurence Imbert and his two companions.
Today as the Church in Singapore celebrates the dedication of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, we are called to renew our faith and we must strive for the spirituality with which we can understand and perceive the will of God so that others will see the presence of God in the Church and also hear the voice of God in the prayer of the Church.
This would require a deep and firm faith in God who always provides and watches over His Church.
May Jesus our Good Shepherd lead us and guide us to God's living signs of salvation to all peoples.