20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Jeremiah 38:4-6.8-10
Psalm 39(40)
Hebrews 12:1-4
Luke 12:49-53

     
                      BEARING WITNESS TO CHRIST

To be a Christian is to become a witness to Christ Jesus who is a "sign of contradiction". In the gospel reading, Jesus makes puzzling statements which, at first glance, appear to contradict his mission and the message of the Gospel. He has come to bring fire on earth. He has a baptism to receive. More paradoxical, he says that he has not come to bring peace on earth, but division even within the family.

What Jesus meant is that he stands as a sign of contradiction. He has come to testify to the truth. He has come to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable, just like the prophet Jeremiah, whose story we hear in the first reading. Because of his prophetic utterances, the nobles of Jerusalem manipulated king Zedekiah to have Jeremiah put into a cistern. As God’s spokesperson, he never ceased to call the people to conversion, inviting them to abandon their evil ways. But they did not like his message and so persecuted him day and night, because he challenged their way of life characterized by social abuses, dishonesty and idolatry.

Jesus too endured opposition and hostility from the Jewish leadership to the point of receiving the baptism of suffering and death on the cross. Thus, opting for Jesus and becoming his disciple is to expose oneself to similar treatments. In fact, the history of the Church is full of men and women, children, young and old, who have bore witness to their faith, even to the point of shedding their blood.  These are the “great cloud of witnesses” that surrounds us. Hence, the second reading encourages us to persevere in running the race that lies before us while we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Consequently, we must not be afraid of standing for the truth, justice, and the respect of human dignity. We may be laughed at, persecuted or rejected by our own people because of our faith and dedication to Christ. In such moments, let us not lose faith. Let us remember that the Lord is our Help and deliverer. He will put the hymn of victory into our mouth if we persevere to the end. May he bless and keep all of us. Amen

18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Qohelet 1:2; 2:21-23
Psalm 90
Colossians 3:1-5.9-11
Luke 12:13-21

RUNNING AFTER THE WIND

Everybody wants happiness, success, and abundance. In fact, no one would wish to be poor. Unfortunately, true happiness seems far from us. As such, today’s readings invite us to take a fresh look at our attitude towards wealth and possession.

In the first reading, the Preacher opens his book with this famous saying that runs through his book: “vanity of vanities, all things are vanities.” At first view, he presents a pessimistic view about life, for no profit comes from man’s toils other than pain. Nothing can give man rest and lasting happiness. Man cannot escape the absurdity of his existence. As such, life seems not worth living. However, it can be observed that Qoheleth gives us a more realistic and lucid view about life. For him, life is good; it is God’s gift that must be received with joy and thanksgiving.  In short, man must live in the present, trust and serve God.


The gospel reading comes as a good illustration of the teaching of the Preacher. The incident of a man asking Jesus to mediate the family dispute about inheritance led Jesus to warn the crowd against all greed. Then he proceeded with the story of the rich fool. What renders the rich man a fool was not his wealth or his judicious plan of how to use his possession; but rather his inordinate attachment to these. He was obsessed and possessed by his wealth and possessions. All was about how he will enjoy his wealth. In fact, no other person is mentioned in his story. Everything was in relation to his ‘Ego’. This is selfishness and egoism. This is greed, which is a great evil. Greed destroys oneself, one’s relationships and the community life.

Thus, for us Christians, we must adopt a different approach towards our possessions: detachment and simplicity of life. St Paul, in the second reading, exhorts us to detach ourselves from everything earthly: immorality, greed, evil desire, lying, etc. Our security does not lie in material possessions, but in building a God-fearing, loving, harmonious and caring community. May the Lord help us not to put our trust in material things that do not last, but in things that lead us to eternity. Amen

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Genesis 18:1-10
Psalm 15
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10:38-42

    THE ART OF CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY

Individualism is one of the many evils that characterize our world today. Thus, today’s readings invite us to take a fresh look at hospitality and how to set our priorities right. In the first reading, Abraham welcomed and offered rest and food to three unknown men in his tent. And his generosity turned to be a blessing to him and to his barren wife Sarah. This passage can be summed up in the words of Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

The Gospel reading offers another story of hospitality. Martha receives Jesus and his disciples as they were on their way to Jerusalem. Unlike her sister Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet listening to him, Martha became so anxious about serving the immediate needs of her guests. And according to Jesus, she missed the point: listening to him. This way, Mary became a model of contemplative life. She chose the better part that no one could ever take from her.

Most often we act like Martha doing so many things at a time without knowing what should be our priority in life. We want to do it all to be good and excellent in many areas. But we forget our spiritual health, our closeness with God. We run all day and end the day tired so much so that we are unable even to pray. Even during liturgical celebrations we become much distracted and are in a hurry to get out as if somebody is chasing us out of the church.

Like Abraham and Martha, we must show concern to those who come to us and need our attention and service. Nevertheless like Mary, we must always find time to sit at our Lord’s feet, listen to him and speak to him in prayer on a daily basis. By so doing, we will be enabled to become true ministers at the service of others and get strength to bear gladly the difficulties and sufferings we meet like St Paul in the second reading. May the Lord bless and keep all of us.
Amen

15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Psalm 69
Colossians 1:15-20
Luke 10:25-37

BEHOLD YOUR NEIGHBOUR!

The written law, as we hear in today’s first reading, is meant not only to help us remain faithful to God, but also to manifest God’s love and closeness to us. This law is not too mysterious (wonderful) and distant. It is close to us, so that we may hear it, meditate on it and put it into practice. Meanwhile this law of God is summed up in the commandment of love: to love God and to love one’s neighbour.

As a Ghanaian proverb says, no one shows God to a child, for the knowledge of God is innate. But who is our neighbour? This is the question the famous and well-known parable of the Good Samaritan presented in today’s gospel reading tries to answer. To a Jewish audience therefore a neighbour would be referring to a fellow Jew and would have excluded any non-Jew including Samaritans. Again, in the time of Jesus, Samaritans and Jews did not get along nor did they associate (cf John 4:9). No way a Jew would talk to a Samaritan, let alone being helped by one. Yet in the parable, the man, who was rubbed, injured and left half-dead, had no choice but to accept help from a Samaritan who was moved with compassion for his misery.

Thus, the parable of the Good Samaritan has been given to correct our understanding of who a neighbour is. Like the priest and the Levite, how many times have we not failed to show love and compassion to own kind or fellows let alone to talk about that “outsider”, that “stranger” or someone we do not know. “Go and do the same” is an invitation to us all. We are to show compassion and love for those we encounter in our everyday activities. We are to love others regardless of their ethnic background, race or religion, because anyone we meet is our neighbour and compassion has no boundaries. By so doing, we will inherit eternal life.
May God bless and have keep all of us. Amen