What Great Faith Can Do!

(Homily for the 20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A)

     A closer and profound reflection on the word of God this Sunday reveals that the recurrent themes are that of faith and the universal call to salvation, the kingdom of God is proposed to all, without discrimination. If we have a throwback on last Sunday's Gospel, we see Peter, a man of little faith. Contrarily, at the heart of today's Gospel is a woman of great faith. Peter was an insider, but today we reckon with an outsider. Indeed, experience brings to our consideration that it is often the case that faith is not found where it is expected and many a times, it is found in abundance where it is least expected. No doubt, we can be taken aback at the faith of some and the lack of faith of some others. Many contemporaries of Jesus might have been surprised and even offended seeing the godless foreigners streaming into the house of God. Behold, it is upon such consciousness that Isaiah in the first reading (Is. 56:1.6-7) prophesized about the openness and inclusiveness of God’s temple to all. And in the Gospel, Jesus went against all odds to reach-out to the pagan woman (Mt. 15:21-28). While Paul in the second reading (Rm. 11:13-15.29-32) was surprised and disappointed that his own race, the people of God, rejected the Gospel, while the Gentiles embraced it. Above all else, the readings of this Sunday implicitly warn us of the danger of pre-judging, categorizing, and segregating others. God works in marvelous ways according to His will and timing. But many a times our own attitude is best reflected in the behaviour of the disciples in today's Gospel: the readiness to categorize others, for they wanted Jesus to send her away as quickly as possible. However, contrary to their request, Jesus reached out to the woman. Her supplication of “Kyrie eleison” did not go unanswered, because in and through Jesus, the Father was showing mercy to all mankind as St. Paul envisioned in the second reading.       

     In the first reading (Is. 56:1.6-7) we see an adequate emphasis on the universalistic dimension of salvation, as opposed to the exclusivist mentality of the Jews, according which salvation and the Kingdom of God were reserved privileges for them. But contrarily, God through the words of prophet Isaiah in this passage establishes the universal and in-discriminatory nature of his salvation and Kingdom. God is a God for all and his salvation is boundless. As prophet Isaiah affirmed: “As for foreigners who adhere to Yahweh to serve him, to love Yahweh’s name and become his servants, all who observe the Sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant” (v.6) and in subsequent verse God through the mouth of his prophet declared: “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (v.7). This passage brings us to the context of the Israelites before Christ. Here the distinction is clear, at one end, the Jews, the chosen people, at the other side, all the other peoples. Humanity was divided in Jews and Gentiles. The temptation of the first to close themselves and consider others impure was strong. But however, there was an open door, and that is the fact that “foreigners can adhere to Yahweh to serve him”. In line with the theme of universality of God’s salvation and Kingdom, the Psalmist in the responsorial psalm proclaims the universal dominion of Yahweh on all peoples: “The earth will acknowledge your ways and all nations your power to save” (Ps. 67:2) and he invites all the peoples to recognize the Lord and be united in his praise: “Let the nations praise you, God, let all the nations praise you”.    Still in this passage we can make a second consideration, if we paid attention, we must have noticed that one of the conditions given by God in order to be considered no longer strangers in His house, but pleasing to his sight is the injunction: “all who observe the Sabbath and not profaning it” (v.6c). And we see this injunction emphatically in the third commandment “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”. For us Christians the Sabbath is Sunday. But today the sense and meaning of this prescription is gradually being relegated. For many Sunday has become a day of leisure and fun, if not for profanation and sin, emptied of its religious content. For those who clamour for their liberty to do what they like, the command and prescription of God is not a threat to our freedom.   

     In the Gospel (Mt. 15:21-28) of today Jesus goes outside the territory of Israel, he went to the side of commercial cities like Tyre and Sidon, a pagan territory. And in this location, he meets with a woman of this place, who implored him, shouting: “have mercy on me Lord, my daughter is tormented by a devil”. In Mathew’s narrative the earthly activity of Jesus remains limited to inhabited regions of Israel. However, the evangelist Mathew expanded Jesus’ sojourn even into Gentile territory, where the incident with the Canaanite woman took place. This episode was equally narrated by Mark (7:24-30). On responding to his disciples who asked Him to ‘give the woman what she wants’, He answered them: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.24), somehow reinstating the perspective of (Mt. 10:5b-6), when he was sending his disciples he told them not to go to pagan territory, nor Samaritan town, but to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We may ask, why did Jesus issue such a directive? Did Jesus not come to bring salvation to all? God’s program was that salvation was to be announced first to the people of Israel. Even though it was to be preached to them first, it is not to remain or stop there. However, the woman’s great faith moved Him to perform the healing. The attitude of the disciples who asked Jesus to send the woman away is similar to their reaction to the crowds at the occasion of the multiplication of bread (Mt. 14:15), and this is the particularity of Mathew. For our evangelist Mathew this episode looks forward to the faith of the pagans (the Gentiles) and as a matter of fact, this episode is similar to Jesus’ encounter with the centurion (Mt. 8:1-13); whereas for Mark this encounter is an exception to Jesus’ healing ministry. Indeed, the account of Mathew is more detailed and he used occasion of this episode to underline his theological perspective of universal salvation.

     At the centre of the Gospel narrative is the Cannanite woman, who approached Jesus, pleading for a miracle for the daughter, but what she could get was an apparent indifference from Jesus. However, impressed by her faith, Jesus hearkened to her supplications. Jesus pulled down the walls of hatred and discrimination existing between the Jews and the Gentiles. What matters henceforth is no longer belongingness to a particular race, but faith in Him: “Woman, your faith is great”. What matters is faith, not observance of the law, faith that breaks barriers and renders little dogs guests. Truly, the unusual, incomprehensible attitude and comportment of Jesus is thought provoking, he does not say a word to her. He ignored her, and even the apostles were embarrassed by the shouts of the woman, and they implored Jesus: “Hear her, see how she is shouting following us”. Yet to the apostles Jesus responded with some dints of rejection thus: “I was only sent for the lost sheep of the house of Israel” Invariably, Jesus declares that his mission is first of all to the people of Israel, and afterwards he will go beyond the borders of Israel, and to the whole world. This passage raises some interrogations, for instance: what does Jesus intend when He said: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.24). Certainly, it is not the fact that he doesn’t feel sent to all peoples, rather that He will reach all peoples through faith and conversion of the Israel. God was fulfilling his promises made to the descendants of Abraham, so that the promises He was going to make to all the peoples will be credible.

     The woman came closer to Jesus and with insistence, she continued her supplication, she prostrates before Jesus: “My Lord, help me”. Yet Jesus responded once again with rejection: “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (that is bread for the chosen people). The woman all the same does not give up, she is even contented with the pieces of bread that falls from the table, as she responded, “It is true Lord, but also the dogs can eat the piece that fall from the table of the master”. At that moment, Jesus could no longer put any resistance (in fact, I would say he could no longer continue his pretence), he had to give up, and accomplish a miracle in the pagan territory. And he exclaimed: “woman, indeed your faith is great! Let it be done unto you as you desire! And from that moment her daughter was healed”.

      Then, we have to ask ourselves the reason why Jesus delayed in hearkening to the words of the woman, what was behind the unusual indifferent attitude of Jesus? Why was he apparently indifferent to the pleading of the poor woman? May be to affirm categorically his fidelity to the mission for which the Father sent him, which has to do in primis with the chosen people and later to others. May be! St. Augustine in his commentary on this episode affirms that Jesus delayed in granting the woman’s supplications in order to increase in her the desire, in order to make her faith and hope more fervent and profound. This is also possible. St. John Chrysostom, on his part posits that Jesus delayed in order to uplift or “upgrade” the faith of the woman. This hypothesis is equally possible. There is another consideration, that Jesus delayed in reaching out to the woman in order to gradually draw the attention of his disciples to the ways and workings of God and the need for a great faith in God.

     From the existential and practical standpoints, the virtues of this woman are being proposed to us as an example and model, of a fervent and great faith:

·       As a wonderful example of faith in Christ, her trust in him never wavered, she never gave up, even when Jesus used denigrating words on her.

·       As a stupendous model of perseverance in prayer: she knocks, insists, implores without giving up hope or getting discouraged because of Jesus’ resistance.

·       As a great example of humility, she does not rebel because she was ignored and less considered by Jesus, instead she was contented with the pieces like a dog.

We are therefore invited today to admire and imitate the good examples and virtues of this woman: her faith and immense trust in Jesus, her insistent prayer, perseverance and heroic humility. Many a times, we equally experience what could be defined as “the silence of God”, the apparent resistance by God to grant us the graces we hold to be necessary for our good. Sometimes, even, we experience the opposite of what we hope and ask for in prayer. In such situations, our mistake generally is the temptation or tendency to get discouraged, of desisting or even to rebel against God instead of insisting in prayer. The silence of God or the delay in granting our supplications does not mean that He does not listen to our supplications. May be, the Lord wants to test us because he is preparing a greater thing for us. Certainly, he will give us a reward if we persevere in prayer and continue to have trust in him. Let us learn how to say: Lord, I ask you this grace, however let your will be done, help me to do your will. You know too well what is for my good. I trust in you!

     This Gospel passage reminds us of the episode when the disciples reported to Jesus that there are those “who were casting out demons without” but are not his followers, they wanted Him to stop them, but Jesus responded them: “who is not against us, is with us” (Mk.9:38). This is apparently contrary to what He said elsewhere in another circumstance: “who is not with me is against me, and who does not gather with me scatters” (Lk.11:23). In reality, the two responses or sentences can be integrated, if we see it from the perspective that at one He was referring to His disciples and at the other, He was referring to outsiders. We can’t but remember the words of Peter to the first pagan welcomed to the Christian community: “I now really understand, he said, that God has no favourites, but anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35). It is evident in the episode of the Gospel and in the Pauline epistle that it is no longer belongingness to a race or a nation that gives guarantee for salvation, but faith in Christ, which is implicitly possible for all.

     In the passage of the second reading (Rm. 11:13-15.29-32), the concept of the universal call to salvation, or the will of God for all to be saved, assumed a paradoxical consideration, for God as St. Paul writes “has subjected all to disobedience, in order to show mercy to all” (v. 32). For the Romans prior to the coming of Christ were disobedient (pagans), but after the disobedience of the Jews that did not welcome Christ, the Romans were shown mercy and the kingdom of God was opened to them. And even for the Jews that did not welcome the gift of God, St. Paul expresses an optimism in the hope that they too will be converted, for he says that “the gift and the call of God are irrevocable” (v.15). Unfortunately, one can decide to resist the divine call and invitation. This passage prospects us to a situation that is quite different. Now the election and salvation has passed to the Gentiles. So what is the attitude they should have before the Jews? There should not be any discrimination or racism. The Jews remain the chosen people, their incredulity served providentially for the opening of salvation to all peoples. There should be no boast whatsoever, before them by the new chosen people. Paul leaves a glimmer of hope: the Jews one day will receive mercy. Attention however, for what happened to the Israelites could happen to us.

    In all, therefore, the overriding message emanating from the readings of this Sunday is that there should not be barriers between peoples. No one is a stranger before God. Thus, the readings remind us that we cannot possess God for ourselves, that God can never be the exclusive property of a particular group or set of people. God cannot be conditioned by human ideas, inclinations and prejudices, He is always greater and bigger than our ideas of Him and He cannot in anyway be contained in our often narrow views of Him. God declared: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Ex. 33:19). Thus, in concrete terms, the word of God today invites us to reflect on the attitude we should have towards those around us who are not Christians. For those of us who tend to be God’s Chief Justice or deputy Jesus, we are invited to imbibe the inclusive attitude of Jesus, and abandon our own exclusive and judgmental attitudes. We are called to show forth in our lives the inclusiveness of God. May God help us to close the barriers of hatred and prejudices in our life. Amen!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

Trusting In God Without Ifs And Buts!

(Homily for the 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A)

    The great message of today’s liturgy hinges on God’s revelation and the human response towards it.  In the first reading (1Kgs. 19:9.11-13) God revealed himself to Elijah with the soft breeze on Mount Horeb. In the Gospel narrative (Mt. 14:22-33) Jesus revealed himself to the disciples as the Son of God through his dominion over the waters of the agitated sea and through his mysterious words: “It is I, do not be afraid”. St. Paul on his part in the second reading (Rm. 9:1-5) was very much aware that God has revealed himself to the people of Israel: “to them belong adoption as sons, the glorious presence of God, the covenant, the law, the cult and the promise” (Rm. 9:4). On the other hand, divine revelation requires a human response. Thus, the response of Elijah before the presence of God was that of Holy fear: “He covered his face with his mantle” (1Kg. 19:13) and obedience of faith. That of Peter instead was of fear and doubt: “man of little faith, because you have doubted” (Mt. 14:31), instead that of the rest of the disciples was of faith: “truly, you are the Son of God” (Mt. 14:33). In the second reading, St. Paul manifested his sadness on the people of Israel who responded by refusing the revelation of Jesus and his divine filiation. What is your own response? Man’s response as we have seen varies: it can be that of acceptance, rejection, disinterest or indifference.  But above all, the thrilling message of today is for us to trust in God at all times even in dark moments of our life. He is the I AM, His voice continues to re-echo in the various situations of our earthly existence: “It is I, do not be afraid”.

     In the first reading (1Kgs. 19:9.11-13) God revealed himself to man not through concepts, but through symbolic actions and rapport. To Elijah that ran away from Mount Carmel in order not to be assassinated by Jezebel (1Kg. 19:1-3), God made him to pass through Palestine from North to South, in order to take him to Mount Horeb, the Holy Mountain of God, mount of divine revelation. Elijah prayed to God thus: "Lord, I have had enough. Take away my life." But after this Horeb encounter, his prayer changed: "I am filled with jealous zeal for the Lord of hosts”. In the spiritual context of the mountain, in solitude and prayer, God revealed himself to Elijah. To Moses, he revealed himself through lightening, fire and sounds (cf. Ex. 19:16-19). Here, he will reveal himself to Elijah through a gentle breeze. In this episode Elijah felt isolated and undefended, and he was afraid of the power and cruelty of Jezebel who was persecuting him. As he was perturbed about how Jezebel is going to triumph over him, suddenly there came the gentle breeze, a sign of the invisible but real presence and action of God. Elijah did not feel lonely again, despite all, he understood that in Israel there are still many faithful people. It was indeed a moment of encounter, Elijah encountered the Lord in “a light murmuring sound”, after hurricane, earthquake and fire the Lord comes in a light murmuring sound of a gentle breeze. Elijah covered his face to adore Him. We see a similar gesture at the end of the Gospel, where the men in the boat bowed down before Jesus saying: “Truly, you are the Son of God”. We too are to be part of this adoration. We are no longer to cover our faces but to recognize his presence and power at work in and for us. The similar experience of fear and doubt of Peter in the Gospel, was experienced also by Elijah, who in that famous theophany on Mount Horeb, was perturbed and afraid of how he is going to escape the wrought of Queen Jezebel. But the Lord assured him, that He will intervene in his favor and the prophet reacquired trust and courage. Thus, it is an invitation for us to trust firmly in God and not to panic even in the face of life challenges.

     In today’s Gospel (Mt. 14:22-33) we see an important element: Prayer. After the miracle of the multiplication of bread and fish, Jesus rejected triumphalism for He sent the crowds away and went to the hills to pray. Jesus passed through long hours of Prayer, in dialogue with the Father (cf. Mt.14:23), while the disciples were helpless before the waves. Suddenly, they saw a human figure coming towards them and they thought it was a ghost. Jesus took advantage of this circumstance to reveal to them his most intimate identity, through a symbolic gesture; as Yahweh in the Old Testament (cf. Jb. 9:8; Ps. 77:19), he walked on the water, demonstrating that he is the Lord of the Sea and of Nature. When Jesus came across the water and saw his disciples plunged into fear, he said to them: “Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid”. With these words Christ revealed and identified himself as God. He is the “I am”. He is saying I am God, fear not. He revealed to his disciples his divine Name: “I am”. Like Yahweh to Moses (cf. Ex. 3:15). Jesus shows his disciples his divine power, but especially, he revealed his divine filiation, as the Son of God. In this Gospel narrative according to Mathew, we see a number of movements and events that seem to take place in just a short period of time: Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, he told them to go ahead of him to the other side, then He sent the crowds away and went to the hills to pray. Then, in the night when the disciples were facing rough waves, He walked on the sea, he calmed the wind and saved Peter as well.

     This passage therefore can be presented in three perspectives or better put, it can be interpreted under three different dimensions. ●First, the Christological dimension, in this passage the figure of Christ is predominant. Jesus revealed himself in his majesty, power and dominion over the forces of nature. At the end, those in the boat exclaimed: “You are truly the Son of God”. ●Second, the Ecclesiological dimension, which is with reference to the Church. Indeed, here the figure of Peter is different from others, and it indicates his function of primacy among the apostles and in the Church. The boat pressed hard by the waves represents the Church, who encounters the first difficulties, external persecutions and internal tensions. In fact, along history lane, we see how the Church suffered from one persecution to the other. This has been the history of the Church, even as revealed in some pages of the New Testament. St. Peter in his letter addressed the Christians in the following words: “My dear friends, do not be taken aback at the testing by fire which is taking place among you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1Pt. 4:12) and again: “Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that it is the same kind of suffering that the community of your brothers throughout the world is undergoing” (1Pt. 5:9). But Jesus is with the Church and He has dominion over all the adverse powers threatening the Church. ●Third, is the Spiritual dimension, it is with reference to our personal experience. In our spiritual experience sometimes we are like a boat that encounters contrary winds and waves and thus finds it difficult to move on, and risks sinking. In fact, everyone in one way or another encounters difficulties, delusions and bitterness, many a times we find ourselves in the shoes of Peter. Sometimes like Peter we seem to bubble in our faith and it does appear we can give our life for Him, but some other times, we are taken by doubts and fear, and we enter into crises. How many times, have we merited the reproach of Peter: “Man of little faith, why did you doubt? But in all this, Jesus in his love and kindness continues to stretch out his hand towards us. He intervenes so that we do not sink. He restores our trust.

     Jesus called him “man of little faith”, Peter in this episode represents every one of us. With his instinctive impulse, without giving it a second thought, he said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water”, in fact, he already doubted Jesus. Just as it happens to us many a times, when we face trials we begin to doubt God, his existence and his goodness, and doubting we sink the more. Peter without much hesitation left the boat and jumped into the sea to walk. According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer Peter had to leave the boat and risk his life in order to learn perhaps the most valuable lesson and straightest path in the spiritual journey: the realization of both his own weakness and omnipotence of Jesus. But also, Peter teaches us how to come out of every situation, no matter how difficult, he cried: “Lord save me”. And immediately Jesus extended his hand to him, He held him and said man of little faith, why do you doubt? Indeed, prayer is like the cry of the soul that places all its trust in God. No matter what you are passing through today call on Him, just as Peter did. We should long to hear those wonderful words of Jesus: “Courage, it’s me, do not be afraid”.

     Behold, in situations of anguish, panic and even in our own present pandemic situation, whenever this passage of Mathew’s Gospel is proclaimed, we draw some inferences of certainty of trust: that the Master is not far from us, He will not leave us alone to combat with the waves and the wind, we only need to invoke Him and He will come to our aid. Indeed, this trust is founded on the certainty that He is risen and he lives (cf. Rev. 1:17-18). There is an important element emanating from this passage and it is derived from the words of Jesus to Peter: “Courage! It’s me! Don’t be afraid” (v.27) and Peter answered “Lord, he said, if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water” (v.28). We should never lose sight of the presence of God or let our trust in the Lord waver, even in moments of difficulties and challenges. It is an invitation therefore, to us, not to fix our gaze up or down on the rough waves we might be experiencing in various situations of our life, rather to have our gaze fixed on Jesus. If you remove your guess from Him you sink. Peter almost suffered near-success syndrome. For when Jesus came at the scene of the waves He calmed the waves and Peter now out of his impulsive character doubted Jesus. Jesus granted him to walk on the water, He started well but on noticing the wind he became afraid and began to sink almost at the verge of the completion of his own miracle. Many of us are like Peter, we begin our projects, businesses, life endeavors, and spiritual undertakings well but hardly arrive at the desired aim. Let us pray therefore against every spirit of near success syndrome. So that God’s purpose in our life will be accomplished.

    In that episode, we are told that Jesus came towards them at the fourth watch of the night, that’s towards the end of the night, he did not come before, he came when they were at the peak of the trial and were very tired too, when it does appear they have to resolve everything solely with their own power, in the absence, distance and silence of the Master. But the Master was thinking of them, in fact he was coming towards them, for he was aware of their difficulties. Similarly, in our own experiences of the apparent distance and silence of God, in the darkness of our own night, he is very close to us. But it is important that we implore him, just as Mark reported in his Gospel when Jesus was apparently sleeping during the storm: “Master, do you not care? We are lost” (Mk. 4:38). Today we are called to recognize His presence. Thus, it is an invitation for us to remain in the boat and proclaim together with the apostles the faith that saves. Till today, Jesus is still the question-raiser. "What sort of man is this?" (Mt. 8:27), "Can this be the son of David?" (Mt. 12:23). The impact of meeting Jesus, the moment He joined them in the boat stimulated the disciples to make a full confession of Christian faith. Just as Mathew reported: “The men in the boat bowed down before him and said: Truly, you are the Son of God” (Mt. 14:33).

          In the second reading (Rm. 9:1-5) St. Paul reminds us of the extraordinary prerogative of the Israelites before God, he underlined that “his were the patriarchs and from them as man, Christ came” (Rm. 9:5). With the patriarchs the historical revelation of God began, and with Christ the revelation reached its culminating point, and fullness. God revealed himself as the Faithful per excellence, who does not regret of his choice or of his promises to the chosen people. Little wonder, the covenant of God with the Israelites remains, irrespective of their infidelity. But the emotion of Paul here is similar to that of Elijah in the first reading. Paul too, was having in his heart great bitterness, his co-Jews, anyway, many of them rejected Jesus and now they are rejecting his Church. He expressed his bitterness, for after his effort of bringing his fellow Jews to Jesus Christ, the result was very much disappointing and he never failed remarking the fault of Israel. Irrespective of the disappointments and delusions he never stopped loving his people, to the point of declaring himself ready for all things, even to save them.

      In all, the story of Elijah in the first reading teaches us never to give up on God, because He does not give up on us. Similarly, in the episode of the Gospel at the outset of the story when the disciples were facing the waves they were terribly afraid but Jesus comes to their rescue. One can imagine how reassuring those words (Courage, it is I. Do not be afraid) of Jesus were to them. Above all else, the message for us today is quite clear: when fears and problems assail us, when God seems to be remote, afar, and forgetful of our plight and challenges, we should learn how to prayerful shout: “Lord save us”! And may He save us from all challenges, from every near-death experience and from near success-syndrome. Today more than ever, just as Jesus did at the beginning of the Gospel we need to create space for prayer and silence, oasis of meditation and moments of interior tranquility. For it is in such atmosphere that the presence of the Lord is made manifest. May the Lord always be punctual at our points of need, at that moment we think all is lost, may He appear and speak to us: “Courage, it is I, do not be afraid” Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

GIVE BREAD AND THE LORD!

(Homily for the 18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A)

     The readings of this Sunday resonates the themes of God’s generosity and that of humanity in search. The generosity of God that invites His people gratuitously to the messianic banquet as revealed in the first reading. In the Gospel too we see the generosity of God revealed by Jesus Christ with the multiplication of bread and fish for the crowd, to satisfy their hunger and afterwards twelve baskets were left over, testifying that God is a God of abundance. And St. Paul in the second reading dwelt on the generosity of God’s love, manifested in Jesus. Indeed, it is as result of God’s unchanging love for mankind that He invites all to come and eat, without ifs and buts. We see it in the first reading that opens with the invitation: “Oh come to the water all you who are thirsty; though you have no money, come! Buy and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money, free!” (Is. 55:1). To this invitation we cannot but answer in the affirmative “Here I am, I am coming” (Ps. 40:7). What is this water and this mysterious food that God through his prophet invites his people to procure for themselves and to eat in order to satisfy their hunger and quench their thirst? God invited them to begin a search for what really matters. In the Gospel the crowd followed Jesus in search of something worthwhile. So the basic question for us today is: what are you searching for? But the consoling fact is that God in His bounty fulfills the deepest quest and search of man. He turns our search for food and drink to avenues for the manifestation of divine abundance. Therefore, let us reflect on our seeking, on what we hunger for and how Christ can satisfy it. He gives bread and paradise.

      In the first reading (Is. 55:1-3) from the Deutro-Isaiah, an anonymous prophet, who according to tradition is believed not to be Isaiah addressed the Jews deported in Babylon, who were gradually losing trust in the Word of God, in His promises of protection and liberation. Having lost the hope of returning to their own land, a good number of them went in search of good fortune and well-being in the strange land, forgetting God and His Word. To them therefore, the Prophet reminded that the Word of God does not fail or disappoint, as often as it happens with the words of men. His Word is solid and efficacious always: “The grass withers, the flowers fades, but the word of our God remains forever” (Is. 40:8). Little wonder, the prophet tells us in the subsequent verses after today’s passage thus: “Let the wicked abandon his way and the evil one his thoughts” (Is. 55:7a). And in our present passage, the prophet called back the attention of the exiled Jews and urged them with the following words: “why spend money on what cannot nourish and your wages on what fails to satisfy?”. These words are equally very much suitable to be addressed to us today. Today many struggle for material things, pleasure, power, luxury, fame and success at all cost. But these things are not enough to give consistence and meaning to our life. For this, the Lord through the words of the Prophet exhorts us with insistent love thus: “listen carefully to me, and you will have good things to eat and rich food to enjoy. Pay attention, come to me; listen, and you will live” (vv.2b-3a). He even promised to make an everlasting covenant with them in fulfillment to his promises to David (v.3b). God promised good things: water, wine, milk and rich food. They are all symbols of all that the Word of God can offer to man, and which He offers gratuitously: “Buy and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money, free!” (v.1). The Word of God is bread that gives life, it is water that quenches thirst, it is wine that cheers gods and men (cf. Judg. 9:13), it is milk that nourishes. In fact, today like yesterday, and forever, it will be so, because “sky and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mk. 13:31).

    Furthermore, God seems to tell us that we human beings are fond of spending our resources and wealth for things that do not satisfy our hunger and do not quench our desires. Many a times we spend our life, resources and time in search of goals that cannot satisfy our deepest human longing, things that cannot give us peace, serenity and joy. Sometimes these longings are riches, pleasure and self-centered realizations. Instead today, God invites us to search for something worthwhile. And how are we going to embark on this search? As a matter of fact, in the passage of Isaiah’s prophecy there is response to that question: “pay attention, come to me; listen and you will live” (v.3). Thus, as emanating from our passage, the first thing to search for is the Word of God. This is the foundation of every human existence, as the sacred author rightly pointed out; the word is your life (cf. Deut. 32:47). Therefore, we need to listen and give the ears of our heart to the Word of God. Little wonder, the crowd was following Jesus.

     In the Gospel (Mt.14:13-21), with the miracle of the multiplication of bread and fish, Matthew offers us an illuminating proof of God’s generosity and love, a love that is compassion, comprehension and desire to help. A compassionate and generous love first of all, to the sick, that are being healed, and then towards the great crowd that followed Him on foot from the city to the desert to listen to His Word. He nourished them first with His Word and then satisfied their hunger. To some extent we may say that the desire of the crowd to follow Jesus and to listen to His Word occasioned the miracle. It is interesting to look at the singular facts surrounding the event: It was already late, the place was a desert, and the disciples thought it wise to call the attention of Jesus to the reality. However, they suggested to him to “send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food” (v.15b). This is what the human logic suggests. Many a times in similar difficult situations we have recourse to human logic, but let us not forget that there is the logic of faith, the logic of God. In turn Jesus forced them to action: “give them something to eat yourselves” (v.16). Imagine feeding thousands of persons! But the disciples replied immediately: “All we have with us is five loaves and two fish” (v.17). And Jesus told them “bring them here to me” (v.18). Lo and behold, the miracle took place! Jesus wants us to be Christians and a Christian community capable of sharing what we have in the spirit of solidarity and fraternal love with those in need. The presence of so many people mentioned in the Gospel narrative: five thousand, not counting women and children is a manifestation of the inner hunger of mankind for the bread of Christ.

     Indeed, the passage of the Gospel revolves around the abovementioned theme of being in search. The crowd followed Jesus to the desert in order to listen to his word. They searched really for the Kingdom of God. “Seek you first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well” (Mt. 6:33), they followed Him, searched and were fed. But unfortunately, the intensity of the desire for the ‘other things’ before the kingdom of God in our present age is a manifestation of the gradual relegation of God and the case of a misplaced priority. Today, people, Christians inclusive seem to have reversed the evangelical invitation and command: “seek you first the kingdom of God…and these other things will be given you” to “seek you first these other things and the kingdom will be given you”, that is for those who still consider it reasonable to add the kingdom, else the craving is to seek for the other things and them alone. As such, we may ask: does it really make sense to speak about the Word of God or to tell people to seek first the kingdom of God, when a good chunk of the world’s population is dying of hunger? Is it not a sort of insult or even sarcasm telling people that are struggling to survive from the clutches of hunger, thirst and diseases to seek first the kingdom?

     Frankly speaking, it will sound sarcastic and ridiculous, if we Christians were to stop only at the level of proclamation of the Word, if we do not imitate Jesus in today’s Gospel. He didn’t tell the crowd to go in peace, God will provide. Rather, he said to his disciples: “give them something to eat yourselves” (v.16). Jesus taught the disciples and in the same vein teaching us to shun the sin of indifference: “send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food”. The miracle began with their putting together what there was: five loaves and two fish. Interestingly, this sensibility of Jesus in this passage, reminds me of one our 19^th century saints of Charity: St. Luigi Guanella, who in his writings and concretely in all the parishes and centers of Charity he founded and worked, insisted vehemently on the need of “giving bread and (paradise) the Lord”. For him, preaching the Word, evangelization and charity are to satisfy both the spiritual and physiological needs of man.

     Drawing the issue further, this particular passage of the Gospel, ought to propel us to think towards the great number of the world’s population that has nothing to eat. And as a matter of urgency, some of us Christians are among those that have five loaves and two fish, we are to be sensitive to giving them out or sharing them with those who do not have. On the other hand, there are also those, Christians and non-Christians who have more than five loaves and two fish, today Jesus is saying to you: give them something to eat, dispose and share. Jesus in the desert multiplied bread and gave it to the disciples to distribute. In the same vein, till today Jesus continues to multiply the bread and fish of nature, but the gross danger is that only few persons are hoarding them, instead of sharing and distributing them to the present hungry crowd. And unfortunately, there are those that are dying of hunger. God maybe using you as a channel to reach to others, so do not hoard God’s gift and the blessings that should be shared with others. The Father through the Son gives and multiplies bread for us so that we can distribute to the brothers and sisters. He also becomes Bread for sustaining us in our spiritual sojourn and for our redemption. He is inviting us today not to close in our hands what He gives for all: His word, His love, His gifts of grace and nature, His blessings and favor. Our God is a generous God. Indeed, the psalmist in our responsorial psalm re-echoes this ingenious and founded trust in God: “The eyes of all creatures look to you and you give them their food in due time. You open wide your hand, grant the desires of all who live” (Ps. 145:15-16).

     Thus, for the fact that there are those dying of hunger and struggling in so many ways to survive, should we stop preaching to the men and women of this age: seek you first the kingdom of God, or maybe to tell them to seek for arms and revolution before the kingdom? Indeed, let us not forget that at the time of Jesus, there were many situations of injustice and poverty. And He never told the people to go in search of arms. Instead, He told them to seek first the kingdom of God. Therefore, today more than ever, we need to repeat these words of Jesus: seek you first the kingdom of God. This is because from the kingdom of God, from the word of Jesus and his justice, men and women maybe propelled to open their hands, their clenched fists, and distribute to the crowd their bread and begin to fight for justice in the world.              

      As a matter of fact, upon consideration of the objections of the modern man and the ugly realities that are present in our world, it behooves us to re-affirm that seeking the kingdom of God, His Word, putting them first before everything else, is not an alienation from the reality. It is not a way of denying the expectations of the poor and the hungry crowd; instead it puts us in the condition to give lasting response to their cries. Therefore, we need to continue to thirst for the Word of God, just like the crowd that followed Jesus even to the desert, even though they were tired and hungry, but they put Jesus and his message first in their spiritual scale of values. What comes first in your own spiritual scale of values?

       With the miracle of the multiplication, Jesus gives us anticipation or prefiguration of the miracle of the Eucharist, the miracle of the multiplication of the bread of the soul. In fact, on a closer look we see that the gestures and words are the same in the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Miracle of Bread and fish: “He took the five loaves and fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves he handed them to his disciples” (v.19 cf. Mt. 26:26; Lk. 22:19). This reveals that Jesus gives us both the food of the body and that of the soul. He gives bread and the Lord (Himself).

     In the second reading (Rm. 8:35.37-39) St. Paul gives us formidable words of encouragement and exhortation. He affirms that our faith is substantially faith in the love of God revealed to us in Christ, a faithful love, which will never fail. In fact, St. Paul began with a question: “Can anything cut us off from the love of Christ—can hardships or distress, or persecution, or lack of food and clothing, or threats or violence…?” (v. 35). The apostle somehow takes us back to our initial discussion about seeking for the kingdom of God first or not. In fact, he is re-affirming that no matter any situation we find ourselves, we should be consoled because God has loved us with an everlasting love. So nothing can separate us from His love, not even hunger, injustice and death. This love becomes bread to nourish our hunger that is why not even hunger can separate us from His love. It is indeed a strong bond established between us and God, that “nothing created; whatever will be able to come between us and the love of God, known to us in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v.39). This is as a result of God’s unchanging love, because God continues to love us even if we reject His love. St. Paul says “by the power of him who loves us” (v.37), so our love in and with Him ought to be so profound to the extent of not fearing any trial, anguish or persecution. With the conviction of being loved by God and by the help of His grace, we can come out of any trial and existential challenges “triumphantly victorious” (v.37) always. But it is quite unfortunate that many a times when we have to confront some difficulties and trials we easily give in to despair and begin to doubt the love of God for us and thus risk ending up in pessimism. The hit-track of St. Paul’s message here is that in Christ God has given us a concrete and convincing assurance that He loves us. However, it does not mean that the faithful is immune from tribulation and persecution. And being elated by this love, St. Paul elsewhere  posited that “the life that I am now living, subject to the limitation of human nature, I am living in faith, faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

     At the conclusion of our reflection on the three readings we discover that the message of salvation, the Good News of Christ is not exclusive rather inclusive. We see it in the invitation of God to all in the first reading; we equally see it in the feeding of the five thousand without counting women and children. In the same vein, St. Paul in the second reading reminds us of the inclusiveness of the love of God for us in Christ Jesus, and it is on the basis of this love that all were invited to the Messianic banquet in the first reading. As a matter of fact, while the first and second readings demonstrate the process of inclusion in God’s actions, the Gospel passage is not only about God’s action but also an invitation and a challenge for us to learn how to include and not exclude others. The words of Jesus to his disciples: “give them something to eat yourselves” are words addressed to us today more than ever. May God help us to open our clenched fists and learn from God’s generosity. Amen!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

 

On Making The Right Choice!

(Homily for the 17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A)

          The three readings of this Sunday seem to lay emphasis on one fundamental point, and that is the need to recognize the primacy of God and his saving plans in our lives. In order to do this, there is need for prayer which enables one to make a right choice, and that is what Solomon teaches us in the first reading, that it is in and through prayer that we can make a right choice and open to receive God’s gift. On the other hand, St. Paul tells us in the second reading about God’s call and choice of us and consequently the choice-response of man. Alongside the theme of the recognition of the primacy of God and his salvific plans are the themes of discernment and choice-making, suggested by the first reading and equally manifest in the decision of the farmer and the merchant in the first two parables. Interestingly, in the third parable it is no longer man that chooses, but God chooses based on the choices of man on earth. However, the human choice-making comports renunciation. Solomon renounced the personal intentions and desires he could have asked God but made a selfless prayer request for wisdom. The farmer and the merchant in the parables renounced all they had in order to gain the hidden treasure and the precious pearl respectively. Permit me to say that, from our existential experiences, there is a pearl for everyone, but the underlining factor is that there is a price for everyone to pay. Thus, in today’s readings Solomon, the farmer and the merchant are telling us that detachment is the price. Therefore, the hit-track of our message is on the need to invite God into our decision-making process.

          The first reading (1Kgs. 3:5.7-12) offers us a wonderful message as orchestrated in the prayer of Solomon, a stupendous prayer. This young man at the prime of his life, called to succeed his Father King David, recognized his human inadequacies before the task that was given to him, and he humbly asked God the wisdom to govern, that docile heart to good inspirations, that “he may know how to act with justice and to discern what is good from what is bad”. It is a humble and disinterested prayer, oriented solely to the welfare of his people. And indeed, his prayer was pleasing to God: “Because you have asked for this…” Solomon’s prayer should be a model of our own prayer too. Our prayers should not be inspired by concern for material things and riches. God was pleased because Solomon did not ask for a long life, for riches, nor for the downfall of his foes, instead he asked for something spiritual: wisdom which would enable him to discern good from evil, and thus, make the right choices in life. An authentic prayer is the act of coming to God with a generous heart and open hands, just as Solomon did. We need to endeavor to avoid clinging to things of this world and thus coming to God even in prayer with clenched fists (position, self-image, wealth), we need to come before him in prayer with our fists open, so that God may fill our open hands.

          In the second reading (Rm. 8:28-30) St. Paul reveals to us the designs of the Father, who has predestined us from eternity to be conformed to the image of his Son; that is, we are called to participate in his divine life, already here on earth, we are children of His by adoption and brothers of Christ: a wonderful design. Through this providential design of the Father one enters into the world view, “mentality” of God, in order to see things as He sees them. One enters into the divine circuit of love that unites the three divine persons, as such all men become brothers (universal fraternity). Again, the apostle said that all things work together for the good of those that love God, those that are called according to his designs, even failures, suffering, delusions, humiliations and bitter experiences of sin, as St. Augustine would add. Here we see the revelation of the design of God, about the redemption of all men, and as such, their adoption as sons and daughters, their predestination to eternal life. The realization of this design was made possible by Christ, who through his sacrifice offered every man the possibility of being truly son and daughter of God. In the divine design of the Father there is an ontologically transformation. Yes! We become adopted sons and daughters of God.

          Once again in today’s Gospel (Mt. 13:44-52) Jesus speaks about the Kingdom in parables. While last Sunday the parables that Jesus presented talked about the Kingdom in itself, in its composition (wheat and weed), in its function (yeast) and in its growth (mustard seed), the parables of today, that of the farmer who finds the hidden treasure in the field, the merchant in search of the pearls and that of the dragnet cast in the sea, instead talk about the attitude of man towards the Kingdom and that of God about the Kingdom. The expression “Kingdom of Heaven” is recurrent in today’s Gospel, as it reflected in the parables of the previous Sundays. The expression “kingdom of heaven” is very familiar to St. Mathew, and it is the equivalent of the “kingdom of God” in the Gospel of St. Mark.  The kingdom of Heaven is a complex reality, mysterious and cannot be easily defined in simplistic terms. Intuitively, when we talk or hear about paradise, we think immediately of where God will be “all in all”, where God will reign in the heart of the blessed, basically in futuristic terms. But that is the Kingdom of heaven in its definitive phase. But the kingdom of heaven can equally be identified with the Person of Christ (Autobasileia) and the Church: “the little flock”, to whom it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom (Lk.12:32). And to grasp in depth the message of Jesus in today’s Gospel we are going to look at the three parables narrated by Jesus one after the other.   

          First, is the parable of the hidden treasure. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a treasure hidden in the field, which a farmer finds and joyfully sells all that he has in order to have it. Even though the action of this man is not totally morally irrepressible, but Jesus did not base his comparison on this. The teaching of this parable is condensed in the decision of the farmer to sell all that he had in order to acquire the treasure. The kingdom of heaven is truly, a treasure, a unique treasure. But just as it is suggestive here, it is a hidden treasure, a difficult treasure to find. Similarly, the kingdom of heaven is a hidden treasure also for Christians; hidden, because it is something to be always discovered, and hidden because it is difficult to find. It is not a treasure resplendent with splendor like gold, and it does not guarantee power and prestige to those who possess it, instead it requires sacrifice, renunciation and the need to sell all to have it. No doubt, we will jubilate when we will hear those decisive words of Jesus: “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world” (Mt. 25:34).

          Second, is the parable of a pearl. Jesus likened the Kingdom of heaven to a pearl of great value, which a merchant in search of precious stones finds, he sells all that he has in order to buy it. When this merchant discovered the precious pearl he decided to sell all the collection of pearls that he had in order to acquire the precious pearl. In both cases, we find ourselves before a choice: the choice of the best thing, even when it requires the sacrifice of all other things. What does Jesus intend to teach us with these two parables? It revolves around the fact that he came on earth to bring the kingdom of heaven, which is that mysterious reality, the truth and the life of God offered to mankind. It is a reality that on this earth it continues to grow in faith, in hope and in charity, in view of the possession of eternal life and happiness.

          The third parable of today according to which the “kingdom of heaven” is similar to a net thrown into the sea, that catches all kinds of fishes, good and bad, the division of which comes not during the moment of fishing, but at the end. This is similar to the parables of the wheat and the weed of last Sunday, of which the separation will come at harvest time, not during their growth. The parable underlines the patience of God, who tolerates both the wicked and the good people, both those who welcome his message of salvation and those who reject him and his message. The parable accentuates that at the end, there will be judgment. God continues to offer us occasions for our salvation, which we cannot undermine.

          The three parables of today, like the three of last Sunday talk about the “Kingdom of Heaven”, and the expression Kingdom of heaven coincides with the concept of the church, but not only, else it becomes too simplistic. The kingdom of heaven on the other hand, is a profound concept, it is the totality of all the values that Christ brought to humanity, with his coming. The kingdom of heaven is therefore, the unique and incomparable treasure, for the fact that it is only in it, that man finds his salvation, realizes his destiny of life and eternal beatitudes. At that dramatic moment when we will pass from this life, the only thing that will remain will be the kingdom of heaven open or closed before us, according to the choice we have made during our life on earth. Thus, anyone who possesses the Kingdom, possesses everything, even if he does not have any other thing; on the other hand, the one who does not possess it has nothing, even if he possesses the whole world. For this Jesus asked: “What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole world and forfeiting his life? (Mt. 16:26), Jesus is invariably asking what does a man gain in this life, if he does not enter into possession of the kingdom of heaven. To such a treasure, as the kingdom of heaven, it is not only worth it that man renounces everything, but also, as Jesus says to renounce his own life, because “Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt. 10:39). In fact, Jesus took the discourse on the kingdom to another level when he says: “If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell” (Mt. 5:29).

          Interestingly, these parables of Jesus we have listened to, we find them relived one day in the real and historical episode of the Gospel, when one day a young man (young rich man) presented himself to Jesus and asked: “Master, what good deed must I do to possess eternal life?” (Mt. 19:16). In response Jesus told him: “go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mt. 19:21). Indeed, the words of Jesus in the above quotation tells us something more, it is the fact that the kingdom of God is a reality, but it is also a person: it is Jesus Himself! Following Him, choosing Him for life and re-choosing Him always, being His disciples is a sign of a worthwhile choice. He alone assures us of the treasure in heaven. He is the precious Pearl.

          Above all else, beloved in Christ, let us appropriate the words of the prayer of Solomon in the first reading, asking God to give us “a docile heart” and the wisdom to understand “what is good and what is bad”, what is important and what is not in our life. The figure of Solomon in prayer in the first reading demonstrates to us that prayer is the avenue in which man acquires the capacity of making right and authentic choices. Indeed, the logic of God’s kingdom is losing and gaining, for whoever loses gains. It is only when we lose everything in preference for Christ and the Kingdom of heaven that our life and existence will be grace-filled, remember Abraham who was ready to sacrifice even his only son, in Genesis 22 for the heavenly treasure. Our life will be grace-filled and meaningful too if we are ready to renounce all in preference for Christ. Today we are invited to be Searchers of the real Treasure and Pearl: Jesus Christ, the Auto Basileia (Kingdom personified) and the Kingdom of heaven! May He enable us to find Him in our search and continuous quest for meaning! Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)

The God Who Waits!

(Homily for the 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A)

          There is a traditional belief that the Christian God manifests his power and omnipotence through loving forgiveness and mercy. He does neither show up his power by extirpating the bad and evil people nor by annihilating his enemies. God’s approach towards humanity is that of Mercy and Love. A deeper reflection on the readings of this Sunday brings to our consideration the fact that the predominant motive and the recurrent theme revolve around God’s omnipotence demonstrated in a paradoxical manner, because His omnipotence is an omnipotence of Love and Mercy. In the first reading, the writer maintains that Yahweh’s strength is the basis of his saving justice and his sovereignty over all makes Him lenient to all. He is mild in judgment and governs us with great lenience. The Psalmist equally confirmed it thus: “Lord you are kind and forgiving, rich in faithful love for all who call upon you…God of tenderness and mercy, slow to anger, rich in faithful love” (Ps. 86:5.15). The Gospel narrative is nothing but the revelation of God’s patience and mercy made manifest in Christ. In the words of St. Paul: “the patience of God is meant to bring you to repentance” (Rm. 2:4). Thus, the patience and mercy of God is for us a chance to change and to grow, and this is obtainable by the power of the Holy Spirit (second reading). The Holy Spirit is the source of the power of the kingdom’s growth, expansion and transformation.

          In the first reading (Wis. 12:13.16-19) the Wise man started by admonishing us with the following words: “There is no God other than you”. The sage said this at a time when all men at least believed in divinities, if not in God. But today we battle with so many ideologies that tend to relegate God to the background, for instance, there is the current of secularism that discourages belief in any God. The modern man has modelled a god of his own, and today progress, pleasure and science are man-made gods. On the other hand, our attention is more on the admonition of the sacred author, he admonished us to be just, because God is just, and he loves all, both the good and the bad. He is a merciful and just God, for this the sacred author says: “For your strength is the basis of your saving justice, and your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all” (v.16) and again, “But you, controlling your strength, are mild in judgment, and govern us with great lenience, for you have only to will, and your power is there” (v.18). We are therefore invited to imitate the gesture of God, who is patient and merciful to all: “By acting thus, you have taught your people that the upright must be kindly to his fellows, and you have given your children the good hope that after sins you will grant repentance” (v.19). Thus, an upright person must love all, both the good and the bad, imitating God, who is patient and merciful. The attitude and patience of the Owner of the field in the parable of the wheat and the weed speaks volumes for us. On the other hand, this passage invites the true sons and daughters of God to be people of hope, because God offers to all, the possibility of repentance after sin, a chance to change and to grow.

          The Gospel of today (Mt. 13:24-43) presents before us three parables with which Jesus intends to illustrate some aspects of the Kingdom of Heaven He has come to inaugurate on earth. The kingdom of Heaven is nothing but the project of salvation that God in his infinite love wants to realize through Christ. The “kingdom” which in its earthly phase, initially is identified with the community of the disciples of Christ, and therefore with the Church; has both an existential and eschatological dimensions. However, in order to understand properly the three parables, it is pertinent to underscore some vital points, thus situating us into the context of the Jews at that time: ►First, the Jews were waiting for the Messiah, the promised Savior, but they had a wrong idea of Him, for they were waiting for Him like a powerful King and a just judge, who will chase away evil and bad people, and welcome the just and the honest. Even the apostles James and John in that episode where and when they did not receive Him in a Samaritan village, asked: “Lord, do you want us to call fire from heaven to consume them?” (Lk. 9:54). John the Baptist too, announced that the Messiah has “His winnowing-fan in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out” (Mt. 3:12). But under these aspects Jesus disappointed all, because he presented himself as Merciful and Meek, to the extent that John the Baptist sent ambassadors to ask him: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?” (Mt. 11:3). ►Second, it was widely believed among the Jews that the Kingdom of the future Messiah would be glorious, that it would be imposed with great fanfare, and that it would triumph over all earthly kingdoms founded on injustice and the quest for power. But Jesus chose the ways of humility and mercy. With regards to the first idea according to which the Messiah would have been a powerful figure, Jesus clarifies the idea with the parable of the wheat and the weed, on which we would like to give more importance, because it is the most important in the Gospel passage of today.

          The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man that planted good seed. The kingdom of heaven can be compared to the mustard seed. The Kingdom of heaven can be compared to the yeast. These initial sentences of the three parables are enough to make us understand that Jesus is speaking about a kingdom of heaven that is here on earth. Only on earth in fact, there is space for weeds and for growth. Nothing of these will be found in the future and eschatological kingdom, but only God who will be all in all. By means of these three parables Jesus traced the situation of the Church on earth. They are three essential parables for the understanding of the nature, the duty and the destiny of the Church. In the parables of the Mustard seed and the Yeast Jesus explains how the Kingdom of God, though small and insignificant, has potentials for growth and the transforming force to change the world.

          First is the parable of the wheat and weed, a man sowed good seed in his field and while everybody was asleep his enemy came and sowed weed among the wheat. In fact, this parable raises the common question we often ask: How come the good and the bad people exist? Or even more precisely, why does God permit that the good and the bad, the wheat and weeds exist together? Why doesn’t God intervene and remove the bad people? Little wonder, the servants in this parable asked the owner of the field, “do you want us to go and remove the weeds?” But the owner of the field responded in the negative. The focal point and distinguishing factor of this parable is the perspective of the owner of the camp and that of the servants. The servants are of the idea to remove the weed immediately. But the Master has a contrary opinion; he prefers to wait till the time of harvest. Here, the teaching of Jesus is glaring, it entails that in the world, good and bad people co-exist, and good and evil will also co-exist. It is not our task to do the separation. For the existential space between the planting and harvesting time is a period of Mercy and forgiveness. Even inside the Church, among his disciples there can be and there is the mixture of wheat and weeds, faithfulness and unfaithfulness, good and bad commingle. The community of perfect people does not exist on this earth. The Church in se is holy, but it is made up of men, sinners, and as such always in need of conversion and of purification.

          The other two parables were very much understood by the disciples unlike the parable of the wheat and weeds, little wonder, they disciples when they were alone with Jesus asked Him to explain the parable of the weeds in the field. In response Jesus explained to them that the Sower is He Himself, the good seed indicates the children of the Kingdom, the bad seed indicates the children of evil, the field is the world and the harvest is the end of the world. However, much later in the history of the Church, theologians identified the field with the Church, where the good and the bad co-exist. Jesus through this parable expresses and reveals the image of God that is a patient God, ever-forgiving and merciful, a God who waits! He does not want the death of the wicked, instead let him repent and live (Ez. 33:11) Why? Because He wants to offer us time for transformation, for He knows that the bad can become good. This present time is an opportune moment to extirpate every form of weed and evil in us and enrich ourselves of virtues and good works. Let us make every effort not to waste this time or let it pass us by, because ‘who has time does not wait for time’.            

          Second is the parable of the mustard seed and it replicates how the kingdom of heaven grows, just as the smallest of seeds grows into the largest plant. Jesus in the parable of the Mustard seed explains how the Kingdom of God, though small, will expand prodigiously and become a shelter for multitudes of people. By that Jesus intends to teach us that the Kingdom of heaven, the community of the disciples (the Church), is small in its initial phase on earth, but it possesses vitality, an incredible capacity of growth and of expansion.

          Third is the parable of the yeast, and it indicates the growth of the Kingdom, but a different growth, not necessarily in extension, but in intensity. The parable indicates the transforming force that the kingdom of heaven possesses in renewing all, making the multitude of men into bread to be presented to God. While the first parable tells us to wait, the parable of the leaven or the yeast tells us what to do as we wait, we are to mix in love with all, avoiding the temptation of separation, division and categorization into good and bad. In the Old Testament, the word “leaven” is a symbol of evil, leaven corrupts. In this sense, we may say that “a little bad can ruin all the good”. Some exegetes have said that this parable is not about bread but about love. As modern-day yeast changes flour into bread dough, so too, love changes our lives, we are therefore invited to spread love until it reaches everyone.

          In the three parables narrated by Jesus to explain the mystery of the kingdom of Heaven, therein we encounter some contrasts: ●In the parable of the weeds in the field, the contrast is between the servants and the owner of the field. The first in their impatient zeal wanted to remove immediately the weed, in order to enable the seed to grow undisturbed. But the owner said no, he prefers that they grow together until the time of harvest when there will be separation. By this, Jesus teaches us that in the big camp or field of the world and in the community of his disciples, the good and the bad co-exist. ●In the parable of the Mustard seed, the contrast is the smallness of the seed and its capacity to grow and to expand. ●In the parable of the Yeast, the contrast is between the hidden presence, unobserved of the yeast and its extraordinary strength for transformation that enlivens the flour.

           In the same vein, the three parables sound like an admonition and as such call our attention to some vital points: ● First, we are not to block the force and the vitality of the Kingdom of God inside us; we have to correspond with the divine grace and try to remove the weeds inside us. ● Second, we have to become more like the yeast, to ferment with goodness and love those around us, we have to be like small seeds of grace that grow and expand. ● Third, we do not have to abuse the presence of God that tolerates our incongruence and our infidelity. ● Fourth, the separation of the good from evil will come, but it will be done by God himself, the just and impartial Judge, let us not become God’s Chief Justice.

          In the second reading (Rm. 8:26-27) St. Paul presented the Holy Spirit in action, in the heart of the faithful. The Spirit is our great Helper in our weakness and our great Intercessor when we do not know how to pray. Not only that, He makes prayers for us in accordance to the will of God. Thus, in connection to the parables of today’s Gospel, we may well affirm that the kingdom of God still maintains its extraordinary force, capacity of expansion and transformation, irrespective of the imminent evil, by the power of the Spirit. Indeed, with particular reference to the parable of the yeast, the yeast per excellence is the power of the Holy Spirit that is at work in the Kingdom. In all, the first parable invites us to a patient waiting, the second admonishes us not to see the waiting time as a moment of stagnation, but of growth and the third invites us to allow the power of the Spirit to increase His love in us. The Holy Spirit is the source of the power of the kingdom’s growth, expansion and transformation, for He comes to the aid of the members of that kingdom.

          Drawing the issue further, these passages from the book of Wisdom and the Gospel invariably invite us to shun the temptation and tendency of dividing and categorizing people into good and bad, for no one can claim to be completely good without any fault, or completely bad or evil. Again, we are invited to avoid the temptation of rigorism, of intolerance and intransigence towards others. We often ask for comprehension and mercy when we go wrong, but many a times we find it difficult to understand and show mercy to others when they go wrong. Furthermore, we need to avoid forming ideas that are too negative of the world and a pessimistic vision of life. And lastly, there is need of avoiding the temptation of abusing God’s clemency and patience, by procrastinating continually the commitment to conversion and the transformation of one’s life. For this, our evangelist admonished us thus: “Anyone who has ears should listen” (Mt. 13:43). And St. Paul puts it in a more dramatic manner thus: “Are you not disregarding his abundant goodness, tolerance and patience, failing to realize that this generosity of God is meant to bring you to repentance?” (Rm. 2:4).

          Against the backdrop of today’s parables and the readings, is the fact that there cannot be a perfect and spotless humanity made up of only the good people. Good and bad will co-exist till the end of the world, like in the parable of the Wheat and the weeds. Even the Kingdom of God on earth (the Church) is a mixture of good and bad people. As a matter of fact, when we look around in our present world, we see that evil and people who tend towards evil abound. It is true that in this world there are many weeds, but also there is the wheat, even though they may not be very much evident. However, the underlining point is that no matter how evil thrive, it cannot prevail over good. Indeed, no evil power can stop the Kingdom of God’s prodigious vitality and extraordinary capacity of transforming consciences in the world. The Good News of today is that the Lord is imploring us to change and he's giving us the time to do so. He has given us a chance to change and to grow. Let us ask the Lord to help us to collaborate with His grace at work in us, so as to continue to make effort to grow and become matured and better Christians and children of His Kingdom. Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus Chigozie, SC)