Lord, Teach Us To Pray!

(Homily 17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

     The readings of this Sunday revolve around the theme of prayer and the different modalities of praying. Abraham in the first reading was a model of prayer and intercession for the inhabitants of Sodom. In the Gospel Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray, with the prayer of Our Father, he taught them two different ways of praying: the prayer of desire which we see in the first part and the prayer of supplication that we see in the second part. The passage of the letter to Colossians in the second reading does not talk about prayer directly, but we can say that it offers a good background and foundation to every Christian prayer, especially in the liturgical assembly, which is the mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, in the event of Jesus we can talk about a prayer that becomes life, the gift of himself for love!

     The first reading (Gn. 18:20-21.23-32) from the book of Genesis is a notable episode of Abraham who prays to God so that he will save the corrupt and sinful Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction. As he intercedes on their behalf he looks up to the few just people in the land if at all there are. The crux of the reading is God’s impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. But more than that, it also serves as a reflection on the issue of divine justice, orchestrated in the form of a dialogue between God and Abraham. Therein, Abraham serves as a mouthpiece of the fact that God will not destroy Sodom, if the destruction meant equally the destruction of the few righteous people. God indeed in his benevolence was ready to save them from the impending catastrophe, if at least he found ten just persons that fear God, he will avert the rage and the impending destruction. However, the city was not spared; rather this intercessory dialogue exposes more the wickedness of Sodom. Give or take, this passage depicts God as a God of mercy and justice.

     This episode draws our attention and reawakens our consciousness on the fact that God is not only disposed in welcoming the supplications of the just (e.g.: Abraham), but he also takes into consideration the merits of the just in order not to punish the wicked. Moreover, this episode has to stimulate us (Christians) to become just men and women before God, particularly in the fear of God and accomplishment of good works. In our world today, maybe more or less like Sodom and Gomorrah, filled with corruption and evil of all sorts, we are called to be the few that God can look upon and save our land. To say it with St. Elisabeth of Trinity, we are called to become the “prolongation of the humanity of Christ” in the world.

     In the Gospel narrative (Lk. 11:1-13) Jesus teaches us to go to the Father with extreme trust, with the appellation: “Father”. He says “when you pray, this is what to say: Father…” (v.2). Thus, he invites us to pray with simplicity, confidence, and a filial consciousness. This narrative consists of two parts: the Lord’s Prayer and a chain of sayings on the prayer of petition. Here, St. Luke omits the “our”, which Mathew added (cf. Mt.6:9-13), and it is a pronoun that reveals the closeness of Jesus with his Father. Upon gazing and looking at Jesus on the different occasions they have observed him praying, the disciples developed the zeal and desire to pray. Little wonder, one of them advanced with the touching demand: “Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples” (v.1). They must have been strongly impressed with His way of praying. The disciples must have seen that Jesus was dedicating time for prayers, that from his prayers he was drawing strength and courage for his mission, and that through it his rapport with the Father is nourished and enlivened. They must have been drawn by the quality and modality of his prayer.

     The appellation “Father” by Jesus reveals the filial consciousness he has towards God the Father, and this is the basis of his obedience and mission. ●“Hallowed be thy name” is the first petition in the prayer and it is a glorification of the name of God. This is the substance of the prayer of Jesus, equally in his priestly prayer Jesus says: “I have revealed your name to those whom you took from the world to give me” (Mt. 17:6). ●While Luke says “Thy Kingdom come” which has an eschatological undertone, Mathew added “your will be done? The two phrases integrate each other, one can say: Thy Kingdom come, that is, Your will be done, because what is the Kingdom if not the universal salvific will of God manifested in Jesus Christ, the Autobasileia. But sometimes, we may be perplexed asking when the Kingdom of God will come. Worry not, for Jesus has cleared this doubt thus: “The coming of the Kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, Look, it is here! Look, it is there! For look, the Kingdom of God is among you” (Lk. 17:20-21). The Kingdom was standing right there before them! The same thing is applicable to us today: the kingdom of God is in our midst! As a matter of fact, the meaning of each petition in the Lord’s Prayer revolves around the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, not necessarily as a future hope, but above all as a reality that is proleptically present in his own person-Autobasileia.

     In the episode, first, Jesus encourages them to ask Him (the Father) what has to do with their spiritual life (that his name maybe sanctified in us, and that his Kingdom maybe established in us, that he forgives our sins, and in turn we will forgive those who sinned against us and that he should not allow us to fall into temptation). He also taught them to ask for all that is necessary for our earthly life (give us this day, our daily bread). Second, he encouraged them to pray to the Father with insistence and perseverance, as one would do with a friend, even in odd hours, with the assurance of being listened and heard: “ask and it will be given to you, search and you shall find” (v.19). Lastly, he encouraged them to pray to the Father with the conviction that He knows how “to give good things” to his children. He will even give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him, which is the Supreme good we have to ask before anything else, for his presence is replete with grace, love, joy, peace, light, strength and consolation.

     What does daily bread signify? This stands to indicate what nourishes and sustains man at least physically. And he says “give us”; as such it becomes an invitation for us to think on how better to share the bread he sends to humanity through the earth and the works of human hands. The second to the last petition in the Lukan account goes thus: “forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us”, it is the only petition in which we not only ask for something but we also make a promise: to forgive our brothers and sisters. Here, there is a precise condition: we cannot recite the Lord’s Prayer with resentment in the heart, with un-forgiveness, without embarking on self-condemnation. And lastly, “do not put us to the test”, Mathew was more detailed, for he added the type of test in question: “but save us from the Evil One” (Mt. 6:13b). The temptation here does neither come from us nor from God, for God does not tempt anyone (cf. Jm. 1:13), but from the Evil One comes the temptation that is capable of making us to doubt the paternity of God. Little wonder, Jesus exhorts us: “Pray not to be put to test” (Lk. 22:40). In this case, we have to ask God to give us the grace and the strength as he promised: “None of the trials which have come upon you is more than a human being can stand. You can trust that God will not let you be put to the test beyond your strength, but with any trial will also provide a way out by enabling you to put up with it” (1Cor. 10:13).

     Indeed many a times the manner in which we say this prayer gives the impression that we have lost the sense of the mystery hidden in those words, words that came out of the mouth of God and addressed to the ears of God. St. Luke has revealed to us the genesis of this prayer, it springs from the prayer of Jesus. It can also happen that we do not obtain what we pray for. It is either that we do not merit it or it is better for us not to have it, or God will do it in his own time or he wants to put our faith to the test. It can also be as St James opined: "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (Jm.4:2). It is equally true that God knows what we need even before we ask him, but he wants us to ask and knock at his door, and also for us to affirm our trust in Him. For this Jesus invited us: “Stay awake, praying at all times” (Lk. 21:36), and again “pray continually and never lose heart” (Lk. 18:1). In the same vein, St. Paul exhorts us in the following words: “pray constantly” (1Th. 5:17); “In all your prayer and entreaty keep praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion” (Eph. 6:18).               

     Drawing the issue further, there is indeed a resemblance between the Lord’s Prayer and the Eucharist. In the Eucharist the presence of Jesus who gives himself to the Father for humanity is perpetuated: “Here am I among you as one who serves” (Lk. 22:27); in the Lord’s Prayer the presence of Jesus who prays is perpetuated: “He lives forever to intercede for us” (Heb. 7:25). In the Eucharist there is communion in the body of Christ, and in the Lord’s Prayer there is communion in the prayer of Christ. This is truly the “spiritual communion” that we can activate every moment, when the sacramental one is not possible.

     On the other hand, the most sublime existential and ethical invitation in relation to the Lord’s Prayer comes to us by Apostle Peter thus: And if you address as Father him who judges without favoritism according to each individual’s deeds, live out the time of your exile here in reverent awe” (1Pt. 1:17), and the purpose for this invitation is seen in the subsequent verse: “For you know that the price of your ransom from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors was paid, not in anything perishable like silver and gold, but in precious blood as of a blameless and spotless lamb, Christ” (1Pt. 1:18-19).

     As St. Paul expressed in the second reading (Col. 2:12-14) we are buried with Christ and immersed in his redemptive death, and with him, we are risen to the divine life, we are raised from death that we were for our sins. St. Paul advances an idea that the baptized are already risen, even though he later emphasized on the need of implementing the resurrection in question by ethical obedience, and that brings this idea closer to the one in his letter to the Romans (cf.Rm.6), where he affirmed that in Baptism we participate in the death of Christ, but our rising with him is consequent upon our daily dying to sin and the willingness to walk in the newness of life. Behold, Christ is our Great Intercessor, who through the mediation of his salvific death reconciled us with the Father and redeemed us from sin. We continue to enjoy the benefits of his work of redemption, mediation and intercession before the Father. And from the power of his mediation and intercession we can “mediate” and “intercede” before God in favor of our brothers and sisters. Indeed, through us and through the entire members of his mystical body, Christ wants to continue his work of redemption in the world. For this St. John writes: “for this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved” (Jn. 3:16-17).

     Beloved in Christ, we need to join our voices to that of the disciple in entreating Jesus: “Lord, teach us how to pray”. Let us learn therefore, not only how to ask for our own good, but also to assume the same disposition of heart and the same spirit with which Jesus presents himself to the Father. Above all, we ought to pray with great humility like Abraham, conscious that we are dust and ash, but at the same time with insistence and audacity, as a sign of confidence, trust and filial love; and not as a way of bending God to our will and demands. To say it with St. Paul: “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). Lord, teach us to pray!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

The Only Necessary Thing!

(Homily 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

     A proper look into the readings of this Sunday reveals that a unifying theme, especially in the first reading and the Gospel is that of hospitality. In the first reading, God presented himself as a stranger or a guest to Abraham (interestingly, the Christian tradition sees this encounter between Abraham and the three men or angels as a symbol of the Trinity); in the Gospel reading Jesus was welcomed as a guest in the house of Mary and Martha. This theme lingers subtly into the second reading whereof St. Paul welcomed and accepted in his body Christ crucified, in order to complete Christ’s sufferings in his body- that is the church. And again, we are told of how the Word of God hidden from all mankind for centuries, came to the Gentiles.

     As a matter of fact, in our world today that is growing more and more individualistic we need to rediscover the value of hospitality. The Scripture helps us to understand in profundity the meaning of hospitality, it is not only a sign of humanity, but an aspect of the new commandment of Christ, to welcome a guest means to welcome Christ, who identifies with all the needy, who even on the episode of the disciples of Emmaus (cf. Lk. 24) assumed the position of a pilgrim or a guest. While teaching about the final judgment, he says: “I was a stranger and you made me welcome” (Mt. 25:35b). Be that as it may, welcoming a guest means opening one’s doors like Abraham, Martha and Mary, and by extension like Paul too.

     The first reading (Gn. 18:1-10a) narrates the encounter between Abraham and the three young men or angels. And apart from Abraham’s hospitality to them, the hit track of this passage is the annunciation of Isaac’s birth to Abraham. The thread linking the revelation of Isaac’s birth in the first reading and the mystery hidden for ages and generations and now made manifest in the second reading, is the fact that God is a God who acts in history, and he accompanies his actions with the revelation of their meanings. In the Scriptures, annunciation is a tool for disclosing the meaning of God’s acts in the history of salvation. In the history of salvation, usually the birth of major figures and actors are announced by an angel, and it is often a supernatural birth or a birth that surpasses the ordinary course. In the case of Isaac, his birth was supernatural because Abraham and Sarah were too old to have a child. As a matter of fact, the event of the birth of Isaac and other similar supernatural birth events (e.g: Samson (Jg. 13), Samuel (1Sam. 1)) prepares the ground in the Old testament for the birth of Jesus in the New Testament (cf. Lk. 1:26-38).

     The sacred writer with this story intends to lay emphasis on three important facts: ●The great gentleness and sense of hospitality of Abraham, who immediately he saw them “ran from the tent door to meet them”, he invited them to come and wash their feet and to rest under the shadow of the tree. He went further to ask for permission to go and prepare a meal for them, so that they could be refreshed in order to continue their journey. ●The supernatural character of the apparition, one of the three personages is Yahweh (God), as evidenced in verses (1.3.10.13). The aim of this apparition was to announce to Abraham the birth of his son Isaac (within a year), even though humanly speaking it appears impossible (the old age of Abraham and the sterility of Sarah). ●The profound desire of Abraham of being able to welcome and have under his tent Yahweh (God), this is expressed in a humble and ardent supplication thus: “My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant…” (v. 3).

     Be that as it may, today therefore, the word of God invites us to appropriate, to make ours these sentiments and comportment of Abraham. Hospitality has a sacred character; it is eminently a religious and biblical expression of the love of neighbor which distinguishes a Christian. Secondly, let us share with Abraham the desire and the prayer that God may give us the grace of His visit, of visiting our house and our heart, to be our guest, to enter into our life as a friend as He did to Abraham. This twofold desire of God who intends to dwell among men, and of men desiring to be visited by God, was fully realized in the Incarnation of Christ. “The Word was made flesh and it came to dwell among us” (Jn. 1:14). Jesus, the incarnate Word, is the God that not only wants to dwell among us, but to remain with us, especially through the Eucharist, he even wants to come in us to establish a profound communion of life with us, “Anyone who loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make a home in him” (Jn. 14:23). This indeed is the great mystery that was hidden for ages and generations, as St. Paul affirmed in the second reading: “Christ in us the hope of glory”. Paul announced this even while suffering in prison.

     The Gospel passage (Lk. 10:38-42) presents Jesus at Bethany in the house of Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. This is a friendly family that was close to Jesus during the time of his ministry in Judea. For Mary it was like a dream being at the side of Jesus, in order to listen in the silence of her heart and with all the attentions of her heart the words of eternal life that Jesus was proclaiming even in the moments of rest, she sat at the Lord’s feet with utmost attention. On the other side is Martha, who was very much worried on how to give Jesus a resounding welcome, she was putting things in order, cleaning and preparing a good meal. Indeed, one could imagine the tone of her voice and maybe the seriousness on her face when she said to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me” (v.40). It was at this point that Jesus pronounced those words that could be considered a Gospel in the Gospel: “Martha, Martha, he said, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part, and it is not to be taken away from her” (vv. 41-42).

     Extrapolating from this passage, now let us keep aside this incident at the house of Mary and Martha, and focus on ourselves, we are presently the family that has Jesus as a guest, this our liturgical assembly and this our Church are the house of Bethany of which the Master speaks about; now we are Mary and Martha. And it is to us that he says: My friend you worry and fret about so many things and you neglect the only important thing. It is really true, that sometimes in our life and daily endeavors we worry about things that do not matter, we are sometimes like Martha, who believes to be doing the most important thing in the world, while they are wasting time. Sometimes we are agitated for things that are urgent but not important. Little wonder, Jesus posed the question: “Can any of you, however much you worry, add one single cubit to your span of life? ...So do not worry, do not say: What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to wear?” (Mt. 6:27.31). Jesus therefore, invites us to come out of this endless circle of worrying and instead pay attention to the thing that matters, the only necessary thing!

     As a matter of fact, it behooves us to ask at this point, what is this only necessary thing? What is the better part that can never be taken away from whoever that has chosen it? The passage makes it clear that it is the choice of Mary. But what is this choice of Mary? She chose to listen to Jesus, she chose Jesus himself, and with Jesus she has chosen all: his word, his presence, his kingdom, she chose what lasts forever, the hidden Treasure. Mary chose his words that are replete with the reality of the present time and eternity; and his presence that is replete with Good News, not only that, but a presence that is autobasileia.

     On the other hand, what should we say about the worry and activeness of Marry, indeed, it is not by chance that St. Luke collocated the episode of the Good Samaritan and this of Mary and Martha one after the other. It does appear Jesus placed the episode immediately after that of the Good Samaritan in order to correct the activistic impression that could be deduced from Jesus response to the lawyer. What Jesus cautions in Martha is not her desire to serve, or her attention for the guest, no! What Jesus corrects in Martha is the tendency and act of letting herself be carried away by things to be done, her excessive activism, the excessive attention she gives to exterior things and her work, to the point of losing the sense of proportion and of values. Knowing Jesus, Martha should have known that he prefers being listened to than any other thing, in fact, for Jesus, the food he most desired, is “to do the will of his Father” (Jn. 4:34). Martha we could say to some extend was trying to play the good person to the guest, and not so much to make the guest happy. In all, we discover from this passage that it is important to listen to Jesus, to have our gaze fixed on Him, cultivating the habit of prayer, reflection and contemplation, for these elements help us to purify our actions, and helps us to avoid the tendency of self-seeking when we do charity to others, it helps us to respect priority and instills in us the calmness of doing things in a better way.

     Mary chose the better part, and what of you? What part have you chosen? The choice is demonstrated in a precise fact, just like in the case of Mary: Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and was listening to his words. She was listening not just with her ears, but with her heart and all her being, we need to imitate from her this type of profound listening; faith indeed comes by hearing the word of Christ (cf. Rm. 10:17). Martha did not understand that Jesus came to their house to nourish her and not to be nourished by her. Jesus continues to come to us as our guest, but he comes to nourish us, he does that through his words and through the gift of himself in the Holy Eucharist. Let us always welcome him with utmost attention for He is the Better Part that can never be taken away from us.

     In the second reading (Col. 1:24-28) St. Paul makes a bold formulation that he fills up what is lacking of Christ’s affliction, in any case, it does not mean that something is lacking in the atoning power of Christ’s death. We can draw a clue from the letters that presented Paul’s suffering as an epiphany or manifestation of Christ’s cross. In that bid, what is lacking is not the atoning power of the cross of Christ; rather it’s manifestation in the church as a present reality. Once again, it is not as if there is something lacking from the Cross of Christ or that it is inadequate of redeeming the world, such that it needs to be completed, No!  The fact is that in the very moment Paul is united with Christ through grace, Christ “lives in him”, he became a sort of a prolongation of the humanity of Christ and through Paul’s sufferings Christ continues his passion for the redemption of the world and for the good of the Church.

     In the undoubted letters of St. Paul, his gospel is a mystery (cf. 1Cor 2:1), in the letter to the Romans this mystery has a subtle difference (cf. Rm. 11:25) and it has to do with the proclamation of a new saving act. And in St. Paul’s parlance, the mystery involves the admission of the Gentiles to the Christian community. Indeed, St. Paul tends to explain better in what consists this one thing that matters, this better part spoken about by Jesus in the Gospel. And he affirms: “it is Christ among you, your hope of glory” (v.27), he is the mystery hidden for generations and centuries, but now it has been finally manifested in all his glory and richness to the saints. Christ in us the hope of glory, this is truly the great and necessary thing. We need to recognize this presence of Jesus in us, which no one can take away from us, he is ever present and he continues to speak to the Church, as he was speaking in the house of Mary and Martha. He alone constitutes the hope of our final victory on death and this passing world.

     The contemplation of Mary and the action of Martha belong together as two folded hands. For without action, contemplation can easily degenerate into a sort of spiritual passivism, and without some tinctures of contemplation, action becomes obsessive-compulsive activism. Be that as it may, Mary and Martha demonstrate clearly the two possible approaches of two good people in their response to Jesus only that Martha exaggerated a bit in her worries. So drawing the issue further prayer and work (contemplation and action) can be the both sides of the same coin. Therefore, sitting or serving we can still be very close to Jesus and listen attentively to his words!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

Neighbours Without Borders!

 (15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

"Neighborliness is not a quality in other people, it is simply their claim on ourselves. We have literally no time to sit down and ask ourselves whether so and so is our neighbor or not. We must get into action and obey; we must behave like a neighbor to him". (D. Bonhoeffer)

    The central message of today’s readings revolves around the theme of the nearness of God to humanity. In the first reading He is near to us through his commandment and word. In the second reading we see the most sublime closeness and nearness through His Son Jesus Christ, who even when man and woman distanced themselves from this closeness through sin, He reconciled and rectified us with the Father through His Blood. The Gospel rather presents Him as our Neighbor. Jesus is indeed the perfect Neighbor to humanity. By means of this, the readings of today set in motion the vertical and horizontal dimensions of religion. These two dimensions hinge on the theme of Love and orchestrated in the communication of this love, not just as an abstract concept, but as a concrete action, for we are called to do the same. For this, the first reading sets in motion God’s communication of his love to humanity, not by imposition of his commandments; rather He implants them right in the heart. More than that, the unthinkable risk and the unexplainable compassion demonstrated by the Samaritan in Jesus Parable reveals the extent God went and goes in communicating his love to humanity, it is indeed, the extremity of love (cf. Jn. 13:1). On its part, the second reading presents Jesus as the image of the invisible God (the perfect communication of God), the locus of cosmic fullness and the “reconciliator” of all. Jesus is indeed God’s most complete communication of Himself, and just like the parabolic Samaritan, He continues to care and heal the wounds of the wounded humanity! 

      The first reading (Deut. 30:10-14) presents a part of Moses’ farewell speech in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy repeatedly emphasizes God's undying and unchanging love for his people, and from this perspective urges its hearers to respond (love of God and neighbor). This passage is a sermon that urges Israel to renew their covenant with God, and it does appear it was composed during the exilic period. Therein, it talks about the concept of law that is no longer written on tables of stones, but engraved on the heart (cf. Jer.31:33). In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul made reference to this passage, especially this verse: “No, the word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to put into practice” (v.14) in relation to the Gospel, the righteousness that comes through faith and the event of Christ, “What does it say, then? The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith, the faith which we preach, that if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved” (Rm. 10:8-9). This passage connects us well to the Gospel narrative, for in the person of Jesus, God became very near and close to humanity. Little wonder, this passage speaks prophetically of the word of God that is very close to us, even inside us, in our mouth and in our heart. The psalmist puts it fittingly well thus: “The Lord is close to those who seek him”. 

     This Gospel periscope (Lk. 10:25-37) is not just an allegorical presentation, but underneath, it presents the history of Salvation, without which the parable cannot be understood deeply. As such, it can only be properly understood in and through the Person of Christ, the Savior of humanity. It presents two protagonists, a doctor of the Law of Moses and Jesus. But their dialogue proceeds on two different levels. The doctor of law proceeds purely from a theoretical view point, from an abstract dimension of someone who wants to acquire knowledge, someone who wants to discuss, may be with the scope of putting his interlocutor into some difficulties. His first question to Jesus goes thus: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (v.25), afterwards he asked: "And who is my neighbor?" (v.29). On the other hand, we see Jesus, who did not reject the theoretical discussion, but in answering him he proceeds from a practical and concrete stand point. He wanted to bring him from the theoretical to the concrete dimension, from abstract words and questions to action.

    The doctor of Law that asked Jesus who is my neighbor, was grappling with a serious problem that was confronting the Israelites at that time, because there was the question of who an Israelite has to consider as his neighbor, some were considering only their immediate neighbors and their countrymen, while others are seen as enemies. The essence of the question of this doctor of the law was to ascertain where does the obligation of loving one’s neighbors ends and who has to be included in this category? Jesus in his response expanded the horizon of the interrogator; he helped him to pass from the law to the Gospel. The response is: There is no limit. The category for neighborhood is universal, for it indicates man (and woman) not just ones relatives and friends. Jesus equally used a Jew and a Samaritan to respond to the provocation, because at that time the two (Jews and Samaritans) were enemies. In response to his first question, Jesus makes reference to the same Law of Moses: "What is written in the law? How do you read?" (v.26). And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself" (v.27). He responded well, but Jesus still trying to bring him to the realm of action tells him: “do this and you will live” (v.28). He tells him to act, to concretize his knowledge. It is not knowledge that saves, but action. Good deeds make the difference!

   Then, here comes the focal question: Who is my neighbor? (the second question of the doctor of law). Who should I consider to be my neighbor? According some Judaic currents of thought you can make some distinctions on this. Once again we can observe that the desire to discuss is prevalent in this doctor. But Jesus goes to the concrete, he narrated to him one of the best parables of the Gospel: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, (the road that from Jerusalem to Jericho is in reality a lonely and dangerous road) and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead” (v.30). “A man”: whoever he is, is not important, therefore a neighbor is any man (or woman) I encounter on my way, any one in need of my help. “A man” here is a universal representation of every man/woman, especially anyone in need. I would like us to repeat the same question in our hearts: “who is my neighbor?” Now, of course we can readily say someone in need, however, at times my neighbor is not far-fetched, your neighbor may be your husband that you have neglected for some time now, your wife that you do not care if she is existing, your parents that for you are useless.

     Once Jesus clarified the question of who is my neighbor, he emphasizes that the important thing is to make oneself a neighbor to the man in need, to reach out first to the person, like the Samaritan in that parable, who saw that man on the road and “when he saw him, he had compassion” (v.33); “went to him and bound up his wounds…and took care of him” (v. 34). Similarly, Jesus concludes here by telling the doctor “Go and do likewise” (v.37). But today He is repeating it to each and every one of us. Let us reflect on the actions of the Good Samaritan: “he had compassion”, in the Gospel of Luke the verb used to indicate this, is a technical word to indicate a divine action. The first three gestures of the Good Samaritan: see, stop and touch, describe the first three merciful actions. To see: he saw him, he had compassion. He saw the wounds. To stop: to stop one’s movement, one’s journey. To touch: the Samaritan went to him, pouring oil and wine. Generally in the Gospel, whenever Jesus is moved with pity, he stops to touch, to demonstrate that love is not just an emotive fact, it is an action-word.

    Commenting on the precept, Jesus explains; if you love those who love you what merit do you have? Even pagans do the same. Jesus here refers us to the Father who loves even the unjust (cf. Mt. 5:43-48), who equally loved us when we were still enemies and sinners (cf. Rm. 5:6-8). With the response and explanation of Jesus, the problem of the doctor of the law was reversed, from an abstract and intellectual problem to a concrete problem; the question is no longer who my neighbor is? But who do I make myself a neighbor to? Then, here comes the second point of the Parable: how do I make myself a neighbor to the other? And indeed from the actions of the Samaritan emerge a glaring response; we love with facts not with words, here the exhortation of St. John becomes eminent: “Children, our love must be not just words or mere talk, but something active and genuine” (1Jn. 3:18). The Samaritan did not resolve to give empty words of encouragement, rather he acted. In fact, as St. James would say: “If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty, without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that?” (Jm. 2:15-16). To love as Jesus demands, one has to be disposed to spend not only what he/she has but also oneself; that is what a good number of the saints in the history of the Church did. Many a times it is very easy to tread the path of the priest and the Levite. The priest probably didn't want to risk the possibility of ritual impurity. His piety handicapped his sense of charity. And the Levite must have been afraid of really stopping to help, thinking that it was a set-up of some bandits, so his consciousness for personal security overshadowed his sense of compassion and love. Many a times we are or we have acted like them. At last, the Parable of Jesus passes from the category of words and a mere parable to an existential reality and invitation: Go and do the same! This parable has to be incarnated in the reality of our everyday life. “Faith without work is dead” (Jm. 2:26).

     In the second reading (Col. 1:15-20) Jesus gives us a sublime example. He is the incarnation of the Good Samaritan in its highest expression. Jesus as St. Paul presented “is the image of the invisible God, for in him all things were created… and in him all things hold together”. The first part of this passage is a Christological hymn that speaks of Christ as the image of God and as the agent of creation and preservation. The second part picks up the theme of redemption. In St. Paul’s parlance, as the pre-existent wisdom, Christ was the first-born of creation, and as the risen One he is the first-born of the dead. Behold, this divine wisdom becomes incarnate in Jesus, and his incarnation reaches its climax on the cross, which is the source of reconciliation, and peace. Just like the Good Samaritan he bandaged the wounds of the fallen humanity. Indeed, he made himself our neighbor at the point humanity was in an existential confusion, he made himself our neighbor to the point of becoming one of us. He carried us on his shoulders and raised us from our miserable condition of sin at the prize of his Blood. He is the Good Samaritan Par excellence!

     In all, there can be no love of God without love of neighbor. And conversely, there is no authentic love of neighbor that does not spring from love of God. To love your neighbor does not mean you may love some people but not others, rather it means: be a neighbor to another, not just by indulging in mere sentiments, but doing concrete acts. Above all, the invitation of Jesus: You go and do the same, is not primarily a moral demand, rather a demand of faith. I deem it plausible to conclude with the invitatory words of St. John thus: “My dear people, since God has loved us so much, then we too should love one another” (1Jn. 4:11).

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

Mission For All!

(Homily 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. C)

     The readings of this Sunday seem to be internally discordant amongst them, but at a close observation and reflection, one notices a thread of connection that runs through them. The connecting theme is that of peace. Prophet Isaiah spoke of peace and rejoicing in Jerusalem in his prophecy. In the Gospel as Jesus sent the seventy (-two), he charged them to proclaim peace to any house they enter, for peace is the sign of the nearness of God’s kingdom. Similarly, St. Paul in the second reading proclaimed peace and mercy on those who walk on the rule of the new creation that supersedes the law of circumcision or uncircumcision. However, the crux of todays’ message revolves around how we should carry out our mission as Christians and on what to lay the foundation of our Christian existence. In the first reading Isaiah led it on the realization of God’s promises, in the same vein, Jesus reminded the apostles to rejoice not because of the success of the mission, but because their names have been written in heaven, to help them understand that a sheep does not rely on its own strength but on that of the Shepherd. In the second reading St. Paul vehemently asserted that his glory is in the cross of Christ, and that is the basis of his Christian existence.

     The first reading (Is. 66:10-14) presents the scenario of the joy that followed the restoration of God’s people from exile. The returning exiles were received by Jerusalem like a mother, who consoles them at her breast and dandles them upon her lap. This is the anticipation of the realization of their dreams, the city of Jerusalem that will reunite all her children as a mother. Here, also we see the metaphor, which not only speaks of Jerusalem, but also Yahweh who will send “prosperity” to her like a river. The word prosperity is linked to “shalom”. The reference to peace establishes a network of connection between the three readings. The responsorial psalm is in connection with the first reading, while the first talks about the restoration of Israel exiles, the latter is a thanksgiving for a national deliverance, well pictured in the context of the first exodus: “He changed the sea into dry land; they crossed the river on foot” (v.6). It is indeed a hymn of thanksgiving to God for his mighty work: man’s redemption.

     In the passage of today’s Gospel (Lk. 10:1-12.17-20), St. Luke presented the episode of the mission of the seventy(-two) disciples; different from the mission of the twelve which was recorded by all the three synoptic Gospels (Mt. 10:5-15; Mk.6:7-13; Lk. 9:1-6), the mission of the seventy (seventy-two as reported by some texts) instead is peculiar to the Gospel of Luke. The number seventy-two is symbolic, and in reference to the number 12 (twelve apostles), while the mission of the twelve represents the Church’s mission to Israel, the twelve tribes, the mission of the seventy (two) is to the nations of the world according to Jewish tradition. The number seventy-two is a symbol of all Christians spread all over the world, and again it symbolizes all the people of the earth. The invitation therefore, is for all the baptized, for all Christians of all times!

     The disciples are charged to proclaim Jesus’ own message: “The kingdom of God has come near to you”. This is the content of the message we have to bring to the world in the name of Jesus. The mission is to be characterized by urgency and detachment. Another important factor emanating from this passage is that the initiative of the mission comes from the Lord and not from the disciples. The disciples returned from the mission excited by their success, but Jesus rather lessened the intensity of their excitement: “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice instead that your names are written in heaven” (v.20). Jesus draws their attention to the more important thing, not merely the outcome of the mission but the privilege of being made partakers in the eschatological salvation. For when the disciples forget that, they may run the risk of seeing themselves as the owners of the mission and the success their own achievement.

     In the Lucan account, Jesus sent 72 of his disciples on mission ad gentes; he gave them some recommendations, and some of those recommendations are not so easy to understand. This time, Jesus did not send the 12 apostles on mission, for he already sent them. But now he sent the 72 disciples, and we may well say that he sent all those that were following him, they were simple people, who demonstrated their faith in Jesus, following him after listening to his words and seeing his works. Therefore, the missionary preaching of Jesus is valid for all; it is addressed to every single Christian. Every Christian has to be aware that he or she is called to faith and salvation, not only for himself but also to be “sent” to others for an evangelical mission, not necessarily to a distant place. And that is the mission of rendering the Gospel alive, in our own social, cultural and political milieu or even beyond. Jesus did not send the 72 to a distant place, as it was in the case of the 12 apostles (go to the whole world). But he sent the 72 close to himself, to preach, to precede him in every city he was about to enter. The intension of Jesus as Luke want us to understand is to ensure that all Christians are involved in the mission of the proclamation of God’s word, not by proselytism but through a life lived in the light of the gospel. All are called in, to and for the mission.

         Where then is the place of mission of a simple Christian today? Where are we called or sent just as baptized and confirmed Christians to enliven the richness of the gospel message? We may begin to imagine where it could be, but the locus of our evangelization is not far-fetched. Our mission is around us, in our families, in our villages, towns, streets, places of work, even in the church. In this sense, we are called to be missionaries even taking the Gospel to our families. But the question remains: how do I render the gospel alive, how do I disseminate the richness of the gospel message in the place where I live and in the place I work? What type of message do I preach to those around me, good news or bad news? Then one may further asks: how do I go about this missionary work, what are the requirements? Jesus presents some characteristics of those called to be part of the mission:

●Meekness, not force and violence: Jesus says: “I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves”. He invited them to be non-violent, at the same time lambs that do not fear the wolves, because their courage and audacity comes from the victorious Cross of Christ and from the power of the Gospel.

●Detachment from everything that may make the journey heavy, “carry no purse, no bag, no sandals”, he invites them to be free and not to be slaves of material things (here we can remember the experience of David: 1Sam. 17, 38-40).

●To be persons of peace, who possess interior peace, the serenity of the spirit, “whatever house you enter, first say, ‘peace be to this house”, which above all entails possessing interior freedom. St. Paul affirmed “now that we have been justified by faith, we are at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rm. 5:1). Our responsibility as Christians is to bring peace; it is one of the signs of the nearness of God’s kingdom. Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace, I leave you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give” (Jn. 14:27).

●To be sensitive to the weak and the needy, “heal the sick”, the same requirement he made to the 12 apostles (Lk. 9:2.6). He wanted them to go and prepare, or better clear the way for Jesus. And indeed, a Christian is and should be one who prepares the way for Jesus.

     As a matter of fact, many years ago there were places identified as mission areas or mission nations, this is no longer in vogue, but today where is the place of mission? The places of mission are no longer far places, places of mission are within us, and they are here with us. We seem to experience today a turnaround situation of the Parable of Jesus (cf. Lk. 15:4-7), for the sheep are no longer ninety-nine inside and one outside, but one inside and ninety-nine outside, that is the state of things. And the danger is that the shepherd today is more concerned with the one inside and not the ninety-nine outside. But is also true in today’s context that the ninety-nine outside are not all pagans, a good number are baptized, because there is a sad reality that one can be baptized, and yet without being Christian. Be that as it may, if at the beginning of the missions, the preoccupation was that of implanting Christian communities in a pagan world, today the challenge is how to create Christians communities among the baptized. We are called to be missionaries of hope, but also with testimonies. We don’t need special preparation or skills for this universal mission, rather what we need is to demonstrate to those we meet and those around us that Christ has changed our life.

       The Gospel of today ends with a precious annotation, that the 72 came back full of joy because even the devil was subject to them in the name of Jesus. But Jesus’ response to them redirected their attention to something more important. He says to them: “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven”. This should be their source and reason for joy, what is your own reason or source of joy? Where is your name written? In heaven or elsewhere? 

        In this passage of the second reading (Gal. 6:14-18) we have a glimpse of the aim of this Pauline letter, he wrote to urge the Galatians against lapsing into syncretism. Paul reminded them that anyone who gets circumcised is obliged to keep the whole law. Paul unlike his opponents glories in the Cross and not in the circumcision. The necessary thing and what makes the difference is that the believers are recreated into the new existence. In the parlance of Paul, what matters is the new creation in Christ and not the marks of circumcision. At the heart of this new existence in Paul’s experience stands his mark of apostolic sufferings, in which the Cross of Christ is made manifest. For this he warned: “let no one trouble me; I carry branded on my body the marks of Jesus” (v.17), with that St. Paul declared his allegiance and belongingness to Christ. At this point in his life, there is a change of ownership, he now belongs to Christ, little wonder he has the “tattoo” of Christ on his body. He reminds us that the Christian experience does not have any other end, but to appropriate the life of Christ, especially in the mystery of the Cross.

     Above all else, however, we may well remember a day that prophet Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord calling, and asking: who will I send and who will go for us? And the prophet responded: “Here I am, send me” (Is. 6:8). This call continues, and now it is Jesus who says: who will go for me to proclaim the Good news of salvation to the people? Blessed are those who will respond to his calling. Lord Jesus help us to be prophets of the realization of God’s promises (first reading), and missionaries / evangelizers of peace (Gospel) and of the new creation in Christ (second reading). Amen!!!

 (Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)