August 28, 2022; 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time; Year (C)

Readings: Sir. 3:17-20, 28-29; Heb. 12:18-19, 22-24; Lk 14:1, 7-14

 

Pride Goes Before the Fall  

1.    Today’s first reading admonishes, “My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” The Latin word ‘humilitas’, a noun, relates to the adjective humilis, which means “humble,” “grounded,” or “from the earth.” Its origin is ‘humus’ (earth). Humble persons do not see themselves as being more important than others. Christ teaches us to“Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.”(Matt. 11:29). The way of Christ is the way of the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. He is the suffering servant of God who is “Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break and a smoldering wick he shall not quench until he establishes justice on the earth.” (Is. 42:1-4). And so, the readings remind us to be humble in dealing with others. People love those who are humble. Their humility is a gift that is more than a material gift. They give of themselves to others.

 

2.    Humility is not self-abasement or self-deprecating. It is not underestimating or underrating one’s abilities. No. God’s gifts to us are for a good purpose, to build up the body of Christ, the church. Humility disposes us to put our time, talent, and treasure in the service of God and his people. It enables us to recognize our weaknesses and limitations. It makes it possible for us to acknowledge that everything we have comes from God. Since all we have is a gift from God, we must not be pompous, boastful, arrogant, and inconsiderate about our gifts. Instead, we should put God first in all things, people next, then ourselves last. That is the fruit of humility. The book of Proverbs warns: “Before his downfall, a man’s heart is haughty, but humility goes before honors.” (Prov. 18:12). Pride goes before the fall; if we are not humble, we will stumble and fall. 

 

3.    In today’s Gospel, we are invited to dinner by God, just as Christ dinned at the leading Pharisee’s house. Many of those invited were busy choosing places of honor regardless of who else was invited. Christ reminds us that it is better to be invited to a high table by our host than be demoted to the floor seat with others. Won’t we be embarrassed if we are told to give up our place to someone more important than ourselves? How do we present ourselves before God and Christ, his Son, at the eucharistic table? Are we in church with the sole purpose of meeting the Lord and celebrating with our brothers and sisters, or have we come to tell God of our importance? Do we discriminate against others at the table of the Lord, or do we see ourselves as a worshipping community who worship God in spirit and in truth? Are we boastful and conceited like the Pharisee in the bible, “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” or are we humble enough to know our position in life and acknowledge our need for God? “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”? (Lk. 18:9-14). It is true indeed that a humble person who often looks up to God rarely looks down on anyone, especially if they are poor, for he does not see himself as being better than anyone. Isn’t it funny that some of us like to sit at the back pew in church, but when invited to a social gathering, take the seat at the high table with no consideration that someone greater than us may have been invited and we may have to give up our seat to that person? 

 

4.    Christ encourages us to consider whom to invite to our celebrations. The law of reciprocity is to be avoided by all means. We are to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. That they are unable to repay us means we are blessed. God will repay us at the resurrection of the righteous. Thus, Christ admonishes us that our admission into the kingdom will depend on how we treat the poor. Did we feed the hungry or give water to the thirsty? Did we welcome the stranger or clothe the naked? Did we visit those in prison or the sick at home? “What you did not do for one of these least ones you did not do for me.” So, is our humility grounded in our faith to the point of seeing everyone as our brothers or sisters? Do I allow Christ to grow in my life so that I no longer see how important I am but rather see the importance of those around me? Can I say with St. Paul, “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me”? (Gal. 2:20). Amen.    

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

August 21, 2022; 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time; Year (C)

Readings: Isaiah 66:18-21; Heb. 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13:22-30

 

Choose Wisely, Choose the Narrow Path

 

1.    Diversity is God’s unique gift to humanity. God created us and loved us into being regardless of who we are the color of our skin and our country of origin. Discrimination, segregation, and racism are sins that cry out to heaven and show how far we are from our creator. These vices demonstrate our collective sense of sin and shame. Christ died for humanity and made salvation available to all, not minding who we are and where we come from. St Paul captured this vividly thus: “For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26-29). 

 

2.    Today’s first reading reminds us of this fact. “I am coming to gather the nations of every language. They shall come to witness my glory. I will give them a sign and send some of their survivors to the nations.” Isaiah wrote this to encourage the children of Israel who were exiled to Babylon. Two generations of Israelites were already in the land of exile. They had given up hope of returning home to Judea and their beloved temple in Jerusalem. The prophet told them that God would revisit them to restore their fortune. They will worship God again in Jerusalem. He reminded them that at the time of their visitation, people from foreign nations would join them to worship the God of Israel. Even foreigners would be accepted as priests. This way of thinking was foreign to them, who thought salvation was their birthright. 

 

3.    The Children of Israel were to see their time in a foreign land as a testing period and a time of discipline. God tested them because he loved them. “Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him?” (Second reading). Much as we hate suffering, it is a necessary part of our existence. There is no crown without a cross. But we would do anything to avoid pain, suffering, and discipline. Many have taken drugs, alcohol, sex, and violent behaviors to numb their pains. But our pain will not go away through the use of substances; we must solve our problems by working through them. Whatever we take to avoid pain and suffering will wear off sooner than later, and the pain will intensify after. If we are patient and disciplined, we can solve life’s problems slowly but surely. 

 

4.    Today, Christ invites us to make a hard choice and travel the narrow path of discipline. To the question, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” We cannot claim to know Christ if we are not practicing Christians. Our religious practices without knowing Christ as our personal Lord and Savior will not bring us to His presence. We may hear instead, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!” Or, as Isaiah would say: “These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized.” (29:13). 

 

5.    Does God know your work and your thoughts? (First reading). Do you have a personal relationship with God that will influence your relationship with others? To the question, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Christ answered: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:36-40). Those who do the will of God and love their neighbors as themselves will see God, not those who call on God daily and do not do what He commands.

 

6.    We have a choice before us today. So, we must choose wisely! Is your choice the narrow path that leads to joy, peace, and eternal happiness, or the way that guarantees instant happiness and joy here and now? Let us choose a life with God. Let us choose forgiveness and peaceful coexistence with others and not hatred and sadness. The choice is ours. But remember, every choice has consequences. May we choose the narrow path, the road that only a few people will find, and enter into eternal happiness with God. May Christ never say this to us “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.” Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

August 14, 2022; 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

 Readings: Jeremiah 38:4-6,8-10; Heb. 12:1-4; Lk 12:49-53

The Cost of Discipleship

1. “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father.” This is what we read in today’s Gospel. It paints a gloomy picture of discipleship. Following Christ is not a bed of roses, but it is not all pain and suffering, either. The cost of discipleship is enormous; it costs not less than everything. It may even cost us our lives. The division and fire that ensue are the prices we all must pay. Because we do not live in an isolated world, but in one, we share with others who do not share our principles, ideals, faith, hope, and goals. This will naturally create disaffection and conflicts between followers and non-followers of Christ.     

2.    As a prophet, Jeremiah toed a fine line between speaking for God or telling people what they wanted to hear. He lived and died trying to change the course of human history by denouncing evil and doing good. He warned that the nation would be destroyed if the people continued in their evil ways. For saying that, he was condemned and thrown into a muddy cistern to die (Jer. 38:6). Jesus spoke of waging war against evil and bringing the fire of judgment on the wicked. Again, for talking like that, he was baptized with death (Lk. 12:50). Many priests, bishops, and religious men and women have gone through similar struggles to answer the call of discipleship. They suffered deprivations and torments of one kind or the other in their vocations. Their families and friends disowned them because they followed Christ. They lived a life of direct contradiction to those around them. This is the fire of purification that Christ came to ignite on earth. The division is caused by the choice that individuals have made, which directly contradicts the teaching of the gospel of Christ.

3. In many nations today, kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, and leaders have often demonstrated by their actions that they are above the law. They are against anyone who opposes them. Those who protest against them are intimidated, condemned, and sometimes killed. Children, immigrants, and the poor are pushed around like sheep without a shepherd, and we feel helpless, hopeless, and powerless. We lack the courage and willpower to speak out against unjust situations for fear of repercussion and repression. And yet our Christian duties call us to stand up and speak out. We must be courageous and speak the truth to power no matter the outcome. As Christians, we are to be the voice of the voiceless. Our baptism urges us to identify with the widows and orphans, the downtrodden and the helpless, and be a sign of hope to the hopeless. How can we help the poor if we do not identify with them? How can we set the world on fire with love if we are unwilling to love? Christians must not allow fear to turn them into cowards and weaklings. 

4.  When we stand for what is right and speak out against injustice, segregation, racism, and intimidation, ripples of hope pour down like rain on the world. These ripples can build into waves that sweep down the mightiest walls of resistance. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood up and fought against racism and segregation. He was burnt by the fire Christ set on the world. He died a martyr's death, and we reaped the benefits of his resistance. Our loyalty to Christ's teaching will rock the boat, causing divisions. But the Church must not allow the media, political powers, and popular voices to drown the teaching of Christ even if it is unacceptable. The Church must hold on to her moral authority of being both mother and teacher.

5.     Christ’s division is “the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light because their works were evil.” (Jn. 3:19). As light carriers, we must set the world ablaze with love. Even if our collective efforts for good should cause us to be dropped into the muddy cistern of opposition like Jeremiah, we should rest assured that a Cushite will come to deliver us from the pangs of death and abandonment (Jer. 38:10). We must fight on keeping our eyes fixed on the prize of the joy that lies ahead. Why? Because we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1-2). Let us take consolation from these heroes and heroines of our faith. Let us ask them to intercede for us so we may have the courage to speak truth to power and alleviate some of the world’s sufferings. May we not be afraid to answer the call to follow Christ. Though the cost of discipleship may be enormous, our joy will be guaranteed. Christ has assured us this much: “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (Jn. 16:33). Amen.

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

August 07, 2022; 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time; Year (C)

Readings: Wisdom 18:6-9; Heb. 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk 12:32-48

 

Fear Not, Little Flock! – How Strong Is Your Faith?

 

1.    The theme of our readings today is faith. Abraham is our father in the faith. So-called because he was tested repeatedly, but his faith was unshaken. The first reading tells us that the children of Israel waited in faith to be led out of Egypt to the promised land. They trusted their leader, Moses, and followed his directions. They believed that God was in control of their destiny. Faith is “the realization of what is hoped for, and evidence of things not seen.” The Catechism of the Church notes that “Faith is both a gift of God and a human act in response to God. In faith, the human intellect and will cooperate with divine grace. Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace.” We can say, therefore, that because Abraham cooperated with God’s grace, it did not make it easy but possible for him to obey God. The grace of God disposed him to do God’s will.

 

2.    Our faith should, likewise, dispose us to do God’s will and make us responsive to the needs of others. Believing in God should make us ready and willing to obey God’s commands. Hence, Christ calls us ‘Little Flock,’ who should rejoice because it pleased God to bestow the kingdom on us. This promise should help us to keep vigil while waiting for the return of the master; because we do not know precisely when he will come for us. We must gird our loins and be prepared. We must not be busy storing up treasures on earth but share what we have with those in need. We must always be on our duty posts as servants awaiting the arrival of their master. Instead of being idle and concentrating on acts injurious to our calling, harboring grudges, and being unnecessarily anxious about material things, we must do good deeds and engage in sporadic acts of kindness.

 

3.    Faith is a gift from God. Treasure it! Share that gift with others. God has blessed us with the gift of wisdom, expression of knowledge, gift of healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, discernment of spirit, varieties of tongues, teaching, singing, and helping people. We must put these gifts at the service of others. To whom much is given, much will be demanded. We will be punished if we do not put our gifts to good use. God will demand accountability from us. God will test our faith as He tested Abraham’s faith because our faith must be living, practical, and trustworthy. Job’s faith was tested, and so was the faith of many men and women in the bible. In Abraham, we see a man who seemingly hoped against hope but never gave up. Abraham was instructed to move to a land he did not know; he put his faith and trust in God and obeyed without questioning. He and his wife were past the age of childbearing, but God rewarded them with a son, Isaac. Even with Isaac as the sole inheritor of Abraham’s inheritance, God demanded that he should offer his only son Isaac in sacrifice to God. He obeyed without hesitation. God promised and assured Abraham that He would be with him and his descendants always. On their part, they were to be faithful to him. God never reneges on his promises. But the children of Israel, like us, constantly turned their backs on God. Jesus renews that promise today. Fear not, he urges us. We can decide to live in faith, hope, and peace or in fear and anxiety, trusting neither God nor others.

 

4.    Today, Jesus emphasized the need to have a strong faith. If our faith is strong, we have nothing to fear; nothing should shake or disturb us. Like Abraham, who lived peacefully and without fear because he trusted the Lord, we must put our trust in God. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” (Ps. 125:1). Though our lives may be demanding and our faith tested many times over, we must believe in God’s promises and respond to him in love. God is faithful to his promises; he never fails! 

 

5.     Let us pray that we may use God’s gifts and live a fear-free life. May our prayer life, commitment to baptism, and fidelity to one another guarantee the kingdom Christ promised us. Amen

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP