THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Friday of 30^th week in Ordinary time, 2021

Rom 9:1-5

Ps 147

Luke 14:1-6

They were silent

Dear friends in Christ, silence is said to be golden but not in all situations. When someone chooses to keep silent in the face of injustice or when it is necessary to speak in other to save a situation, that cannot be golden.

Our first reading for today reveals the passion with which Paul preached the gospel and the disappointment he felt because many Israelites were still not converted to Christianity. In spite of this disappointment, he was not willing to give up. His own unique experience of Jesus is very precious to him and he will love to see everyone come to their own experience of Christ by believing the message of the gospel. Anguished and heartbroken, Paul laments his inability to persuade his own kinsmen—the people of the covenant to accept the Messiah. He was willing to make a huge sacrifice, to give up what he cherished most, if that will bring salvation to others. “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” We can learn a good lesson from Paul, that those who are in Christ do not give up on those who have failed to believe what they believe but continue to make the necessary sacrifices for their salvation. That is what a true Christian should delight in and not in the death of the sinner or unbeliever.

In the gospel of today (Luke 14:1-6) Jesus was able to silence his adversaries on their misunderstanding of the commandment on the Sabbath observance. Invited to dinner by a Pharisee, he was being watched to see if he would heal a man suffering from dropsy on the sabbath. Aware of their ploy, Jesus put a question to the lawyers and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?” They were silent on the issue. Jesus then healed the man and set him on his way before challenging their lack of compassion for the weak in the society by saying, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?” If we get so concerned about our own children or animals, why are we indifferent to the silent yearnings and pleas of other people. How concerned are you about those in need of help around you? Do not let other people around you make up the numbers—show your humanity by attending to the needs of all.

Let us pray: Lord, help me to rise beyond my own concerns to become the voice of the voiceless, the hands and feet of the physically challenged and the soul of those who have lost their purpose in life. Amen. 

+Remain blessed