October 30, 2022; 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: Wisdom 11:22 – 12:2; 2 Thes.1:11 – 2:2; Lk 19:1-10

 

God Loves Us and Forgives Us Even When We Sin

 

1.    God loves us. He created us out of love. The book of wisdom reminds us of this fact: “But you have mercy on all because you can do all things, and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.” Nothing created by God is loathsome before him. When we sin, God rebukes, “Offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!”

 

2.    In Luke 18:9-14, we read of two men who went to the temple to pray. We reflected on the Pharisee as he prayed to himself. He had no need of God. On the other hand, the tax collector found mercy and was justified. His humility showed his need for God. Today we are presented with another tax collector – Zacchaeus. He was a Jew, a son of Abraham, and a member of God’s chosen people. Despite his status, his profession as a tax collector brought him indignity and notoriety. It reduced him to a public sinner and the enemy of the people. He was wealthy but without recognition and respect. He was despised and ridiculed. His being small in stature was more than a physical appearance. He was nobody. He had a lot of money but no salvation.

 

3.    Zacchaeus would have heard about Jesus and how he cared for the poor, the rejected, the nobodies, the despised, the tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. On hearing that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus was anxious to meet Him. But then there was his height and the crowd. Zacchaeus was a short man. The crowd could represent so many things. It could be the barriers that could prevent him from pursuing his goal. It could be fear of the people. Or fear of rejection and his height. Oh, the fault-finding crowd, the finger-pointing crowd, the unforgiving crowd, the self-righteous crowd. People in the crowd wanted to take revenge on him and felt he had betrayed their race by working for the Romans. Others felt that Zacchaeus’s riches deprived them of their wealth. This was an intimidating crowd indeed! But Zacchaeus was determined to see Jesus. So, he climbed a tree, away from the crowd, to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

 

4.    By climbing the tree, Zacchaeus changed the battleground. He sought a greater power from above and appealed for God’s mercy. Take your fight into the spiritual realm by praying, and God will take over your battles and fight for you. Don’t fight the enemy in his comfort zone; change the battleground and let God take charge. You’ll be assured of clean victory. Zacchaeus took his fight up the sycamore tree. He changed the battlefield, and the Lord Jesus found him up there and made him an offer he could not refuse. “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house. Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.” (Lk. 19:5-9). 

 

5.    One can only imagine the joy of this sinner who found favor with the Lord. Zacchaeus may have been one of the reasons Christ passed through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. He had unfinished business there, to seek and find he who was lost. Christ is always searching for the sick, the sinner, and the lonely; to restore them to their appropriate state in life and give them the grace they desperately need. He knows our weaknesses, He understands our faults, He sees our hearts, and he knows those who seek Him with a sincere heart. He thirsts for our love and calls us to a new life. Today Salvation has come to this house. There is joy in Heaven over a sinner who repents than the ninety-nine who do not need repentance. (Lk. 15:7). 

 

6.    Despite the grumbling of the crowd that Christ dared to enter the house of a sinner, Zacchaeus renounces his possessions: “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I shall repay it four times over.” Regardless of what the crowd thought of him, he made restitution and promised to pay back those who felt cheated or defrauded. He needed Christ more than wealth, so he would give it away to have Christ. By his action, Zacchaeus reechoed the words of St. Paul, “I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8). He showed his gratitude to Christ by accepting to live like Christ. 

 

7.    Christ calls on us to repent of our sins and embrace His life of grace. We may be confronted by the crowd, but Zacchaeus has shown us the way. Take your fight away from the crowd, change the battleground and allow Christ to find you. Accept His invitation, welcome Him to your house, and let Him eat with you. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20). “And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me” (Jn. 6:39).

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

October 23, 2022; 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Lk 18:9-14

 

He Who Looks Up to God Looks Down on No One

1.      “Pride goes before the fall” is a saying that means if one is too arrogant or self-important, something will happen to make one look foolish. This captures the attitude of the Pharisee, one of the two men who went to pray in the temple in today’s Gospel. Pharisees were members of a party that believed in the resurrection. They followed legal traditions ascribed not to the Bible but to “the traditions of the fathers.” They were laypeople who tried to keep God’s law as perfectly and scrupulously as possible. They went above and beyond the law in the performance of their spiritual practice. Hence, they looked down upon anyone who failed to live up to their standards.

 

2.      The prayer in the Gospel is typical of a pharisaic prayer. “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, adulterous – even like this tax collector.” (Lk. 18:11). Rabbi Simeon ben Jocai once said, “If there are only two righteous men in the world, my son and I are these two; if there is only one, I am he!” So being puritanical and scrupulous, the Pharisee may have done all that he said he did. He may not have cheated anyone and was not adulterous. He fasted, prayed many times a day, paid tithes on all he had, and more, but he said the prayers of himself and to himself, not God. He was not humble but conceited. He was like a peacock who flashed his beautiful colored tail feathers for everyone to see how handsome he was. He was ostentatious, boastful, proud, and selfish. He called attention to himself! His was not prayer, but a list of accomplishments, expecting God to praise him. He gave his advertisement for his glorious achievements and expected to be congratulated and rewarded. He demonstrated that he had no need for God. In fact, he felt God needed him more than he needed God to show the world what true holiness looks like. True prayer should be directed to God and God alone. God does not require a record of our good works. He knows them all. Instead, He needs us to have a contrite heart that is forgiving, caring, loving, compassionate, and merciful. Not condescending, boastful, arrogant, and spiteful. Such a heart is loathsome to God. That is why the Pharisee was not justified before God.  

  

3.      The proud place themselves at a distance from others, and seen through that distance, others perhaps appear little to them, even contemptible, as the tax collector appeared to the Pharisee. “I thank God that I am not like…this tax collector.” How morally contemptuous his words are! Moral contempt is far greater indignity and insult than any crime. We can feel good about our gifts, but genuine self-esteem is ruined by arrogant self-righteousness that judges others. “The prayer of the humble pierces the cloud and does not rest till it reaches its goal.” (Sir. 35:17).  

 

4.      This brings us to the tax collector and his prayer. Tax collectors, though Jews, were public employees of the Romans. They collected taxes and sent them to Rome, but they had to pay themselves by collecting more than stipulated. They made quite a decent living for themselves but also gained a bad reputation. They were despised, hated, and considered public sinners. The tax collector knew who he was and was aware that God knew him too. Since he had no friends, he depended on God for everything, so with a heavy heart, he went in to pray. The poor man could not raise his eyes to God, unworthy as he was. He knew that he who looked up to God would receive mercy and forgiveness. He cannot afford to look down on or judge anyone. He beat his breast and prayed for mercy. He saw himself as ‘the sinner.’ It was that heartbroken, self-despising prayer that won him acceptance before God. He was at peace with God because of his humility. For no proud man can pray to God.

 

5.      Today’s liturgy warns us against comparing ourselves to human beings. Anyone who compares himself to God recognizes his sins, weakness, shortcomings, and limitations. He knows that he needs God’s mercy, so he is humble. We should always compare ourselves to God. Our yearning should always be how to please God, not human beings. All we are and have, are pure grace and free gifts from God. Therefore, we must look down on no one, but with the strength, we have been given by God, we should work hard to lift people up. Our unredeemed self tends to be selfish and self-centered. But our redeemed self is Christ-centered and people-centered. The people we consider contemptible are equally loved by God. The beggar in the street, the homeless, the poor, and immigrants deserve our love and respect.  If we place our life side by side with Christ, we discover that we are not as holy as we think. Hence, we must see ourselves as God sees us, sinners, who need forgiveness and mercy. We will then see ourselves as the tax collector at prayer, and we will soon join him to say: “Lord be merciful to me, the sinner.” Our redemption begins in knowing that we are not better than anyone. We are who we are simply by the grace of God. May God be merciful to us, sinners. Amen!

 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

October 16, 2022, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (Year C)

Readings: Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:13-14 4:2; Lk 18:1-18

 

Pray And Don’t Give Up

1.    In today’s first reading, we see the children of Israel at war with Amalek. Moses took his stand on a great hill and, lifting up his hands, implored God’s aid for his people. Moses had the support of friends to assist him when his hands were tired. We need the help of one another in our prayers. The encouragement we give to others, letting them know that we pray for them, may help them to cultivate a healthy prayer life. In the Gospel, Jesus demonstrated with the story of the unjust judge the need to persist in prayer until the Father hears us. The widow was not discouraged from going to the unjust judge until her demands were met. God, our Father, is not an unjust judge. He is a merciful Father who knows the needs of his children and will always provide for them in His time and in the manner best suited for them.

 

2.    Our prayers are efficacious and are always answered. Even ‘No’ is an answer to a prayer. Jesus asked us to be persistent in prayer. He did not guarantee that our prayers would be answered in the way and at the time we wanted. He asked for humility and faith but gave no assurance for an instant answer. He promised a reward at the end of persistent prayer, not swift positive favors. He asked for commitment, not empty promises. The faith and commitment requested of us come from bearing trials and persecutions while remaining hopeful and joyful. God’s plans for us will come to pass in His time. It may be delayed but never be denied.

 

3.    Prayer without movement toward its realization is a waste of time. It is a depletion of helpful energy. God will not do for us what we can and should do for ourselves. If you pray for God’s favor, create favorable conditions around you. A student who did not prepare for a test should not expect a successful outcome just because he prayed for it. He should study and pray to remember what he learned on the test day. Then God will crown his effort with success.

 

4.    Have faith. St. James says, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. That person must not suppose he will receive anything from the Lord since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1: 5-8). Faith and trust in God are necessary ingredients for prayer.

 

5.    Know what to ask for in prayer. Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. St. James asks: “Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (4:1-4). “If you, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13:). “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk. 18:8). 

 

6.    Ask for wisdom. God said to Solomon, “Ask something of me, and I will give it to you.” Solomon answered, “Give your servant an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” (Verse 9). The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s request; he gave him wisdom and other things he did not ask for. Be specific in your request, do not ask for too many things at one prayer time. After all, God knows all your needs. Therefore, seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, and He will provide for all your other needs. (Matt. 6:33).  

 

7.    Have a forgiving heart. Forgiveness is a condition for a fruitful prayer. Jesus said, “When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance so that your heavenly Father may, in turn, forgive you your transgressions?” (Mk. 11:25-26). Isaiah said: “Lo, the hand of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Rather, it is your crimes that separate you from your God. It is your sins that make him hide his face so that he will not hear you” (59:1-2). 

 

8.    Be patient. Prayers are sometimes answered progressively. When Jesus cured the blind man at Bethsaida, he did not see right away but gradually. “‘Do you see anything?’ he replied, ‘I see people looking like trees and walking’” (Mk. 8:23-26). It was by laying his hands on his eyes a second time that the blind man saw clearly. Be patient and wait on the Lord. Hence, Jesus tells us to pray in ‘Our Father’ for the will of God to be done, not ours. A wise saying has it thus, “Prayer is not a device for getting our wills done through heaven, but a desire that God’s will may be done on earth through us.” Pray and wait for God’s time, not yours. Our prayers are always answered if we know how and what to ask. God is not unjust, He is not unconcerned with our problems, and He is not as far away from us as we may think. Instead, we are the ones who, sometimes, turn away from God and feel He delays in giving an immediate answer to our prayer. Whether we receive a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’ answer, know that all prayers are answered. Remember to return to the Lord with thanks. Be blessed! 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP

October 09, 2022; 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Readings: 2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Lk 17:11-19

 

How Do You See the World? With Gratitude or With Disappointment?

 

1.    The Eucharist is the greatest act of thanksgiving we can ever render to God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Eucharist, the sacrament of our salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross, is also a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation. In the Eucharistic sacrifice, the whole of creation loved by God is presented to the Father through the death and the Resurrection of Christ. Through Christ, the Church can offer the sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for all that God had made good, beautiful, and just in creation and in humanity.” It explains further, “The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means, first of all, “thanksgiving.” At Mass, we gather around the Eucharistic table as a family of God’s people to give thanks to God for the gift of life, for good health, for our families, for friends, for our nation, and for everything God has done for us.” (CCC nos.1359 and 1360)  

 

2.    Isn’t it surprising that our church is not full to capacity, with standing rooms only, with grateful people singing God’s praises for the blessings received? The empty pews raise questions in our minds. Could Christ be asking us the same question he asked the Samaritan leper cured of his leprosy in today’s gospel reading? “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Being grateful to God for the blessings received should come to us naturally. And so should it be, with favors received from brothers, sisters, and friends. Unfortunately, we live in a world where selfishness, self-centeredness, and greed have created a false sense of entitlement, making us feel that what we have is ours by right. Therefore, it is more challenging to appreciate the contributions others have made toward our successes in life. Criss Jami got it right when he observed, “Man is not, by nature, deserving of all he wants. When we think that we are automatically entitled to something, that is when we start walking all over others to get it.”  

 

3.    This brings us to today’s readings. Two men, a foreigner and an outsider are presented to us to teach us the importance of gratitude. Outsiders, whether Samaritans or lepers are the special focus of the ministry of Jesus. This is because they were open to seeing God at work in a way ordinary believers are not. After his healing, Naaman recognized the special status of Israel’s saving Lord and declared, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.” The sincere gratitude of Naaman towards the God of Israel and his prophet Elisha brought him a gift far more precious than the healing of his leprosy. He received faith in God and was determined to serve God faithfully. “If you will not accept (the gift he brought), please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord.” (Gospel reading). Obedience to the prophet healed him, and his faith in God brought him healing of his sins. Humility obtained for him the cure of his skin disease. Gratitude to God gave him a far greater grace: faith in the true God. Jesus was pleased to see one of those lepers, the Samaritan, coming back to him, praising God for the favor received. He wondered why the other nine had not done the same. He expected them back, not because he wanted to receive their gratitude to enable Him to complete His work of love, of which their healing was only the first step: to bring them to faith.

 

4.    How do you receive the world? With gratitude or with disappointment? We may be disappointed with the world and everyone because things do not go our way. We may feel that the world is so messed up that we have no reason to thank God for anything. Be that as it may, we should always receive the world with gratitude in our hearts regardless of where we find ourselves in life. We must also teach our children to appreciate and show gratitude for the blessings and favors received. Children don’t learn politeness from a Geography lesson. They learn it from their parents. Saying ‘Thank you costs us nothing but gives us everything.

 

5.    Today’s readings remind us to thank God for his love and mercy towards us. We must teach our children not to take anything and anybody for granted. Everything we have is a gift freely given by God. God uses people to help us in our endeavors. If we have been ungrateful in the past, we can always change. So King Lear may not say of us, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” We can never pay off the debt of gratitude we owe to many men and women who have assisted us on the way to becoming the men and women we are today. How easily we forget that a friend, a teacher, a doctor, a surgeon, or a colleague has done something for us which is impossible to repay. But the tragedy is that we often do not even try to repay it. “Blow, blow, thou winter wind, thou are not so unkind as man’s ingratitude.” (William Shakespeare: ‘As you like it).

 

6.    The questions for today: who am I? Am I always grateful to God for his blessings? Or will Christ say of me, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?” Have I taught my children to say ‘Thank you for blessings received? Or have they got a false sense of entitlement from my behavior and inability to be thankful? Maybe we could set aside some minutes this week to have each family member thank God for some special things that happened during the day. This should not only be done during Thanksgiving Day once a year. We have reasons to be grateful daily. Count your blessings, one by one, and you will be surprised by what God has done for you. Giving thanks to God for all His blessings should be the most distinctive mark of a Christian. May the spirit of ingratitude not harden our hearts and chill our relationship with God and others. Let us pray with the poet George Herbert: “O God, you have given us so much. Give us one thing more – a grateful heart.” Amen. 

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP