March 02, 2025; 8th Sunday in the Ordinary Time (Year C)

                                 Readings: Sirach 27: 4-7; 1 Cor. 15:54-58; Lk 6:39-45

A Tree is Known by Its Fruit!

Have you ever followed someone expecting to be directed to a destination, but the person stopped and said, “Don’t follow me; I am lost?” This would be embarrassing and unfortunate indeed! Today’s Gospel exhorts us not to follow people who do not know where they are going. “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit.” Yet Jesus invites us to follow him. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mt. 11:29). In another place, he says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6).

We have often deviated from the path to eternal life by our actions and yet take it upon ourselves to be a guide, a yardstick, and a standard of moral rectitude to others. Why don’t we correct the ills in ourselves first? We have sometimes ignored the plank in our eyes while attempting to remove a splinter in our neighbor’s eyes. Haven’t we pointed accusing fingers at others while forgetting that some of those fingers are accusingly pointing directly at us?

Last Sunday’s readings encouraged us to exercise restraint in our dealings with others as we saw David with Saul, who was out to kill him (1 Sam. 26:2-23). Today, we are urged to exercise restraint in the way we use our tongues. Do not be eager to speak, correct, and condemn others while ignoring the same ills in yourself. None of us is so perfect and without fault that we should hurry to correct others. We are not without fault hence we should be patient and not be hasty in condemning or criticizing others. Check your intentions before pointing out the faults of others. Is my correction done out of love and to build up my neighbor, or is it to tear them down and humiliate them in the process?

Christ reminds us that a good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit; what is the effect of your words of correction on others? Has it improved their character or caused anger and humiliation? As we look forward to the season of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday, let us be prepared to take stock of our lives as we enter the desert of prayer, fasting, and penance with Christ.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, Son of the living God, you who did not open your mouth before Pilate, do not allow me to open my mouth when I do not know what to say and how to say it. Amen.

                                                Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.

February 23, 2025; 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (Year C)

Readings: 1 Sam. 26:2, 7-9; 1 Cor. 15:45-49; Lk 6:27-38

How Do You Treat Those Who Hate You?

Today’s readings deal with forgiveness, hatred, revenge, rancor, hurt, and stressful relationships. It is very easy to love those who love us, our friends, and those we are well disposed towards. But does that make us Christians? We would not be different from the pagans, sinners, heathens, and those who do not know God. Christianity calls us to be different, to stand out, and to act in ways that are opposite to the norm and the expected. By doing things differently, we can show the world that we are followers of Christ. In the first reading, David demonstrated this Christ-like attitude in the way he treated Saul, who was out to kill him. David had Saul, his archenemy, at his fingertip and would have killed him without anyone knowing: Saul’s guards were all asleep. But David would not do it. He respected the image of God in Saul and spared his life. In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorts the crowd to love their enemies and pray for those persecuting them. He gave us a reason why we should behave this way: “…that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt 5:44-48.

Soren Kierkegaard admonished, “Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son, who had fallen most low, could still be saved. The bitterest enemy and he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle again.” We know that we have been hurt many times, but do not forget that you have hurt people many times too. If we ask God for forgiveness and mercy, the more reason we should extend the same to others. Christ was quick to remind us, “So will my heavenly Father do to you unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart,” Mt. 18:35. Thomas Fuller was right when he observed: “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself: for every man has need to be forgiven.”

To forgive and do good to those who hate us is very difficult indeed if we were to do it on our own. But we have the Christ who prayed for those who killed him on the cross as our leader and guide. If we go to him for help, he will surely assist us. God will always be with us if we trust him and go to him for help to forgive those who hurt us. And you will truly be rewarded with happiness and peace each time you dare to forgive those who hurt you and pray for them.

Let our prayer this week be: Lord Jesus, you who treated your enemies with love, and prayed for those who nailed you to the cross, teach me to forgive those who hate me and speak ill of me behind my back. Give me the courage and strength I need to love and pray for them. May I never be mean to people who are mean to me but let me treat them with love and respect today and always. Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.