Homilies & Reflections
Twentieth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C, By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp
First Reading: Jeremiah 38: 4-6. 8-10/ Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40: 2.3.4.18 (R. 14b) Second Reading: Hebrews 12:1-4/Gospel Acclamation: John 10:27/Gospel: Luke 12:49-53
THEME: CHEAP?
Do we feel like giving up in life and ending it all? Are we facing problems from all angles especially from those who are close to us and around us? Are challenges trying to hem us in? Has life lost its taste, lustre and meaning? Does it feel like God is absent even though we are living the Christian life? Today’s readings encourage us to stand firm looking up to Jesus in whom and with whom life’s yokes become easy and burdens light (cf. Mt. 11:30).
In the first reading, we see the challenging nature of the prophetic ministry. As the spokesperson, the mouthpiece of God, Jeremiah finds himself in the midst of a people who are unready to heed the authentic word of God. The king and the army make things difficult for Jeremiah who finds himself in a slippery-sloppy situation. At one end, he is compelled to proclaim the hard truths of God, words which go against the wishes of the people. At the other end, the people to whom God’s message is addressed do not want to listen to this hard truth. Consequently, they persecute Jeremiah by threatening to kill him and eventually cast him into a miry cistern. We read thus: “The princes said to the king, ‘Let this Jeremiah be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm” (Jer. 38:4). Hence, Jeremiah is deserted; he loses friends. Yet, being lonely, he is not alone. Even now it still holds true that anyone who truly announces the Gospel of God by word and deed will face persecutions. Nonetheless, such persons never walk alone. God is always with them through thick and thin!
Jeremiah’s journey with God is reflective of our own Christian journey too! Sometimes, it is very tough and seems as if God is powerless, absent and far removed from us. Be that as it may, the apparent ‘weakness’ of God is actually our opportunity to experience his glory, power and might as he did for the Israelites in the Exodus experience (cf. Ex. 12-14). By virtue of our baptism, we share in the triple role of Christ, as prophet, priest and king. If Christ, our master was persecuted, abandoned and crucified, we as his followers will also face similar treatments. Be that as it may, the sufferings are temporal, and God will give us the strength to endure it as we see in the life of Christ. Those moments call for prayer and deep faith, and that is what the Psalmist reminds us in the Responsorial Psalm. He fervently prays thus: “Lord, make haste to help me!” (Ps. 40:14b).
Jeremiah himself is a man of prayer, and in difficulty, he prays even more (cf. Jer. 18:7-13)! God answers his prayers by sending an Ethiopian eunuch, Ebed-melech who pleads with the king on behalf of Jeremiah. The king listens to the entreaty of Ebed-melech and commands that Jeremiah be rescued from the cistern (cf. Jer. 38:7-10). The Psalmist captures this divine intervention picturesquely by singing thus: “I waited, I waited for the Lord, and he stooped down to me; he heard my cry. He drew me from the deadly pit, from the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock, made my footsteps firm. He put a song into my mouth, praise of our God. Many shall see and fear and shall trust in the Lord. Wretched and poor though I am, the Lord is mindful of me” (Ps. 40:2, 3, 4, 18a). Therefore, prayer is a fitting remedy especially when the going gets tough. We must do well to immerse ourselves in deep prayer as we journey through life. If we pray and seek God’s face, he shall hear us from heaven, and deliver us from evil (cf. II Chron. 7:14).
Also, the author of the second reading, the Letter to the Hebrews, offers us some encouragement as we face persecutions, difficulties and challenges. He tells us to fix our gaze on Jesus our leader, the one who has experienced what we experience as human beings, but was able to come out without sinning. He says: “… and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2).” He also adds: “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Heb. 12:3). This is apt!
In addition, the second reading tells us to avoid two things: “let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely” (Heb. 12:1). The ‘weight’ may include our habits, weaknesses, pleasures, self-indulgences, evil inclinations and the network of relationships or associations which hold us back. These lure us into temptations, and when we sin, we disconnect ourselves from God and stay out of the ‘coverage area’ of God’s grace. Sometimes too, we put ourselves into self[1]inflicted problems. So, with the help of God, let us resist, persist and persevere in our struggle with sin and weakness. It is about the determination which refuses to be deflected anytime and anywhere. It is this steadfast endurance which ultimately leads us to our destination. Jesus endured his cross and he is our example. The martyrs and saints (great witnesses) followed the footsteps of Christ and are triumphant. What Christ and the great witnesses suffered is costly and we must show ourselves worthy of these sacrifices. Therefore, dearly beloved, let us fix our gaze on him who is ever present with us. Let us keep on ‘fighting’ with the weapon of prayer!
In the light of the aforementioned, the Gospel passage reiterates the fact that, like Jeremiah, doing the will of God invites opposition, attracts enemies and brings some form of suffering. Yet, we are never to compromise nor give up completely. The authentic Christian life serves as judgment on those who oppose it, and a unique and distinct way of living second to none! This is the ‘fire,’ the ‘division’ of which Jesus speaks (cf. Lk. 12:49-51). Jesus is emphatic that the opposition may even come from one’s own family members: “…in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Lk. 12:52). Knowing too well about this condition, Jesus prepares our minds ahead of time, and as it is said, “to be forewarned is to be fore-armed,” we need to remain resolute in the face of the inevitable clash between our loyalty to God and our relationship with others. Our allegiance to God must always take precedence over even the dearest allegiances we have in the world. This is the cost we bear!
Beloved in Christ, in the cross, Jesus sees glory and joy. Let us also see the persecutions we go through for the sake of Christ, as a means to our glory. It is often said that in every misfortune, there is a blessing in disguise. To remain authentic Christians in a world that is anti-Christ is demanding but not impossible! In some parts of the world, Christians are being persecuted, yet, they are undaunted because Christ is their strength. Some are killed, discriminated against, and are treated as second-class citizens or slaves in their own countries. Still, they look to Christ who promises them the heavenly kingdom. They may lose everything, but with and in Jesus Christ, they possess everything. That is the cost of the Christian life. It is mysterious to lose everything yet gain everything, but that is exactly what Christ has in stock for all who believe in him. He is trustworthy!
In summary, let us acknowledge that life in general involves suffering. However, suffering for the sake of Christ is liberating and rewarding. When the going gets tough, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus who has walked the path of suffering to glory; he will perfect our faith for us. However, this demands that we accept the standards of Christ no matter the costs. We have Christ on our side. Whatever we may be going through right now – marital problems, parental challenges, sicknesses, unemployment, failures and disappointments, bereavements and isolation, economic and financial melt-downs, attacks from enemies and all manner of burdens – Christ has power to give us rest (cf. Mt. 11:28-29). Christianity is not cheap! May Christ strengthen us as we bear the cost of the Christian life. Happy Sunday and may God bless us. Remember: #Cheap?#