A Total Commitment!!!
Dear Parishioners, The way of life that Jesus teaches is costly. It is not an easy path; it is the path of salvation. He asks that we renounce certain things as a condition to discipleship. He challenges the relationship between the members of our family, ourselves and those around us. Jesus puts it in way so difficult for our comprehension. “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, his wife and his children…”
Nonetheless, we know that the expression should not be taken literally. It underlines the preference we should show for Christ over any and every human relationship. This reminds us of the question in the Catechism: Why did God make you? We all know the answer: “To know him, to love him and to serve him and to spend eternity with him.” Therefore, Jesus has come to remind us of this eternal truth often forgotten.
This truth is also the wisdom we heard in today’s first reading. True wisdom comes only from God, who inspires us to seek him with all our hearts and minds. “The only way to know God is through attention to his revelation. Wisdom can be ours; not because of philosophical inquiry, but because God has made it possible, especially in outlining the path that humans are to follow.”
This wisdom is translated in Christian terms as meaning total commitment to a way of life Jesus proposes. Jesus goes on to talk about our attitude towards material goods. Half-measures will not do; we cannot serve God and mammon. Keep in mind, human life is brief and transient. Such sober thoughts make it easier to choose wisely our actions and opens door to a prayerful plea for the experience of God’s wisdom and presence.
St. Paul writes a beautiful letter to his friend Philemon on behalf of a runaway slave Onesimus, asking him to welcome this newly converted Christian as a brother. This letter of Paul speaks of conversion, forgiveness, friendship and justice. The apostle Paul did not contest Philemon’s rights over Onesimus; rather, he appealed to the kindness of Philemon. He also makes a strong appeal for human and Christian treatment of the slave but falls short to out rightly condemning slavery.
Elsewhere, Paul showed that slavery is incompatible with Christian values (Gal. 3:28) Slavery was one of the holocausts of our modern history. The unspeakable cruelty, horrors and destruction of human life remain the hallmark of evil in the world. It is morally sinful for anyone, much less Christians, to partake or profit from this heinous crime.
Relying on ourselves, we cannot live the supernatural life that Jesus offers. We take courage from knowing that Jesus abides with us every step of the way. He wants us to know God’s plan and gives us the grace to follow it. We have a long history of people who have preserved faith at great personal cost in the face of persecution. Do you feel the pinch of witnessing your faith? Are we so comfortable that others may not recognize that we are disciples of Jesus? Today’s scripture readings give us the occasion to pause and to think.
Grace and Peace To You,
Rev. Vitalis Anyanike
Pastor
