Reflection on Today's Readings, Tuesday of 17th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, 28th July, 2020
Texts: Jer. 14:17b-22; Ps. 79:8,9,11,13; Matt.13:36-43
Jeremiah, in today's first reading, laments the situation of his people; they were in bad state of their life. For Jeremiah their sorrows and the disasters that befall them are caused by ignorance, lack of knowledge. Those who are to teach the people are without knowledge. He puts it this way: "And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine, for both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land, and have no knowledge". Keeping one in darkness is wanting to perpetrate evil and keeping one in perpetual servitude.
The knowledge that Jeremiah is talking about is not just any knowledge but the knowledge of God's will. St. Paul knows the importance of knowing God's will, when he prays thus: "We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all wisdom and understanding that his spirit gives. Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what pleases him. Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, you will grow in your knowledge of God". The knowledge of God's will is key to our growth in christian maturity, fruitfulness in good deeds, and the knowledge of God.
The gospel shows Jesus Christ as one who has come to heal us of our ignorance, one who has come to remove and liberate us from darkness that we have put ourselves. Jesus Christ, in the gospel, is seen imparting the knowledge of the kingdom of God on the people; he is the revealer of the hidden truths of the kingdom. This is an invitation to come to Jesus Christ who will remove the cause of our sorrow and suffering; he will heal us of our ignorance and remove us from darkness of sin and death. This brings to mind what St. John writes about Jesus: "What has come to life in him was life, life that was the light of men; and light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overcome it" (John 1:4-5). When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, he illumines our minds and drives away darkness and so set us free from ignorance.
In the gospel, it is the apostles that seek for knowledge. To obtain knowledge we must desire it and seek for it. Hence, the wise says, "For Wisdom begins with the sincere desire for instructions, care for instructions means loving her (Wis. 6:17). We can seek the will of God by reading and meditating on the word of God. We also need to read the Catechism of the Church, and writings from the fathers of the Church and Church magisterium. We can also know the will of God by reflecting on his creation (Rom. 1:19-20).
Lord our God, enlighten our minds and set us free from darkness of ignorance so as to live in accordance with your will. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
Posts
0 Comments