Building Faith on God's Testimony

Reflection on Today's Readings, Monday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Year II, 31st August, 2020
Texts: 1Cor. 2:1-5; Ps. 119:97-102; Luke 4:16-30
Today's Readings encourage us to build our faith on the testimony of God, not on person, empty words or human wisdom. It is the testimony of God that moves one to faith. St. Paul was very careful not to proclaim the testimony in lofty words or wisdom, so that the people's faith will not be based on empty words, rhetorics or person, but on the testimony of God. He puts it thus: "I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom". Many of us today our faith is built on empty words, rhetorics or person. We are often carried away with the drama, mode of presentation, rhetorics or the person and felt fulfilled to have attended the liturgy of that day, without knowing something about Christ or God's testimony.   Testimony refers to the various ways in which God has revealed himself; it is the self-revelation of God. The testimony of God proclaimed by Paul is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Hence, he says, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified". What we should eager to know is Jesus Christ. The central theme of Christian testimony of God is Jesus Christ. 
The Law of God is also his testimony; it reveals God to us. Hence, the Psalmist says, "O Lord, how I love your law: my meditation all day!" Here we also talk of divine decree, command and precept: they all make testimony of God. They form the path to God. If we keep to them we will become wise, have more insight and gain more understanding. Keeping to them also keeps our feet from evil path.
We are encouraged not to be like the people of Nazareth who despised the testimony of God in Jesus Christ. They experienced the testimony of God in Jesus Christ and today's gospel reading affirms it thus: "And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, 'Is not this Joseph's son?'". They allowed their human judgement of him to hinder the growth of faith in them. Our familiarity with Jesus could hinder our faith if we begin to subject our relationship with him to human judgement, thinking that he should act as we want. God will never act as we want but always acts for our good. Dear friends, we should not allow our  familarity with Jesus Christ to hinder our faith, but promote it. Our familarity with Jesus Christ will promote our if we focus on the testimony of God in him, not our human judgement of him.

May God open our eyes to his testimony in the world and give us grace to accept them. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke