Faithfulness: Doing Righteousness and Justice

 Reflection on Today's Reading, Tuesday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, September 22nd, 2020

Texts: Prov. 21:1-6.10-13; Ps. 119:1.27.30.34.35.44; Luke 8:19-21

Today's first reading is a call to be true to God rather than man. Hence, the saying goes thus: "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord, he turns it wherever he will." The  saying reminds us that God is in charge of the affair of the world, our nation, our society, since he is the one who directs the hearts of our leaders. This may be very difficult to believe. Putting the saying in the context of the history of the kings of Israel, hardly will one want to take the  saying seriously.

However, what the saying simply emphasizes is the faithfulness to God, not man. If we are faithful to God, we do righteousness and justice, God is capable of turning the hearts of the kings in our favour; he will make everything works for our good. It does not matter whether the leader is evil or not, like us or not, God can make him work for our good. The saying imprints it in our consciousness that faithfulness to God is the first priority. The reading also reminds us that we cannot deceive God as it says, "Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."

The reading goes further to speak of what it takes to be faithful to God: doing righteousness and justice, which is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Righteousness is having wholesome and holy thoughts and acting accordingly; it is a right living.  Hence, the reading goes further to condemn haughty eyes and proud heart of the wicked, and praise the plans of the diligent. It also condemns hastiness and lie in getting treasures.

Justice is about making things right. Then the reading talks of punishing the wicked so that the simple will learn, instructing the wise so as to them gain more knowledge, and compassion for the poor. 

Let us keep these in mind about today's first reading: "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice" and "He who closes his ears to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard".

The message of today's gospel reading is not also far from the message of the first reading; it also emphasizes faithfulness to God as the criterion for being co-heirs with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It says, "My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it."

Lord our God, grant us your help that our hearts may always set on keeping your word. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke