Keeping to God's Word

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Year II, September 5th, 2020

Texts: 1Cor. 4:6-15; Ps. 145:17-21; Luke 6:1-5

The tendency to embrace human opinion rather than God's words is a danger to our faith.

St. Paul, in today's first reading, asks us to keep to God's word, the scriptures. He says, "Brethren: May you learn from me and Apollos not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favour of one against another". If we keep to God's word there will be no division among us and we will see no difference between Paul and Apollos. keeping to God's word keeps us on the right path and so prevent us from going astray.

Paul tells us that we  have to keep to God's word because all we have and are come through God's word, without them, the gospel bearers. He puts it thus: "For who sees something different in you? What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? Already you are filled! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings!"

Paul also wants us to be encouraged by the sacrifice of our fathers in faith. He recounted what our fathers in faith went through and he adds thus: "I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children".

The gospel reading shows that keeping to God's word makes us lords of the law, not subjects of the law. It helps us to know the limit of the law, what to do at the right time and at the right place. When Jesus was accused of breaking the law of Sabbath, he quoted God's word for them. He said, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?" And he said to them, 'The Son of man is lord of the sabbath.'” Today we are instructed to always keep to God's word, not human opinion.

May God's word always dwell in our hearts. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke