Reflection on Today's Readings, Monday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, October 26th, 2020
Texts: Eph. 4:32-5:8; Ps. 1:1-4.6; Luke 13:10-17
Today, we are called to be imitators of God. This call reinforces the meaning of our identity, Christian, which means Christ-like. This reminds us once again that christians are imitators of God.
The response to today's psalm calls us thus: "Let us be imitators of God, as beloved Children." The psalm itself shows us that to be imitators of God we have to guard against evil influence, and let our delight be in the law of God and the meditation on the law day and night. The law, here, is not the ten commandments, but the first five books in the Bible. The law stands for the entire word of God. Our delight should be in the words of God and meditation on them day and night. This is one of the ways our imitation of God can be possible. This reminds us how key is God's words to our lives. It is the word of God that makes us who we are; without it we are nothing. We cannot claim to believe in God without taking delight in his words and meditating on them. St. Paul tells us that the faith comes from hearing the word (Rom. 10:17). The faith is deepened by meditation on the words. Meditation on the words makes our vision of God clearer and better.
The first reading calls us to imitate God's kindness, compassion, forgiveness and love. St. Paul says, "Therefore be initiators of God, as beloved children. And as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." St. Paul calls us to imitate God as he is revealed in Jesus Christ. St. Paul calls us to a life of sacrifice, making ourselves a pleasing offering to God. This is only possible when we are ready to serve God in whatever we do and to bear some discomforts for his sake.
Jesus Christ, in today's gospel reading, liberated the people from their ignorance by teaching them. Sometimes, because of our cold heart, lack of compassion, we place law above life and economy above the law. The same law that exempts care for animals because of economic value, does not give room for human care. In respect to this, Jesus Christ says, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manager, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" This calls us, as imitators of God, to place high premium on life and to banish ignorance among people by teaching them the truth of life and of our faith. This reminds us once again our role as light of the world.
Lord our God, stir up in us the desire and zeal to imitate you. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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