We are not Different

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Thursday, 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, and the Memorial of St. Theresa of Avila, October 15th, 2020

Texts: Eph. 1:1-10; Ps. 98:1-5; Luke 11:47-54

Many a time we condemn certain action as evil but in one way or the other, in action we join the league of those who commit the sin. To the people in today's gospel reading, Jesus says, "Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your father's killed. So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs." We may condemn murder, but if we put another man's reputation in jeopardy we have also committed murder. We condemn the corruption of our leaders, do we not legitimize it when we sell our votes?

Jesus says that their fathers killed the prophets to reject the will of God, but the lawyers prevented the people from knowing God's will by feeding them with falsehood; both their fathers and themselves truncated the will of God: one by killing the prophets, the other by denying knowledge to the people. Jesus says, "Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." All the misfortune we are experiencing today in Nigeria is not all about our leaders alone, the citizens share from the blame. We blame our leaders, forgetting that if we change, the leaders we have no option than to follow the trend. If we stop selling our votes, politicians we have nothing to buy. Before the problem was that our votes did not count, now that our votes count, we are selling them.   We have proven that we are the sons of our fathers who were unable to choose credible and incorrigible leaders. Our fathers were unable to have credible and incorrigible leaders because their votes did not count, but we are unable to do the same because our consciences do not count. 

St. Theresa of Avila, whose memorial is today, began the reform of her congregation, the Carmalites, with herself. Pazhayampallil Thomas says, "Teresa, the great reformer of the Carmalites order began the work of reform with herself. She made a vow, always to follow the more perfect course, and resolved to keep the rule as perfect as she could." 

St. Paul, in the first reading, reminds us that we have heavenly blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are destined to be blameless and become God's sons in Jesus Christ. Whatever we do should reflect our holiness and the fact that we are sons of God.

Lord our God, we thank you for the heavenly blessings bestowed on us in Christ; may your blessings never be in vain in our lives. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke