Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time Year II, November 13th, 2020
Texts: 2John 4-9; Ps. 119:1.2.10.11.17.18; Luke 17: 26-37
This period of the ordinary time deals with the manifestation of God's kingdom. Jesus' teaching on the manifestation of the kingdom creates a kind of uneasiness which arises from the uncertainty of the time of manifestation of the kingdom. St. Paul captures the mood and essence of the teaching when he says, "So, my dear friends, you have always been obedient; your obedience must not be limited to times when I am present. Now that I am absent it must be more in evidence, so work out your salvation in fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). It is a call to always be conscious of the day and live in expectation of it. It is a call to live every day of our lives as the day. It is a call to always be at alert and ready. Jesus Christ emphasizes this, in today's gospel reading, when he says, "On that day, let him who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together, one will be taken and the other left." Jesus' teaching, today, is dramatic and it shows how sudden the manifestation of God's kingdom will be. It is more of how unexpected the day will be than the actual events of the day. Jesus shows that the kingdom will manifest when people would have lost focus and are now concerned with earthly affairs. We will only be concerned with our lives here and building of empires on earth. At this time, people would have given up hope of life to come, they would have lost faith, and charity would have been forgot. Hence, today's first reading encourages us to follow the truth and to love. We are to follow the truth of our faith as taught by the Church: Jesus Christ came in the flesh; he has both divine and human natures. That Jesus Christ is both man and God is not just a mere intellectual assent, it has great impact on our lives. Being God is able to save us and also demands our total obedience. Being man he is one like us who knows what we are passing through. It is written thus: "Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weakness. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it" (Heb. 4:15-16). Being man he is not far from our plights and concerns, he shares them with us and knows how to rescue us from them.
St. John also tells us to love by following God's commandments. St. John says, "And this is love, that we follow his commandments; this is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you follow love." Let us keep our faith, keep showing love and hoping in God daily that we might be found worthy for the Kingdom of God.
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to live that we may be found worthy of your kingdom every day of our lives. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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