Keeping God's Word

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday of the Word of God), Year B, January 24th, 2021

Texts: Jonah 3:1-5.10; Ps. 25:4-9; 1Cor. 7:29-31; Mk. 1:14-20

Pope Francis, in his apostolic letter, Aperuit Illis, September 30th, 2019, named the third Sunday in Ordinary Time the Sunday of the Word of God. He proposed it as the day to celebrate and bring to mind the importance of the Word of God. The celebration is meant to enhance our devotion to God's words. Looking backwards can we notice any improvement in our devotion to God's words since last year celebration of the Sunday of God's words. God has given us another opportunity to witness the Sunday once again, another opportunity to intensify our devotion to His words.

Today's first reading says, "The word of the Lord came to Jonah saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.'" The word of God comes to us every day; it comes to us in our consciences and whenever we read the word of God; it comes to us when we look into ourselves and around us, when we think about the creation. The word of God could come directly or indirectly to us. It came indirectly when the word is received through an agent. It came directly to Jonah but indirectly to the people of Nineveh.

Many a time when the word of God comes to us we consider it difficult to accomplish. Today's first reading reminds us that no one accomplish the word of God by his/her own power; it is by God's grace that man accomplishes the word of God. The reading shows that Jonah accomplished the word by God's grace by saying that Jonah completed the task within one day instead of three days. It says, "Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey." Many a time we consider the demand of God's word to be impossible or difficult. For some of us it is impossible to be chaste; for some of us it is difficult to keep the teaching concerning contraceptives. What God requires from us is obedience. When we begin to keep the word, God will continue to supply the grace to accomplish it. 

The word of God begin to make meaning in our lives when we start to act on it. When we act on God's word, we win the favour, mercy and blessings of God. The people of Nineveh acted on God's word and God granted them pardon and mercy.

The second reading reminds us that the things of this world are passing away and so we are not to hold on to them but free our souls from them; our lives should not depend on the things of this world. It says, "from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, ... and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of the world is passing away." What we should hold fast is God's word; the word of God endures forever. Isaiah says, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever" (40:8). Jesus Himself says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Mt. 24:35). St. Peter adds thus: "But the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you" (1Pet. 1:25). Let us not hold fast to the things of this world, for they are passing away, but let us hold fast to God's word which endures forever. The word of God give us light and life. Keeping God's word gives us inner joy and serenity. Though there will be trouble from without, we will have peace within. 

Jesus, in the gospel reading, says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel." The time is fulfilled because the hour of grace has come and God has visited His people. Whenever we hear the word of God is the time of grace and God's visitation.  The kingdom of God means the presence of God among His people and His rule over them. The presence of God and His rule over us is fulfilled when we keep His words. Jesus says, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them" (John 14:23). St. John says, "This is how we are sure that we have come to know Him: by keeping His commands. The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' yet doesn’t keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him" (1 John 2:3-5).  The kingdom of God is fulfilled in us by keeping His words. The gospel reading also reminds us that God calls us to follow Him. We follow Jesus Christ when we keep His words; when we keep His words, we live His gospel values. One thing that we must know is that we have to detach ourselves from the things of this world if we truly want to keep the words of God.

God our Father, our peace is in keeping Your words, bend our wills to always keep Your words that we may have peace, the peace the world cannot give. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke