Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 8th Week of Ordinary Time, Year 1, May 28th, 2021
Texts: Sir. 44:1.9-13; Ps. 149:1b-6.9b; Mark 11:11-25
Whatever good we are enjoying today did not come by our own effort alone. We also live on the toils and labours of others such as our parents, guardians, siblings, and some other good people. Today's first reading affirms it thus: "But these were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten; their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children’s children. Their descendants stand by the covenants; their children also, for their sake. Their posterity will continue for ever, and their glory will not be blotted out." Their righteous deeds continue to inspire us to be committed to good; their children are happy and accorded respect and honour for their ancestors' righteous deeds. Their children sustain their righteous deeds because they have come to know the joy in righteous deeds. Their prosperity which remains with their children is virtue, the virtues of fortitude, temperance, justice and prudence, the virtues of hope, faith and love. Those who belong to the lineage of warriors are often valiant; those who belong to royal family are often royal. This is just like saying that background matters.
The reading reminds us that we have to appreciate those great men and women whose righteous deeds mould and shape us. We need to honour their memories. This teaches us why the Church celebrates the saints. The Church honours the memories of saints to inspire in us their righteous deeds. Bringing back their memories mould and shape us. Saints, being the imitators of Christ, our imitation of them makes us to grow into Christ's image. Reading about the lives of saints is a veritable means of nourishing and strengthening our faith. Today's first reading invites us to cherish and appreciate the memories of saints.
The reading tells us that some of these great men and women are not known. However, their good deeds continue to manifest in the lives of their children, friends and relations. Some of us today the memories of our parents continue to inspire us to live righteous life; we continue to cherish and appreciate their virtues and moral rectitude. Though they are not famous for their righteous deeds, they have made great impact on us and on the world. Some of them are famous for their righteous deeds and their names are in the lips of everyone. The reading calls us to cherish and appreciate them all, whether they are famous or not for their righteous deeds.
Today's gospel reading teaches us important lessons: we are to bear fruits in and out of season, we are to be Christians no matter the condition; we are to be kind, loving and true in all circumstances. Though it was not the season of bearing fruits, Jesus cursed the fig tree. That the tree was in leaf means it has what it takes to bear fruits. This tells us that God always gives us grace in and out of season and for that reason we have no excuse for not bearing fruits in and out of season.
The gospel reading goes further to remind us to keep sacred what is sacred. The gospel reading says, "And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; and he would not allow any one to carry anything through the temple. And he taught, and said to them, 'Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?" Let us keep holy what is holy. We manifest our love for God when we keep holy what belongs to Him; it is God we honour in them.
Jesus also teaches us two important things that make prayer effective and efficacious: faith and forgiveness. He says, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea, ’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Some of us are bittered and we refuse to let go and yet ask for forgiveness from God. Jesus reminds us that we need to forgive others if we want forgiveness from God. We need forgiveness to make peace with God and without which our prayer will remain ineffective and inefficacious. It is in faith that prayer has meaning; without faith prayer turns to joke and empty words.
Lord God, we thank You for giving us holy men and women to inspire us in our journey of faith, help us to always cherish and appreciate their memories and to imitate them daily. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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