Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday of 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, July 24th, 2021
Texts: Ex. 24:3-8; Ps. 50: 1-2.5-6.14-15; Mtt. 13:24-30
Covenant is a means through which we are bound to God in relationship; by covenant we enter into relationship with God and God enter into relationship with us. In this relationship we are committed to keep the words of God. Hence, in today's first reading, it is said, _"Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, 'All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do'”._ This means we keep our relationship with God by doing His words. Our commitment in our relationship with God is to keep His words. It is by doing His words that we are bound to Him and become His people. When we do the word of God we affirm His ownership over us.
Covenant opens us to the unlimited opportunities in God. This covenant is sealed by sacrifice. This is affirmed in today's psalm thus: _"Gather my holy ones to me, who made covenant with me by sacrifice.”_ In the Old Testament they offered to God burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord but for us, the new people of God, we offered Him His Son; we offer God for God, a sacrifice worthy of Him. It is worthy of Him because the victim is equal to Him in nature and dignity. Holy Mass is the sacrifice in which God is offered for God in thanksgiving for benefit bestowed, still bestowing and will still bestow. This makes Holy mass the highest and most powerful prayer on earth, a prayer that God cannot reject or refuse to answer. It is a great privilege for us Catholics to be opportune to participate in such sacrifice every day.
Holy becomes the means through which the people who have made covenant with God are gathered and the covenant renewed. Hence, the call of God, in today's psalm, is fulfilled in the Holy Mass. At Holy Mass we are gathered to God, reminding ourselves of our total self-giving to Him; we offer ourselves once again to Him in His Son, for as we gather together we make the body of His Son. This exalted nature of Holy Mass demands that we approach it with reverence and holiness so as to receive its benefits. The effect of Holy Mass is always present but we have to be open to experience the effect.
Today's gospel reading reminds us that as we gather together at mass we have both saints and sinners. Both saints and sinners receive grace from God and grow together until the last day. On the last day the sinners will have no excuse for not saving their souls, for they received grace as much as the saints did, but they wasted their grace. Let us not waste the grace of God but put it into work by engaging in righteous deeds, by doing all the words He has spoken to us in Christ, His Son.
Lord our God, help us in our frailty to do all the words You have spoken to us. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
Posts
0 Comments