Fruits of these Years with Christ

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Sunday of the Word of God), Year C, January 23rd, 2022
Texts: Neh. 8:2-4a,5-6,8-10; Ps.19:7-9.14; 1Cor. 12: 12-30; Luke 1:1 - 4; 4:14-21

We are called, today, to reflect on what has been the fruits of the years we have walked with Christ, we have heard and listened to the word of Christ. What has been the fruits of the years we have met Christ, experienced and witnessed His life, His deeds and words? What has been the fruits of the years we have been taught and preached to about Jesus Christ? What about the Holy communion we receive from time to time, what has been the fruits? We have been baptised and confirmed so many years ago and yet we have nothing to show for it. Today's first reading tells us how the Jews were moved to repentance when the law was read to them. It is said, "For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law". After listening to God's words, they were asked to go and eat and share their goods with others. The word of God we have been hearing and listening to should have produced change of heart in us and made us charitable to ourselves and to others.

St. Luke challenged us today  to brace up and to produce the fruits of these years of being Jesus. He tells us, today, that his gospel of Jesus Christ is the fruits of the years he had tried to seek the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He puts it thus: "In as much as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed." Since we have been hearing and listening to God's word, has anything seemed good for us to be done? We have heard that He went about doing good, has it seemed good to us to go about doing good? We heard in His words that we should love, has it seemed good to us to love. He has told us to pray without season, has it seemed good to us to do so? He has told us that man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Has it seemed good to us to live on the words of God?
Just like Jesus Christ, the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, for we have been anointed. Being anointed we are to preach the good news to the poor; we are to tell people the love of God as it is manifested in Jesus Christ. We are to tell the captives, all sinners, that they are set free from sins in Jesus Christ. We are to open the eyes of the blind by making known the truth to people. We they know the truth their ignorance will disappear and their eyes are opened. We are to set free the oppressed by standing against oppression and injustice. We are to tell people that the Lord lives.
St. Paul, in today's second reading, dwells on unity that should exist among us. Those who are enlightened by the word of God are bound together and devoted their gifts and talents to help one another. The word of God binds us together. Division is the result of deviation from God's word. If all of us are faithful to God's word, there will be unity among us. St. Paul says, "For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit". The principle of our unity is the Spirit. Jesus Christ tells us that His words are spirit: "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63). Living on the words of God binds us together and makes us one.

Lord our God, we thank You for the gift of Your words, grant that may our hearts become the dwelling places of the words. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke