Do Things in the Ways of the Lord

 

Bearing wrong patiently is the ways of the Lord



Reflection on Today’s Readings, Tuesday of 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year II, September 6th, 2022

Texts: I Corinthians 6: 1-11; Psalm 149: 1b-6a.9b; Luke 6:2-19

The message today is that we should do things in the ways of the Lord. Many a time we do things in our own ways and end up in shame. Jesus Christ in today’s gospel reading shows us how to do things in the ways of the Lord. Before He chose His apostles, He went into intensive prayer, teaching us to pray before making our decision.

Whatever we want to do, we are to pray about it before we carry them out. To do things in the ways of the Lord we also need to be conversant with the words of God. It is said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” In the words of God we know His ways.

St. Paul, in today’s first reading, condemned the Corinthians for not doing things in the ways of the Lord. The Corinthians did things in their own ways. We do things in our own ways when we act to satisfy our ego. When we act out of anger, hatred, remorse, hard feelings, we do so to satisfy our ego. In another words, we do things in our own ways when we do things to satisfy our feelings. We are to act to please God.

We do things in our own ways when we act to satisfy our ego.

The Corinthians took their case to court before the unrighteous because they were doing things in their own ways. St. Paul says, “When one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?” They were trying to satisfy their grievances, not the will of God.

St. Paul told them that the Church, which is the communion of the saints, were qualified to judge. He says, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life! If then you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least esteemed by the Church?”

Bearing wrong patiently for good is also the way of the Lord.

St. Paul mentions bearing wrong for the faith. Bearing wrong patiently for good is also the way of the Lord. Jesus Christ bore wrong patiently for our Good.

St. Peter says, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. ” (1Pet. 2: 21-24).

St. Paul also puts before us that it is better to bear wrong rather than not doing things in the ways of the Lord. He says, “To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren.”

It is good to bear wrong patiently for the good of our faith. The way we do things sometimes is a defeat of our faith. It is a defeat of our faith when we bring our case before unbelievers to judge.

Lord God, lead us in the path of righteousness, grant that we may do things in our ways. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke