The relationship with God

 

When we rise we bear witness to God’s grace. 

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Wednesday of 25th Week in Ordinary Time I, Sept. 27th, 2023
Texts: Ezra 9:5-9; Canticle Tobit 13:2,4,6-8; Luke 9:1-6 

Reading today’s first reading, a question arose in my mind, why is the relationship with God so burdensome like this? It is like God subdues us and we are powerless before Him. It is like He has laid upon us burden we cannot carry and often we fall under it. The confession of Ezra stirred up the thought. He says, “From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt”. What is good in relationship that is filled with guilt and shame! Such relationship is unhealthy. However, it is just a feeling, not what faith says. Faith says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8). 

It is true that we live by faith, not by feeling, sight or other senses. Faith often dispels the darkness our feelings cast upon us. Faith says the relationship with God is full of love. Jesus says, “my burden is light, my yoke is easy”. If we fall it is not because of His burden or yoke. It is because of our human condition. When we fall we bear witness to human corruption. When we rise we bear witness to God’s grace.  

We preach the gospel and heal people

What matters is that we rise. We read about Ezra thus: “At the evening sacrifice I, Ezra, rose from my fasting, with my garments and my mantle rent”. We rise when we acknowledge our guilt, return to God, seek pardon and move on into future full of hope and love. That is what Ezra did. If we fall because of human frailty, let us rise because of God’s grace. Bearing witness to God’s grace is an effective way of evangelization. We preach the gospel and heal people.  

Ezra reminds us that God never abandon us when we fall. He says, “For we are bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia.” God is always with us in our fallen state, calling us to rise above our condition. Hence, Tobit sings, “I give him thanks in the land of my captivity, and I show his power and his majesty to a nation of sinners.” 

Take nothing for your journey

We learn in today’s gospel that God is with us even when we have no staff, bag or bread. Jesus says, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.” He gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases and sent them forth.  

St Vincent de Paul, whose memorial is today, lived his life in service of the poor. “He founded a congregation of priests for missionary work, groups of laymen to help paupers and galley-slaves, and, with St Louise de Marillac, the Sisters of Charity” (Universalis). He teaches us to care for our brothers and sisters. 

Prayer 

O God, who for the relief of the poor and the formation of the clergy endowed the Priest Saint Vincent de Paul with apostolic virtues, grant, we pray, that, afire with that same spirit, we may love what he loved and put into practice what he taught. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke