WHAT TYPE OF SOIL PREVAILS IN ME?

Hebrews 10:11-18 (He has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated).

Mark 4:1-20

In today’s Gospel parable, we hear of a sower who sowed seed on different types of soil. Some seed fell on THE PATH and birds came to eat it up; some,  on ROCKY GROUND where, although it germinated, it was scorched by the sun and withered due to lack of roots; some,  AMONG THORNS that choked it, and it produced no grain; some, on RICH SOIL and produced fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold (Mark 4:1-9).

Jesus explains the meaning of the parable as follows. The SEED is the WORD of GOD. The FIRST type of soil represents the people who hear God’s word but get distracted, and the evil one takes it way before it is sown in them. The SECOND kind (rocky soil) are those who hear and receive the word but are not rooted in their faith; they easily lose heart (or faith) due to trials, suffering, and other life challenges. The THIRD type (soil on thorns) are people who hear the word but lose it. Their worldly anxieties, quest for riches and other cravings choke the word. The FOURTH type are the believers who hear the word, receive it, and allow it to germinate in their hearts, so that it can bear fruit. They show this fruit by their love for others, their generosity, their work for justice, and their fight against all forms injustice. (See Mark 4:14-20).

We all swing or float from one type of soil to another, depending on different circumstances. Sometimes we go to church but cannot concentrate on God’s word at all for various reasons. We come out of church service/mass without retaining any message. Most people swing between the second and the third types of soil. Some doubt God’s presence in their lives due to socioeconomic, health and other forms of challenges, such that even prayer,  fasting, NOVENAS (nine days of prayer) or deliverance do not make sense anymore. In the end, some people stop going to church. Some become mediocre about their faith due to an insatiable desire  for wealth and power. They may forget about God until the time calamity befalls them. 

However, there are always prominent qualities /characteristics/habits of a person that may tell us which type of soil is prevalent in them, which may make us either call them “bandits” or “living saints” (good people). JESUS urges us to try and move from this murky area where we sometimes float. He wants us to embody the FOURTH TYPE OF SOIL, which represents true believers. We are invited to listen to others, to help solve their problems, to do other good deeds for them, to care for those who are in need, and so forth. This is what it means to be the good soil that allows the seed (word of God) to germinate and bear fruit. We may embody this soil when we open our hearts to God’s grace.

Lord, may we be the good soil that allows your word to germinate and bear fruit in us for the good of all. Amen

WHO ARE YOU?: CHRISTIAN IDENTITY BASED DOING THE WILL OF GOD

2Titus 1:1-8 (I recall your sincere faith)

Mark 3:31-35

I knew of a man who hadn’t achieved much academically and economically. Most of his relatives did not look up to him. Yet, during funerals, other emergencies, and big events, everyone relied on him to communicate to all members of the extended family, because of differences and disputes among some family members. One might   say that they were abusing his generosity. This could be true to a certain extent. Yet, it is also true that he was valuable, because of who he was, rather than what he was to the family members. They saw in him a brother who could bring them together in times of need, and they all accepted his invitation to the family gatherings.

Sometimes, we Christians also fall into the trap of focusing on WHAT WE CAN DO (OR WHAT WE HAVE) rather than WHO WE ARE as a measure of our CHRISTIAN IDENTITY. Jesus is saying the contrary in today’s Gospel. He asks a question: “Who are my mother and my brothers [sisters]?” He responds,  thus, “... whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:35). This sounds insolent (insulting) to His mother Mary and other relatives. Nonetheless, Jesus provides us with a radical understanding of discipleship, which Mary embraces wholeheartedly. She follows her Son throughout His ministry and accompanies Him during His passion and death (John 19:25). As a result, she and other disciples experience His Resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit while they pray in the Upper Room (Acts 1:14; 2:1-4).

It’s not what we can do or what we have that gives us our Christian identity but doing God’s will. We become true believers, Christians, disciples, brothers and sisters when we do God’s will.

I once took an old woman in a wheelchair (she had became a “burden” to her immediate family members) to a hospice run by the  Charity Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, where she was looked after till her death. There, I found two sisters cleaning and treating a very big wound that covered the nape (back of the neck) of a man. They did so while chatting with and giving him encouragement. He was relaxed and seemed to ignore the pain. I must admit that I really struggled to look at the wound; it scared me. Yet the man needed help, which the two nuns gave him with care. Other sisters were attending to other patients. The sister in charge at the hospice encouraged me to bring in more people in great need, which I did later.

Indeed, the sisters were and are still doing God’s will. That is what gives them their Christian identity as Religious sisters. There are millions of other Christians believers doing God’s will to serve the common good. These are also true disciples, followers, brothers and sisters of Christ, who are putting their talents to good use. Unfortunately, there also some believers who do not use their talents well. For example, some think of what they can do with their power, authority and money to oppress and manipulate others, rather than promoting justice, equality, unity and the wellbeing of all. Their acts are a countersign to true discipleship.

Lord, help us not to take pride in what we can do or what we have. Instead, give us the grace to follow you and do your will, so that we can be true Christian believers. Amen.

CONVERTED FOR A MISSION

THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE 

Acts 22:3-16 (alt. Acts 9:1-22)

Mark 16:15-18 (Go out to all the world and tell the Good News).

WE ARE ALL BAPTIZED OR CONVERTED FOR ONE PRIMARY MISSION: SALVATION.

In the first reading, we hear about Saul’s conversion, a man who was part of the mob that stoned Stephen (the first Christian martyr) to death (Acts 22:3-16). On his mission to Damascus to pursue Christians (or followers of “the Way”), Saul was suddenly struck to the ground by a blinding light and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ... I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”. Saul obeyed the instruction to proceed to Damascus, where a disciple called Ananias blessed and baptized him as Paul. When 

Paul recovered his sight, he began proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. PAUL WAS CONVERTED FOR A MISSION.

On the one hand, Paul needed special grace from God to be converted. On the other, he was open to this grace. He was humble. It was not easy for Paul to leave his way of life that had given him authority and economic prowess, however harmful it was to Christians. Many people fail to leave their corrupt ways that benefit them, however harmful these may be to other people. We may also recall how many times some of us have often gone back to our risky ways of life, despite many warnings and signs from God and from other people. GOD IS MERCIFUL AND LOVING. That’s why probably some of us are still alive.

St.Paul teaches us to CONVERT when we still have time and the energy to serve God. We shouldn’t always wait for the last hour. As the saying goes, “Those who try to convert on the twelfth hour often pass on the eleventh”. I remember one person who refused to accept Jesus even on his death bed. Although I cannot judge the man, since only God has the power to do so, I still think it was very unfortunate.

Today’s Gospel explains this CHRISTIAN MISSION, which may be explained in TWO PARTS. FIRST, after His Resurrection, Jesus appeares to the eleven (Judas has already excluded himself from the Apostles), saying to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-17). This is the good news that Jesus brought. It was all about our salvation from sin for us to have eternal life. This is the Gospel message for which Christ converted St. Paul who had been zealously murdering Christians, thereby denying himself eternal life. God wanted Saul to use his zeal to promote life rather than destroy it. This is the reason for which Jesus came into the world: “I came that they may have life and have it to the fullest“ (John 10:10). Thus, every preacher of the Good news should focus on converting souls to God for them to have eternal life.

It is very unfortunate, however, that, instead of focusing on this primary Gospel message, some people rather concentrate on the SECOND PART: “These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name [Jesus’s name] they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover”. This second part of today’s Gospel is very difficult to understand for some people, although it sounds very simple. Based on this Gospel passage, many people, including the learned, are easily deceived by the trickery of some unscrupulous spiritual leaders. Due to this trickery, from my knowledge, some people have handled poisonous snakes and died of snake bites; some have drunk bleach and and other forms of poison, losing their lives; some have been attacked and maimed by demons as they tried to cast them out of other people, and so forth. People have different gifts, and only God, the OMNIPOTENT, has authority over all of these things, because God is pure and holy. Human beings have their own weaknesses; they shouldn’t compare themselves to God or Jesus; God is God. 

In fact, God performs miracles in our daily life experiences. He saves us when we recover from sickness, or survive an accident, or a snake crawls away from us instead of biting us, or a wild elephant does not charge at us, or someone saves us from drowning in a river/the sea/ ocean /swimming pool, etc. THE VERY FACT THAT I AM ABLE TO WAKE UP TODAY, BREATH AND GO ABOUT DOING MY DAILY WORK/BUSINESS IS A GREAT MIRACLE . Why should I be testing God by touching a poisonous snake or drinking poison as if I am God or the only believer in the world? God has billions of souls to attend to. We shouldn’t test God. We should humble ourselves before God. 

Lord, give us a repentant heart for us to turn back to you whenever we fall. Empower us to spread your Good News for our salvation and the salvation of others. Amen.

N.B: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, join me in praying for the repose of the soul of Fr. Charles Muchinshi Chilinda, S.J., whose burial is today, and the souls of all those who have recently passed due to COVID-19 and other causes. MTSRIEP, through the intercession of St. Paul. Amen.🙏🏾

GOD BLESSES A HUMBLE REPENTANT HEART

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

1 Cor 7:29-31

Mark 1:14-20

Today’s three readings may help us to reflect on God’s blessings upon people with humility and repentant hearts. These try to follow God’s will. In today’s first reading, Jonah accepts his mission to warn the Ninevites to repent from their sins lest they perish. To his great surprise, they immediately do so, and God does not punish them. The people of Nineveh were enemies of Jonah’s land, Israel; he wished them to die in their sins, and not to turn them to God and live. That’s why at first Jonah resisted his calling by God to go and warn the Ninevites. He took a ship to escape. Ironically, to save the ship from sinking, people threw him into the sea, where he was swallowed by a big fish that kept him in its belly for three days and nights. While there, he prayed to God for help, praised God and repented, such that, when the fish threw up Jonah upon dry land, he was ready to carry out the mission God had given him. And the Ninevites had soft hearts; they listened to Jonah and repented of their sins; they lived and prospered (See Jonah 1:1—2:10).

God did not punish Jonah; He wanted to teach him a lesson, which Jonah learned very well. We may try to frustrate God’s will but can never succeed. We should listen to what God is telling us through prayer. This may enable us to succeed in our endeavours. Our humility is required in this case. 

Sometimes we force ourselves into what we are less gifted in and ignore our gifts or talents. We are invited to listen to God’s calling. We need to convert from from our arrogance and obey the will of God for us to receive blessings and prosper. GOD FAVOURS A HUMBLE, REPENTANT HEART. 

The second reading expresses this humility in a very strong (or poignant) way. Saint Paul says that the world in its present time is passing away (7:31). He urges us to set our eyes on God and to depend on His guidance, so that our thoughts, plans and actions (undertakings) do not move us away from God.  

We should be concerned about spiritual matters that nourish our souls rather than only passing things. Possessions such as businesses, employment, wealth, economic power, social status, fame and others may sustain us and help us to function well in society. But, as Christians, we also need salvation. If enjoyed apart from God, these possessions may move us away from God and lead to our spiritual poverty (or poverty of the soul)

Some people accumulate a lot of wealth and enjoy a lot of power. They have everything they want. They also have both real and fake friends that cling to them. Yet, despite their power and wealth, if they neglect feeding their souls,  most of these people are lonely, because they experience an emptiness that only God can fill up. When they die, all their  possessions and friends will abandon them, except their soul which they had neglected. ONLY THE SOUL FOLLOWS ONE INTO THE GRAVE AND AFTER. It is the greatest friend we have. Yet it is often the most neglected. But Scripture says, “What does is it profit one to gain the whole world and lose their soul?” The graces of humility and repentance are required in this regard.

The four disciples (Simon and his brother Andrew, and James and his brother John) in today’s Gospel passage respond well with great humility to God’s calling. They are fishermen, and Jesus calls them to be fishers of men (and women). They have their own business, which has given them economic stability and a good social status. Yet, they promptly answer  the Lord’s call to spread the Good News and to bring people to God, thereby saving their own souls as well as other people’s souls. In their humble response, the disciples seek the kingdom of God prior to material needs, which are passing along along with our earthly life. As Scripture says, “SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these shall be added unto you”.

Lord, give us humble and repentant hearts to do your will and to use our gifts well, so that we may inherit your Kingdom. Amen

EMPOWERED BY CHRIST FOR A MISSION

Mark 3:13-19

 

In the Gospel Jesus names His Apostles. He then commissions them to preach and gives them the power to drive out demons. The commissioning and authority to cast evil spirits are interconnected. One reason for this is that evil forces are stubborn and powerful. They can influence people’s decisions and plans. It takes the authority of Christ to drive them out. No person can cast them out apart from Christ or God. That’s why the people that have the gift to cast out evil spirits need to pray and often fast.

Some of the evil forces express themselves in different persistent ways: harmful addictions, violence, disharmony, corruption, injustice and other disvalues. To overcome these problems, we need to depend on God’s help and to persevere in prayer. 

WE BELIEVERS ARE ALL MISSIONED TO LIBERATE ONE ANOTHER FROM EVIL FORCES AND TO HEAL ONE ANOTHER. We may do so by having strong prayer groups, retreats, bible sharing, deliverance and preaching to one another.

Lord, empower us to liberate one another. Amen.

WHY DO I FOLLOW JESUS?

 Thursday 21 January 2021

Second Week in Ordinary Time 

Hebrews 7:25—8:6 (He offered sacrifice once for all when He offered Himself).

Mark 3:7-12

There could be dozens of answers to questions such as Why are you a Christian? Or Who is Jesus Christ to you? One question for our reflection based on today’s Gospel passage would be this: Why do I follow Jesus Christ? Expressed differently, Why am I attracted to Jesus Christ? We hear in the Gospel, thus: ‘“[Jesus] told disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He  had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known”’(Mark 2: 10-12).

These people had come from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. 

WHY WERE THEY FOLLOWING JESUS? The people were following Jesus for miracles, that’s why they were pressing upon Him to touch Him to get healed. But Jesus got into the boat to keep some distance from them, because He LOVED them. He wanted them to understand and follow something deeper than the miracles he was performing: HIS GOOD NEWS OF THEIR SALVATION FOR WHICH JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD. As John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 

We follow Jesus for various reasons such as salvation, healing, prosperity, blessings and protection. Sometimes Jesus doesn’t seem to be present in our lives according to our expectations. We urgently want things from Christ, pray about them, and ask Him to grant our prayers. But He doesn’t seem to answer the prayers. In such moments, some people try to fill that gap between them and Christ with a spiritual leader. They cling to the person for prayers, blessings and protection from evil forces. No wonder why some people put stickers on their vehicles which read “THIS CAR IS PROTECTED BY SO AND SO”, a person, rather than JESUS. Let’s pause for a moment. How can a man/woman of God who also needs Jesus’s protection provide you with such protection? This is a serious joke! A terrible illusion. A man/woman of God doesn’t have such powers; they cannot protect your vehicle, except praying for you. 

FURTHER, we may be attracted by the good preaching of a spiritual leader, their gifts of healing, their singing talent, their generosity, their humility, and other qualities. Yet, ultimately, the GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION should be the reason why we believe in Jesus, or go to church, or follow the man/woman of God.

Jesus didn’t use any type of megaphone to call the crowds to come for healing. They heard about Him and followed wherever He went. He sternly warned the people from whom He cast out unclean spirits not to make Him known. He didn’t seek popularity, a passing thing. What he wanted was to give them life to the fullest (eternal life). As He says in John’s Gospel, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly [to the fullest]” (John 10:10). THIS, I SUBMIT, IS WHY WE FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST.

Lord, may we follow Christ for the right reasons for us to enter your Kingdom. Amen.

DECISION MAKING

Mark 2:13-17

DECISION MAKING 

We make many decisions concerning insignificant and significant matters in life. Although we often make good decisions, sometimes we make poor ones and regret afterwards. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus sees Levi collecting taxes at his booth and calls him, saying, “Follow me”. And immediately Levi follows Him. 

The decision that Levi makes is a rare grace from God. In Chapter Eleven of his classic, Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola calls this grace  “clarity beyond doubting”, whereby God moves and attracts the will [of someone], that without doubting, or being able to doubt, such a devout soul [or person] follows what is shown it, as St. Paul [Acts 9] and St. Matthew [Matthew 9:9] did in following Christ our Lord”. 

Sometimes, however, we need to weigh the reasons for making a particular decision on various matters, which may include choosing one’s career or a particular person to marry, making a decision about an addiction, deciding which friends to keep, knowing when it’s time to move one, and so forth. 

To make a good decision, we need to be “indifferent” or open to God’s will, a grace that results  from one’s prayerfulness  and discernment of spirits. We shouldn’t let our preferences take control of our decisions in a way that undermines God’s will, lest we make wrong decisions. No wonder sometimes people choose wrong partners;  they rush into relationships based on their preferences instead of allowing God to guide them. Some people are extravagant or poor administrators due to lack of proper decision-making. Some students forgot why they are at school, and the result is often unbecoming. Some people, despite seeing signals, want to overstay in a place or an office until they are kicked out. They then start complaining about those who have helped (or urged) them to move on. 

A reverend was transferred to another place but kept on resisting to move, until the new person came in. The former then tried to frustrate the latter, until the church members challenge him to move on. He did so begrudgingly. Well, c’est la vie (that’s life). We should know when it’s time to go or move on. We should be praying for this grace, which takes humility and openness to God’s will. 

Lord, help us to be open to your will so that we can make good decisions in life.

The year 2020 and Hope of 2021

 

THE SON OF MAN IS LORD OF THE SABBATH

Mark 2:23-28 

A church gathering is different from a group of soccer fans in a stadium or political cadres (fans) at a rally, who often hurl insults at their opponents. In such contexts, belittling one’s opponent(s) is the rule of the game or order of the day. 

Such is not the case for a church gathering. In today’s Gospel, Jesus’s disciples make a path while picking heads of grain as Jesus is passing through a grain field on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-24). At this the Pharisees ask him, “Look, why are they [disciples] doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” (Verse 24). Jesus responds by giving the example of how David went into the house God when he and his companions were hungry, ate the bread of offering that only priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions (Verses 25-26).  Jesus concludes, thus, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. This is why the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath” (Verses 27-28). 

The Jews kept the Sabbath Day holy in obedience to the FOURTH of the TEN COMMANDMENTS (See Exodus 20:8-10 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21). Jesus did the same following His Jewish religious practices.

However, after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christians (who included the Jewish Apostles and other disciples ) started keeping Sunday holy, because He rose from the dead on the first day (Sunday) of the week (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:9; John 20:1-2). Henceforth, Sunday is the new Sabbath for Christians, which should be the Lord’s day, albeit nowadays some people go to church daily (See Acts 2:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10; Ps 118:22-26[prophecies of the first day of the week]). 

People go to church for various reasons: prayer, healing, blessings, spiritual and social support, etc. Going to church on Sunday is fashionable for some people. Some walk into the church as though they just came from doing sports (such as playing tennis/basketball/soccer), or from the gym, or from partying hardy. Others dress up for church service. The dress code varies from one culture to another. Yet, any dress code should be proper for worship without causing unnecessary distractions to other worshippers. To function well, any church organization should have rules and regulations that promote respect, decency,  harmony, peace and unity among its members. Love should be the basis of these rules and regulations.

Jesus challenges the Pharisees for their lack of love. They emphasize laws but ignore doing good for the disciples who are hungry. Jesus corrects them by showing them that He is the Lord of the Sabbath who promotes life for His followers. All believers should emulate Jesus and dedicate their worship to God for the service of others. This is when the Sabbath, Sunday, or going to church will be meaningful. IT’S POINTLESS FOR ONE TO BE GOING TO CHURCH while failing to practice the virtues of MERCY, LOVE and COMPASSION, values that May enable him/her to inherit the Kingdom of God. MANY PEOPLE ARE TOILING (WITH SOME LOSING HOPE) IN OTHER SOCIAL GATHERINGS. The Church should be a place where believers feel accepted, loved, cared for, forgiven, and so forth. Yes, we should correct one another to maintain peace and order for the benefit of all church members. We can also judge some actions to be bad or uncharitable. This is our duty as Christians. But we shouldn’t be too judgmental as to totally condemn others. Only God has the full authority to judge us, because only God knows each one of us through and through. As a Bemba proverb says, BAKOLWE BASEKANA IFIPATO (Monkeys laugh at each other’s backs). 

Lord, help us to keep the Sabbath or Sunday holy. May our worship help us to love one another. Amen.