GOD’S LOVE AND MERCY

IV SUNDAY OF LENT - Luke 15:1-3,11-32

The parable of the father who had two sons, commonly known as the parable of the prodigal son, is one of the masterpieces of Jesus’ teaching. It deals with human sin and with God’s love and mercy. It speaks about the relationship ofGod with us human beings. And the way we relate to God has implications on the way we relate to each other. God is represented by the father in the parable, while humanity is represented by the two sons.

The father is not autocratic, even though both sons feel oppressed, desiring to live as if the father did not exist. Humanity tries to get rid of God in order to conquer independence and take his place. The younger son rejected the father and turned his back on him to be able to mark out his own way and establish his own rules. His attempt ended in so big a disaster that he would accept to become a servant so as to survive. His survival was only possible by going back to the one he had rejected. His attempt at independence without the father and against the father was a total failure. Indeed, humanity needs to hit the bottom rock to turn back to God. Are we at that point now? Or do we need to sink even lower? Money, power, knowledge and science will not lead us to salvation since they deliver false happiness and create rivalries that lead us to violence and war. Like the father in the parable, God allows us to make our own choice and find out for ourselves what we are capable of. The end result is messing up everything. Without God and against him, we run to self-destruction. Many times, that is the only way for us to accept our fragility and sinfulness. Meanwhile, the father is waiting for the son to return. When he does, the father embraces him with all his love.

As we read the parable, our attention is drawn to the youngest son, the one who misbehaved terribly. It is as if we see ourselves in him. Looking at him, we realise that we have not lost everything yet. There is still time to repent and to turn back. However, we should look attentively at the elder son as well. He is a well-behaved son, who never left his father’s house. He is obedient, hard-working and responsible. He is among the best and his father can be proud of him. In the end, we discover that from him we got a false picture. He did not live like a son in his father’s house and he behaved as if he had no brother. Where was he when the younger one left the house? He did not intervene because he didn’t care. Maybe he was even happy since he remained alone. In his self-righteousness, he could judge everybody else, mainly all those who did not behave or think like him. Full of pride and selfishness, he is the only one who dictates the rules and sits on judgement. The father was no match for him. How could he be, if he did not punish the young one for his misbehaviour? As for his brother, he had no brother. As a brother, he was dead and, if alive, he did not deserve a second chance.

A distorted relationship with God brings forth a distorted relationship with others. Where there was a brother, now there is an enemy that should be brought down and destroyed.

Maybe, we can read the parable in the context of the present war between Russia and Ukraine. All of us are sinners. And God, the father, is waiting for his children to realise how self-destructive their behaviour is. Some nations and their leaders point fingers at others accusing them of being devilish, forgetting that they have done the same time and again. Instead of looking for ways that may lead to peace, they add fuel to the fire, as if all of them together are ready to burn the world.

To find peace, we must recognise God as the Father of us all and then recognise the others as our brothers and sisters.

Father, give us your Spirit, change our hearts for us to be pacemakers, accepting our brothers and rejoicing with them.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

III SUNDAY OF LENT - Luke 13:1-9

Can we be sure of salvation and are we already saved? There are so many people asking this question. And many of them feel assured of salvation because they believe and they accepted Jesus as their saviour. To the Corinthians, St. Paul wrote: “The man who thinks he is safe must be careful that he does not fall.” (1 Cor 10:12). We may fall and lose our way to salvation. We were called and chosen, and we said “yes” to God’s call. Thus we entered the path to salvation; however, we haven’t arrived yet and we may lose the way. And, according to Paul, the people of Israel are an example of that: 

“They were all baptised into Moses in this cloud and in this sea; all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them as they went, and that rock was Christ. In spite of this, most of them failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert.” (1 Cor 10:2-5).

Salvation is not something we can achieve by our effort, no matter how much we strive. Salvation is always a gift bestowed on us by God, who loves us, having decided in his merciful love to call us to share in his glory. However, this gift must be accepted with thanksgiving. To God’s love, we must reciprocate with love. This love is shown through obedience and faithfulness. If we turn our backs on God and abandon the path of righteousness, then we will end up lost in despair. God has called us and we must accept his call and show forth our love to Him in our daily existence. We are on the road to salvation and may the Lord, in his great mercy, grant us his Spirit so that we may reach our destination and find the welcoming arms of Jesus Christ. We must produce fruits of justice, mercy and love. The Lord gives us extra time as he did to the fig tree. However, in the end, if the tree doesn’t produce any fruits, it will be cut down.

Meanwhile, we are called to repentance and conversion. Let us turn our hearts to God that he may cleanse us of our sins and make us holy according to His holiness.

THE TRANSFIGURATION

II SUNDAY OF LENT - Luke 9:28-36

On the mountain, while praying, Jesus was transfigured, revealing himself before Peter, James and John in his glorious body.

In the book of Exodus, we are told that coming down from Mount Sinai, Moses had a shining face. He had to cover his face with a veil, because “they were afraid to come near him” (Ex 34:29-35). The brightness on Moses’ face was but a reflection of God’s glory. 

Jesus, being the Son of God, is the light, a light that is hidden under the veil of his body. However, in the transfiguration, the apostles were able to see through his body the radiance of his glory. Jesus’ transfiguration is the pre-announcement and the promise of our transfiguration. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote that Jesus “will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body” (Phil 3:21). We are called and we are promised to be transfigured in Jesus’ manner. For us to reach that glory, we must follow Jesus’ path - a path that goes suffering and death on the cross. Moses and Elijah - that is the Law and Prophets - point to that, but the disciples and the people, in general, could not understand that. How could they accept a suffering Messiah? All their hope was in a Messiah full of power and earthly glory, which they would share. They expected an earthly reward for being followers of Jesus. It is not surprising that, while Moses and Elijah “were speaking of his passing”, the three apostles “were heavy with sleep”. They made an effort to keep awake and were able to see Jesus’ glory. He was thrilled with the vision and expressed his profound desire to remain there: “Master, it is wonderful for us to be here.” Before such a statement, Luke concludes: “He did not know what he was saying.” Here, on earth, we cannot have but passing moments of contemplation. “Our homeland is in heaven” (Phil 3:20) and the way to reach there is full of difficulties. For that, we must obey God’s commandment: “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.” Indeed, being the Word, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6).

MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE

I SUNDAY OF LENT - Luke 4:1-13

At the beginning of Lent, we are invited to reflect upon the temptations of Jesus. One thing is true, Jesus was tempted many times, at different places and in different circumstances. They asked him for a sign and he was called upon to descend from the cross as proof of his divinity. Luke summarises all temptations in three, as he presents Jesus in the desert reflecting upon his mission and choosing the path he would follow to carry out that mission. The three temptations are paradigmatic, representing the big temptations that seduced the people of Israel and go on seducing the Church. And the people of God have fallen prey to them many times.

1. There is always the danger of confusing the Kingdom of God with an easy and good life, where our welfare is guaranteed. Progress and development are not the same as the Kingdom of God and, if not well managed, they will us away from it. To the Romans, St. Paul wrote: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” According to Jesus, the Word of God must always be the guide for the appraisal of human endeavour.
2. Wealth and power are not the way to salvation, since they easily become gods to which we prostrate ourselves. If we live for wealth and power, we become blind to the reality of pain and suffering that surrounds us. We become insulated, building ivory towers from which we exploit and dominate the world and we change the brothers that surround us into slaves oppressed by us.
3. The danger of using God for us to gain prominence is constant. Instead of giving glory to God, we use God to get our own glory. God is put at our service and in his name we impose ourselves. To do that is to put God to the test, and that will bring a bad outcome for us. 

Jesus rejected each one of the proposals giving a biblical quotation as the reason for his choice. The word of God is of paramount importance because it sets forward the great values that must guide our lives. And some of them are worthy of sacrificing our lives for them.

Only God is God and nothing can take his place. Whatever we put up instead of God is a false god that, in the end, destroys our lives. God is the only foundation of our dignity and the guarantee of our freedom.

Finally, we cannot force God to do for us what we can and should do ourselves. He calls us to cooperate with him in the work of salvation.

JESUS' TEMPTATIONS

the song "Intunko shake Yesu" (Jesus' temptations) is sung by Yangeni Singers of Lubengele Parish, Chililabombwe, Zambia. The main singer is Clement Musonda; the melody was composed by Boniface Sandwe.

SATAN

 

What are you doing here

Suffering with hunger?

Are you not the Son of God?

What is your power for?

Why are you doubting?

What are you doing here hungry?

If you are the Son of God

Change these stones into bread,

Eat and be satisfied.

 

JESUS

 

It is written

That man does not live

By bread alone

But by every word 

that comes from God.

 

SATAN

 

Yes, it is written!

He gave orders to his angels about you.

They will keep and protect you,

They will carry you in their arms,

So that you don’t stumble and be hurt.

Yes, it is written!

Then, why are you doubting?

Throw yourself down!

Throw yourself!

Believe!. Be confident!

Throw yourself down!

Throw yourself!

Don’t doubt.

Throw yourself down!

Throw yourself.

It is written.

Throw yourself down!

Throw yourself.

Believe.

Throw yourself down!

Throw yourself!

Believe.

Throw yourself down!

Throw yourself!

 

JESUS

 

Truly, it is written:

Do not put God, your Lord, to the test.

 

 

SATAN

 

Look at the world:

How beautiful.

By my power,

They become wealthy

And from me

They become kings.

Look at the world.

 

Everything is mine,

Let it be yours;

I give it to you.

Everything is mine,

Let it be yours,

If you kneel down

And worship me.

Everything is mine,

Let it be yours.

I am your god.

Everything is mine,

Let it be yours.

 

JESUS

 

Be gone, Satan!.

For it is written:

Worship the Lord your God

And him alone shall you serve.

FOR EVERY TREE CAN BE TOLD BY ITS OWN FRUIT

VIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 6:39-45

In this Sunday’s gospel, Luke puts together a few sayings of Jesus:

• the blind guiding the blind;
• the disciple is not superior to his teacher;
• having a plank in your eye, you want to take the splinter from your friend’s eye;
• a tree can be told by its fruit;
• a man’s words reveal what is in his heart.

These are wisdom sayings that may help us to examine ourselves and our surroundings. They may serve as signs along the road of life, warning us of danger ahead and indicating the direction we should follow.

Jesus asked: How can a blind guide the blind? Indeed, both will fall into a pit. And that is the situation we are finding ourselves in the world. The war which began with the invasion of Ukraine is a result of that. The leaders are blind people who prosper in deeds of darkness. Guided by false ideals, they are ready to lead the world to doom. All try to justify themselves with words of justice and peace. They are deluded and try to impose their delusion on others. In which way can be justified the invasion of an independent country? Is it for annexation or to impose a puppet government? We point fingers at Russia, but the United States did the same more than once. We can remember Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Iraq was invaded on basis of lies. Ukraine is being invaded based on a perceived threat to the security of Russia. Why can’t they live as brothers that share so much in common? When the leaders are blind, they lead the people into the pit of destruction and death.

It is so easy to see the failures in others while overlooking our own. Most of us are filled with a sense of self-righteousness and we are always ready to blame others for any shortcomings. Demonising the others, we are ready to destroy them or their good name. This happens at an individual level and also at the community and national level. Some consider themselves as reaching excellence, thus becoming models of democracy, freedom and justice. The others are the enemy, always full of evil intents. We live in the radiance of light, while they live in the darkness of oppression. Jesus invites us to do a serious self-examination and to recognise our failures and shortcomings:

“Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.”

Our deeds will be the proof of good or evil in us. And we cannot hide them. Sooner or later, our rottenness will come into the public eye; or the goodness which is in our heart will be recognised.

As the war rages in Ukraine, let us pray for peace.

“Let us pray.

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,

that the course of our world

may be directed by your peaceful rule

and that your Church may rejoice,

untroubled in her devotion.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.” (prayer of this Sunday’s mass)

THE LORD IS COMPASSION AND LOVE

VII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 6:27-38

When Moses asked God: “Please show me your glory.” (Ex 33:18), the “Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord” (Ex 34:5). Then, the Lord proclaimed:

“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Ex 34:6-7)

This is the way God speaks of himself and this proclamation is repeated throughout the Holy Scriptures and we can hear it again in this Sunday’s psalm: 

“The Lord is compassion and love,

  slow to anger and rich in mercy.” (Ps 103)

Many times in the past, even in the recent past, we had a distorted image of God, fabricating an image following our human nature, instead of remaining faithful to God’s revelation. We looked at God as an angry and harsh God always intent on catching us at the slightest fault and then punishing us with all the power of his rage. We lived in fear of God, instead of putting our trust in the Father who loves us with tender love. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote: 

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Ro 8:15).

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus orders us to imitate God’s mercifulness: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36).

Time and again, we are intent on revenge, allowing ourselves to be guided by our instincts, which lead us to violence, transforming us into the most vicious animal. Whenever we go through this path, we become an icon of Satan, the father of all evil. The only way to establish peace on earth is to follow the Prince of peace and become true images of God.

Revenge is seen in many cultures as an action to defend our honour. When someone is murdered, the relatives must exact vengeance upon the enemy who destroyed an innocent life. Then, it is no surprise that there are plenty of books telling stories built on revenge and plenty of videos on taking vengeance upon somebody because of past actions that injured the dignity of someone. Many wars started in that way, thus inflicting suffering and death on many who had very little to do with the original cause. This revenge is motivated by the duty to reestablish justice. However, justice cannot be enacted through violence. Instead of justice, we initiate a cycle of violence that will be difficult to stop. And with violence, we will bring all kinds of injustice and oppression. A man’s strength of character is shown in the control of his instincts and in the effort to become a true image of God: 

“Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.” (Lk 4:27)

LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A CATCH

V SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 5:1-11

This Sunday’s gospel and the first reading that goes with the gospel puts us before God’s calling and then the mission which he entrusts to us. Both readings leave us with a feeling that God needs us or wants us to share in the fulfilment of his project. Surrounded by the crowd and to be seen and heard, Jesus asked Simon’s boat. Jesus showed himself to be always eager to look for the cooperation of the people who were with him. It is as if everybody should be involved. The boat is a symbol of the Church and the proclamation of the Gospel is made by the Church and in the Church. In this passage of the Gospel, Jesus is the first preacher, as he addresses himself to the crowds. However, as soon as he finished his preaching, Jesus prepares the ground for the continuation of his mission. And the order is clear: “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” The church must go out into deep waters. There is always the danger of taking refuge in the comfort of what is known and we fear the unknown far away from the safety of the harbour. Jesus demands that we leave behind our comfort and go into the world. Then, “let down your nets for a catch”. That’s is: proclaim the Good News and invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ. It is interesting that, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives the last commandment which is the same: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). We must go and let down the nets to make disciples. It is not an easy job. Simon and his companions had done just that. They had “worked hard all night long and caught nothing”. We find ourselves in the same situation. Despite our efforts, we work in vain and come empty-handed. Maybe we trust our capacity and our ingenuity. We forget that the mission is not ours but Jesus’ mission. Simon showed the correct attitude when he said: “But at your word I will let down the nets”. We need an attitude of faith and obedience. The rest belongs to Him and he will make sure that the catch is abundant. And so it was. Seeing that, Simon “fell at the knees of Jesus” in awe. He saw himself in the presence of the Lord and he realised how unworthy he was. Whenever we put ourselves before the Lord and allow His light to penetrate our hearts, we realise our sinfulness. On our own, we cannot carry out the mission entrusted to us. However, the Lord is with us and at his commandment, we may realise wonders. Even though we are unworthy, Jesus calls us and then purifies us from our sins and heals us from our incapacities, making us his co-workers in the work of salvation. Jesus reassures Simon and calls him to the mission: “Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.”

May our answer to the Lord be the same one of Isaiah: “Here I am, send me.”