NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST

XVIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – Romans 8:35, 37-39

In the gospel of John, during the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus said a sentence that has been repeated time and again by thousands and thousands of people:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3:16-17)

The Son of God came to save us, not to condemn and punish. And he revealed God’s love through his death on the cross. As Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Ro 5:8). This bond of love is so strong and deep that, according to Paul, nothing can separate us from Christ’s love. Indeed, nothing “can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord”. In fact, it's the assurance of this love that gives us strength to accept sufferings and persecution for Christ. Nothing and nobody is higher, stronger or more powerful than Jesus Christ. Nothing can take his place. Knowing Paul’s life, we understand that Jesus Christ became the only reason for his tireless work as a witness to Christ’s love and to his Gospel. Since the moment when he was encountered by Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul was seduced by His love, and nothing else made sense for him, so he wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

The first reading, taken from Isaiah, is linked to this Sunday’s gospel and gives witness to the gratuity of God’s love.

“Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty;

though you have no money, come!

Buy corn without money, and eat,

and, at no cost, wine and milk.”

This gracious offer comes with a question addressed to all of us: 

“Why spend money on what is not bread,

your wages on what fails to satisfy?”

And the invitation is renewed:

“Pay attention, come to me;

listen, and your soul will live.” (Is 55:1-3).

The gospel presents Jesus feeding a big crowd of people, showing that he acts moved by compassion and love. He comes to fulfil the promise made in Isaiah, giving us the bread of life. As a pre-announcement of the Eucharist, Jesus did the same gestures that he would do in the Last Supper: He “raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples, who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full.” (Mt 14:13-21).

In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to ask for our daily bread so that, strengthened by that bread, we may pursue and end our journey to our heavenly dwelling.

GOD TURNS EVERYTHING TO OUR GOOD

XVII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – Romans 8:28-30

In this Sunday’s second reading, taken from the letter to the Romans, Paul tells us that God cooperates with us, turning everything to our good, even our failures and our sufferings. There is a Portuguese proverb that expresses it very well: God writes straight in crooked lines. Most of the time, our life is full of twisted lines, so twisted that there is no way out. However, God is able to guide us through those twisted lines towards something meaningful and fulfilling. In Bemba, there is also a proverb full of insight: “Apatebeta Lesa, tapafuka cushi”, meaning where God prepares a banquet, there is no smoke. God’s work in our favour is hidden from us, and we don’t notice it. Then, when satisfied, we are forced to recognise that that satisfaction was given to us; it did not come from our strength and our ingenuity but from God’s grace.

Paul speaks of God’s purpose and design: we must “become true images of his Son so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers”. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul says that God’s plan is “to unite all things in him (Christ), things in heaven and things on earth” (Ep 1:10). And this is done by uniting us in Christ. And Paul explains that God does that in four steps:

1. He chose long ago.
2. He chose them with a purpose; that’s an intention of having the image of his Son reflected on them.
3. Then, he called them.
4. After this calling, he justified them; that is, he sanctified them.
5. And they are sanctified to share his glory

To make this plan a reality, God cooperates with us, turning everything to our good. Let us put our trust in the Lord. He never deserts us.

GOD ALONE IS GOOD

XVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Matthew 13:24-43

With the psalmist, we must proclaim:

“O Lord, you are good and forgiving,

  full of love to all who call.” (Ps 86)

To the rich man who called Jesus “good teacher”, Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mk 10:18) Indeed, only God is good, completely and perfectly good. And God shows his goodness by caring for everything. The first reading, taken from the book of Wisdom, says exactly that: “There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing.” His caring goodness reveals his power. God’s power is not oppressive. On the contrary, because He is all-powerful, He can show leniency to all: "Your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all.” Indeed, “disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement, you govern us with great lenience.” And this is a lesson to us:

“By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men, and you have given your sons the good hope that after sin you will grant repentance.” (Wisdom 12:13, 16-19).

Recognising that God alone is good, we must accept that our goodness is always full of cracks and holes. Our goodness is always tainted by and mixed with evil. That’s why we should not judge and condemn others. It is easier to see the speck in the other’s eye, ignoring the log that is in ours (Mt 7:3). In our self-righteousness, we are ready to condemn others and absolve ourselves of our misdeeds.

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the wheat field that has darnel growing together with it. The workers could not understand where it had come from and were ready to uproot the darnel, thus getting rid of it. The owner of the field refused, explaining to the workers that they would not be able to distinguish the darnel from the wheat. As a result, they would do great damage to the crop, confusing the wheat with the darnel, causing a great loss to the owner of the field.

Throughout the centuries, there have been groups and movements that see all those who do not belong to them as evil people who should be eradicated from society so that we remain with a society of the pure, the just and the righteous. In the end, they commit crimes against those they see as outsiders and non-compliant.

The parable is a warning against this attitude, presenting a completely different solution. The darnel will be separated from the wheat – that is, the evil from the good – at the end of times, and that will be done by the angels, not by human beings judging other human beings. And Jesus ended the parable explanation, saying, 'Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

YOU HAVE THE MESSAGE OF ETERNAL LIFE

 XV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Matthew 13:1-23

In this time of ours, images seem to take precedence over the word. We learn and transmit ideas and messages through images, and they are present everywhere, being the main media of communication. However, even on social media, images must be accompanied by words to specify the message. In the past, mainly in oral societies, the word was of paramount importance. The word brings into the open my intentions, thus revealing myself. The word facilitates relationships, initiating, strengthening and deepening them. And it may as well weaken them and even destroy them. Not so long ago, a word was enough to assume a commitment, seal a deal and establish an alliance. Nowadays, the word has been cheapened and degraded. In politics, it has become an instrument of deception, used as a ruse to trick the naive. Many politicians never mean what they say. Such devaluation of the word puts at risk international relations, making it impossible to work for peace.

On this Sunday, we are invited to reflect on the Word of God, through which He reveals his plan of salvation, showing forth his mercy and his love. Through His word, He calls us, inviting us to a relationship of love that brings fulfilment to our lives and our world.

In the first reading, through the prophet Isaiah, God compares His word to the rain and the snow that always water the soil and prepare it for the grain which will bring in the harvest.

"The word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do” (Is 55:10-11). 

In the gospel, through the parable of the sower, Jesus deals with three realities or intervenients: the sower, the seed and the soil upon which the seed falls. The sower is Jesus Himself, who proclaims the Gospel, calling people to the Kingdom of God. There could be no better sower. And there is no better seed as well since the seed is the word of God being proclaimed. Then, the final result depends on the quality of the soil, that is, on the hearts of the listeners. We may ignore and despise the word or we may lack the commitment and the resolve to accept the word and allow it to transform our lives. The word always implies a proclamation of the Kingdom of God and a call to repentance and conversion. The word confronts and challenges us while at the same time putting forward the path to life, a life that is only possible in a deep relationship of love with God.

With all the good listeners of the word of God,

with Samuel’s attitude, let us say:

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:

you have the message of eternal life.

COME TO ME AND FIND REST

 XIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Matthew 11:25-30

We live in distressful times with fear and anxiety, uncertain about the future. As the years pass, we become more and more aware that the great technological advances which have become a source of pride are putting in risk our lives and our humanity. We boast about the AI that thinks for us and does the work for us, making us redundant. A machine reasons and decides for us, and we lose the capacity to think. The new generations are becoming more and more ignorant. Thus, we must ask ourselves: What is there in reserve for us? Are we in danger of becoming the servants of AI and of those who own and manipulate it?

Looking around, seeing leaders that constantly prepare for war instead of searching for paths of peace, the future looks very bleak. With all this, our hearts may be filled with pessimism, leading us to question the purpose and meaning of our lives here on earth. It is to us that the words of the prophet Zechariah are addressed. We must not lose hope, because the Lord comes to us:

Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!

Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!

See now, your king comes to you;

he is victorious, he is triumphant.

We have reasons to rejoice and be glad because the Lord has not deserted us. He is in charge, and he will lead by ways of peace. Indeed, he comes as Prince of Peace, and “He will proclaim peace for the nations.” He comes to reveal to the nations the Father’s plan of salvation. He is the way to the Father. It is not possible to know God as the Father unless Jesus, the Son, reveals Him to us. The Father has put everything in Jesus’ hands so that in Jesus we find the truth and the life. However, the proud and the self-centred will not be able to access it since he reveals “them to mere children”, that is, to the humble who recognise their smallness and poverty. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” To enter the Kingdom of God, we must be like little children who put their trust in their parents.

By revealing to us the Father’s love, Jesus brings peace to our hearts. And he calls us:

“Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

That’s why our hearts are filled with hope. In the Lord Jesus Christ, we find rest, and our hearts remain at peace.

CONSIDER YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD TO SIN

 XIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

In this Sunday’s second reading, St Paul invites us to reflect upon baptism and the mystery of salvation into which we are called to enter through baptism. We should not forget that the true disciple of Jesus Christ must receive baptism. Some question the necessity of baptism for salvation, affirming that we are justified by faith alone and saved by grace. However, what right do we have to ignore Jesus’ instructions to his disciples, ordering them to baptise those who believe in Him (Mt 28:19)? To Nicodemus, Jesus said that to enter the Kingdom of God, we must be “born of water and the Spirit” (Jn 3:5).

The baptism is a ritual bath or a ritual washing that connects us with Christ, done during an act of worship. The baptism is a gift bestowed on us by God through the Church. It clearly shows that salvation is not something that we conquer or earn through our effort, power or wealth.

We were baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, meaning that we were accepted into God’s communion through the union with Jesus Christ. In the baptism, we celebrate God’s plan of salvation, realising that He calls us to be part of that plan. And God’s plan is revealed in Jesus Christ as a plan that comes from his great love.

Long before the coming of Jesus, the Psalmist had already recognised that God’s commitment to his people was a fruit of his love:

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;

through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,

that your truth is firmly established as the heavens. (Psalm 89).

In baptism, we profess our faith in Jesus, proclaiming that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God. In baptism, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit, who grafts us into Christ, becoming one with Him, thus being children of God through Him. In baptism, we enter into a special relationship with Christ and, according to Paul in his letter to the Romans, we enter into the mystery of his death and resurrection. We die with Christ to rise with Him. In the baptism, the blood of Christ cleanses us from our sin, thus reconciling us with God, who accepts us as his beloved children.

In baptism, we commit ourselves to Christ, making Him the only reason for our living. He is the foundation upon which our lives may be built and gain a purpose. He is the summit and the peak that calls us to always reach for the heights. Choosing him is better than living because he is the true life. Indeed, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

DECLARING OURSELVES FOR CHRIST

XII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Romans 5:12-15

In his letter to the Romans, Paul puts side by side Adam, the first man, and Christ, the new Adam. Adam represents the old humanity enslaved by sin who have chosen to disobey God and rebel against Him. Full of pride, they refuse to recognise their dependence on Him and affirm themselves as being self-sufficient and independent. In shame, they try to distort and destroy God’s image in them. Jesus Christ is the New Adam. From Him, it comes a new humanity that affirms itself in humility and obedience to God. It is a humanity that reveals the image of God and His glory. The “divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.” Whenever we follow Adam’s path, we find chaos, self-destruction and death. However, if we choose to be disciples of Jesus Christ and follow his footsteps, we find peace and life, enjoying them to the full. Having Adam as a role model, we live in darkness and submit to the power of evil. By choosing Christ’s way, we become children of the light, are set free and are granted a claim to the Kingdom of God.

There is a constant struggle between light and darkness, which tries by all means to overcome light. This struggle takes place in our hearts and in the world at large. If we were not strengthened by hope and by the guarantee of God’s faithfulness, we would fall into despair. Those who revel in darkness make it their duty to persecute and destroy Jesus’ disciples so that his light may not shine over the world.

In the first reading, we find Jeremiah, whose life was in itself a prophecy. He was rejected and persecuted for being faithful and truthful to God’s calling. Even his friends turned against him. He complains but does not despair. He entrusts his cause to the Lord, being sure that the Lord delivers “the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men” (Jeremiah 20:10-13). With the Psalmist, we pray, "In your great love, answer me, O Lord.”

Jesus fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy, being rejected, tortured and crucified as a criminal among other criminals. Like Jeremiah, Jesus entrusted his cause to the Lord, remaining faithful to the end. Jesus’ way passes through suffering and death towards glorification. By his resurrection, Jesus is established as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Before Him, every tongue has to confess that He is the Lord.

Jesus calls his disciples to follow after Him through the way of the cross, enduring rejection and suffering and remaining faithful to the end. With reassuring words, Jesus tells us: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” We are in God’s hands, and He will never desert us. As for us, it is our duty to remain faithful at all times and in all places.

“So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.” (Mt 10:26-33).