FAITH IS OBEDIENCE AND SURRENDER TO GOD

XXVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Mt 21:28-32

This Sunday’s first reading and the Gospel make it very clear that we cannot take God for granted.

Since Luther’s time, many people have misunderstood Paul when he says that we are “justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law” (Ro 3:28). Paul’s statement led many to proclaim that it is enough to say: “I believe”, or as some say nowadays “I accept Jesus as my personal saviour”, in order to be saved. The proclamation that we are saved by faith means that we are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Ro 3:24). We have no claims on God, no matter how good we are. Salvation is not a right, which I demand to be respected, but a gift of God’s love and mercy, which must be received with thanksgiving.

Faith is first of all a total surrender to God with complete trust in his love. We throw ourselves in his arms, knowing that he holds us tight and will carry us into the joy of his Kingdom. This total surrender implies a new vision and a new way of life, which is shown through our attitudes and our actions. Faith without deeds is a lie, and it does not exist, being no more than empty and useless talk. In the end, we will be judged by our deeds. However, we never acquire rights over God, and faith implies always total dependence on God. 

In the parable of the two sons, one of them said yes to the father’s request, but as soon as he left his father’s presence, he ignored it completely. Many of us are very quick at saying “Yes, Lord!”, but without making the slightest effort to carry out his will. The other son was not happy with the father’s demands, and refused them straight away. However, as he was leaving his father’s presence, he examined himself and decided to do what he had been asked to do. This is the one who carried out his father’s will. Faith, which does not go beyond words, is meaningless. The Lord wants obedience. Whenever we pray “Our Father”, we say: “Your will be done!”. To shout: “Lord! Lord!” does not take us anywhere.

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name? ’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” (Mt 7:22-23)

ARE WE ENVIOUS OF GOD'S GENEROSITY TO OTHERS?

XXV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Mt 20:1-16

Jesus’ parables are extraordinary, both in their realism and in their strangeness. In them, we find the ordinary life of the common people, but with something completely different, which makes them challenging and appealing.

The parable in this Sunday’s gospel presents a situation experienced by thousands of common people, those who do not have permanent jobs, having to be on the look out for any kind of piece work, every day. They will accept any kind of job. And the parable presents as well the farmer, who has an urgent work that must be done quickly and without delay. He went early in the morning looking for labourers for his fields, and he went again and again, up to the last hour. He took even the ones nobody else wanted, the rejected and unworthy, good for nothing. All could find work in his vineyard.

If we are used to reading the Scriptures, we know that the vineyard stands for the people of God. The farmer, the owner of the vineyard, is Jesus Christ and the workers are his disciples, whom he calls with urgency and at any time for the work of the Kingdom of God. The labourers are never enough, and the Lord is ready to call anybody, without looking at their worthiness. They only need to be ready to answer the call and put themselves at the service of Christ.

Before this parable, Peter had asked Jesus about the reward of all those who followed him (Mt 19:27-30), and Jesus had promised him a reward far bigger than he could dream of. There will be a reward, the reward of eternal life, but that reward comes more from God’s own goodness, from his generosity and his love than from the effort we have done to obtain it. It is important to work, and we cannot refuse the work given to us; but in the end, it is God’s love that reigns supreme, and we cannot be envious or jealous, because God has been merciful to others.

Nowadays, there are so many people who feel wronged and who demand justice, but the justice they want is revenge, which leaves no place for mercy and love. The first workers are like the elder brother of the prodigal son: they considered themselves wronged, because the farmer was generous and kind to the late comers. They forgot that they had the same needs and the same deep thirst for life and salvation. We should rejoice in God’s generosity to all of us.

THE CROSS, A SYMBOL OF VICTORY AND SALVATION

The crucifix of Fikolongo, in Chililabombwe

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

Jesus offered himself in sacrifice for us

It sounds strange that there is a feast celebrating the cross and that the cross may be called holy, since the cross was one of the most terrible instruments of punishment and uncountable numbers of people were crucified dying of a shameful death. However, being so, it deserves a few moments of profound silence, because  this cross dripping human blood stands out for the suffering inflicted on so many innocent people. And it stands out most specially for Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who shed his blood for us on the altar of the cross. The cross was made holy by the one who is most holy, that is by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who carried our sufferings, “wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities” (Is 53:5).

We confess the cross, in joy and in glory

In the steps of St. Paul, St. Augustine wrote: 

“Brethren, let us then fearlessly acknowledge, and even openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us; let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory.

  The apostle Paul saw Christ, and extolled his claim to glory. He had many great and inspired things to say about Christ, but he did not say that he boasted in Christ’s wonderful works: in creating the world, since he was God with the Father, or in ruling the world, though he was also a man like us. Rather, he said: Let me not boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Origin of the Feast

The feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a very old feast and it marks the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which took place in 335. St. Helena, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, went in pilgrimage to the Holy Land and looked for the true cross of Jesus Christ. After she discovered it, a church was built by order of Helena and Constantine. The church with a piece of the cross inside was dedicated  on 14th September and became a place of pilgrimage.

Later, in 614, that portion of the cross was taken away by the Persians, until in 628, the Emperor Heraclius  II defeated the Persians and got back the cross, taking it back to Jerusalem and carrying it to the church in a very solemn procession. According to tradition, being dressed in all his royal splendour, he was not able to enter the church with the cross, until the Bishop of Jerusalem advised him to take off his imperial robes and dress like a penitent, and when he did so, he was able to enter the church carrying the cross on his shoulders.

In Christ, the cross has become the sign of our redemption and or our freedom. The cross is the instrument and the symbol of Jesus’ victory. As Jesus told Nichodemus, “the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (Jn 3:14-15).

TO BE CONCERNED WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS

XXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Mt 18:15-20

We are responsible for our brothers

The first reading and the Gospel of this Sunday’s liturgy make it very clear that we are responsible for our brothers and sisters. There is a bond of solidarity between us that should not be forsaken or broken. We cannot pass by unconcerned, and ignore what is happening around us, as if it had nothing to do with us. 

This modern society of ours is very much individualistic, considering that nobody has the right or the duty to interfere in someone else’s life; and if they try, the remark comes very unceremoniously: Mind your own business.

Traditional wisdom

Sometimes, the traditional society leaned too much on the opposite direction, but it was very clear for them that what others do affects me, and what I do affects them. In Bemba, there is a saying: Icili pa munobe, cili pali iwe, that is: what is on your friend, is on you. What happened to him may happen to you.

The prophet Ezekiel tells us that God has set us as a sentry to our people, and when things go wrong, we must raise our voices and warn of the impending danger. If we avoid the uncomfortable task of challenging people around us, mainly our political and religious leaders, then we will be answerable for their loss, which is our loss as well.

Jesus’ instructions on brotherly correction

In the Gospel, Jesus instructed his disciples on how to keep the community together and on how to call the attention of those who need to be corrected. The first step, is a personal approach. It needs kindness and trust, humility and confidentiality.  If this first step fails, then we should involve two or three people more, who are trustworthy, friendly, ready to challenge and to be challenged as well.

In this aspect, I have learned a lot with the way most of the Zambian people try to solve conflicts in the family and in the community. Both sides are brought together, bringing with them their trusted friends or relatives, and then they go through the whole case, giving time for each one to explain himself and to answer questions. On both sides, people point out openly the failures and present what must be done to reconcile or to correct the situation. In the discussion, nothing is silenced or left hidden. That’s what the Bemba proverb teaches: Kabilo wa nsoni, taputula mulandu, meaning that a shy counsellor never solves a case.

Many times, it is hard and painful, but people who want to change their attitudes and reconcile, go through it. When that fails, the ones in authority in the community must be informed. And they must take their decisions taking into account the goodness of the individual and the protection of the community.