BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE

XX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Eph 5:15-20

One of the things that I appreciate in Paul is that he is able to speak in plain, straightforward language. In a few words, he summarises what is fundamental for a Christian attitude and a Christian living.

In this Sunday second reading, Paul warns us: 

“Be careful how you live. 

Do not be unwise but wise, 

making the best use of your time 

because the times are evil. 

Therefore, do not be foolish, 

but understand what the Lord's will is.” 

(Eph 5:15-17 – in the translation International Standard Version)

Reckless living is very common nowadays. One is ready to try anything and everything, in a search for the greatest enjoyment. We make all kinds of experiments with our lives, in order to get power, influence and prestige. We suffer from a deep thirst of fame, glory and recognition, even if we have to do very unwise things to achieve it.

“Do not be foolish” – Paul tells us. We pay for our foolishness, here on earth, in this life of ours.

It is important to understand the Lord’s will, so that we act accordingly. Only that will bring peace and joy to our hearts.

The use and abuse of alcohol and drugs

In the same passage, Paul warns about the abuse of alcohol:

“Stop getting a drunk with wine, 

which leads to wild living, 

but keep on being filled with the Spirit.” (Eph 5:18)

Many lives are destroyed by the abuse of alcohol and by the use of all kinds of drugs. The relief and joy that they bring last but a few moments, living behind a “wild living”, in which the human dignity of the alcoholic and the drug addicts is trampled upon, transforming their lives and the lives of their close relatives into hell.

Let us be guided by the Holy Spirit, the spirit of wisdom, which brings joy and peace.

OUR DAILY BREAD

XVIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: John 6:24-35

For our sustenance, we need our daily food. However, in the world, while many people eat at least three times a day, a good number of others survive on a meal a day, and sometimes they may go to bed on an empty stomach. Some overeat and become obese, while others starve, and live always under the threat of shortage of food.

Today’s first reading (Exodus 16:2-4,12-15) narrates the experience of the people of Israel when they were faced with the reality of hunger, due to shortage of food. They forgot all the great things that God had done for them. In their worries, they accused God of evil intentions towards them: he planned to bring them out of Egypt in order to starve them to death. 

Listening to their complaints, God provided them with food, the food that could be found in the desert. In his provision, God was only giving enough for each day.  Our hearts are never satisfied and we always have a craving for more and more, accumulating far beyond our needs, while others have no way of satisfying their basic needs. God tried to teach the people of Israel to live with what is basic, leaving aside all greed. 

In the Lord’s prayer, “Our Father”, Jesus taught us to ask for “our daily bread”: the food for our bodies and the food for our souls. We need bread, but human beings do not live on bread alone (Mt 4:4). Salvation is much more than the satisfaction of our basic bodily needs. We need the “bread of life”, which only Jesus can give, because himself is the bread of life.

People asked Jesus: “Give us this bread always” (Jn 6:34) We ask as well: Lord, gives us this bread always!

There are so many Christians who do not approach the table of Lord and who are not fed by the bread that He gives – a bread for live, because Jesus himself becomes our food and gives us the willingness and the strength to walk with him towards the Father’s house.

LEAD A LIFE WORTHY OF YOUR VOCATION

XVII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Ephesians 4:1-6

Try to read attentively the following passage, from the letter to the Ephesians; then, make an effort to apply it to your own life.

I, the prisoner in the Lord, 

implore you to lead a life 

worthy of your vocation. 

Bear with one another charitably, 

in complete selflessness, 

gentleness and patience. 

Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. 

There is one Body, one Spirit, 

just as you were all called 

into one and the same hope 

when you were called. 

There is one Lord, one faith, 

one baptism, and one God 

who is Father of all, over all, 

through all and within all.

• Our vocation: called to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect (Mt 5:48). There is a Bemba proverb that says: Cimumbwa, pala noko; pala wiso ukuwama, meaning: creature, imitate your mother; imitate your father’s goodness.
• God is love: he is a merciful and compassionate God. Being his children, we must show love and compassion. Paul says: complete selflessness, gentleness and patience.
• God is a God of peace: God is communion, is sharing and self-giving. God is a continuous, eternal outpouring of love. That is what we affirm, when we proclaim our faith in the Holy Trinity. God is one, but he is not a lonely God; being love, God is relationship and communion. We are called to that unity.
• Thanks be to God: He is the “Father of all, over all, through all and within all”.

ORDAINED TO BE A SERVANT

Lubengele has a new priest: Fr. Maximilian Kolbe Bwalya

I went to Kabwe for the ordination to the Priesthood of Maximilian Kolbe Bwalya and Brian Mbulubaya, members of the SVD (Society of the Divine Word). Maximilian is from Lubengele in Chililabombwe. As his Parish Priest, I signed his application papers. 

The ordination was a joyful day, a day of praise, thanksgiving and renewed commitment to the service of the Word of God, the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am very happy for Lubengele Parish, which has given to the Church three of its young people as missionaries: Fr. Peter Makasa, in Nigeria; Fr. Christian Mulenga, in Rwanda and now Fr, Maximilian Kolbe Bwalya, who is going to be sent to Paraguay, in South America. They showed generosity, commitment and spirit of service. 

To become a priest is not to acquire a status and a position of power; instead, it is the acceptance of Jesus’ call and of his mission: to be witnesses of his presence and announcers of his Good News of peace and salvation.

In the evening before the ordination, they made their profession of faith, accompanied by traditional symbols and songs that expressed the community’s acceptance of their willingness to serve and at the same time, the community’s guidance and wisdom for this attitude of service.

The candles given to them signify God’s gift and Christ’s call. He is the light of the world, and he calls us to be light of the world. After the candles, they were given an axe and a hoe, which are symbols of service, responsibility and commitment. The community considers them to be mature adults, ready to take care of themselves and able to serve the community (and the Church). 

In the past, the axe and the hoe were essential tools, found in all households. With a hoe and an axe, one clears a patch in the forest, tills the land and builds the family house. With them, one is able to provide enough food for the family, having always a surplus to share with the relatives, the guests or simply the passers by. A man who is afraid of the hoe and the axe is afraid of work, and he will be despised by all members of the community. He is not a real man! The symbolic giving of these tools inculcates a spirit of service and responsibility. As priests, they must be ready for hard work and they live among the people as servants.

LEADERS WITH HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

XVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Jeremiah 23:1-6

In God’s name, Jeremiah accuses the leaders of his people of abusing their position: they oppress and commit injustices, ignoring the plight of the people and using their power and knowledge to foster their own interests. 

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” (Jer 23:1). They don’t care but about themselves.

Are today’s leaders better than the ones of Jeremiah’s time? Do they have the interests of the people at heart? Do they feel compassion for the suffering of the poor? There are so many who get rich by putting in their pockets what does not belong to them.

“Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord.” (Jer 23:2). Remember: God cannot be bought with money. He knows what we do, and there is no way of hiding from him. He is just being patient, but time will come for retribution.

All the leaders must realise that they are at the service of the people, and the people who chose them can kick them out.

The true leader must practice “honesty and integrity in the land” (Jer 23:5).

XV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Amos 7:12-15

From shepherd to prophet

Amos was a man from the South, from the kingdom of Judah, who went up to the North and started proclaiming the word of God in the kingdom of Israel. With courage, like all the true prophets, he denounced the prevalent idolatry and the breaking of the covenant with God,  accusing the leaders of oppressing the poor and of making a mockery of justice. In his boldness, he went to the point of announcing the death of the king and the deportation of the population into exile (Am 7:11). His preaching was seen by the religious and political leaders as part of a plot against the king, and so he was accused of treason. The priests of the royal sanctuary in Bethel decided to take action, accusing him of being a false prophet and sending him back to his own country, the land of Judah.

Amos was not intimidated by that. He was well aware of the task entrusted to him by God. On his own, he was just “a shepherd, and looked after sycamores”. His ministry was not carried out of his own initiative, but God himself had called and sent him. His word was God’s word and his message a true message, pointing out the evil ways of a whole nation and calling it to repentance. He had nothing to lose, and so he could be bold enough to denounce the crimes of those in power.

XIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Ezekiel 2:2-5 and Mark 6:1-6

A set of rebels

In Ezekiel, God calls the people of Israel “a set of rebels”, who have been in continuous revolt against God: They “have turned against me”. This revolt is more than a simple rejection. We may live ignoring God, and treating him as if we have nothing to do with him. A revolt implies a conscious effort to get rid of him and to take his place, and that in spite of the covenant established with God. In their unfaithfulness, they broke the covenant.

They took offence at him

In the Gospel, we find a similar attitude in the residents of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown: “And they took offence at him” (Mk 6:4), in such a way that Jesus was surprised at their unbelief. For them, Jesus was only “the carpenter”; and so they ignored and despised him.

This attitude of rejection and revolt goes on. We can find it in our society, not only among unbelievers, but also among those who should know better and who profess themselves to be followers of Jesus Christ. And that is what is painful.

A prophetic voice questions and challenges

To the rebels – to ourselves – God sends prophets (like Ezekiel). The prophet will go through the painful experience of rejection, which may cause one to question himself, as some prophets did. The rejection will cause disappointment and discouragement; and some may even abandon completely the mission entrusted to them. But a prophet must speak the words of the Lord, whether they hear or refuse to hear, so that they may know that a prophet is among them (Ezk 2:5).

The prophet is a voice among the people to question and challenge, a voice that denounces and accuses; and mainly it is a voice that proclaims God’s love and mercy, and calls people back to God. He is a witness to God’s presence and action which come out of his love.