Homily-
Monday of the 15th Week of Ordinary Time Yr B, Fr. Udoekpo
v Isaiah
1:10-17
v Ps
50:8-9, 16bc-17,21,23
v Matt
10:34-11:1
Making Justice and Righteousness Our Aim on Earth,
In the
Matthew’s Gospel today, Jesus continues to instruct his disciples whom he had commissioned
on a mission to heal, cure, cast out demons, and raised the dead, a few days
ago. He will be a sign of contradiction. He has come to challenge the outdated
status quo on earth. For example, idolatry, injustices, false peace,
selfishness, and lack of commitment to the faith, which we know are still
present in our communities today.
The disciples must know that whoever does not put Christ first/neighbors before even parents and family members were not worthy of him. This reminds me of so many in our world who puts their neighbors first before themselves and their families in their struggle for social justice. Think of people like Maximilian Kolbe (who opted to die for family couples in Auschwitz), some founding fathers of many nations particularly Nelson Mandela (Madiba).
Mandela gave everything to free South African
people from apartheid. As stated in
chapter 70 of his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela
was not there, as and African, for the burial of his mother, in 1968, nor that
of his first son Thembi, who dies in a motor accident, at the age of 25
years(pp.529-31).
A summary
of his defense argument in the courtroom of Roviania, during his 1964 trial is
remarkably self-sacrificial: He says,
“During
my lifetime, I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have
fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I
have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons
live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I
hope to live for and to achieve. But, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I
am prepared to die” (p.436 of LWF).
Apart
from Christ's disciples, in Matthew 10 and Mandela in his Long Walk to Freedom,
Isaiah of Jerusalem in the first reading( Isa 1:10-17) advocated for justice
and righteousness. He asked that the selfish status quo of his contemporaries,
namely, empty festivals, sacrifices, songs (hamon shirim) and other
selfish misdeeds and idolatries be replaced with saddeqah (righteousness)
and misphat (justice).
I
guess in the face of the ongoing covid-19 painful drama, Christ, his disciples,
Isaiah of Jerusalem, Maximilian Kolbe, and our good founding fathers and
mothers, including Nelson Mandela challenge us to re-examine how often we put
Christ, his values, and the services of our neighbors first before our own.
Reflection
Questions;
1.
In what ways have our
old ways been challenged, contradicted by the new ways brought by Christ?
2.
Can we recall any time
we put our nations, diocese, religious community, our neighbors first before
our selfish plans?
3.
What impedes us from practicing
justice and living righteously?
