Homily- Monday of the 16th Week of Ordinary
Season, Yr, B- Fr. Udoekpo, M
v Micah
6:1-4,6-8
v Ps
50:5-6.8-9,16bc-17,21,23
v Matt 12:38-42
Righteousness and Mercy that the Lord
Requires of Us
Few days ago, I think on Friday and Saturday, in the same
very gospel of Matthew chapter 12, the Pharisees kept bordering and accusing Jesus
and his disciples of breaking the Sabbath, but only, to be reminded that, it is
mercy that the Lord requires than sacrifice.
Echoes of that, which is important, which brings us
closer to the Lord, namely, uprightness, mercy, goodness, and humility are
heard in today’s readings.
In the Gospel of today, they went again, asking Jesus for
a sign, and miracle that he was the Son of God. In response, the only sign that
the Lord promised was the sign of Jonah, who ran the opposite direction,
opposing God’s mercy and forgiveness to Israel’s traditional enemies, the
Assyrians, the Ninevites. Even after being in the belly of a fish for three
days, Jonah would eventually be vomited to carry out carry out that very
mission of preaching repentance, God’s universal love and mercy that the Lord
had commissioned him in the first place, because even foreigners like the Queen
of Sheba were attracted to the wisdom that God had blessed Solomon with.
So also the paschal mystery of Christ, crucifixion, death,
burial and resurrection on the third would be greater than the sign of Jonah
and the Wisdom of Solomon. It has a
universal, divine value for both Jews and Gentiles, as expressed in Pauline
literature and missions. In fact, the teachings, the values, the love, the
goodness, the depth of Christ healing mercy, to those who repent, is nothing
compared with the sign of Jonah. Christ’s love has no boundary!
It is such loving mercy, of universal import, to one
another, irrespective of tribe, color and gender that the Lord expects of us.
Even, Micah, as if in the court room setting, in the first reading seems to have communicated similar
requirements to his contemporaries, Jewish people, especially to those who were
busy depriving the poor of their land and property.
He says to them;
“O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you;
only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
In the times we live in now, of corona-virus, this may
sound as a difficult requirement- being merciful, walking humbly with the Lord
or promoting rightness and goodness in our neighborhood. I want to believe that
with God everything is possible. Those little acts of charity, and kindness to
our neighbors, such as wearing our mask to protect ourselves and others may go
a long way to help. Sanitizing our hands, homes and practicing those required
social distancing may be counted as an act of goodness and kindness and of humility
as well. Reaching out to the poor, even those who may not afford sufficient
mask, food, and water may also help.
So let us think of different ways, no matter how small we
can share the Lord’s goodness and his healing mercy with our neighbors, in this
challenging times. For its mercy, that the Lord requires of us and not
sacrifice (Hos 6:6; Mtt 12:1-8).
Reflection Questions
1.
What prevents us from
living uprightly before the Lord and our neighbors?
2.
How often do we share
God’s love and mercy with others?
3.
How often do we preach
against injustices in our communities
