Homily- Saturday of the 23rd Week of Ord.
Time, Year B./ Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary/September 12
v 1 Cor 10:14-22
v Ps 116:12-13,17-18
v Luke 6:43-49
Call to Bear Good Fruit and Good Name
September 12 is actually my birthday. I am grateful to
God for the gift of life. I am thankful
to God for calling me by name and for sending me out to preach the Goodnews (euangellion), the gospel to everyone, especially to the poor, the needy, the homeless, those in prison
and marginalized, male and female, young and old, of all walks of life and
cultures (Luke 18:19//Isa 61:1-4).
Providentially, it’s
also the day we optionally celebrate the Most Holy Name of our Blessed Virgin
Mary (foreshadowing October 7, feast of the Holy Rosary of Mary, my priestly ordination
date). There is something in a name. We all cherish good name. Her name is honorable, venerated and called
upon with trust and devotion because of her faithfulness, obedience, humility
in believing , doing God’s will, keeping his command and saying yes to that
invitation by the Angel Gabriel, sent by God( Luke 1-2), and bearing Good
fruits as the Mother of God, our mother and our intercessor (John 2).
Today’s Gospel Luke 6:43-49, a continuation of Christ’s
sermon on the plain, reminds us, as it had reminded Jesus disciples of the
importance of keeping God’s commandments as Mary did. It is not enough to say “Lord,
Lord” without obeying the Lord. As our
Lord would put, it we are called to bear good fruit, good name, to say yes to the Lord, and be a source of
goodness, mercy, humility, patience, faithfulness, trustworthiness, kindness,
sense of unity, dialogue, common good, inclusiveness, spiritual maturity,
charity to others even on the Sabbath, for “a good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree is known by its own fruits.”
Unlike some of the
boastful and divided Corinthians and idolatry practitioners, challenged by Paul
in the first reading ( I Cor 10:14-22) ,we are invited to bear good fruits,
cherish our good names in Christ like Mary, by avoiding offering food or eating
meals offered to idols. Rather, we are to as well foster unity. The type of
unity evident in the Body of Christ, one bread, one cup (koinonia),
communal sharing, as one “body” (cf. I Cor 12-13).
Each of us where ever we are located can apply today’s scripture,
word of God, to his or her context, since God can speak to us through these
readings differently, yet consistently in our various cultures and environment.
In African culture,
Paul’s emphasis on communal sharing can be found, or related to African practice
of ubuntu (I am because you are). It challenges African countries especially
where the very gift of ubuntu has been ironically overtaken by unnecessary
ethnocentrism, violence, tribalism, wars, divisions, planet pollution,
terrorism and corruption. Doing this, of course, is antithetical to the good
fruits of unity, peace, orderliness, dialogue, joy, compassion, faith, hope,
love and ubuntu we are all called to bear. It is also antithetical to
the good name that Mary teaches us this day to cherish.
Reflection Questions
1.
In what ways have we endeavored to keep our good name as Christians, in imitation
of Mary, whose glorious name we commemorate today?
2.
How often do we practice ubuntu and communal sharing?
3.
What attracts us to the idols of our time? What are they, and how can we
refrain from idolatry?
