Homily- Tuesday of the 25th Week of Ord. Time
Yr. B. Fr. Udoekpo, Michael
v Prov 21:1-6, 10-13
v Ps 119:1,27,30,34,35,44
v Luke 8:19-21
Doing What is Right and Just is More Acceptable
By the Lord (Prv 21:3)
Proverbs, today’s first
reading, is one of those wisdom literature. Its purpose is always to instruct,
advise, and offer insights whereby one might learn to cope with life’s
vicissitude (1-2). Proverbs’ teachings draw from tradition of the elders and
life experiences. Experiences of the elders and of our parents count, in life.
We must not ignore them, as today’s youths, tend to do.
Proverbs stresses “the fear of the Lord” (yarea
adonay), which means so much: (listening to God’s word, verbum domini,
putting them into practice, obeying him, loving God and neighbor as oneself,
respecting the dignity of the human persons, and other creature, as stressed in
the Laudato si’ of Pope Francis, observing those corporeal and spiritual
works of mercy, keeping the 10 commandments and the church precepts, etc), as
the beginning of wisdom. Other important values such as honesty, diligence,
trustworthiness, self-restrain and appropriate attitude towards, wealth and
poverty are stressed. The limitation of human wisdom is noted in Proverbs.
True wisdom is practicing justice
(misphat) and righteousness (tsadeqqah), truthfulness (emeth),
kindness (chesed), love and steadfastness (emunah, as in Habakkuk),
mercy (Misericordia) as stressed in today’s first reading( Prv
21:1-6,10-13), which I would encourage us to go through it again yourself. You would
notice, that even the minds of the kings are ought to conform to God’s will.
Each of us is called to act with humility, modesty, fear of the Lord, kindness,
prudence, charity, always, while not remaining indifferent to the cry of the
poor, the needy and those on the margins (v.13).
In other words, for Proverbs,
as in other texts of the Bible “blessed are those who hear the word of God and
observe it” (Luke 11:28; cf. Deuteronomy’s Shamar Y’israel), which is
the same as “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Prv 1:7; 9:10;
15:33 etc).
Christ was very emphatic about
this too in the Gospel of today, Luke 8:19-21. When he was told that his
brothers and mother and relatives were looking for him Jesus replied, “My mother
and brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Although the
natural family of Jesus is not necessarily rejected, Jesus wants to stress the importance
of obedience to God, the fear of the Lord by every person, all of us, as
essential criterion for intimacy and mutual concern among Christians!
Therefore, today’s scriptures
challenge us to re-evaluate how we fear the Lord, obey him, listen to him, keep
his words, love our neighbors, as ourselves, practice justice, righteousness,
mercy, truthfulness, honesty, accountability, kindness, self- restrain,
modesty, prudence, co-vivalism(Archbishop, Obinna of Owerri Diocese,
Nigeria), communal living, dialogue, ubuntu, assistance to the
poor, the elderly, respect to other creatures and biodiversity. These are all
right, just and more acceptable to the Lord (Prv 21:3; Hos 6:6; Amos 5:14ff).
Reflection Questions
1.
How do we understand “the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom.”?
2.
Could you think of how often you pursue right and
just actions in your community?
3.
Who are your mothers, brothers and sisters? Do you
listen, hear God’s words and try to put them into practice and how and why not?
