Neh 8:2-6, 8-10; I Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4,
2:14-21
“The stranger” is a famous novel of a French Novelist Albert Camus.
Meursault, a young man commits a murder. The dramatic prosecutor theatrically
denounces Meursault to the point that he claims Mersault must be a soulless
monster, incapable of remorse
and that he thus deserves only to die for his
crime. Although Meursault's attorney defends him and later tells Mersault that
he expects the sentence to be light, Meursault is alarmed when the judge
informs him of the final decision: that he will be decapitated publicly.
Now the young man stands at a cross road. He has only two ways open in
front of him. One accepts the messages of peace, repents and gets exonerated. The
other is to perish in his obstinacy.
Dear friends, God’s laws instruct us, educate us and lead us
forward. Finally we are placed in a situation where only two roads are
open before us. There we have to make an ultimate choice. To follow God’s
precepts and attain freedom or to discard them and end up in doom.
The first reading presents before us a beautiful scene. Ezra the priest read
the law of the Lord to the people. Upon listening the law they were compelled
to make a decision to follow the precepts of the lord. The passage from Ezra
proclaims loud the importance of reading the word of God. He read the law of
the Lord to a generation which was born in captivity, and was not aware
of the traditions, customs and religious practices of the Jews.
The passage reminds us of the importance of reading the word of God
especially at home. Read the word of God to your children and grand children,
let them be imbibed in the deep spiritual treasure that the religion gives
them.
The word of God demands an immediate response.
When the word of God reached King David, he became aware of his sin
and repented. When the prophets announced the word of God to the people, they
became aware of their sinfulness and repented. When the Israelites
listened to the reading of Ezra, they wept and expressed their repentance.
The word of God gives great hope.
In today’s Gospel we see that when Jesus finished reading “all the eyes
in the synagogue were fixed on him.” The words of Isaiah gave a great hope of
the promised messiah. The words of Amos proclaimed Social Justice. The words of
Mica proclaimed liberation for the captives. The words of the apostles were listened to
with great hope. Whenever Jesus spoke there was great expectancy in the people.
The word of God is Shocking.
It challenges the attitudes and values. When Jesus announced
“this text is fulfilled today even as you listen” it shocked the Jews.
When Jesus taught them to follow a new law in the place of
“eye for an eye”, i.e., show the right cheek to the one who strikes on the left
it shocked his hearers. When Jesus announced that the poor, the down trodden
and sinners will be accepted into the Kingdom of God it shocked His listeners.
The word of God demands humility from us.
As Christians, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, we are commanded
to clothe ourselves with humility. [Col. 3:12] Whoever becomes humbles like a
child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. [Mt. 18:4] He who humbles
himself before the Lord, the Lord shall exalt him. [Jas. 4:10] For God opposes
the proud, but gives grace to the humble. [1 Pet. 5:5-6]
The word of God demands unity.
Today's Second Reading from the
First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians revealed to us how important it is for
the members of the Body of Christ to be united. Each of us has been called to
serve the Lord Jesus. While I serve as a priest, you may serve in the choir as
a musician or as a singer. Some are called to be Deacons, others as
Extra-Ordinary Eucharistic Ministers. Still others may serve as Altar Servers,
as Gift Bearers, as Lectors, as Ministers of Hospitality, as Secretary, as
Knights of Columbus, etc... And let us not forget those who have the spiritual
gifts of healing, speaking in tongues, of interpretation, of leadership, etc...
With each calling comes a spiritual gift to equip each and everyone of us for
the benefit of the Body.
Satish