Divine Logic

Reflection for 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

(Is 55:6-9, Phil 1:20-24.27, Mt 20:1-16)

1.0.         The Unsatisfied Logic

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, says the Lord.” This message from Prophet Isaiah was exemplified in the parable of today. A householder went out early in the morning and invited labourers to his vineyard. He agreed with them for one denarius a day. Later in the day he invited other labourers, even at one hour to the close of work. Surprisingly, he started payment from the last comers, and paid them the same amount with the first comers. Anyone reading the story with common sense would join the first labourers to grumble: “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” What sort of reasoning is this?    

Ordinarily, we grumble at the face of injustice. But the first labourers were paid their just wages. Though the master’s logic surprises us, we could not accuse him of injustice. Then the murmuring came from a mindset that is inclined to competition and jealousy. Such common-sense-reasoning values what it has because others do not have it. But Jesus presents to us a different kind of logic, rooted in generosity and self-donation.

2.0.         Discerning the Common Sense

In the parable, the householder had agreement for one denarius  with the first labourers only. The later labourers were invited based on his mercy and generosity. “You go into my vineyard too, whatever is right I will give you.” While the first worked based on the agreement, covenant or law of one denarius a day, the later labourers relied on the man’s mercy and charity. His generosity became for them a ‘new' covenant or agreement, which is not based on any determinate financial gain. Their response implies they abandoned themselves to his mercy! In other words, they took the greater risk or, rather they made the greater commitment to the householder. Hence, the later labourers were given equally what is obtainable in agreement or law. Yes, the first labourers worked all day under the heat, but for their own self determination and assured reward.

“Faithful love and loyalty joined together, saving justice and peace embraced” (Ps 85:10). In God, Justice and charity go together. Charity is built upon justice but goes beyond it. “My friend...I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” Justice cannot be sustained without charity!

3.0.         The Divine Logic

Therefore, the Divine logic is that of generosity and faithfulness. “Our God is merciful and just” (Ps 116:5). This logic often challenges our common sense. But we participate in it by committing ourselves to a life of charity—a life lived for others. This is part of the message of the second reading. “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account...” (Phil 1:23-24). Like Paul who goes out to spread the Gospel, we see the merciful and charitable householder going to search for idle labourers and bring them to his vineyard. The thoughts and ways of God are higher than ours. But we are invited to participate in this Divine logic.

Charity upgrades us. Those labourers who responded to the merciful invitation shared in the logic of the householder, and they received mercy’s reward. “Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them” (Mt 5:7). Living for others in charity is a way we share in the Divine Logic and belong to Him in life or in death. “Brethren: Christ will be honoured in my body, whether by life or by death.” It is equally a way we progress and receive with satisfaction and joy our daily ‘denarius.’  

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine,

UgwogoNike, Enugu, Nigeria.

24/9/2017

THE FACE OF FORGIVENESS

                                                   Reflection for the 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

                                                            (Sirach 27:30-28:7, Rm 14:7-9, Mt 18:21-35)

1.0.THE BURNING RAGE

Have you noticed that an angry person often justifies himself? And as his self-pity accumulates so does his rage accelerates. Anger burns like fire! It can explode or gradually melt. In either case, the angry person is the first victim. Physically, anger can trigger hormones in the body; affect heartbeat, body temperature, digestion, etc. It can distort sleep, induce ulcer or even lead to nervous breakdown. Anger is an emotional burden. It destroys prayer life and leaves us spiritually dry. It is contagious. If not checked, it can be an uncontrollable habit. We all get angry at some point, but no one likes to interact with an angry person. Anger spreads like a plague. Many families today are torn apart due to grudge and quick temper. And this grows into the larger society.

The first reading condemns anger in strong terms, “Anger and wrath, these are abominations, and the sinful man will possess them.” Here anger and grudge are seen as the fruits of sin. Sirach tells us that harbouring anger can be obstacle to receiving God’s forgiveness. “Forgive your neighbour the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.” Forgiveness remains the key solution to anger.

2.0.   HARDENED HEART

In the Gospel of today, Jesus tells us the story of the unforgiving servant. When the servant begged for more time to pay the debt, his master treated him with great mercy and cancelled the debt. But on meeting a fellow servant who owed him far less than what he owed their master, he hardened his heart against the pleading of his colleague and locked him up in prison. The master was infuriated and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”

Here we can see that hardness of heart is the source of anger. A hardened heart is one not touched by God’s mercy, like the unforgiving servant. Such a one is ever hungry for mutual understanding and forgiveness but less ready to give such to others. Selfishness is at the root of it all. Nothing fuels anger like selfishness and pride. However, the real consequence of lack of forgiveness is not that we hurt others, but that we incur God’s wrath. “And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.” This Divine wrath appears to be directly opposite and proportional to Divine mercy. The difference is that the mercy was unmerited and given freely, but the servant incurred the wrath upon himself.

3.0.  THE FACE OF FORGIVENESS

The master was angry with the unforgiving servant, not just because he treated his fellow harshly nor because he lacked the capacity to forgive, but mostly because he failed to draw from the abundance of mercy shown him. Forgiveness can be difficult if we want to rely on our strength or disposition to forgive. Worse still, it can be an agonizing experience if we look at the ‘face’ of the offence or the offender as condition to forgive.

Forgiveness now has a face—the face of the Master! By cancelling the servant’s debt, the master showered him with supra-abundance of mercy, more than he could imagine. Since he ought to be sold, but set free, his current life should be lived as a gift. In other words, he ought to be overwhelmingly grateful to his master. Having been reborn in the master’s mercy, he ought to live it out. He was expected to forgive his fellow servant for this simple fact: the joy of what the master did for him. So, he ought to draw forgiveness from the master. Thus, the mercy of his master should become his reason to forgive.

Therefore, to forgive is an act of gratitude. The ungrateful cannot forgive! It’s a gesture of gratitude to God. Yes, we look upon the face of the Crucified and learn to forgive. We are expected to show mercy because we have received from His fullness grace upon grace (Jn 1:16). The second reading captures this forgiving attitude as living for Christ. “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s (Rm 14:7-9). The supreme joy of belonging to Jesus Christ should lead us to let go of hurts, and look on them all as filth if only we can gain Christ (cf. Phil 3:8). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).

Forgiveness, located in Jesus, remains the authentic solution to anger. It brings healing and joy to the soul. Forgiveness is no longer what we imagine in our hearts or project in others. It is like rays of light illumining our hearts from the face of Jesus. He guarantees us of God’s mercy, and He empowers us to forgive others.

Fr. Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help,

Ugwogo-Nike, Enugu, Nigeria.

17/09/2017.

THE WATCHMAN

Reflection for the 23^rd Sunday in ordinary time Year A

(Eze 33:7-9, Rm 13:8-10, Mt 18:15-20)

1.0. PRELUDE

The first reading introduces Ezekiel as a watchman to Israel. He must warn the wicked to change his ways. Ordinarily, this was to get the sinner to be saved. But the Lord emphasized that the election of Ezekiel as watchman was for his own salvation. “...But you will have saved your life.”

In the second reading, St Paul reminds us that love is the fulfillment of the law, and it is the basic thing we owe one another. Love ought to be the driving force. It does no harm to anyone.

Jesus tells us in Gospel of today that we should be like watchmen over each other. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.” This gesture is to win the brother back, to save him and maintain the common brotherhood. “If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” If this initial dialogue fails, others can be involve or even the church. This extra effort is to highlight the importance of reconciling with the erring brother. When we agree together as one, God dwells in our midst. “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

2.0.  THE WATCHMAN

The task of being a watchman is the work of grace. It is a divine call and a divine mandate. It is God who takes the initiative. “Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me” (Eze 33:7). And Jesus, the Word made Flesh, has been given to us, He directs us to go and be reconciled with the one who offended us. We receive this instruction from Jesus as a prophetic responsibility for the salvation of all.

The watchman is presumed ‘innocent’ in this case, and is being sent to the ‘guilty’ one. This mandate calls for a change of approach when we are victims of an offence. Instead of waiting for the person to come and apologize, Jesus says, “...go and tell him his fault...take one or two others along with you...tell it to the Church...” The motive here is not to convict but to save the offender—to win the brother back. So the watchman does not enter the dialogue like a policeman or a judge. This is not to water down nor deny the truth, but to heal the wounds of division. He comes as a healer—a wounded healer! This is the only way one who was hurt can be the agent of reconciliation with the brother that offended him.

It is obvious that the key virtue of the watchman is patience. Jesus alludes that winning a brother back might take several efforts and different tactics. Words must be chosen carefully. Too much talk and anger easily ruin reconciliation and deepen the wounds.

3.0.  WHEN THE TWO GATHER TOGETHER

“Behold, how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to dwell in unity...for in that place, the  Lord has commanded a blessing, and life, even unto eternity” (Ps 133:1-3). The one who reconciles with his brother equally reconciles with God. In watching over our common brotherhood, one wins God’s favour. “Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Mt 5:9). When we agree and gather together as brothers and sisters, the Lord is in our mist. It is answered prayer in itself. So the watchman gains Heaven. So maintaining a healthy communion with our brothers and sisters is one way we get our prayers answered. We have received this prophetic mandate from Jesus to watch over the love that binds us together.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

St Mary’s Catholic Church,

Egbeda, Ibadan.

10/9/2017