Reflection for Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Year A
(1Sam 1-8; Mk 1:14-20)
We begin this first Week with the First Book of Samuel. It began by introducing the family of Elkanah, which is rooted in the tribe of Ephraim. “Ephraim” means “Fruitfulness.” This was the name Joseph gave his second son in Egypt to indicate that God had prospered him in the land of his sojourn (Gen 41:52). But this man from the ‘tribe of fruitfulness’ had a wife, Hannah, who was barren! Then he got a second wife, Peninnah, who had children. Again, Elkanah was faithful to God in offering annual sacrifices at Shilo yet Hannah remained childless.
There was a problem. Peninnah stood upon her gracious position as the fruitful wife and taunted Hannah. She had enough and more, but saw herself in competition with the woman who had little and less. Probably she was jealous of the one thing that Hannah had: the love of her husband. Since Peninnah was not satisfied with the extra allocation given to her, she sought to tap secret joy from the sorrows of Hannah! Unfortunately, her name would not go beyond the sorrows she had caused, and so are all who lock themselves in jealousy and hate. Elkanah continue to love and support Hannah as her streams of tears flowed.
In Gospel, the arrest of John the Baptist broke the heart of Jesus so he decided to move into Galilee. He felt the pain of John who was hit by the wickedness and jealousy of Herod and Herodias. As He mournfully stepped into Galilee, He began to preach repentance and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand. And while at the shores of the sea of Galilee, He called His first apostles. Jesus utilized the unfavourable circumstance created by human wickedness to do the will of God.
In Christ Jesus we have a gracious capacity to transform our tears of sorrow to tears to joy! Like Hannah, we may have many things to complain about to God and to man. But if at the end nothing positive comes out of our stream of tears, it implies we are merely celebrating and exalting the hurt instead of accepting the situation as our sharing in the Cross of Christ. Something good can come from every odd situation. “By His wounds we are healed” (1Pet 2:24).
Fr. Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R h
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Monday, January 13th, 2020.
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