Meditation for Friday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
(1 Tim 1:1-2, 12-14; Lk 6:39-42)
It is a
beautiful day as we begin another journey with Paul’s first letter to Timothy.
This letter is among the PASTORAL EPISTLES addressed to a pastor of souls,
providing guidelines for the life of the Christian community. “To Timothy, my
true child in the faith”, whom St Paul converted on his mission to Lystra. His
mother, Eunice (2 Tim 1:5), was a Jew but his father was a Greek (Acts 16:1-3).
He became a close companion to St Paul. It appears Timothy was placed in charge
of the Church in Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3). As we scroll down these pages, we shall
see the uniqueness of the letters as St Paul instructs ‘his son’ on his role as
pastor of souls.
St Paul began
humbly by acknowledging his unworthiness, but exalting the mercy of God that
brought him from blasphemy to faith; from persecuting the Church to a preacher
of the gospel. “I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in
Christ Jesus.”
Ignorant of
Christ is blindness; Jesus opened the eyes of St Paul and led him to the light
of life through the gospel. Having seen the light, he is now leading Timothy
along the way. In the gospel of today, Jesus asks, “Can a blind man lead a
blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? Why do you see the speck that is
in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” This
is hypocrisy! And there are a lot of hypocritical leaders who are always in a
hurry to criticize and correct without love, who want people to FOLLOW them
without knowing where thy themselves are going! “You hypocrite, first take the
log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that
is in your brother’s eye.”
Therefore, we
join our voices with St Paul to exalt the grace and mercy of God that shine its
light upon our blindness, removing our ignorance and filling us with divine
wisdom. In the light of Christ, our inner vision is lifted above wordily pleasures
and pursuit, to perceive heavenly treasures. Then, we see clearly the true
value of things and use them well, and worship God freely. That is why Jesus is
our true guide; He alone has seen the heavenly treasures and has come to show
us the way. He holds us by the hand as the Good Shepherd and leads us to greener
pastures and to safety. Any other guide is to help us trace our steps to Jesus,
who opens our eyes and shows us the way. Amen.
St Nicholas of Tolentino, Pray for us. Amen.
Fr
Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints
Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo,
Ojo, Lagos.
Thursday
September 9th, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
