“WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?”

 Meditation for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Is 22:19-23; Rm 11:33-36; Mt 16:13-20)

When Jesus came to the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” Jesus did not ask this question for personal validation. It was for the good of the disciples, for their personal reflection, and for them to sieve off the popular ideas about Jesus that sounded great but not true. Popular and trending notions are quite attractive, such that the disciples seemed to have settled for some of them. They answered Jesus, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Often times, popular opinions do not attract the kind of personal commitment that faith requires. A faith that is based only on the opinions of others about Jesus or based on our human contingent needs may not preserve to eternity.

 

Then, Jesus asked them in a more personal and intimate way, “But who do you say that I am?” God does not deal with at a shallow level. The second reading talks about the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. His judgments are unsearchable and His ways are inscrutable. If God touches us at such depth that reaches the soul, He must have an overwhelming influence on us and our response in faith cannot be shallow or based on mere popular opinion. Our response of faith must be rooted in personal experience of Him, which comes from divine revelation. Yes, it is only an experience of God that can define God and give us such conviction and strength that can endure till eternity.

 

Hence, Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living god.” Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” Peter’s openness to the divine revelation about Jesus Christ gives him such experience of faith that sets him apart from the crowd and popular opinion. There is a height of faith we cannot climb unless we have such experience that is rich in wisdom and knowledge and is unsearchable. As Jesus declared Peter the rock on which the Church is built, we see how the human agency can prevail against evil if it is open to divine revelation. Standing secure on the authority of Peter the Rock, the Church exercises the power of the “Keys of the kingdom of heaven” for the salvation of all.

 

The prophecy of Isaiah in the first reading is here fulfilled. Through the Church standing on the rock, we have been confirmed and sealed in divine grace. Evil cannot defeat those standing on the authority of the keys. Thus, the Church is constantly alive and anew to all generations because she is fed by divine revelation. Through the Church, the riches of God’s wisdom and knowledge is constantly made available to us. This is how we remain firm in faith, at the same time we are enriched and renewed in faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. And as we grow in knowledge of Jesus, we deepen our self-awareness and understanding of one another. Therefore, the answer to the question of Jesus: “Who do you say that I am?” leads to grow in understanding ourselves and our neighbor, and to draw us to that depth of faith is authentically personal and at the same time witness to divine revelation. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday August 27, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

 

 

THE TEST OF FAITH

 THE TEST OF FAITH
Meditation for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Is 56:1-7; Rm 11:13-15, 29-32; Mt 15:21-28)

Let us meditate on the unique and beautiful faith of the Canaanite woman, who cried out to Jesus, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.” It is obvious that her urgent need to save her daughter inspired her to run to Jesus for solution. This natural instinct is understandable even in an unbeliever who is in serious problem. Being a foreigner, she must possess a faith that is over and above her problems for her to receive the answers. This kind of faith that is not problem centered is what is already expected of all believers. The door of faith is open to all peoples. The prophet Isaiah announced in the first reading that foreigners who joined themselves to the Lord, who uphold the covenant, will be made joyful and their sacrifices will be accepted.

 

In the second reading, we see how the Gentiles accepted Jesus and believed in Him, but the Jews, through whom Jesus came, rejected him. While ministering to the Gentiles, St Paul reaches out to the Jews too. The mercy and love of God know no borders, His salvation is available to all. St. Paul said he would use the example of the converted Gentiles to inspire some of the Jews to accept Jesus. This is how the faith of the Canaanite woman is an example for us today.

 

Jesus was silent as the woman kept asking for His intervention. This period of silence was transformational though it was also a period of testing for her. She had to decide either to continue calling on Jesus or walk away. If she had remained at the level of the energy generated by the problem, she would have given up when she received no answer. But she had come to believe in Jesus, and she was drawn by the authority of Jesus over and above her immediate need at that time. That was why she would not stop calling on Jesus and following Him along the way. Her faith was purified of her ego and attachment to her problem, such that she had to humble herself and exalt Jesus.

 

That was why as Jesus said, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs”, she responded, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” This is the response of one who had died to herself in faith and alive in Christ Jesus through faith. This is the kind of faith that is alive when a believer is not afraid of ‘God’s silence’ but through faith has come to recognize and maintain her standing in Jesus, no matter the situation she finds herself. Then, Jesus answered her, saying, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.”

 

The door of faith is open to all peoples, but the journey through it will test our patience and maturity in faith. If we have stepped in, we will not give up when we experience the cold hand of ‘divine silence’, which gives us opportunity to be purified and grow in faith. As we persevere in faith, God is drawing us to His Holy Mountain, where His mercy awaits us. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday August 20^th, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com

 

SAVED FROM THE TURBULENT WATERS

 Meditation for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(1 Kg 19:9, 11-13, Rm 9:1-5, Mt 14:22-33)

Self-preservation is the greatest instinct in the human person. Unfortunately, it is equally the greatest source of temptation in man. It was the foundational principle with which the serpent lured Eve to attempt the forbidden fruit (cf. Gen 3:4-5). The question of self-preservation became part of the passion of Christ when the leaders mocked Him, saying, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One” (Lk 23:35). The soldiers added to the injury, saying to him, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself” (Lk 23:36). Humanly speaking, ‘saving oneself’ and ‘securing one’s wellbeing’ appear to be our predominant preoccupations. However, the grace of the resurrection assures us that our ultimate self-preservation is in Christ Jesus. He says, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 16:24-25).

Let us meditate how Jesus stepped forward, walking on the water, to save the disciples, who were on the sea battling with the waves. Think about the silent, gentle and steady steps of Jesus in the midst of the aggressive, violent and noisy storm! His calm and courage outweighed the fear and tension roused by the turbulent waves. As the apostles gazed upon Him in this situation, we immediately recall how Elijah encountered God in a still small voice after enduring great wind, earthquake and fire. Jesus is always present in our life-journey. Sometimes, we do not realize it or seek Him until there is a storm.

 

The disciples were terrified once more when they saw Jesus walking freely and confidently on the turbulent waters, which was their greatest threat at that time. “But immediately He spoke to them, saying, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” His words were consoling enough, but Peter needed proof of faith. He said to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.” Jesus replied immediately, “Come.” Peter knew He could not walk on the water, passing through the storm unless Jesus gave him the authority to do so. Most importantly, he believed that in the name of Jesus He too could walk on the turbulent waters, for with God all things are possible.

 

Peter walked on the water towards Jesus. With the authority of Jesus, in His name and towards Him, we too shall step forward and pass through any storm in our lives. But the temptation of self-preservation is always around the corner! When Peter shifted his attention from Jesus and began to feel the strength of the waves and the storm, fear of losing his life beclouded him. At this point, he felt helpless at the opposing storm and began to sink. At once he cried out, “Lord, save me.” And immediately Jesus stretched out His saving arm and caught him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

 

From the Cross, Jesus continues to stretch out His mystical saving arm that we may not sink in the waters of life. Man cannot save himself; Jesus saves! No matter what the storm that is trying to engulf us, we only need to believe that with His authority and in His name, we can pass through, and stretch out our arms of prayer and call upon Him. Like Peter, we call upon him by the words of our prayers, even when they are silently uttered in the secrets of the heart. And by stretching forth our hands we take the proper action and behavior that corresponds with our faith and prayer life. At the end, everything will lead to the glory of God, for, “When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped Him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday, August 13^th, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com