Meditation
for Tuesday of the Six Week in Ordinary Time
(Gen
6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Mk 8:14-21)
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.” Evil and wickedness are contagious. What started like a simple
miscalculation from Adam and Eve became widespread. There was a need to renew
the face of the earth, and restore righteousness. “Noah found favor in the eyes
of the Lord.” It is interesting that evil could not completely wipe out
goodness despite its aggressive spread. There is always that one drop of truth
that exposes numerous lies.
While God was considering destroying the earth, which was
engulfed by evil, He found in Noah a reliable link to save the earth, and
preserved righteousness. After Noah built the ark, the Lord said to him, “Take with
you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate…” This was to
ensure that those saved and preserved from the flood would be productive, bringing
forth a sanctified generation in righteousness. They were paired,
for they were on a mission of posterity in righteousness. Thus, the cancerous
spread of evil would be counteracted by the new generation of humanity,
regenerated through the Ark, who would reproduce and spread forth the seeds of
righteousness.
The package of salvation has no selfish label! The grace of
salvation given to us summons us to be responsible for promoting the righteousness
entrusted to us. In our meditation, we see through Noah’s Ark, the fullness of
salvation we have in Christ Jesus, His riches in glory (Eph 3:16), and the
apostolic grace given to us to bring about the obedience of faith (Rm 1:5). In the
gospel of today, we see Jesus in the boat with His disciples. He is the most
reliable and ‘perfect link’ that saves.
In Him we are reborn through the new waters of baptism. In
Jesus, the spread of evil has hit a stumbling block. He is that one ‘perfect
link’ from which righteousness springs up anew and spreads forth. In Jesus, God’s
anger over the wickedness of man has been appeased. Hence, He warns us, “Take
heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Yes! In
Jesus, we are saved and preserved in righteousness. Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Tuesday February 14th, 2023.
