THE SAVING GRACE AGAINST EVIL

Meditation for the 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Jer 20:10-13; Rm 5:12-15; Mt 10:26-33)

Let us meditate on the battle of the righteous against evil. The all-round attack on prophet Jeremiah typifies the incessant battle those who attempt to live righteously face. Evil always tries to silence the good, just as the secular world makes noise about the truth but at the same time abhors it. Prophet Jeremiah said, “I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! ‘Denounce him! Let us denounce him!!! There is always an opposing force against every good, and it comes consistently. The prophet realizes that his human strength alone cannot win this battle. So, he declares, “But the Lord is with me as my dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me.”

In the second reading St. Paul tries to answer the question, ‘where did evil come from?’ It all began with the sin of Adam and Eve, and death came in through sin. Furthermore, sin spread and existed before the law was given, but the knowledge of the law increased awareness of sin. Thus, evil celebrated its victory through the reign of death, which became the real voice of terror that threatened all peoples. Jesus came to snatch away the ‘victory’ of evil, which is death, such that by overcoming death, man has won a new victory over evil. Yes, the sinner can now live through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This free gift of salvation in the one-man Jesus Christ abounds for many.

 

Therefore, there is no need to fear the terrors of the night (Ps 91:5). Though the denouncing voice of evil continues of roar, Jesus says in the gospel of today, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Jesus assures us that the Lord watches over the righteous in ways we cannot imagine, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” Since the abundance of His saving grace is available for us, it is our duty to ‘acknowledge’ Jesus in our daily lives by living out this grace. We must live a life worthy of the grace we have received in Christ Jesus (cf. Eph 4:1). Jesus our meditator, who snatched us from the domain of sin and death, will defend us before the throne of God. Here we see the fulfillment of prophet Jeremiah’s vision of the eternal dishonor that will come upon evil and all evil doers. To deny Jesus by not living out the grace we have received is to pull ourselves off from the divine protection against evil, and the mediation of Jesus Christ.

 

To those who acknowledged Jesus before men, who stand for Him in the face of terrors around and, as the prophet announced, committed their cause to Him, “Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday June 25, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com