THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

 Meditation for Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Zech 8:20-23; Lk 9:51-56)

Aggression and violence are common ways people exert force and exercise their authority. When these are applied, the common response is usually resistance and revenge, which in turn multiplies the aggression and violence and leads to more chaos and destruction. But Jesus teaches us, and demonstrates with His life, that humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness are the right ways to exercise authority and power. However, in the midst of rising tensions, the human person tends to put aside the ‘ways of the Lord’ and quickly resorts to his natural inclination to violence and aggression. At the end, man finds himself empty and powerless unless he follows the true way that Jesus taught us.

In the gospel of today, when the Samaritans prevented Jesus from passing through their village because he was heading to Jerusalem, the two brothers, James and John, said to Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” Jesus rebuked them. He turned and followed another way. If God gives us such power to call down fire from heaven, it is to defeat evil, and not to destroy our fellow human being or those that oppose us. Even if we do not have such great power, the little power we have in finance, knowledge, health, strength, etc, are readily applied to hold down the weak and ignorant, fight those who oppose us, and to establish our ego and self-importance. Like the two apostles, revenge is easily on our lips and at the tip of our fingers!

 
Jesus rebuked the use of violence and aggression, and He followed the alternative root. And this is the route we are expected to follow. It is in this alternative route of peace that our power and authority shine out. This is because it gently and silently neutralizes every aggression and violence, and renders those who project them powerless. Think about the distraction, waste of time and energy it would have been for Jesus had it been He stopped to take revenge on the Samaritans! The alternative route of peace helps us to be focused on our journey, and it ensures that we get to our destination. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Tuesday October 3, 2023.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com