Reflection/Homily:
Third (3rd) Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B) January 25 2015
Theme: Do not Deflate
your Tryes
Peter
and Robinson were two good business associates. One day they travelled to a
distant land to buy some goods. This time they bought more than usual because
they wanted to maximize profits. On their way back they remembered their lorry
would not pass through the tunnel on the road because of the height of the
goods loaded on it. When they got were confused on what to do. They wanted to
deflate their tyres so as to reduce the height of the lorry and pass through
the lorry when a little boy approached them and said: “it is about to rain and
it is better to lose a part than to lose the whole”. They read meaning into
this and decided to remove the excess and less profitable goods, lost it to the
rain and the lorry was able to pass through the tunnel.
This
little boy could be regarded as the Prophet Jonah we saw in the first reading
and the businessmen, as the people of Nineveh. The Ninevites were thrown into
confusion and impending destruction on account of their sins as the business
men were on account of their greed and selfishness. In this hopeless situation,
Prophet Jonah appeared just as the little boy did. Jonah only warned them of
the impending danger of God’s wrath as the boy warned them of the approaching
rain. The Ninevites on their own decided to repent as the businessmen repented
of their selfishness and greed. God’s wrath did not befall them again as the
goods of the businessmen were not destroyed again.
All
these were possible because of the power of detachment. Detaching especially
from something one loves is one of the most difficult things to do. These
people were saved because they detached from those things that would bring them
destruction. In our heavenly journey, we are called not only to detach from sin
and evil but from all those things that will distract our focus or lead us to
doom. We have to repent from all actual and potential or incoming sins and
avoid them too. The Church, the Bible, this reflection, etc serve as the Jonah
warning us to detach from sin by repenting.
It is
important to note that there are things not evil in themselves but require that
we detach ourselves from them. The reason is not because they pose actual dangers
but because of the potential or impending dangers they may pose when we attach
ourselves to them. That is why in the second reading, St. Paul advices “those
who have wives to live as though they had none, those who mourn, who enjoy life
and who engage in business as though they do not”. St Paul wants us never to
attach ourselves to any of these and more because they are not eternal
realities, they are the things of the world which according to him, is passing
away. Therefore, we should not take pride in them.
We
have to detach ourselves from sin and the things of this world so that we
become more attached to Christ our model with an undivided heart. That is why
in the Gospel reading, Jesus invites us to follow him. He wants us to detach
ourselves from the dangers that will arise from our professions and family
engagements and allow him to do great things in and through us. Detachment does
not mean dispossessing the good things we have but paying less attention to
them so that we may pay more attention to Christ who has redeemed us by his
blood. Have you identified those things you should pay less attention to? They
could mean your friendship with the world, your job, your family commitments
and the natural pleasures you delight in. Do not deflate your tyres as the
businessmen in our story wanted to do otherwise you will be crippled, but
remove those excess and less profitable things that will prevent you from
passing through the tunnel of eternity. In detachment, there are still valuable
things you may abandon if they pose threats to your salvation. You may do this
as Simon, Andrew, James and John did in the gospel pericope. Are you ready to
follow Christ this way? Happy Sunday. God loves you.
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