COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO SHOW THE LIGHT OF YOUR TRUTH TO THOSE WHO GO ASTRAY, SO THAT THEY MAY RETURN TO THE RIGHT PATH, GIVE ALL WHO, FOR THE FAITH THEY PROFESS, ARE ACCOUNTED CHRISTIANS THE GRACE TO REJECT WHATEVER IS CONTTRARY TO THE NAME OF CHRIST AND TO STRIVE AFTER ALL THAT DOES IT HONOUR. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”
Micah 2:1-5; Ps 9B:1-4,7-8,14 and Mt 12:14-21
It is a common human experience that the proud do not and will not take it lightly when his/her flaws and weaknesses are exposed to the public. He/she will scheme to hit back in a very disastrous way, instead of humbly accepting his/her flaws and weaknesses to be helped or saved.
This is the picture we have today in the scriptures we are meditating on. Jesus is facing a very serious hostility from his opponents, the Pharisees, for exposing their evil attitude and weaknesses to the entire crowd in the synagogue (Cf. Mt 12:1-8, The Sabbath Law). They are plotting against Jesus to kill him. Jesus shows that the Pharisees are more loyal to their religious system than to God; there is no sin greater than this. The Pharisees are more concerned with the details of the law, and therefore, they are insensitive to the needs of the people, especially the weak, the sick, the poor and the needy. They therefore neglect the most important aspect of religion: ‘Love of God and neighbour, and concern for men and women’, for the Lord desires love and mercy, not sacrifice.
The evil attitude of the Pharisees at the time of Jesus is like a ‘carry forward’ one from the leaders of Israel at the time of the Prophets, especially during the time of Amos and Micah. They worked out evil, planned iniquity, coveted poor people's fields and houses, and cheated on people. They never had love and mercy for people. They used the people as objects instead of subjects. They also worshipped and offered sacrifices which the Lord does not deserve, and so forth.
God, however, is a God of justice, and at the same time, he is Lord of mercy. He will always judge everyone justly according to the person’s conduct and deeds. He will also always be merciful to those who humble themselves before him, as they repent and ask for forgiveness from him for their misdeeds, especially when they are exposed before them. Indeed, though the Lord ‘will not break a bruised reed, and he will not quench a smouldering wick’, it does not mean we have the license to go on in our evil ways and deeds because he will have mercy on us. We will be judged at the end, and everyone will receive his/her due. We pray that we may be merciful to fellow human beings, especially the poor, the needy and the weak, so that mercy shall be given to us by the Lord of mercy. Remember, do to others what you want them to do to you, and the measure I give out will be the measure (sometimes more of that) I shall receive. Lord, have mercy on us. May the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for us. Stay blessed.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, SATURDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY OF SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “HAVING CONSUMED THESE GIFTS, WE PRAY, O LORD, THAT, BY OUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS MYSTERY, ITS SAVING EFFECTS UPON US MAY GROW. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.”
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.
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