SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2024
SATURDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT B
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Matthew 6:43-48
THE UNIQUENESS AND DISTINCTIVE QUALITY OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
In life, there are basic norms that all religious groups share in common. There are also some basic features that are common as regards ethical and moral principles. What marks Christianity different and the valued uniqueness of the Christian faith as regards the obligations and moral or ethical code of her adherence is given today in the readings.
In the first reading, Moses is cautioned that the Lord our God be given all our hearts, all our soul and might in the pursuit of our union with God. And that the commandments and ordinances of our God must be promptly obeyed, followed and adhered to strictly. That only by total obedience and faithful follower ship of God’s statutes, ordinances and laws can God be pleasing to us. The promises of God will begin to manifest and God will bestow on the people his favours and blessings.
The gospel details the uniqueness of the moral code of Christians as Jesus desires it. He makes a sharp and distinctive departure from the religious observances of the Jewish people and establishes a different kind of living that models on the character of God our Father. First our model of Christian life is that of God who is equally benevolent and providential to both just and unjust, to the sinners and righteous people by providing sun and rain to them without discrimination.
Following this model, Jesus expects us to treat all persons equally as our Heavenly Father does. By so doing we can equally be perfect as God is perfect. Perfection here means following the footsteps of God in all things, and doing that which gives results that are positive and loving. Loving those that love you indeed does not add value to your faith, for even others do the same. And even behaving to others the way they behave to you does not add value to life for even pagans do same.
So the uniqueness of the Christian life is doing something extra that may sometimes be hurting to oneself but beneficial to others, by accommodating the sinner, forgiving the aggressor, being open handed to the extent that it becomes sacrificial to other.
The bottom line in this uniqueness is rising above the basic norms and bare normal and going above all to establish that character akin to God our Father in reality. It is living above normal norms and basic principles of life. It is adding values to the already established norms and principles, values that reflect higher standards and greater forms of expressing God’s love and mercy at the expense of ones comfort which is beneficial to the recipient.
Being a Christian demands practicing and living that which is difficult to the rest in the positive sense. It is thinking beyond and outside the box and showing a goodness that speaks more expressively and eloquently beyond human expectation modeled on the Character of God and in an extra ordinary way.
God our Father, you called us to be holy, to be perfect, to be different from others and to model our lives on Christ only. Grant us this exceptional gift of the Holy Spirit to live and act with total trust in you, to aspire always to be better in behavior, loving in all circumstances and selfless to others in life. May our spoken words, thoughts of our hearts, and the actions we exhibit to others reflect the exceptional love and kindness of God that will make us pleasing and unique in our Christian vocation and life through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
