THURSDAY OCTOBER 19, 2023
THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY EIGHTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME A
Romans3:21-30
Luke 11:47-54
THE MISDEEDS OF THE PHARISEES AND THE LAWYERS.
Jesus had some words of rebuke against the religious leaders of his time and their followers. The scribes, the Pharisees and the lawyers, these learned men were harshly criticized and rebuked by Jesus for reasons of their negligence, their actions that seems to be self protective, their debase of true religious observances and their thwarting the message of redemption and arrogating such unfounded powers to themselves.
These religious leaders instead focused their attention on their gains, the externals and what they think that will bring them honor and gains. Their religious observances became so empty, with so much focus on themselves and celebration of hopeless rites.
The teachings of the message of salvation was relegated to their selfish interpretation that yielded nothing for the people. And the people they were sent to pasture were starved of the words of salvation. The virtues for holiness was neglected and empty rituals and behaviors that appears as pretenses are seen to have become the order of the day.
The anger of Jesus was against their supposed pretenses to be standing for God, to be the mouthpiece of God and to be models of good conduct and servants of the people but they became exploiters of the people and stumbling block to the salvation of the people.
Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans in our first reading of today talks about the marriage of faith and good works to be the authentic values and models for every Christian. Faith is not an empty mental accent to specific rules, articles of faith, called doctrines. It is much more than that. It is a duo of both mental accent which finds expression in a life lived out and that articles of faith applied in our daily struggles, activities and life situation.
Saint Paul holds that it is such faith in action that justifies us. Faith loved and lived that makes us righteous before God our Father. So it is not faith alone but faith and our corresponding action in response to the faith. God will judge us according to how we respond to faith not just our mental accent to faith.
Let us live above reproach of men, above self seeking tendencies of the Pharisees and the religious leaders of our time. We must try to allow our faith make better impression in our lives and situations.
Heavenly Father, your Son Jesus Christ gave up his life for us and called us into fellowship with you. May our faith in him find expression in our daily life and situations. May we live with total focus on working and pleasing you, our God, following your ways and doing your bidding. Keep us faithful and sincere in faith and zealous in service of your name. Bless us with joy, peace, progress and divine favours today and always through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
