REFLECTION FOR THE 15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME “Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live” “The stone that was rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone”. This Sunday readings touch on the core of Jesus’ proclamations, which is the ‘Kingdom of God’. What does it mean to inherit the Kingdom? This is a question that, at prima facie the Israelites battled with in the first reading. Moses rightly puts it, “For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, ‘Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it?...No, It is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out”. The Kingdom of God is a reality that is inside each and every baptized Christian. The fundamental question is, how to feel and thus express it within our environs whether Christian or secular? This is fundamentally, what troubles the young lawyer and for his desire, love of wisdom and truth, is triggered to pose this question to Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit (God’s Kingdom) eternal life?” The long parable periscope that follows, of the Good Samaritan has an intrinsic lesson, which is intended to reverse the question asked by the young lawyer. God’s kingdom, my dear brothers and sister is something inert in us, the question therefore is, how can I feel it? How can I express and make it manifest? To us it is being told, that we ought not to be asking about who belongs to God’s people and thus is the object of my neighborly attention, but rather ask about the conduct required of a member of God’s chosen people. Becoming a good Samaritan is precisely being a good neighbor and in being a good neighbor one begins to feel the Kingdom of God, it is only by feeling the Kingdom of God that one can manifest it in plentitude. As St. Paul reiterates in his proclamation to the Colossians, “For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him”, whether Jews or Samaritans {Kikuyus, luhyias, Luos, Kisiis, etc} we all belong to One God. The gesture of the Samaritan is an invitation to transcend our ethnic boundaries and focus on the Kingdom of God that lies intrinsically in every human person. The Lawyer being a Jew cannot make mention of the Samaritan because he is schooled in the law and knows of all restrictions against them, but recognizes that he {Samaritan} is a neighbor, that is, a member of God’s people, one who feels and makes manifest the Kingdom of God in him. Brethrens, may we be graced today to be able to start feeling and hence manifest the reality of the Kingdom of God that lies deep in every one of us. Laws are given unto us not to enslave us, but to be for us an ordinance of reason for the common good of all. For us Christian love becomes an instrument through which, law can be comprehended as practical, reasonable and just for our salvation. May we learn day by day to become good Samaritans, good neighbors, that is, members of God’s people precisely because we have felt the Kingdom and in love manifested it through love to others. Express some love and concern to your neighbor today. Have a charity-filled Sabbath! Rev. Fr. Augustine, OSA.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:35:56 +0000