Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
18th
Sunday of the Year, B – August 5, 2018.
Readings:
Exodus 16:2-4,12-15;
Ps 78:3.4bc.23-24.25.54(R.24);
Ephesians
4:17.20-24; Gospel – John 6:24-35.
Theme:
Work for the Food that Endures!
Introduction
Friends
in Christ, our liturgy this Sunday challenges us to dispose ourselves to the
treasures of the Church so as to enjoy the food that does not spoil. Contrary
to the agitations of the people of Israel about physical hunger, Jesus promises
the bread of life which nourishes both the body and soul to eternal life. Our
reflection titled “Work for
the Food that Endures” (Jn.
6:27) will be weaved around the story of the man with four wives. This story
will guide us through the pastoral lessons and what God expects of us as his
sons and daughters this week and beyond.
Story
of a Man and his Four Wives
The story is told of a man
who had four wives. He loved his fourth
wife the most. She was his favourite as he took care of her a great deal and
gave her the best in life. He loved his
third wife too. He was always proud of her and looked forward to
introducing her to his friends; although he was afraid that she might runaway
with other men. He also loved his second
wife. She was always there for him whenever he faced some challenges in
life. He, however, did not love his first
wife. Ironically, that was the wife that loved him deeply. She was also the
only woman that took great care of him and was loyal to him.
One day, he took ill
and Doctors confirmed that he was going to die pretty soon. The idea of taking
one of his wives with him to the grave came to his mind. Therefore, he approached
the fourth wife with the proposal:
“Can you die with me and keep me company in the grave?” She did not reply in
the affirmative. In fact, she said no and walked away. Heartbroken, he went to his
third wife and asked the same
question. He got a shocker: “Look Mr. Man, life is so cool here. I am going to
remarry when you die and catch fun with some young man.” With that
disappointing reply, he went to his second
wife with the same proposal and she said: “Well, my husband, I am so sorry.
This time around, I can’t help you. The most important thing I can do is to arrange
for your funeral.”
With tears in his eyes,
he heard an angelic voice: “My beloved husband, wherever you go, I will follow.
I will go with you, even to the grave.” The man turned around, and lo and
behold, it was the voice of his first wife. She was looking so skinny and malnourished
because of years of neglect. With so much tears, grief and much pain in his
heart, he said to her: “I regret all the ill-treatment I gave you. I should have
taken better care of while I had the chance to!” We shall take the morale of
the story under pastoral application where we shall demonstrate how each of us
is married to these four lives in his lifetime.
Background & Summary of the
Readings
The first reading (Exodus
16:2-4,12-15) recounts how the sons and daughters of Israel rebelled against
Moses and wished they had died in Egypt. When Moses conveyed their sentiments
to God, he heard their complaints but noted that he wanted to test them. He,
therefore, supplied them with bread from heaven. It is important to note that
their cry was for physical food. When it seemed that no respite was coming,
they started wishing they were in Egypt where they could “sit down to pans of
meat and eat bread to their heart’s content.”
