Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
13th
Sunday of the Year, B – July 1, 2018.
Readings:
Wisdom 1:13-15,2:23-24; Ps 29:2,4-6,11-13;
2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15; Gospel – Mark
5:21-43.
Theme:
Of Faith & the Mandate to Save Life!
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, as a people of unwavering hope, our
liturgy for 13th Sunday of the year challenges us on the need for
having total trust in God even as we struggle to save life. Life is God’s
supreme gift to humanity which must be nurtured from the cradle to the grave.
Sadly, we are living in a rat race which places the mundane over the sacred. As
such, our reflection examines the biblical text in search for spiritual lessons
which seeks to protect lives and the dignity of the human person. To achieve this,
we shall do a summary of the sacred text in the light of pastoral application.
Summary
of the Readings
The first reading from the book of Wisdom (Wisdom
1:13-15,2:23-24) reveals that death was not God’s doing. It also notes that he
does not take pleasure in the extinction of the living. It stresses the
impeccability of God’s creation adding that God made man in his image and
likeness thus imperishable. Most importantly though sadly, it states that it
was the devils envy that brought about death into the world. It maintains that
those who align themselves with the devil as his agents or partners are
well aware of the fact that it was the devil’s envy that brought about death.
In
the second reading (2
Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15), St. Paul speaks to the heart of faith
and the works of mercy. He revealed to the Corinthian community that Jesus was rich in everything
but became poor for the sake of humanity. He charged them on the need for
having a balanced spirituality which seeks to help others but does not forget
one’s own needs too. The text advocates for mutual support as an essential
ingredient of the Christian life.
The gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43) presents us with two
powerful miracles of Jesus aimed at the restoration of health and life. In the
first miracle, we are told that as Jesus was going to the house of one of the
leading synagogue officials by name Jairus, a woman who suffered from
haemorrhage for 12 years and has spent all her money on visiting doctors
without cure, touched the cloak of Jesus and got cured – for she had told
herself, if only I can touch the fringe of his garments, I would be whole
again. In that dramatic event, Jesus turns and asks who touched him because he
knew that power had gone out from him.
Despite the disciple’s query about why Jesus should ask
that kind of question because of the crowd, Jesus looks round and the woman
comes forward, falls on her feet and confesses the whole truth. He then tells
her: “My daughter, your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be
free from your complaint.” Meanwhile, some people from Jairus’ house arrived with
bad news informing that his daughter had died. Jesus rebukes them and assures:
“Do not be afraid; only have faith.” The wailing and commotion of mourners did
not deter him as he assured the wailers that the girl was asleep. They laughed
at him. But taking his companions and the girl’s parents to the place where she
laid, he said: “Little girl, I tell you to get up.” To everyone’s amazement,
the 12-year girl got up and began to walk about. He told them to give her
something to eat while ordering that they should tell no one about what
happened.
Application/Pastoral
Punch-lines
1.
At a time when scores of people are killed across the country with the latest
casualties of over 200 people in some parts of Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South Local Government
Areas of Plateau State by suspected killer-herdsmen, the message of first reading from the book of Wisdom which indicated
that God does not take pleasure in the extinction of the living, calls us to
once again wear the garment of humanity and stop the killings across the
country – A single human life cannot and must not be compared to a million cows.
2. The reminder that God made man in his own image and
likeness calls us to reorder our values concerning the sanctity of life above
all else as well as the sacred duty of government to ensure the protection of
lives and property as enshrined in the Constitution – Any constituted authority
that denigrates the sacredness of life created in the image and likeness of God
should not and must be obeyed.
3. The message of the Wisdom Literature comes
powerfully against those who align themselves with the devil as partners in
progress, merchants of death or agents of the devil. The sacred text maintains
that these marauders must not forget that it was the devil’s envy
that brought about death. As such, they are not fighting for a noble cause – It
suffices to say, those who live by the sword die by the sword () and those who
fight on the side of the evil one have doomsday awaiting them.
4.
In a society where the
culture of death unleashes upon us anti-life activities such as abortion,
torture and death in the hands of commercial kidnappers and ritualists as well
as scores of deaths no thanks to the activities of gun-wielding herdsmen, we
are challenged to remember without life, there is property – The domino argument
hold water here. Eliminate people one by one and in no time, you’ll have no
human beings on the face of the earth.
