Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Nineteenth Sunday of Year, C – August 11, 2019.

 Readings: Wisdom 18:6-9; Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:1 and 12.18-19.20 and 22 (R.12b); Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19; Gospel Luke 12:32-48.

 Theme: The Ultimate Security

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, last Sunday the gospel indicated that “a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns” (Luke 12:15). Today, the gospel demands that we should not be afraid but rather, seek the ultimate security. Our society is no longer safe. From Boko Haram to Killer-herdsmen, armed bandits to hired assassins, ritualists to cultists and nefarious activities of commercial kidnappers who have cheapened life, there is a general feeling of insecurity in the country. The atmosphere is tensed as parents are no longer sure that their children are safe in school; travelers are frightened about our highways; worshippers are afraid of suicide bombers and market men and women are not sure that the day would end well as one mishap or the other might happen.

It is in this kind of scenario that seeking for the ultimate security becomes a sine qua non. Before doing that, we shall browse through the readings and state the kinds of security there are towards drawing some pastoral lessons.

Background & Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Wisdom 18:6-9) tells us how the forebears of the people of Israel had an unshakable trust in the Lord. It narrates how the people waited for God to deliver the righteous from evil ways and punish the enemy. They people felt privileged and gloried by God because of how he dealt with their adversaries. They then resolved to offer a secret sacrifice to the Lord with one accord even as they enacted a holy law which makes for sharing their joys and sorrows together through chanting the hymns of their ancestors. 

In the second reading (Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19), the writer of the letter to the Hebrews states that only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for or prove the existence of realities that we cannot see. Noting that it was by faith that the ancestors pleased God, he disclosed that it was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call of God to go to an unknown country; it was by faith that Sarah conceived in old age. He surmised that through one man who was marked for death, descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore were brought forth.

The Gospel reading (Luke 12:32-48) gives highlights on the theme of security. Jesus urged his disciples not to be afraid because God has given them the kingdom. He further maintains that they should sell their possessions and give to those in need stressing that they should get purses that do not wear out but store their treasures in heaven where no thief or moth can destroy.

He emphatically stated that wherever a man’s treasure is, there is his heart. Jesus then calls for vigilance and readiness because the Son of man is coming at an hour no one expects. He praises the servant who at his Master’s return, is found diligent in his duties. He further reveals that the servant who knows and does not fulfill what his Master wants would receive many strokes; the one did not know but acted in a way that he deserves beating would receive fewer strokes. He concluded that to whom much is given, much is expected.

One theme that runs through the readings is that of security. This is because, in the first reading from the Wisdom literature, the people of Israel looked up to God as their ultimate security; they traced the wellbeing of their ancestors to God; they linked their success over their enemies to his divine majesty noting: “You glorified us by calling us to you.” In the second reading, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews makes the point that faith means being secured in the arms of God. He cites Abraham and Sarah as being justified by faith because they felt secure under his protective hand. The gospel reading invites the Christian to look for divine security. This brings us to the various types of security there are:

Types of Security

1. Social and Physical Security: This means the protection of one’s position or life. In a society where people easily lose their jobs or their lives, social and physical security becomes paramount. Because of this, most people are trying to defend their jobs ad their lives. This is why those who can afford it usually employ body guards. 

2. Material and Financial Security: This relates to possessions such as houses or real estate, stocks, shares and money in the bank and cars. The craze for amassing of wealth is occasioned by material or financial security. Because people do not want to be poor, they prefer to save for the rainy day.

4. Emotional and Psychological Security: This has to do with a feeling of being loved and treasured. Every human being wants to be appreciated. Therefore, almost everyone desires that requisite affirmative action from friends and family as well as colleagues. This amounts to the demand for emotional and psychological security.

5. Divine/Spiritual and Moral Security: This involves relaying on God in whom we move, live and have our being. It is a total surrender to the will of God; it is faith and trust that all will be well even though things are not moving fine. It is the friends of God who seek after divine/spiritual and moral security rather than rely on man or material possessions.   

Practical Lessons

1. Trust God Totally: Based on the submission of the first reading (Wisdom 18:6-9) that the forebears of Israel had an unshakable trust in the Lord, we are called to have an unshakable faith in God to is able to do much more than we can ask or imagine. Little wonder the second reading reveals that: “Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for or prove the existence of realities that we cannot see.”

2. Allow God to Fight Your Battles: In the face of evil, insecurity and total annihilation of life by insurgents, killer-herdsmen, kidnappers et al, the position of the first reading that the people waited for God to deliver the righteous from evil ways and punish their adversaries invites us to do our best but allow God to fight our battles for us.

3. Offer a Secret Sacrifice: The reading urges us to consistently offer a secret sacrifice to the Lord with one accord even as we enact a holy law which makes for sharing our joys and sorrows together through chanting the hymns of the Saints.

4. Nothing is Impossible to God: The reminder of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews in our second reading (Hebrews 11:1-2.8-19) that Abraham obeyed God and Sarah conceived in her old age demonstrates to us that nothing is impossible with God. The saying attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte: “Impossibility exists in the dictionary of fools” comes in handy here.

5. Behave as Heirs of the Kingdom: The blessing that the descendants of Abraham would be as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore calls us to behave as heirs of the kingdom of light, justice and peace. Our way of life would show whether we are children of the kingdom or the devil.

6. Do Not be Afraid: Just as Jesus charged his disciples in the Gospel (Luke 12:32-48) not to be afraid because God has given them the kingdom, we are told not to be afraid. The bible states that: “He who loves his life would lose but he who loses his life for my sake would keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). Always remember Shakespeare popular quote: “A coward dies a hundred times before his death.”

7. Look Beyond Social and Physical Security: Although God demands that we stay secure and exercise self-defense in the face of danger, our liturgy calls us to look beyond social and physical security because if the Lord does not watch the city, in vain dos he watchman keep vigil (Psalm 127:1).

8. Material and Financial Security Could Fail: Material wealth and money cannot buy eternal life. In as much as these could make life comfortable, our liturgy challenges us to remember that a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns – don’t forget that material and financial security can fail you. Little wonder Jesus insisted that they should get purses that do not wear out but store their treasures in heaven where no thief or moth can destroy. His emphatic statement that “wherever a man’s treasure is, there is his heart” (Matthew 6:21) underscores the point.    

9. Be Charitable: By instructing that we should sell our possessions and give to those in need, Jesus invites us to be generous with our time, treasure and talent. The orphans and widows, sick and aged, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees deserve our kind attention. 

10. Seek Ultimate Security, Be Vigilant: It is not surprising that our liturgy calls for eternal vigilance. What this means is that instead of seeking emotional and psychological security, we are asked to seek moral, divine or spiritual security which only God can give. This is because the Son of man is coming at an hour we do not expect.

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. The first reading tells us how the forebears of the people of Israel had an unshakable trust in the Lord.

2. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews states that only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for.

3. It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call of God to go to an unknown country.

4. Jesus urged his disciples not to be afraid because God has given them the kingdom.

5. Get purses that do not wear out but store their treasures in heaven where no thief or moth can destroy.

Conclusion

Jesus’ praise for the servant who is diligent and ready for his Master’s return challenges us to be diligent and dutiful servants. As a matter of urgency, we must realize, that we are the servant who would receive many strokes because we know yet many of us are failing to fulfill what the Master wants. Since he has assured that the one did not know but acted in a way that he deserves beating would receive fewer strokes, we ought to be up and doing ourselves and also recruit those who are yet to know Christ into the kingdom. We must never forget to seek the ultimate security bearing in mind that “to whom much is given, much is expected.” Have a blessed week!