Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis
with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
Sixth Sunday of
the Year, A – Feb 16, 2020
Readings:
Sir 15:15-20; Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34; 1st
Cor 2:6-10 & Gospel Mat. 5:17-37 or Mat. 5:20-22A, 27-28, 33-34A, 37.
Theme:
A
Choice for God!
Introduction
Friends
in Christ, our liturgy reminds us that God does not force Himself or His
Choices on us. It reveals that He respects our choices while making the
implication of our actions very clear to us. To demonstrate His benevolence to the
creators whom He cherishes and respects, God decided to put before them right
and wrong, good and bad. He also lays out the implication of our choices which
could make or mar us.
Background and
Summary of the Readings
In
our first reading (Sir.
15:15-20)
Ben Sirach tells the people of Israel that God has placed before them two
choices to be made. It further discloses that “…he has set before you fire and
water to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand… life and death, good
and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” He adds that keeping the
commandments of God would guide the people while trusting in Him would make them
live. He also assures that God understands everyone’s deeds.
In
the second reading, Saint Paul (1st
Cor. 2:6-10) maintains that we are dealing with a God who is
rich in wisdom. He also relates that God reveals this wisdom to us through His
spirit as the spirit scrutinizes everything, even His depths. Paul surmises
that only a loving God would let us into His depths through His spirit leaving
in us.
The
gospel (Mat. 5:17-37)
notes that it is up to us to shun mortal sins such as killing, adultery, lust,
divorce and swearing. Therein Jesus instructs that He has not come to abolish
the law but to fulfill it by establishing a new law of freedom which calls us
to avoid scandal and eye-service so as to embrace genuine holiness.
Types of Choices
1. Material Choices: In
the daily events of our lives, we make choices – the choice to a better
education; the choice of sustainable career, jobs and finances; the choice to
healthy meals; the choice to good medical care; the choice to luxurious cars;
the choice to state of the art mansions and the choice to finest clothing – the
summary of our choices is that we often make good choices. However, most times,
we fall short of making good choices for our faith. This brings us to the
second type of choice at our disposal.
2. Spiritual Choices: This is a deliberate choice for God; a choice for holiness; a choice for kindness and charity and
a choice to receive the sacraments and be in full communion with Christ. Like Zac
Poonen would say: “While on a plane, I discovered that the higher we ascended
into the sky, the smaller things on the ground became. Eventually, I could no
longer differentiate between ‘things of importance’ below me. The same ought to
be in Christ. If the importance of material things aren’t growing smaller in
your life, it is possible that you are not going higher in the Lord.”
Pastoral and
Practical Lessons
1. We Have Choices: To
demonstrate His benevolence to creators whom He cherishes and respects, God
puts before us right and wrong, good and bad and lays out the implication of
our choices which could make or mar us.
2. God Respects Our Freedom: Because
he respects our freedom, God does not control us like an operator with a
remote-control in his hands.
3. We Cannot Escape God’s Wrath: Although God respects our freedom, if we make
wrong choices, we cannot escape his wrath.
