Rev. Fr. Michael ADEBOLA

 

My dear people of God, happy Sunday to you all.

 

Today, our readings, especially the gospel, strike a point that lovers of the mundane may detest. The point is subtle and clear. Becoming materialistic and worldly-minded without moderation and self-restraints is perilously misleading. The burdensome lures of worldly vanities and frivolities are encompassing. To be so worldly-attached and ephemeral-minded, and not be pressured by its demands in return, is almost inevitable. This is exactly why Jesus clearly states the demand and the cost of being his followers and secondly, revealing the danger of allowing one's soul to be submerged in the ocean of worldly vanities.

 

To buttress the aforementioned, the dramatic scene in Luke 18:18-25 resonates the message of Jesus in the gospel today. Jesus in Luke 18:24 says "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" Jesus said this not because wealth or riches are evil or bad, but he was urging caution against chronic attachment to worldly things without moderation and the wrong use of wealth, power, position and riches, which is dangerous.

The life of every Christian ought to be modelled by Christ and his values, rather than mundane things. To deny oneself and follow Christ is the ideal way to live out our Christian values. It is a life of perseverance moderation, discipline and sacrifice, not excluding persecution. These ideals surfaced in all readings of today.

In today's first reading, the Prophet Jeremiah expressed his emotional *distress* due to the challenges he faced in his duty as a prophet. The pressure and attacks from enemies who saw him as a stumbling block was choking him. However, God delivered him, because Jeremiah did not waver.

In today's gospel reading, Jesus began to show his disciples that His mission wouldn't be rosy and worldly-inclined. In fact, He revealed that He would suffer many things in the hands of the elders and Chief priests, and eventually be killed, but on the third day He would rise from the dead. This indeed is heavy to bear. Humanly speaking, Peter's reaction to what Jesus said was not offensive. No good person would hear of an impending evil or danger about to befall a loved one and will not rebuke it. This was the case of Peter to Jesus.

However, Jesus knows everything and sees beyond our thoughts. Truly, God's ways are not our ways. Peter thought he was doing his master a favour by rebuking the impending suffering and death, he never understood that Christ's Paschal events were necessary to ransom all from sin. We may be surprised that Jesus rebuked the same Peter he confirmed as the foundation of His Church in last week's Gospel reading; however, it is a great lesson for us. Jesus does not want half-minded committed and worldly-attached disciples. He does not want disciples whose thoughts, actions, and volition contradict the plan and will of God for humanity.

Dear brothers and sisters, in the Christian faith, nobody is indispensable. If Jesus could rebuke Peter, He can rebuke us if we deviate from God's plan and will. Jesus has set a legacy, Sacraments to celebrate, Gospels to meditate upon, teachings and traditions to guide and order our lives in this mundane world. The Catholic Church treasures and celebrates this legacy in honour of the Master. The Church cannot contradict her Master. Anyone who contradicts the plan and the legacy Christ has laid down will be missing the track and eventually face rebuke. Let us learn to align ourselves with Christ's Divine Will.

Dear friends in Christ, no doubt, following Christ amidst the lures and temptations of this ostentatious world is difficult.  The book of Sirach Chapter 2 reminds us "My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing."

Total commitment can attract suffering and persecution, as in the cases of Jeremiah and Jesus. It is this same commitment and self-denial that our Lord demands from us. Jesus is intentional about his demand, and that is why in the ending verse of the gospel today, he says "for what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?" (Matt 16:26).

Dear friends, the message of Christ is clear. Gaining the whole world and forfeiting your soul is reckless and wasteful.

In conclusion, let us take admonition from the beautiful words of St. Paul in the Second reading: "I appeal to you, brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rm 12:1-2)

Prayer: Lord, may worldly frivolities and riches never debar me from following you, help me to align myself to your divine will and be obedient to your command, through Christ our Lord. Amen.