COLLECT: “GOD OF MIGHT, GIVER OF EVERY GOOD GIFT, PUT INTO OUR HEART THE LOVE OF YOUR NAME, SO THAT, BY DEEPENING OUR SENSE OF REVERENCE, YOU MAY NURTURE IN US WHAT IS GOOD AND, WITH YOUR WATCHFUL CARE, KEEP SAFE WHAT YOU HAVE NURTURED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
1Cor 3:1-9; Ps 32:12-15,20-21 and Lk 4:38-44.
Our first reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians reveals to us two sins that we often commit. These are sins of jealousy and “foolish” arguments, which easily result in quarrels. These easily destroy families, communities, societies, the Church and the world at large. In a sense, these go on among people who are immature (infants or babies). Jealousies and petty quarrels often erupt due to self-centeredness. Self-centred people only think about themselves. They think that all praise should be given to them. They are not able to see and appreciate the good in other people. They are never happy with anything, even with themselves (they may only pretend to be happy, but deep within them, they are not). Such people always have their followers to promote their self-centred tendencies.
St. Paul realises these sins among the Corinthian believers. Therefore, he cautions them through this letter. Paul wants them to know that he and Apollos are co-workers. They are not rivals, and they do not come to stage camps/cliques to divide them. That will destroy the salvific work the Lord calls them and entrusts to their care. One person cannot do all the work of evangelisation. We need a lot of hands for: “the harvest is rich but the labourers few”. We need other co-workers and cooperation with and from other people to carry out the ‘divine harvest’. This is even one of the reasons in the Catholic Church we have two or more Pastors/Priests sent to a Parish to work together as co-workers and collaborators, but not as rivals or competitors. This must be strongly noted and heeded; otherwise, we will be counter-witnesses.
It was not Paul and Apollos who were jealous of one another, and, for that matter, were engaged in the jealous and “foolish argument”, but their followers. But for the timely intervention of St. Paul through this letter, there would have been a lot of disaster in the Corinthian Christian community, and it might even have disintegrated. Sometimes we have these things in the Church as well as in society, in the communities, and worse, in politics. I am for Bishop A, and I am for Bishop B, or Father this or that, or party A or B or Politician A or B, or Mr. so-and-so. These things do not help the Church, and they will not help the world. They will never bring development, peaceful co-existence and harmony in the world. Believers should avoid this. Rather, we are to harness our gifts and talents, as well as other people’s gifts and talents for peaceful and harmonious co-existence and development. We are to continue from where someone has ended or stopped his/her good works. Sometimes we are not able to do this because we feel that if we continue from where someone stops, the ‘credit’ will go to that person. In fact, any believer who is engaged in such things (jealousy and “foolish” or unhealthy arguments and rivalry) is not a mature believer/Christian or person.
We could consider jealousy and unhealthy/“foolish” arguments and rivalry as deadly sicknesses, diseases and demon possession. That could be the reason why, when people are engaged in heated arguments, they sometimes shout at the top of their voices, like in today’s Gospel, where the demons came out of people shouting that, “You are the Son of God”. Yes, Jesus has power and control over demon possession, sicknesses and diseases. He is inviting those of us who are sick and are possessed by the demons of jealousy, unhealthy quarrels and rivalry to come to him for healing and deliverance. Be courageous and come to the Lord who delivers, and you will be all right. Stay blessed and have a fruitful day.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, WEDNESDAY, ON THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: ‘THE RESURRECTION, THE ASCENSION, THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE ASSUMPTION, AND THE CORONATION ’. (WE PRAY FAITH, HOPE, LOVE OF GOD, GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH AND TRUST IN MARY’S INTERCESSION) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “RENEWED BY THIS BREAD FROM THE HEAVENLY TABLE, WE BESEECH YOU, LORD, THAT, BEING THE FOOD OF CHARITY, IT MAY CONFIRM OUR HEARTS AND STIR US TO SERVE YOU IN OUR NEIGHBOUR. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.
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