26th Sunday in Ordinary time, Year A Reflection on our readings Theme: Obedience counts, not mere intentions The road to hell is paved with good intentions, insisted St. Bernard of Clairvaux. It is true that there is no value in simply planning to do good, if one does not actually do it. Just think of a young person who intends to do her homework after school, but falls asleep. She goes to school the next day and gets an E. Think of our sweet-mouthed politicians who give promises at the heat of the campaigns, but fail to deliver. Think of those advocating for a referendum under the banner of pesa mashinani and okoa Kenya ... history has it that their good intentions are solely to serve not the national interest but their personal gains. Think of a well intentioned benefactor who assures a seminarian of his/her support yet the eight years of formation come to a serene close, with no support whatsoever. Think of a person who intends to lead a good moral life but does not put any measures in place. The truth of the matter is that, it doesnt matter whether we intend to do magnificent works upon the earth, what counts is whether we obey our good intentions. In our todays first reading , God speaks to the people of Israel, through the prophet Ezekiel. He makes it known to them that their condemnation or exaltation solely flows from their way of life. At the end of the day, it is personal accountability, responsibility and conversion to living for God that counts, and not their mere good intentions to live for God. This meant that they had to observe the statutes of God, strictly. They had to put their covenantal promise, that they will serve God, into practice. They had to obey God, failure to which they will be held culpable. In our second reading , St. Paul instructs the inhabitants of Philippi on the need to imitate Christ who lived to up to do the will of His father, for in utter obedience, he submitted to death, yes, death on a cross. He makes it known to them that Christ did all that not for his own glorification but for the good of the entire human race. In our gospel passage , Jesus confronts the ever self-righteous chief priests and leaders of the Jewish fraternity with a parable. He tells them of two sons who were asked by their father, on separate incidences, to help him do work in his vineyard. Friends, following the parable, we can attest to the noble fact that in this world there are two sets of people. There are those who are good at profession and poor in practice ; and there are those who are poor at profession but quite good in practice after thorough introspection . Perhaps we might do well to ask: Mimi niko wapi? Sisi tuko wapi? Possibly, you belong to the club of the first son. How blessed are you!! Possibly, you belong to the club of the second son. Woe to you!! Remember the promise you made, in the silence of your heart, that you would uphold the command to love of God and neighbour. Remember the day you walked majestically down the aisle, there, yes there in that Church at the heart of the city or the village, where you sang in unison niwe nyama ya nyama ciakwa, ni we ihindi ya ihindi riakwa, nowe wiki Ngai athuririe utukie gikeno kia ngoro yakwa. Just recall the solemn day of your ordination ... you promised to obey God, through the bishop and his successors. You must have been well intentioned, yes. But have you walked the talk? Have you been obedient to your good intentions? Have you? Have you? You see, we are no better that the second son. We have neglected the way of the Lord and followed our own in a myriad ways. However, the attitude exhibited by the first son ignites in us the fire of hope, that we can still amend our ways if we deem it fit. Conscious of his fault, he made a resolution not to disobey his father anymore. Perhaps we can imitate him. Perhaps we can dare tread along the same path. Let us then turn in prayer to Mary, the perfect icon of obedience, that she may intercede for us and journey with us. Have a lovely week. God bless.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 14:44:05 +0000
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