THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST LEADING TO HEAVENLY BLESSINGS

SATURDAY, FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP 

Micah 2:1-5; Ps 10:1-4,7-8,14; Mt 12:14-21

The Nations shall put their trust in Him

The two readings contrast the fate of evildoers and the fate of the Son of Man who put his trust in God. As prophet Micah stated, evil men are consumed by the desire to grasp, to covet the goods of the poor man or their neighbour. They plot day and night on how to cheat the poor and dispossess them of their inheritance. These evil thoughts occupy them night and day. They do everything to amass physical goods, thinking that they will find serenity in the abundance of these goods. The prophet reveals God’s counter-plot to dispossess them of what they wrongfully coveted from their neighbours. God will bring about a situation whereby a stronger opponent will extort all they have extorted from them. God ordains what we do to others would also be done to us. If we treat others well, we also, in turn, would be treated well by others. Our actions are like seeds sown, we will reap their fruits in due time. “Woe to those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it—their hands have strength for it. Seizing the fields that they covet, they take over houses as well, owner and houses they confiscate together, taking both man and inheritance.”

As the scripture says the Lord is cunning to those who are cunning in their dealings and sincere to the sincere of heart, the Lord will plot against those who plot against others, and take away all they gained through their evil plots. “So the Lord says this: Now it is I who plot such mischief against this breed as your necks will not escape; nor will you be able to walk proudly, so evil will the time be.” Hence, God forewarns those of his people who deal deceitfully with others. They are sowing a seed of treachery that will germinate in their lives to their total dismay and destruction. It would seem that the Lord does not care for the protection of the poor and the weak against these extortioners as the Psalmist questioned. “Lord, why do you stand afar off and hide yourself in times of distress? The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked: he is caught in the schemes that others have made.” This psalm expresses the thoughts of many of us Christians who suffer various and varied injustices from evil men who are everywhere. This evil is on the increase as things get worse. Men are forced by their economic condition to deal wickedly with others and use any means to deceive and extort from others.

The one answer to the questions the Psalmist put across to the Lord is contained in the mystery of Christ, into which the Spirit leads us gently forward. It is through that mystery we come to our heavenly inheritance. For it is the same way the Pharisees plotted against Jesus Christ that the evil men plot against the poor and weak. He submitted to the plot of evil men only because it is according to the will of his Father, and for our salvation. Baptised into Christ, we also are led like him as lambs to the slaughter; not because the Father has no care of us, but for the ultimate triumph of truth through Jesus Christ our Lord. As Isaiah prophesied: “He will not break the crushed reed, nor put out the smouldering wick till he has led the truth to victory: in his name the nations will put their hope.” We should always recall what St. Paul said that nothing we suffer here on earth for the love of Christ can compare to the glory of the fullness of our heavenly blessings that will be revealed.

Let us pray: Grant us, Lord, that through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of your Son and our mother, we may persevere in holding onto your divine word in every trial and come to the fullness of our heavenly blessings in Christ.