Fresh Dew Media

 26^TH SUNDAY, YEAR B: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: WHAT TO ALLOW AND WHAT TO CUT OFF

(Mar 9:38-43,45,47-48)

In the Gospel of today, we saw Jesus at one time encouraging accommodation, which shows itself in the principles of "Egbe bere, ugo bere,  "Onye biri ibe ya", "Onye anwula ma ibe ya efula" " Ndu mmiri, ndu azu", "Ukwuru miaram, miara nwunye di m" ( Live and let live). At the other end, Jesus tells us the conditions that cannot be accommodated. In His teaching, today, He opposed John the beloved who wanted Him to forbid those who were casting out demons in His name. Jesus says no to condemning or discouraging good people. It is our common goal to fight Satan and to condemn evil, to live holy lives, whether as priests, religious, married people, or single men and women. To avoid giving and receiving scandals. To do these, there are things we should cut off.

 

WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO CUT OFF

 It is very possible for us to be doing well in certain areas and forget to look into some other parts of our lives. It is common to shine with our area of strength and overlook handling our weak points. What are the weak parts of our being? They are the areas that humble us to bend our heads in shame. The Gospel of today beautifully paints it to be parts of the body. The parts of the body, while functioning according to the divine order, are good in themselves. But when any becomes cancerous and infested, it is to be subjected to either surgery or amputation to avoid further damage. When they become avenues for introducing disease, then caution is called for. Sin is cancerous. Any part that is infected can make other parts ineffective.

 I want to reflect on what happens between the period of amputation/surgery and the period of wholeness/ good health. Suffice it to say that many people even prefer to die than to be subjected to the above treatment. Why? The pain. Cutting, amputation, or surgery in the sense we are talking about here is very painful momentarily.  Granted that the part of the body in question is bad, but it is still attached to the rest of the body as an undetachable member. Thus, any effort at removing it engenders severe and even excruciating pain. Little wonder anaesthesia is employed in some cases to reduce pain. Yet the patient must have some serious pain later. For this pain, some even refuse surgery, injection, or amputation. But the doctor insists on it.

Jesus, today, is not telling his audience to go to anyone for the cut. He calls on them to do the cutting themselves. This will require an extra form of courage. It is just a pointer to the fact that we are the ones who know the weak parts of our lives. We are the ones to cut it open. Yes! We should cut it. Let the blood of its wound flow. When it is open the Lord Jesus comes in as the heavenly physician to heal with his own blood shed on the Cross. Let the pain be joined with the pain of Christ to stop you from facing the crisis of losing your whole members. You may have gotten so used to that weak part of your life that you think you can no longer do without it. You resolve to:I can't help it; there's nothing I can do. There's something you must do:  cut it off, feel the pain for a while, and God will play his part.

Cutting off is a decision. It is a courageous decision; to do without what seem to give you joy, to do away with what has been giving you some pleasures. Jesus invites us to look forward to lasting joy. What are the things holding you bound. It could be addiction to sex, drinks, smoking, drugs etc. It could be unhealthy relationship, it could be jealousy, gossip, fraud, greed and so forth. Just mention it. Yea you know them. Finally, it could be scandal against which Jesus gave the above teaching.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Oh God, we thank You for teaching us the virtues of accommodation, accepting other people's blessings, and encouraging one another not to fall. Help us by Your grace to cut off every thread the devil has used or is using to weaken us. May no power or weakness be able to stop us from achieving our heavenly inheritance through Christ our Lord. Amen.

HAPPY Sunday (26th, Ordinary Time B)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh