3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

 FIRST READING

Isaiah 8:23—9:3

SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 1:10—13, 17

GOSPEL
Matthew 4:12—23

THEME: ONENESS IS THE ONLY WAY OUT.

Oneness is the fact or state of being unified or whole, though comprised of two or more parts. Jesus himself prayed to God that they may be one. First reading recorded that those who are in darkness have seen light. It did not say he who is in darkness. In the second reading St. Paul also talked about the same oneness. For the people of Corinth were saying that some belong to Paul while others were to Apollos. Paul and Apollos were preaching one person whom everything has been united in him. In the Gospel Jesus was able to get his first apostles because they were together. Where two or more gather in my name, I am there with you. (Matthew 18:20). He did not say where one is alone in my name, I am there with you. But this does not mean that Jesus cannot be with one who is praying to him alone. Continue Reading

In this our world today, it seems like unity or oneness can no more be obtainable. Oneness is now lacking between father and mother, father and son, father and daughter, mother and son, even husband and wife that promised themselves till do us part are now parting in life. Families are now in chaos, we don’t talk about villages talk more of communities. Everything is turning up and down. Nwanne amaghịzị nwanne ya, onye ka ibe ya gbuo. Onye ọbụla na azọzị nke ya nke ya. Ọdịghị onye na echetazị nwanne ya. We are no more thinking about coming together. Parents will be busy telling their children stories of what the other person has done to them. How the other has planned death, every evil on earth on them but God has saved them. Don’t go to this other person for the person is evil. Creating enmity everywhere. Making oneness difficult to get. Jesus died so that he will unite us in one body. A priest was preaching in his parish and asked the congregation. Do you have enemy? All said YES WE HAVE. Then he continued. In our community today we have a greater number of Christians, so these enemies of ours are also Christians and they all shouted YES. Then he said all of you are enemies to yourselves. Because all these enemies are in our Church. Had it been you have been looking for oneness, their will exist no enemy in our world. Ka anyị jikọta nụ ọnụ. The light in the first reading will only meet us when we are one. Salvation Paul and Apollos preached to the Corinthians will only come to us only when we throw away divisions among us. Ndị nkea bụ ndị nke anyị ma ndị nke ọzọ bụ ndị nke ha. This is my blood brother and the other should be your water or sand brother. That is it. Let us come together. A STORY: Three brothers went into the forest to search for herb that will cure their sick mother. When they were going, they were united and everything that came their way, they defeated it with hands joined together. When they reached their destination, one of them collected the herb and they turned to go. Pride came over that one that collected the herb and he said, I am the one who loves mother most, that is why I was the one who collected the herb. Division came upon them they fought each other and were no more united as they travel home. On their way home, they met a lion. Because of that enmity among them the other two were praying for the lion to kill the one who collected the herb. At a point the lion were facing them one after the other. The lion will not only kill that one but all of them. They saw that the lion is about winning them. The other one who collected the herb shouted out. HELP ME! They ignored him but at a point the lion was about killing the other one who collected the herb when a thought came to one of the other two UNITED WE STAND. What will I tell Mama when we reach home? And he rushed and helped him and they killed the lion. UNITED WE STAND AND DIVIDED WE FALL. Unity is the way out. Oneness should be our watch word. Peter and his brother were together when Jesus called them. Zebedee and sons were together when Jesus called his sons. Let us be one and Jesus will still call us as he did in the gospel today. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.

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