12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 20:10—13

SECOND READING
Romans 5:12—15

GOSPEL
Matthew 10:26—33

THEME: THE VALUES OF OUR BRETHREN ARE IN OUR HANDS.

There is nothing that pains like betrayal. What happened between Caesar and Brutus is a typical example of what betrayal can do. Caesar on seeing the danger ran to his one and only friend for refuge and he was the one who first stabbed him and he shouted et tu Brute even you Brutus! We can again see act of betrayal in the famous novel of Chinua Achebe Things fall apart. Okonkwo betrayed Ikemefuna who took him as his father.

In the first reading, Jeremiah thought his friends were for him, but they were busy planning another thing for him.   Some whom we trust most are those who betrayal us. Someone will with all heart, mind, soul and body trust us and we will only tell the person. Please trust nobody. Jesus in Matthew 5:37 said. Let your yes be yes and your no be no, anything apart from this comes from the evil one. If no one can trust us, it means our yes is no more yes and no is no more no. Some of Christians when they say, RUN! then know that they mean stop. It was not, it is not and will never be our identity. We are playing with our values much, especially our brethren’s own. Too Bad. Sometimes I begin to wonder if it is better to use opposite instead of using this sentence. This thing I am telling you, do not tell any other person. Because, information that travels fast is the one meant to be kept secret. When one is asked not to say something, that is the one the person will like to talk about. Why? Because people do not know or do not understand again that his brothers, sisters and neighbour's values are in our hands. Someone who trusted you with everything is the one you are using to gossip. Using to win favour. Too Bad. See more

In the second reading, St. Paul is telling us that the time to betray our brethren has passed. We are the people of the new generation. We not only to be our brothers’ keepers but also helpers. Through one man sin and death came and we danced to the tune but now righteousness and life are here, but instead of dancing to this new tune, we have decided to stick to the old life. Christ has died for us and has given us back new living. Let us leave the things of the past and focus on the future. Let us follow that man who has given us life.

As we go about throwing people’s values in our hands to dogs, we should remember that, in today’s Gospel reading Jesus is telling us that everything hidden must surely come out. That your brother you slander with your mouth thinking that no one will find out, the time has come. You are going to be exposed. He who proclaims me among men I will do the same before my father. Proclaiming Christ is not only through act of preaching to even trees and animals but living your preaching out. You use mouth to send Ladies who are of age but are still single to their early graves, you treat barrens as if your own children are the best while you did not even train your own children well. You treat the poor like one who have seen pig in his bedroom. You take deformed as if it were there fault. Remember it is the one who owns today owns tomorrow. Obughi onye nwe tata nwe echi.

If we remember that people’s values are in our hands, we will stop the way we treat and talk about people. That person you claim to be a good person before him only to get what you will use for your business (gossip), what wrong has he/she done to you? There will be storm and we will see the anus of the fowl. Ikuku ga ekukwa, ka anyi wee hu ike okuko. When we want to say anything about any person or do something to anyone, we should say if I am the one, how will I feel? After this, if you have conscience, you must surely have a rethink of mind and do better.

Let us today ask God to give us the eyes to see the values of people we are carrying in our hands, to give us the heart to understand what we are carrying, the love to love what we are carrying, a sincere heart to care for what we are carrying and the strength to carry them in the path of salvation till our last days on earth for what we are carrying are precious things. Our brethren’s values. People we give value have values in life those we show love have love and those we deny values lack values and those we deny love lack love. Let us be careful. Ka uche anyi di ya. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY