30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. By Tobe Eze

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

FIRST READING
Exodus 22:20—26

SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 1:5c—10

GOSPEL
Matthew 22:34—40

THEME: LOVE IS THE WAY.

Let me start with what happened or what I experienced in August 2017. I went to a particular parish to give the block rosary children talk. I was told to prepare Qualities of a good block rosary child. When I was explaining eight of them one by one for them, when I reached love. I told them I Love You All, they started laughing. I did not understand what was happening. When I asked them the reason for that, one of them told me that I am corrupting them.

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St. Paul was telling the Church at Thessalonica to be models to the people of Accaia and Messopotonia in the second reading of today. In the first reading it was stated clearly by God to us that we should accommodate others, no matter the tribe, the colour, the shape, the size and everything about the person. Insofar the person is a human being. When we borrow money to our neighbours, we should not talk about interest. All these said in the first and second readings, the only way to them is what Jesus answered in the Gospel.

We should not maltreat strangers for we are also strangers in one way or the other, we all are strangers before for we sin always and he has not cased us away. We should give without checking enormous benefits that will come out of it as said in the first reading can only be achieved where there is love. Being a good model to someone or group of persons, there must be love. Love is the central message.

Jesus said in the gospel, that we should love our Lord and God with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds and the second is equal to the first, love your neighbour with all your hearts, with all your souls and with all your minds. He did not say that the second is related to the first but it is the same. The problem here is not that there is no love but people are now leaving what they should love to loving other things. For instance in this story: Who or what do we love more?

A man was polishing his new car; his 4 yr old daughter picked up a stone and scratched on the side of the car. In anger, the furious Man took his child’s hand & hit it many times, not realizing he was using a wrench. At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.

When the child saw her father, with painful eyes he asked ‘Dad when will my fingers grow back?’ The man was so hurt and speechless. He went back to the car and kicked it many times. Devastated by his own actions, sitting in front of the car he looked at the scratches, His daughter had written ‘LOVE YOU DAD’.

We have left the real meaning of love to doing other rubbish in the name of love and that was the reason behind what the block rosary children told me, that I was corrupting them. Again, because of that same leaving what should be love to loving another thing people use their fellow human being in exchange of another thing like money, prestige and so on. People dupe their fellow human being because of things of this world that are passing. People take what does not belong to them from the owner by force even kidnap people and demand for ransom, using their fellow human being as a means to an end.  Real Love is the only way we are going to follow to reach that beatific home. Anything outside this love of God and our neighbours, is coming from the evil one. This love is a practical live not theoretical love, it is love that we live out not the one we only express through the words of mouth. Live out the love in you so that people will gain and learn from your love and it will pay you better. St. John said that God is love. Jesus said that he is the way, the truth and the life. Which means we can only go through that way which is Christ with Love. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.