25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Wisdom 2:12, 17—20

SECOND READING
James 3:16—4:3

GOSPEL
Mark 9:30—37

THEME: GLORIES THAT FOLLOW SUFFERINGS.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay (Psalm 16:10). In Igbo there is an adage that says, achukata nwa ogbenye, achuga ya ebe ka mma. In order to affirm this, in the Bible there are many places it talks about the love of the poor by God. It was Leibniz a philosopher in his division of evil into three types metaphysical, physical and moral evils said that good things sometimes follow physical evil. Sometimes we suffer but they are just as gold being tested in fire (1 Peter 1:7).

A certain family that was just living average life faced challenges in life. It happened that the father of the house fell sick and he was the source of living for them. They travelled to far and near to see to the solution to their father’s health but all to no avail. This cost them almost all they had. After four years of serious sickness the man died living the family in abject poverty. The three children of the family dropped out of school. One day one of their indigenous priests came home for Christmas break from abroad and asked the Parish Priest to organize a scholarship exam for all fatherless children in the parish that he needs five persons that he will train. After the exam, two of the dead man’s children passed the exam. The scholarship was to train them abroad, and that was how they met their glory. The Lord does not forget his people no matter the situation. Continue Reading.............

The evil one may plot against you but God will not leave you if you are truly his child. As in the first reading The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. Unnecessary wickedness to the righteous one. In the same reading it is said For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. The Lord will ever be for his own people.

Many problems of the world today are caused by jealousy. We see it every now and then. When I was in philosophy one, one lecturer we do more of jotting when the lecturer teaches us. He was teaching us introduction to philosophy. I do write down everything likewise many others. One day people were clamouring to photocopy one of my classmates note to use it and prepare for exams. I got jealous and said immediately, is his note gold. Why his note only. I developed a little hatred towards him. After some days or a week I came back to my senses and changed my attitude towards him. Why this story?  Some will get jealous of others and they will never see anything good about the person again and that is what the second reading is addressing today that we should avoid for it causes more harm than good.

Many evils this jealousy cause are prevalent in many ways and it manifested openly in the gospel when Jesus was talking about the type of death he will undergo. "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him. The major reason why they killed Jesus was that people were embracing his teachings more than those their wicked traditions they impose on people. They saw him as a threat to their tradition and they decided to do away with him.

The funniest thing is that some out of their wickedness make people to realize their potentialities like in the first reading. Some out of jealousy make people to gain many things. Some will be trying to bring your name to the dust not knowing that they are making you to be known. Some that cause people harm move them to their next level in life just as in the gospel for after three days Jesus raised to life again and brought us salvation. O n' abu achukata nwa ogbenye achuga ya ebe ka mma. There are many glories that follow suffering in Christ and as we continue to see them the blessings of the beatitude Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of God. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.