EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2022

EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

First Reading: SIRACH 27:4-7

Responsorial Psalm: PSALMS 92:2-3, 13-16

Second Reading: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:54-58

Gospel: LUKE 6:39-45

The first reading today comes from the book of Sirach. In the Greek version of the Bible, it was originally called, “The Wisdom of Ben Sirach,” but from the time of Saint Cyprian, early in the third century, the Latin title Ecclesiasticus, meaning “church book”, came to be used. Why is that? After the Psalms, it was the book most used in the liturgy; in fact, in the early Church it was a kind of official catechism used in the catechumenate. The passage we just read tells us that ‘a man’s speech discloses the bent of his mind.’ What you say reveals what is in your heart.

In the Gospel, Jesus gives us two similes, that of the tree which if it is good produces good fruits and that of a man, who speaks out those things he has in his heart. To distinguish a good tree from a bad tree, we need to look at the fruit the tree produced i.e., the deeds and not its foliage i.e., the words. The store in the heart is the same as the root of a tree. If a person has a store of goodness in his heart, he yields excellent fruits; love of God and neighbor. He does not gossip or speak ill of his neighbor, he blesses even those who curse him. In his actions you see perfect charity. But if a person has a store of evil in his heart, no matter how he tries, it will show in his actions; lack of love for God or neighbor. He will gossip and speak ill of others and engage in different kinds of immoral living.

God wants us to be the good tree that produces good fruits. The Gospel today challenges us to fill our hearts with the love of God and neighbor, and immerse ourselves daily in the Word of God. If the Word of God makes its home in us, then we can be sure to be well grounded and then our words and actions will align. That is integrity.  

I’m Like 6: 37, Jesus says, “do not judge and you will not be judged.” Have you ever felt guilty because you realize that you judged someone else? Sometimes it is not easy to reconcile or distinguish between “not judging” and approving everything everyone does as okay. Sometimes even parents have this difficulty. Parents have a grave obligation to judge the behavior of their children and ward as good or bad. Being good parents is not just about providing shelter, food and clothing. It is also about teaching their children standards of right and wrong and correcting them when they err. If you are in a relationship with somebody you want to marry, you have to judge whether or not he or she is honest, responsible, caring and godly. There are countless instances you cannot avoid making judgements about others.

Do we really need to be perfect before making judgments on others or to do fraternal correction? Hardly, because none of us is perfect, then we might as well let everyone do whatever they want. That will be chaotic. So, what is Jesus really hitting at when He asked, “can a blind person guide a blind person? Will they not both fall into a pit?” We must strive to become examples of what we preach because the brother you want to remove the splinter in his eye might look and find the wooden beam in your own eye and then it becomes a scandal for him, an obstacle. We have a grave obligation to correct the erring but when we fail to be good examples, we become ineffective.

The second reading today is the epilogue of Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. The entire chapter, i.e., chapter 15 is on the Resurrection of the dead. Paul concludes with a note of joy and thanksgiving to God for the tremendous benefits brought by the death and resurrection of our Lord, benefits which result from His victory over those enemies which had made man their slave, namely; sin, death and the devil. Jesus Christ by dying on the cross, offering Himself to God the Father in atonement for all the offences of mankind has conquered sin and the devil, who attained power through sin.

Paul wants us to see how death has justice done to it at the price of the death of the one who was without sin and who alone was able, by means of His own death, to inflict death upon death. Paul here foretells what the Book of Revelation 21: 1 calls ‘a new heaven and a new earth. ’

As we strive for integrity in a world that mocks and rejects integrity, death will not be the final word, in Christ, we have a beautiful hope, the hope of a glorious resurrection when God ‘will wipe away every tear from our eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away’ (Revelation 21:4) especially perishability and mortality.

God Bless you!

Rev. Fr.  Chidi Onwuka MSSCC