Thursday 17 October 2013

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Rights of the Chosen ones


Reading 1 

EX 17:8-13 


In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
"Pick out certain men,
and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. 
I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand." 
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,
but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.
Moses’hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. 
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Reading 2

2 TM 3:14-4:2

Beloved:  Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,

because you know from whom you learned it,

and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,

which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation

through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is inspired by God

and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,

and for training in righteousness,

so that one who belongs to God may be competent,

equipped for every good work.
 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,

who will judge the living and the dead,

and by his appearing and his kingly power:

proclaim the word;

be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;

convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

Gospel

LK 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. 
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.'" 
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night? 
Will he be slow to answer them? 
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. 
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Theme for reflection:  Rights of the chosen

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? (Lk. 18:7)

(It may be a good thing to ask ourselves and ask one another at the beginning itself whether we consider ourselves, in keeping with these words of Jesus, the chosen ones of God? It is not a mere exercise in futility but a profound statement of belief which has its roots in the Apostles creed which we recite and affirm.)

Thus it is affirmed in Scripture: We are God’s chosen ones in Christ Jesus. 1 Pt. 2:9; also refer: Mt. 22:14; Jn. 13:8; Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:5; Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4; 1 Pt. 1:2.

We become his chosen ones by virtue of our call to afaith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire.” 1 Peter 1:7

At the same time, to be a chosen is not a guarantee of eternal life unless and until we live a life worthy of that calling, with hearts filled with gratitude and persevering faith, resolute in a battle where victory is surely ours in Christ Jesus.

Judas was also a chosen one but perished because he did not live up to his calling through faithful obedience. (cfr. Jn. 13:18)

If we consider ourselves faithful and chosen ones of God then we need to know that we are constantly walking the narrow path, into the Promised Land of eternal life and at the same time in constant battle with the enemies of Christ both in the world and in the spiritual realm.

This battle is not on account of us wanting to battle with others but rather because the enemy wants to rob us of the eternal life which God has prepared for those who respond to his unconditional love. 

Yes, we are the chosen ones of God and hence called to use the special gifts and blessings we have received from God for our own sanctification and for the sanctification of others. It is a responsibility that is not to be abused. 

The weapons of warfare provided us by God are not material ones but spiritual and what we see in the first reading is a glimpse into the battle which takes place in the heavenly realm; a foretaste of things to come.  

It was not Joshua who wins the battle against the Amalekites or Moses, who actually spearheads the battle in the visible realm, but the living God who accompanies them in a humble unassuming power that is able to lead every thought into submission to God. 

We has Catholics have the additional graces in the intercession of the Blessed Mother of Jesus, the saints in glory who do warfare on our behalf in the heavenly sphere just as Moses was high up on the mountain assisted by Aaron and Hur. 

Therefore St. Paul says; For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Cor 10:3-6

Further he says: “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  Eph 6:12-13

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:        
And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. 22 "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return:'To me every knee shall bow. Isa 45:21-23
   
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Tim 6:12
   
See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fulness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him. Col 2:8-15    

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. 2 Tim 4:7-8

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