Homily (Reflection) for Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (I) (17th July, 2021) on the Gospel
(B.V.M. on Saturday, Opt. Mem)
Ex 12:37-42;
Ps 135:1.10-15.23-24. (R. v.1);
Matt
12:14-21.
Topic: Conspiracy.
In today’s gospel, Jesus withdrew as a result of the Pharisees’ conspiracy. The immediate cause was their anger that Jesus’ disciples plucked and ate heads of grain on a sabbath which they complained against in yesterday’s gospel. As if that was not enough, Jesus entered their synagogue that same sabbath and cured a man with a withered hand, cf. Matt 12:9-13.
The gospel goes on to establish that all happened to fulfil
the prophecy of Isaiah, cf. Is 42:1-4.
Again, many crowds followed Him and He cured all of them but ordered them not
to make Him known. All these notwithstanding, the conspiracy must have deprived
those who could not walk, those who could not go against the Pharisees, even
the Pharisees themselves, among others of Jesus. It also caused those who
followed Jesus unnecessary stress.
Conspiracy is everybody’s enemy (persona non grata) not excluding the conspirators. It is an evil
wind that blows nobody any good. Many have suffered untold hardships even loss
of lives as a result of this enemy.
Dear friends, do not conspire against anybody for whatever
reason. It has very far reaching damaging effects. No one can say for sure to
what extent it will go nor assures the safety of anybody even that of
conspirators. Many Jews never saw Jesus better than just one of them, cf. Matt 13:55-56; Mk 6:3; Jn 5:18. In the
same vein, the person you conspire against today might be God-sent messiah. God
chooses what is weak to shame the strong, cf. 1Cor 1:27.
Bible Reading: Ps 23.
Thought for today: Conspiracy is not anybody’s friend.
Let us pray: Lord, help us not to conspire
against anybody nor let conspiracy rob us of doing any good work – Amen.
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