Sunday Reflections
2nd Sunday in Ordinary time B
You have been called and chosen
1. ✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:35-42
As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.
2. Today’s readings focus on answering God’s, call. The first reading presents the call of Samuel in Old Testament while the gospel presents the call of the first disciples of Jesus. In the first reading, the young Samuel was already sleeping and working in the house of the Lord when God addressed a direct personal call to him. He did not yet know the Lord in that way. He relied on a master for discernment. Following the advice of Eli, his master he was able to discern and understand his vocation.
3. In the gospel, some disciples of John the Baptist were already seeking God when John encountered Jesus and proclaimed him as the lamb of God. These disciples had not known much about Christ but when John pointed him out they patiently followed him to his abode to learn directly from him. After spending the whole day with him, they became convinced of his identity and they not only followed him but even brought others to him. Their faith was built not on feelings but on sound knowledge. In both readings, God used people to guide others to their vocation.
4. Today God continues to call people to serve him in special vocations. Some people meet with opposition from the family while some others find support. I think here of St. Francis of Assisi who was disowned by the rich father because he wanted to respond to God’s all. I have also met some people whose families were opposed to their becoming priest or religious. Today, there are voices attacking the Catholic priesthood because of celibacy. But celibacy is not the essence of the call. It is a discipline attached to the call and those called strive to live according to the discipline in spite of their weaknesses. It is wrong to think that without celibacy there would be better and more number of priests . If there is opposition to celibacy it is not because priests are unfaithful. It is rather because the world has become hedonistic and many things are seen from the optic of sexual pleasure. This may seem new but the truth is that religion and sex have always had a problem of reconciliation. Today’s second reading written more than two thousand years ago confirms this. The Corinthian Christians lived in a world where religious rites involved sexual acts with temple prostitutes. St Paul had to warn them not to imitate such way of life. Every christian, no matter his position should know that purity of life is a requirement for the kingdom.
5. As today’s second reading speaks of sexual immorality and the vocation to christian life, I will like to dwell a little on this especially in relation to the document published on 18 December 2023 by the Vatican Dicastery for Doctrine of Faith, on the Pastoral Meaning of Blessing, titled Fiducia Supplicans. The document spoke of the possibility of non liturgical blessing to couples in irregular relationships. This includes couples in same-sex relationship. Many people have asked me many questions about the document, asking if the catholic church has become immoral. It is important to note that the document did not and cannot change the church’s doctrine on marriage as a stable union between a man and a women, a relationship that is open to life and procreation. Two days ago, precisely on 11 January, the Catholic Church in Africa through the President of SECAM presented a document which was approved by the Pope, reaffirming the above position. It affirmed that homosexuality is intrinsically a disordered orientation and called on those involved in it to repent and be converted. St. Paul makes it clear that sexual immorality in any form at all leads to loss of grace and to exclusion from heaven. Nobody should allow himself to be deceived by any teaching that says the contrary.
6. Today, God invites you to follow him and bring others to him. You can do this by just being a good person whose actions can easily lead others to God. St Mother Theresa remains a shining example of preaching without words, converting sinners solely by showing them love. You too can do the same.
