FOLLOWING THE SUFFERING MESSIAH(The Unmessianic Messiah)

HOMILY FOR THE 24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

THEME:  FOLLOWING THE SUFFERING MESSIAH(The Unmessianic  Messiah)

R1-Isaiah 50:5-9.

R2- James 2:14-18.

Gospel- Mark 8:27-35.

The suffering Servant of God( first reading)

This is part of the third song of the servant of Yahweh, who, as is manifest in the text, was having a hard time. He made no resistance and did not turn away. He offered his back to those who struck him, his cheeks to those who tore at his beard. He did not cover his face against insult and spittle. He found solace only in the word of God, which he also tried to spread. He was persecuted  because of the same word of God. Because he had trust in God, he accepted the challenges of his difficult mission and did not despair. The Lord came to his help and he comes to our help. He is our shepherd, who guides us in paths of saving justice as befits his name. If we walk in a ravine as dark as death, we will fear no danger for he is at our side(cf.Ps 23).

The suffering servant of Yahweh could be Isaiah himself, because he talked in the first person. As a prophet of God, he often met challenges and hardship because of his mission. The suffering servant could also be the people of Israel who were suffering in exile. They were humiliated and persecuted for their faith. This last interpretation is more appropriate, because the purpose of the message was to encourage them.

However, early Christians applied it to Jesus, the real suffering servant of God, who although innocent gave his life for humankind. He was betrayed, rejected, insulted and crucified, but afterwards he rose from the dead (cf. Phil 2:8-11).

Christ the suffering Messiah(Gospel).

Before Jesus revealed to his disciples the type of Messiah he was, he put this question to them “who do people say I am?” They came up with so many answers which weren’t theirs. But Jesus demanded a personal answer from them, then Peter spoke up and gave the right answer, “You are the Christ”, which means the messiah, the anointed one, the awaiting king. Immediately afterwards, Jesus revealed the type of Messiah he was, the messiah who was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day. After revealing the type of Messiah he was, he said to them, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow him. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the Gospel, will save it.”

Thus, faith without good works is dead( second reading).

In the exhortation of James, we see another way of to follow Christ, the suffering Messiah. Faith without good works is dead. Our faith should produce fruit and by the fruit, the world will know that we are disciples of the Messiah. Therefore, it is not enough to say to someone who is in need of clothes and does not have enough food to live on, “I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty”, without giving him these necessities of life. The teaching of James does not contradict that of Paul on salvation by faith on God who gives without charge. On the contrary, they complement each other. 

There is no opposition between having faith and having good deeds, because “I will prove to you that I have faith by showing you my good deeds”( James2:18). Paul and James had different audiences and preached to them according to their needs and problems. Many of  Paul’s addresses were obsessed with the idea of observing Jewish traditions like circumcision before one could be baptized. Therefore, Paul was eager to let them know that it was faith in God that mattered and not those rituals. Some unscrupulous people in the community of James took refuge in the teaching of Paul and assumed that having faith was enough, so they did not worry about charity. But as a body without spirit is dead, so is faith without good deeds(cf.James 2:26); the authenticity of faith is seen by the actions that it produces. On another occasion. Paul had also said, “Though I have all the faith necessary to move mountains, if I am without love, I am nothing”( 1Cor.13:2) 

     

               LIFE MESSAGES (Lessons)

1. FORM YOURSELF TO ACCOMMODATE SUFFERING.

Today’s readings exhorts us to follow the suffering Messiah who died in order to rise, who won by losing, not with arms but by the cross, through obedience to the will of the father. We must form ourselves to follow the footsteps of our Master and Messiah. Sufferings and crosses are identical to Christianity. It is something that we must dispose ourselves to accept in our lives as Christians. They are not a taboo rather a perfect way of identifying with the suffering Messiah. Our crosses and sufferings remain our identity as Christians. When we carry our cross with joy; our suffering will become sweet, and it will be the sure road which will lead to true peace of heart. May we gather every drop of our suffering, to transform it into a precious gift of love and reparation and to offer it, each day, to the justice of God.

2. FAITH WITHOUT GOOD WORKS IS DEAD(JAMES 2:17)

The world is filled with men and women of great faith, priests and religious, prophets, evangelists, powerful men of God, etc; yet the world is still lacking men and women of good deeds. Nigeria is made up of religious people but ungodly. Our Brother James admonishes us to step down our faith into our deeds. The world needs men and women of good deeds, faith is not enough. Our society is thirsting for witnesses, we have had enough of preachers. May our deeds be a reflection of what we profess and what we claim be (Christians)

3. WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU?

This question is ever pertinent in our lives as Christians. It offers us an opportunity to examine our lives; for  “an unexamined life is not worth living.”  May we make out time to find out who we really are before the people. This is exactly what the suffering Messiah enquired from his apostles today in order to reveal his true identity. There will always be criticisms but let the people criticize you positively.

As we have made up our minds to follow the suffering  Messiah, may we pay attention to what people say about us, it will help us to remain faithful in his footsteps.

May God bless His words in our hearts. Amen.

HAPPY  SUNDAY!

GOD BLESS YOU.

FR. MALACHY OKONKWO, SMMM.