24th Week in Ordinary Time

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, September 18, 2024. First Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13. Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 33:2-3, 4-5, and 22 (12b); Gospel: Luke 7:31-35. In today’s first reading, St. Paul exalts love above every other virtue.” So, faith, hope, and love abide these three, he said, but the greatest of these is love. It’s about Christ’s love as opposed to novelty love. It is not about making a feel-good kind of love or sensual love. He goes on to tell us what love is and what is not love. Love is selfless, patient, and kind. It does not try to pull down; it elevates. It is sacrificial. Love rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. We can be everything we want to be, but without love, we might as well be empty cans kicked down the street. One’s life becomes hallowed and full of noise. The good thing is that we can become more like God. God’s love falls on the rich and the poor. It does not discriminate. The human tendency is to avoid people whom you consider enemies. The natural body response to an incoming danger is to flitch, evade, or defend. If your sole aim is to please, you are in for a problem. However, Jesus taught that we are to love even those who hurt and persecute us. This can be very challenging and calls for a higher spiritual awakening. It isn’t easy to satisfy everyone. What is acceptable to some may be displeasing to others. In the end, doing what is good is vindicated by wisdom. Jesus demonstrated love to all, even those sidelined by customs and traditions. He welcomed them and gave meaning and purpose to their lives by healing and restoring them to their communities. He was called out for it as one who eats and drinks, a drunkard and glutton. Likewise, John was criticized for fasting as one possessed by a Demon. Human beings appear to be tricky, complex to please, and greedy. Nothing is good enough for people. The invitation is to imitate Christ’s love in our relationship with others. In his goodness, his rain falls on the poor and the rich. It is not irritable or resentful. Instead, it bears all things, believes, hopes, and endures all things. Fr. Sanctus K. Ibe.