Today’s Readings:
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Psalm 66:1-3, 5, 16-17
Matthew 18:15-20
Dear Village people,
It is with joy that I write you this letter because I realise that I have been a hypocrite all this time. You will be wondering that I have never called or sent you as much as a text message. But here I am writing a whole epistle to you to express my desire to put things right. The inspiration for this is the Gospel passage which I read this morning. It left me in complete shock. It spoke of the need for reconciliation and what one should do in the event that the one who feels offended refuses to reconcile.
It says that, first, if anyone holds something against me, I should go and have it out alone with them. If they listen, I have gotten a brother. If not, I should take two more people to go and speak with them, so that the evidence of two or three will help to sustain the charge. And if this fails, I should report to the whole community to intervene in the matter. And even when this fails, I should treat this person as a pagan or a tax collector. Before now I thought this passage means that I no longer speak with my brother or sister, that I should ostracize them and allow them to be condemned in their sin and die. But now I ask myself, “How did Jesus relate with tax collectors and sinners? How did he relate with them while in the world?”
We are told that Jesus was friends with tax collectors and sinners and would occasionally eat with them (Luke 5:27-32). This made the Jewish leaders so furious with them because they felt that he was always in their company. So, I ask myself again, “Am I supposed to hate those who hate me or treat them with love? What would Jesus want me to do?” The answer is very clear: Jesus wants me to treat others with love, to try to understand them and see things from their point of view. And that is why I have decided today to reach out to you and to beg you to, please, forgive me in any way I might have offended you. Find it in your heart to accept me as your brother and friend because we all need each other if we are to make it in life and enter heaven.
And so, dear village people, I am begging. If there is any way I or my family members have offended you, forgive us. It was not out of malice. We are all humans and we make mistakes. To err, as we say, is human but to forgive is divine. Yes, we all are humans, but we are children of God as well. So, we can afford to forgive. Maybe there are no village people out there. May be there is no one out there witch-hunting me. Maybe it is just my inability to accept my mistakes or responsibility. And so, I am saying today, if I have done anything wrong, I am willing to let go of it and to do better. If there is anyone I have offended in any way, I am willing to apologise if they come forward. Henceforth, I want to live a life of love. I don’t want to carry anybody in my heart. I want to be free, joyful and to live for God, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
JUDE-MARY OWOH
Prayer:
Praise ye the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul.
While I live will I praise the Lord; I will sing praises unto my God while I have my being.
Lord, you know I love you and my heart is totally offered up to you. Keep me conscious of your presence in and around me, in Jesus name.
When tests, trials and temptations come, help me to stand on Your promise that never fails through Christ our Lord.
O Lord, empower me by Your grace to live a holy life, in Jesus name.
O Lord, give me victory over all carnality, in Jesus name.
Father, we commit our children, youths and young adults to Your fatherly care, keep them as the apple of Your eye, in Jesus name.
Father, let the life of our Lord Jesus Christ be truly established in the body of Christ, in Jesus name.
We command the stones of fire of God to fall upon every strange altar working against the children of God, in Jesus name. Amen.
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