Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
HOW
ARE WE INTERPRETING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIMES
As a human
person, we are good at discerning the events happening around us in order to
predict what can be the outcome of such events in the future. We often read the
signs of nature in order to make predictions of what will happen in the future.
Little wonder Jesus while rebuking the crowd in our Gospel reading today said:
when you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is
coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be
hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and
the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times the events of
this passing world? Why not judge for yourselves what is right?
Here,
Jesus condemned the ugly attitudes of the crowds for they can read the signs of
nature and so predict the future, but now out of jealousy and selfishness, they
have failed to recognize the truth by refusing to acknowledge in Jesus one who
comes from God, one who speaks God’s word and acts in the power of God. So
Jesus rebuked them for such a hypocritical attitude. In the second aspect of
the Gospel, Jesus is asking us to put things right while there is still time if
not we should be willing to duly face the punishment for all our wrongdoings.
Thus
St. Paul in our first reading says: I know that nothing good is living in me,
that is, in my flesh, for though the will to do what is good is in me, but I
cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, because instead of doing the
good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want.
Dear
friends, there are so many signs around us today. What is our disposition
towards these signs? Can we identify the signs of our time? How can we
understand and interpret them? Why have we failed to understand the sign that
tells us that this world is not our home, we are just passing by? Are we not reading
the hand of God in what is going on around us, especially in our country? Now
we are called to respond to these signs. What do we think Jesus would do if he was
living with us now? Today, Jesus is calling us to discern our actions towards
the signs we see in the world we are living in now.
Though,
it is very easy to condemn the ugly situation going on in our world today, are
we learning anything from it? Are we having any sense of guilt and repentance?
Why allow this evil to linger in us by getting into endless arguments and
deception when we already know what is right? Why waste so much time arguing
about unnecessary things while missing out on the main points that are more
basic and challenging? I think is time we come back to the real issues which
are justice, honesty, transparency, and equity, equal respect for human life
and property. These are the things we all need to put right at all levels and
sectors where we find ourselves as we wait on the awesome day of the Lord.
LET US
PRAY: Heavenly Father, in every event that happens to us you said, has your
mark on it. Help us to discern the signs of our time, in order to embrace your
will for us and to follow you wherever you may lead us as we struggle to
overcome the ugly situation in our country. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen. May God protect and keep us.
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