Fr. Martin Ali keke Ndemsou, sx
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Last Sunday, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord which marks the beginning of the public mission of Jesus. And the readings of this second Sunday in ordinary time invite us to be servants. To serve is the essence of the Chuch. The Church loses her identity when it stops serving.
In the first reading taken from the Book of Isaiah, Israel is called servant: “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isaiah 49: 3). Unfortunately, the old Israel constituted by the twelve children of Jacob had faded out. In the New Covenant, Jesus reconstitutes the new Israel by choosing twelve apostles (cf. Mk 3:13-16).
“In choosing the Twelve, introducing them into a communion of life with himself and involving them in his mission of proclaiming the Kingdom in words and works, Jesus wants to constitute the new people of God, the people of the twelve tribes, which becomes a universal people, his church.” (Pope Benedict XVI, The Apostles, p.13-14).
And Jesus taught the new Israel to be servant by his life. Let us remember what he did and said on the Last Supper before his Passion: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13: 14-15). Therefore, the Church, the new Israel is called to be servant by imitating her head, Jesus who “did not come to be served but to serve, and give his life as ransom for many” (Mk 10:45).
However, Jesus does not serve as a slave; he rather serves as the only begotten Son of God (cf. Jn 1: 34). Thus, as Church we serve our brothers and sisters especially the vulnerable not as slaves but as adoptive children of God. In fact, Saint Paul says: “You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rm 8: 15).
The best service that we should render to today’s world is to be peacemakers: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5: 9). Indeed, our world needs peace which is “unarmed and disarming” (Pope Leon XIV). And let us be untiring prayer warriors for peace.
Fr. Martin Ali keke Ndemsou, sx
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Last Sunday, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord which marks the beginning of the public mission of Jesus. And the readings of this second Sunday in ordinary time invite us to be servants. To serve is the essence of the Chuch. The Church loses her identity when it stops serving.
In the first reading taken from the Book of Isaiah, Israel is called servant: “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isaiah 49: 3). Unfortunately, the old Israel constituted by the twelve children of Jacob had faded out. In the New Covenant, Jesus reconstitutes the new Israel by choosing twelve apostles (cf. Mk 3:13-16).
“In choosing the Twelve, introducing them into a communion of life with himself and involving them in his mission of proclaiming the Kingdom in words and works, Jesus wants to constitute the new people of God, the people of the twelve tribes, which becomes a universal people, his church.” (Pope Benedict XVI, The Apostles, p.13-14).
And Jesus taught the new Israel to be servant by his life. Let us remember what he did and said on the Last Supper before his Passion: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13: 14-15). Therefore, the Church, the new Israel is called to be servant by imitating her head, Jesus who “did not come to be served but to serve, and give his life as ransom for many” (Mk 10:45).
However, Jesus does not serve as a slave; he rather serves as the only begotten Son of God (cf. Jn 1: 34). Thus, as Church we serve our brothers and sisters especially the vulnerable not as slaves but as adoptive children of God. In fact, Saint Paul says: “You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rm 8: 15).
The best service that we should render to today’s world is to be peacemakers: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5: 9). Indeed, our world needs peace which is “unarmed and disarming” (Pope Leon XIV). And let us be untiring prayer warriors for peace.
Fr. Martin Ali keke Ndemsou, sx