24th SUNDAY OF
ORDINARY TIME (2011)
Reflections on Sirach 27:30-28:7 / Ps
103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 / Romans 14:7-9 / Matthew 18:21-35
by Frank D.B. Savadera, SJ
Today September 11, we remember that most sad
and unfortunate day TEN YEARS AGO when at least four commercial planes carrying
innocent civilians were hijacked and made to crash onto strategic areas around
the United States, particularly unto the world-famous commercial hub the Twin
Towers of the World Trade Center and the US Pentagon. Yes ... that was ten years ago already today. I don’t know where you were at that time.
I remember that we were
all gathered at the Jesuit Recreation Room in Manila having a meeting when someone
alerted us to tune in to CNN. True
enough, television (not to mention Cable TV) nowadays allows us to view LIVE that which transpires miles away from us. I
thought of the entire scene as simply something from the movies. Not a few video cameras, personal and
commercial videos were able to capture the sights and sounds of the event at
different angles and perspectives.
What was most interesting
for me then ... aside from the telecast and quite surreal depiction of death
and destruction (i.e., people running away from the scene covered with ash or
occupants of the building falling or jumping off the tall structure, etc.) ...
was a video (I couldn’t seem to find it on Youtube anymore) of children and
adults (purportedly Muslims) who were apparently rejoicing and partying in the
streets of major Muslim capitals in the middle east, as if celebrating victory over
a long-time undefeated enemy.
More than 3000 people
reportedly perished in the September 11 attacks ... and even until now, I still
fail to comprehend how much rejoicing and celebration can come amidst a tragedy
that had caused a lot of pain and misery for many.
More than understanding
how such a superpower as the United States of America had become prone and
vulnerable to terrorist attacks, the contrasting images of tragedy (on one
hand) and rejoicing (on the other) allowed me to ponder deeply about the GREAT
DIVIDE ... that GREAT DIVISION that continues to exist among people.
We need not look far. Even as we sit around, we know also that a
GREAT DIVIDE (either that be a difference in social status, political
perspective, etc.) tends to emphasize how DIFFERENT we are
from one another.
To STRESS that one is
different from us or “US” being different from others can actually bring about
what we may call a CRISIS OF BELONGING. They do not belong with us or US, we do not
belong with them nor share their sentiments. Imagine once again, CNN depicting the horrors
of death and destruction while simultaneously playing a video of Muslim
children and adults rejoicing as if they’ve just won a crucial basketball game. What a great DIVIDE, a stark contrast of
perspectives indeed.
Saint Paul’s letter to the
Romans tells us: “For if we live, we
live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live
or die, we are the Lord's.” WE ALL
BELONG TO GOD and this must predominate our consciousness each time we are tempted t feel
that we have become different from others or others different from us. This
note from Saint Paul truly must instill in our minds that WE ... ALL OF US
BELONG TO GOD ... and that whatever MAN-MADE distinctions we have created for
ourselves ... in the EYES of GOD ... we are all the SAME. Muslim, Christians
or of whatever faith and temperament ... WE ALL BELONG TO GOD.
I think for the sake of a
healthier mental health, we all may need to acknowledge our needs to
BELONG. Peculiar diseases traced among
orphans (called HOSPITALISM or a kind of malnutrition or MARASMUS) which cause recurring sicknesses ... point to what we may
call BELONGINESS DEFICIENCY ... a feeling of being ALIENATED, a feeling of
being TOTALLY DIFFERENT and SEPARATED from others. Among the orphans, BELONGINESS DEFICIENCY
results from being insufficiently fed, cuddled, touched and played with. You can imagine when they
grow up ... how these orphans in their adult life will long to be fed and
cuddled and touched. BELONGINESS
DEFICIENCY. There is such a thing!
All the more ... given our
current context of a world that continues to instill a GREAT DIVIDE among people ... must we further stress that WE ALL BELONG TO GOD! Whether we live or we die, we belong to the
Lord. For this is why Christ died and
came back to life, that he might be Lord of ALL ... regardless of our varying
circumstances in life.
WE ALL NEED TO WORK TO
ASSURE THAT NO ONE IS ALIENATED FROM OTHERS ... THAT NO ONE HAS A SPECIAL
PRIVILEGE THAN OTHERS. I think this is
the point of our Scripture readings for the day ... us who feel a certain
belongingess to and identification with God ... must all work to bridge
distinctions and divisions among peoples.
According to the Book of SIRACH,
WRATH and ANGER against fellows have no
place in a world that values belonginess with God. Wrath and anger ... contributes to division
and as such Sirach asks us: “Could
anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone who refuse mercy for another,
seek pardon for his own sins?” Amidst
the imperfection we see around us, is the challenge to ... nevertheless ...
make people feel that they belong ... allow people to feel that they are not
excluded or alienated. BECAUSE in the
first place, this is what God wishes us to feel ... that to Him we belong.
An interesting line which
I picked up from the Gospel is I think worth our attention. The WICKED SERVANT begged his master: 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you
back in full.' Thus moved with
compassion the master let him go and forgave him the loan.
But then we know how the story went.
After being pardoned for his debt, the wicked servant begins harassing
his own servant. Be patient with me and
I will pay you back in full. God can
truly be patient with us. But then can
we truly truly pay him back IN FULL? The
story of the wicked servant is precisely a depiction of how we FAIL to PAY GOD
BACK in full ... that we need to depend on the LOVE and GRACE of God ... BE
PATIENT WITH ME, O Lord ... even if I
would have difficulty paying you back in full.
September 11 ... ten years ago will always
stay in our consciousness as a symbol of DIVISION among peoples in the
world. A GREAT DIVIDE exists even
among us. We are
asked to reflect on HOW ALL OF US BELONG TO GOD and must all work to BRIDGE THE
GAP between peoples ... that ANGER and WRATH have no place among those who
claim BELONGINESS to God. And in
acknowledging our own weakness, we cannot not but DEPEND ON GOD to continue
being PATIENT with us for our FAILURES to PAY HIM BACK IN FULL. May our
PSALM for today assure us of a
God who is completely patient with us :
The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in
compassion. THIS IS THE GOD TO WHOM WE
ALL WISH TO BELONG. AMEN.
