29/09/2002 - Domenica 26ª del Tempo Ordinario - Anno A /// www.cinquepani.it

It’s good to hear st. Paul’s confidence to the Philippians. Even the Apostle looks for consolation and comfort. Where does he finds it? Like a good parent he feels consoled by the unity and harmony of his children, likewise Paul feels comforted by the unity of his fellow Christians, by their mutual love, by their victory over temptations of division and jealousy that can easily come out in Christian communities. The “Divisor”, enemy of men, is always lying some ambush for he knows it takes only to divide hearts to ruin God’s work amongst men. Therefore st. Paul urges them strongly non to fall into the temptation of wanting to rule or pride over others, but to compete in humility: “

Certainly it’s not easy, but the way to arrive to full unity and serene understanding exists: it’s the contemplation of the humanity of Jesus, His life on earth, His coming down low from divine to live a human life with all the difficulties and contradictions it implies. In His life time, humility was given considerable attention as we see how He accepted all kinds of humiliations, in particular the humiliation of His death and even more, the humiliation of a disgraceful death.

Look at Jesus! It seems obvious, but the apostle feels it’s his duty to remind the Christians. They tend to forget easily. Keeping in mind the Incarnation and the Passion of the Lord we receive inspirations and strength from within to overcome the many tensions and frictions that press on in parishes and parochial groups because someone forget to keep focused on Jesus.

Looking at Him then we wont see only the cross but also His exaltation by the Father! Now every knee bows in front of Him and every tongue praises Him. This fills us with hope and give us the strength we need to bear with patience, to continue to serve and be faithful with meekness.

The First Letter and the Gospel calls our attention to our personal responsibility. The Prophet Ezekiel warns us about a recurring temptation, that of blaming God of our sins, with the pretext that we have something to teach Him.

All of us, even if good, if one disobeys is heading for death. If a wicked man, instead, converts, puts himself on the way of life! In the Christian community everyone is to watch his or her own behavior: If my brother or sister behave bad, I wont have the authorization to imitate him and nevertheless to react without love!

Jesus high light this teaching with the parable of the two sons, the one who gives his proper “yes” to God, but then doesn’t follow it, and the one who doesn’t want to obey, but then repents and obeys. With the first, the Lord shows, the pious and the devotee that pride of being true sons of God but then forget what He wants of them and don’t do His will of love. The second son represent those who are off the way, that live like unbelievers, totally immersed in world affairs, but then get closer to Him, change their lives, begin to love Him with all their strength!

These facts don’t happened in the air, but amongst us. Jesus knew that His words were a reproach for His listeners: not only a reproach but also an indication, a counsel and a provocation to start living in a new way their proper faith.

His words are for me too. I’m the one who needs to be called again to obey seriously God, either wise in the Christian community, to whom I belong, can easily rise up divisions, pretension, touchiness. And these don’t give God His glory!

Therefore eyes fixed on Jesus, and a decision to stay with Him always!