Stewards of the mysteries of God::: Friday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

 Year A

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Psalm 37:3-4.5-6.27-28.39-40 (R.39a)

Luke 5:33-39

Stewards of the Mysteries of God 

In one of my pastoral assignments I encountered a traditional priest who was sick. I did not know he was a traditional priest, but I prayed for him. He became well and started telling me what he knows to be the source of his sickness; according to him, he mistakenly ate a food that one of the gods he serve dislikes and that god punishing him, gave him that sickness. 

What kept me thinking however was that in one of the conversations I had with him when I go to visit him, he asked me to give him some of my powers.  Apparently, according to the people, he is a very powerful traditional priest in their town to the extent that people come from other places to receive help from him.  His request lead me to understand that indeed as Christians we have been given something more powerful. 

Today Paul makes it clear by saying that we are servants of Christ and stewards of the Mysteries of God. I like how Revelation 1: 1 talks about this;

 

"A revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him so that he could tell his servants what is now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John,"

According to Revelations, God gave Jesus Christ a Revelation to be given to his servants.  Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and God's mystery is given him to be given to his servants.  In short if you become a  servant of the Word of God, you will be entrusted with the mysteries of God. When was the last time you read the Bible and chat with God?

Yesterday I reminded us that the Word of God is God's knowledge of himself and distinct from himself and also his love of himself who is the Holy Spirit. 

⚫God the Father is God knowing himself.

⚫God the Son is God's knowledge of himself.

⚫God the Holy Spirit is God's love for himself. 

If God's is existence and God knows this, the knowledge God has about himself also will possess existence distinct from God, otherwise He will not be God's knowledge of himself.  Now, God's knowledge of himself is the  light of the world (John 8:12), and it was through God's knowledge of himself that He created the World (John 1:3).

So basically, there is one thing God's knowledge of himself calls us to reflect about ourselves.  If God who knows himself through the knowledge of himself created all that there is, then when we seek to know ourselves we will realize the power we possess. 

"For me to be a saint means to be myself. Therefore the problem of sanctity and salvation is in fact the problem of finding out who I am and of discovering my true self."

Thomas Merton

When we know  ourselves, what is the power we possess?  When we begin to know ourselves, we will realize that we are Vessels of God and without God we are nothing. Our being has its fullness in God and is only him who is. We only share in his being. Saint Augustine became aware of this fact and made this prayer;

Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know You,

And desire nothing save only You.

Let me hate myself and love You.

Let me do everything for the sake of You.

Let me humble myself and exalt You.

Let me think of nothing except You.

Let me die to myself and live in You.

Let me accept whatever happens as from You.

Let me banish self and follow You,

And ever desire to follow You.

Let me fly from myself and take refuge in You,

That I may deserve to be defended by You.

Let me fear for myself, let me fear You,

And let me be among those who are chosen by You.

Let me distrust myself and put my trust in You.

Let me be willing to obey for the sake of You.

Let me cling to nothing save only to You,

And let me be poor because of You.

Look upon me, that I may love You.

Call me that I may see You,

And for ever enjoy You.

Amen.

—St. Augustine of Hippo

Do you know yourself? Jesus Christ invites us to know ourselves and our situations, so in the gospel today, he makes it very clear. He is the bridegroom hence he has a bride and without the groom the bride is nothing.  This is what Fasting is all about, becoming nothing; no food, no item to worship or devote your time to and nowhere to throw yourself to, so that God becomes the food for your soul, the only one to Worship and the only place to throw yourself (cf.Luke 4:1ff).

 

By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson